Help needed for skiing next new year.

caraboo

We are currently discussing with friends going skiing next new year.

Approx 4 families (2 adults + 2 children) and several couples.

We are wanting prices on all inclusive chalets if possible.

Can anyone recommend any sites or best travel agents to deal with.

Many thanks in advance.

nelly_2

Dont know if this is what you're after but have you seen Lillehammer.

I should have been there this week but money didnt allow.

Anyway not only do they have skiing but also dog sledding snow mobiling, and the best bit they let you go down the olympic tobagan run. Even more unbelievably you know the skeleton that we just got a silver medal in? well they let the public do that too. Click me

then in the left coloum click activities-winter-on ice.

It looks a cracking place im so annoyed I'm not there.

billy_the_kid_2

The last few years we have booked with Neilsons. Not outstanding, but cant fault them.

Rikki

Slovenia do Ski holidays.
I'm going in the summer walking but it is a winter ski resort. Look Here

Rhiannon_of_Woolamai

The snow should be ok in most resorts by New Year, but you'll probably find in lower resorts that some of the links and nursery slope areas are a bit thin.

I used to work as a ski resort manager in Austria. We found that the resorts towards the West e.g. Neustift, Mayrhofen were later to get snow in the lower areas, where as Soll, Sheffau, Ellmau, Kaprun, Zell am See. etc had snow earlier.

Austria celebrates wildly on New Years Eve - expect the maddest fireworks - people like to purchase handheld fireworks and rockets and they all set them off. Be aware though that if you're paying for ski school, some of them don't operate on New Years Day so although you're paying for the full 6 day ski school you only get 5 days. Negotiate a good price with your ski school manager direct (take everyone from your chalet along to negotiate a bulk discount price - it might even be cheaper to pay for a personal ski instructor, private lesson for all of you)

If you're going as a family, I'd recommend a resort with other things to do as well, e.g a big swimming pool, shops, sleigh rides, tobogan track, ice rink,etc... St. Johann in Tirol is pretty good for families (nice long blue runs), and a magical family nighttime tobogan run which lasts about 30/40 minutes. Zell am See is also lovely as the lake freezes over in the winter.

To save money, don't buy your ski gear and lift pass from the holiday company. Buy it yourself when you get there in resort. Intersport are great (nice kit). Go as soon as you arrive and get fitted out for skis and boots (don't wait until the next morning as there will be huge queues), and get your lift pass too if poss. If you are a large group (e.g. over 10 people), you can get a group rate deal on lift passes from the lift pass company. They're very negotiable and you should be able to get one free for a group of 10.