Ski 2018

[concretejungle]

Looking for advice for 2018, please.

Would like to ski Feb half term in reasonable resort, with kids who will be 9 and nearly 6. Flights from Scotland. Both kids will be ok skiers - two previous snow weeks and plenty dry slope experience.

Would like a family room - ideally in a chalet, but hotel ok too. Two separate rooms would be ok (but prob more expensive and also means DH and I have to share with one kid each). Self catering apartment only if I have to!

What is most cost effective way to do this?

Thanks!!

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

cost effective? Self catering, self drive, 2 stars. You could pull the lot in with kit and lessons for less than 2k, but compromises will be made.

The other cheap option is to skip school. Cost effective and Feb half term are not really known to each other.

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

sorry if that sounds abrupt, it wasn't meant to. It's a sad fact that skiing in the school hols is a costly exercise

[concretejungle]

Ha, thanks! I'm not up for driving from Scotland. Self catering maybe.

If I wanted a chalet, is it cheaper to book independently and organise my own flights etc, or get an early bird deal with Crystal (ideally with free child place!)

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

I doubt you'll find a free child place in half term. We skied with kids before school dates were an issue and the free places weren't offered in schools hols.

I think if you shop about, self help and doing everything independently is cheaper. I've used independent hotels and cheap apartments and it's certainly cheaper than a package. Try looking at AirBnB too, I've seen a few people use that.

[concretejungle]

Thanks..... I managed to get a free child place for half term 2017 and my second child was half price - miracles apparently can happen!!! I guess it's too much to hope for the sane to happen twice ;)

Off to explore airbnb - hadn't thought of that.

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

Well that is a bloody miracle! I'm heartened to hear it. I found stuff for Easter but never half term.

Who did you book with?!

Believe or not we are heading to Sweden in 2018, it's cheaper than France all in. The kids have a limited lesson time, but ours are fine with us most of the time. We will take booze from the airport and quite a bit with us (as we did when we went to Finland), so local costs aren't that much of an issue.

[concretejungle]

Crystal. We booked mid Dec 2015 for Feb 2017. Going to Scheffau, Austria.

Perhaps there's better deals if you're not looking for one of the big French resorts? Who know! A glimmer of light!

[massistar]

We're going to Scheffau in Feb 2017 too.. Booked independently, flights with BA and then direct with the hotel. Look out for the crowd of really noisy Welsh people.. :-) Can I really nosily ask what you paid to do it with Crystal?

[concretejungle]

Sure... 3800. Family room, half board. 4 x lift passes (altho think my youngest got a free lift pass). 4 x ski hire. 2 x kids ski school.

You?

[massistar]

2200 for family room half board plus 400 for the flights with BA. Another 160 for transfers plus 120 for ski school for 1 child. My DH and I have our own gear so roughly another 100 for ski hire for the kids. Looks like it's nearly another 600 for lift passes so 3580 all in. So looks like you got a pretty good deal to get it all done through Crystal!

[concretejungle]

Just re-priced our Feb 17 holiday based on today's website prices - now 6k, and we'd need to have 2 x twin rooms. Wow! That's more than 50% more than I paid a year ago. Reinforces my view that booking earlier is best.

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

That's reassuring as I've never dared do it! I think they like to get early cash flow, but not many people are so far ahead. I raised the subject of booking 2018 last night and my DH was not up for it (little does he know it's all planned and ready to go)

[Buttercupsandaisies]

We're going Andorra Feb half term and appartment and easy jet flights etc with lessons passes and ski hire for family of four is £2800 all in.

[BendyBusBuggy]

If you don't mind organising it yourself rather than going for a package, then have a look at flying into Geneva, and skiing in Buerchen or St Luc. You could get there by train and bus from Geneva. Buerchen is wonderful for families

[BendyBusBuggy]

Buerchen has free lift passes for children

[concretejungle]

The madness continues..... still nothing booked for 2018, however out of interest I asked Crystal to price Scheffau for Feb 18..... (which is what I have got booked for Feb 17).

So....

Feb 17 - 4k incl 4xlift passes 4xski hire and 2x kids ski school (booked Dec 15)

Feb 18 - 6k excl everything (so just flights, transfers and accom)

Nuts!!!!!!

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

a bit of that is the pound falling, but that is indeed nuts!

[massistar]

If you like the hotel in Scheffau when you're out there this year it might be worth just booking with them directly and see if you can get an early bird discount? Then just need to sort flights etc. which should come in nearer my DIY budget this year?

[concretejungle]

Booked 2018 - Tignes first week in April via Crystal. Hotel, half board, flights, 4x lift pass, 4x ski hire, 2x ski school. 4.5k.

Feels reasonable. I think??

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

I've been a couple of times at Easter and it's always been good skiing. With the Euro I think that's a good price.

... I now want to book ours