Learn to Ski/Snowboard Holiday

alibongo42

LillyJ wrote: »

Another option in Italy, somewhere like Sauze D'Oulx.

Just wanted to add a slightly different opinion about Sauze for beginners. I've been skiing twice now, and choose Sauze for my "learn to ski" resort.

It is fair to say that prices were suitably low, accomodation good, and tuition great. However, as a beginner/low intermediate skier, for me personally there wasn't enough for me to progress on to once I had mastered the nursery slopes. I wanted easy but interesting, and was still a little too scared for what was on offer. My beginner snow-boarding friend felt the same (but we were a bit rubbish!).

Some of the other resorts in the Milky Way (same ski area) seemed more appealing for our level - take a look at Sestriere.

Just to warn you - once you get hooked on skiing, holidays will never be cheap again!

LillyJ

alibongo42 wrote: »

Just wanted to add a slightly different opinion about Sauze for beginners. I've been skiing twice now, and choose Sauze for my "learn to ski" resort.

It is fair to say that prices were suitably low, accomodation good, and tuition great. However, as a beginner/low intermediate skier, for me personally there wasn't enough for me to progress on to once I had mastered the nursery slopes. I wanted easy but interesting, and was still a little too scared for what was on offer. My beginner snow-boarding friend felt the same (but we were a bit rubbish!).

Some of the other resorts in the Milky Way (same ski area) seemed more appealing for our level - take a look at Sestriere.

Just to warn you - once you get hooked on skiing, holidays will never be cheap again!

I am surprised you found Sauze not good for intermediates. I would personally say it was an intermediate area. It isn't bad for advanced skiers either, I would say much better than Bulgaria. Sestriere is also good, and cheap. Queues aren't as bad in Italy either.
The Dolomites are good as well, Aprica is a little known resort that is good for intermediates and beginners, not great for advanced. (I used to work there).
Even with an unlimited budget I think some of the Italian resorts beat French ones hands down, simply due to their lack of queues and busy pistes.
If going outside of (French) school holidays you could do worse than Les Menuires - a bit cheaper than it's neighbours (but still has horrifically expensive lift pass), and a good height for good snow. I've never struggled for snow there.

cazziebo

Can't doubt that Bulgaria is cheap.

My two daughters learned in France and Austria (skiing and boarding). In both countries classes were rarely more than 8. My sister and her family came with us to Bulgaria, as learners, and there were over 25 in her class, and around 20 in the children's class - way too many. the beginners runs were very busy, and even worse, would often cross black and red runs.

The food is awful, never hot. The bars belt out music 24 hours per day, the children begging in the street are really distressing, the pavements were never cleared which led to a lot of wrist injuries as people slid all over the place. The four star hotel we stayed in would hardly have scraped two stars here.

good bars, cheap drink, lively social life. As a skiing/boarding experience it was dire.

I really can't recommend it. This was Borovets, btw.

LillyJ

cazziebo wrote: »

Can't doubt that Bulgaria is cheap.

My two daughters learned in France and Austria (skiing and boarding). In both countries classes were rarely more than 8. My sister and her family came with us to Bulgaria, as learners, and there were over 25 in her class, and around 20 in the children's class - way too many. the beginners runs were very busy, and even worse, would often cross black and red runs.

The food is awful, never hot. The bars belt out music 24 hours per day, the children begging in the street are really distressing, the pavements were never cleared which led to a lot of wrist injuries as people slid all over the place. The four star hotel we stayed in would hardly have scraped two stars here.

good bars, cheap drink, lively social life. As a skiing/boarding experience it was dire.

I really can't recommend it. This was Borovets, btw.

We went to Borovets too.
I personally found it much less crowded than any resort I have ever been to.
I agree about the food, but we ended up eating out and not eating the hotel food - still cheaper than going to France. There is an amazing curry house, (not very Bulgarian I know!) that is cheap as anything.

The ice on the roads was also awful, but to be fair I did see a good few Brits in pumps and the like - serves them right if you ask me.

There were 9 people in my OH's ski group which is fine in my opinion (we used to have more than that when I was repping).
We also didn't see anyone begging.

When we were students it was the only way to have a ski holiday, and my OH who was learning loved it and is now hooked.

I would personally say if you are after all the extras like the food and posh hotel, etc it isn't for you. If you are like me and just need a cheap snow fix due to some hideous skiiing addiction, then it is the place for you!

One added bonus for me, an avid skiier, is that there are very few boarders compared with the Alps, which can ony be a good thing!

Justin_Scotland

My recommendation would be to try and up your budget a little and book in a USA ski resort for sometime in early January. Its early in the season so cheaper and not as busy and during the week you will find the ski schools are pretty quiet. We went to Jackson Hole for my first trip and for most of the week it was 1 on 1 tuition all day even though I had just booked for group lessons. USA is more snow sure than europe as well and the instructors are first class.

So it wont be as cheap as europe but from seeing the HUGE crowds of students in Borovets and other resorts I think worthwhile paying for.

I went to Borovets in Late January this year and seriously if you are bottom of the hill beginners you arent going to do much skiing. More like standing around waiting for the other 20 people in your group to take turns doing their snow plow.

holidaymonster

Hi, saw this post and registered just to tell you to give romania a try !! I have been twice now and definetely plan on going again. We book with airtours for the all inclusive package, this includes tuition ski or snowboard, ski or snowboard and boot hire, lift pass, half board food, all drinks whilst in the hotel bar. In january me and my partner went and it cost around 700 for both of us and when you get there we struggled spending £200, for example four of us went to the local pizzeria for dinner and with a pizza each, owl of salad and two rounds of drinks it cost just over £10, get in there before it turns to euros !!!! I used to be a ski rep in france and know how much it costs for the whole package, so believe me this is a bargain !!!!!! hope this helps ay questions just let me know x:beer:

marky70

Just found this on the ski club of great britian websitr

http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/news/story.asp?intStoryID=5884

free lesson, equipment etc for genuine 1st time skiers
sounds like a great offer

poe.tuesday

I know I go on about Lapland but it really if fab for skiing and it's cheap, I would reckon you will be able to get a last min deal there going in jan, if you check out lastminute.com and put winter/ski as your holiday type then choose finland as your destination then click search, I would wait until dec to look for jan/feb deals, you can also check out inghams and crystalski under their offers but again, wait until dec,

as for learn to ski packages, it is about £170 each with either of the above companies, this includes lift passes, boots, ski and pole hire for 6 days and 1.5 hour lessons per day for 5 days, as this is a learn to ski package they want complete novices so do not do any lessons before hand and to be honest with you you won't need them on this learn to ski package as it really does teach you well, you can also do a learn to snowboard package. I would thing that with a cheap holiday deal and your learn to ski package you will probably pay about £400 each depending on the accommodation, there is also loads to do in lapland such as snowmobiling, husky rides etc

from what I can tell, the learn to ski package price is very good in comparison to other resorts, if you go to the inghams website and do some searching of other resorts they will give you the price of the learn to ski packages in each resort, you can then compair the prices.

flyerman

If your budget is around £200 for flights accommodation and transfer and you want cheap lessons as well as cheaper everything else, I have a bansko accommodation blog where, I have to declare, i list tips/recommendations to those looking to rent or visit Bansko but too many to put in one post here. however here are a few key points on Bansko and saving money and will be happy to add more if anyone is interested:

Nice old town, new lift system and smarter than Borovets and more convenient than Pamporovo (the other major Bulgarian resorts). In Bansko you get snow making and very well prepared, and wide pistes and you can even afford private lessons as they are generally around a quarter of French prices. In the local restaurants outside town you can eat well for £3 per head.

Remember to save money at €1.28 to the £1 assuming to remains around this level you need to evaluate all the costs of going skiing: ski/board hire, lessons, lift pass, food, nightlife and quality of accommodation. So whilst you may get to France/Austria/Spain for similar money its what you spend on the whole trip.... What's more, if you're saving a load by not paying £4+ for a hot chocolate on the slopes then somehow it sees a bit more enjoyable.

There are some downsides in Bulgaria generally, whilst building work stops for the ski season you will still see some unfinished buildings around. Service can be poor and you will queue to get up the mountain on New Year and some Sundays. These can be reduced by getting to lift early (best to stay close to lift for this). Overall service in improving and can be very good.


Final tip: Apart from a couple of the best 5 and 4 star hotels do not eat in a hotel restaurant as the food in generally poor - there are plenty of other good restaurants.

GIRLPOWER_2

cheap flight to Geneva with BMI baby from EMA approx. £40 return in Jan.

Les Gets is about 1 hour away, perfect for beginners, picture post card village where you can get a village apartment in the centre of town for approx £400 that sleeps 6. You can walk to the lifts from the village in just a few mins and the ski runs are beautifully tree lined with plenty of restaurants and cafes up the mountains to ski to.

Most of the apartments are let through there tourist info centre who are very helpful.

book your ski passes before the end of oct and save another 20%

https://www.lesgets.com

HTH

Nikki