Putting together independent package

[butteroneverything]

I'm looking to put together a trip for the first week of the Easter holiday 2018. We have a 5yr old (first ski trip!) plus baby. I've had a look at Esprit/Total etc but would like to try and save a bit by doing it ourselves.
Any tips for the best sites to use to find chalets or apartments and any child-friendly but snow sure resorts you can recommend?

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

Tignes is high. We've been at Easter without issues a couple of times.
We used T4 nannies and they were excellent. We just had a standard catered chalet and they let the nanny use the facilities to take care of the kids.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

The Solutions Room on the Chalets Direct website is fab for finding independent operators.

[LeftoverCrabsticks]

Arc1950 has lots of apartments to rent independently - whether through the Pierre & Vacances website itself, or the usual Owners Direct, or even Erna Low (who can also arrange travel, lift passes etc and we have had great service from)

The best part is the fact there is a creche on site within two minutes walk of every apartment, which also has a ski school attached (Spirit 1950) You can book it all independently and they're very flexible with their options including ad-hoc afternoons, lunch etc.

The resort is high and snow sure, and everything you need is within two minutes and every apartment is ski in/ski out.

We were there this year and it was a revelation how easy the resort is for those with children. It's a very family-orientated place!

[DereksGotATail]

We've been trying to sort out our 2018 holiday tonight by pricing accommodation on the Home and Away site and flights via Skyscanner. We've done this for our last few holidays, summer and winter, and have managed to save a lot of money.

[DSAVDADSNET]

Hi DereksGotATail,
We're in the same boat - looking at a 1st Family Skiing holiday and looking at our options.
Does anyone have a resort recommendations or any other recommendations for some ski virgins? we've started lessons and have 2 boys (aged 7 and 3) who we're planning on getting started soon too.
Many thanks.

[WestWithTheSun]

Things you need to book when organising your own ski trip:

Flights:
You can fly to most places, but the bigger airports will have better onward travel links. Or you could cross the Channel and drive yourself there.
Transfers - hire car, transfer company or public transport?
If you are getting a hire car and are travelling from one country to another, check the hire company are happy for the car to leave the country you hired it in. I know it sounds obvious, but I also know people who have fallen foul of this (in one case they only read the small print when their hire car had ben hit by a snow plough!) Also make sure it has winter tyres and check if you can hire snow chains too. Transfer companies are very good, they know what they are doing. It avoids the faff of snow chains and trying to find somewhere to park the car for the week. Public transport links are great for some airports and resorts, terrible for others.
Accommodation:
I always use Owners Direct, but there are plenty of other recommendations here.
Ski school:
Usually you can book on arrival but when it's the school holidays they are often booked up well in advance. Best to make a block reservation if you think you need it.
Child care:
See above.
Meals:
It sounds obvious but if you are self catering, make sure there is a supermarket nearby. Nothing worse than having to trudge miles to a supermarket at the end of the day. My sister is particularly fond of a resort where the nearest shop that will sell you a bottle of wine is 50km away. Not a problem though if you made an emergency stash in advance!
Lift passes:
You can book these on arrival but might get a discount if you book in advance. Especially at Easter when it is getting toward the end of the season.

As for resorts, go high altitude. The dilemma with this is that many of the high altitude resorts are not quite as child friendly as the lower ones - I think they get a bit filled with die-hard skiers! I'd always avoid France with young children - I love France but they seem to be a bit shove-y in ski resorts. Austria and Italy are great, but have fewer high altitude resorts - Google is your friend here though.

[DSAVDADSNET]

thanks for this, it is very helpful. We're thinking as it's our first time to book an all-in-one package with ski schools nearby and would be looking half-term holiday next Feb. I understand the sky's the limit in terms of cost but what sort of ballpark figure would this cost for a week for a family of 4?

[cestlavielife]

try something like igluski.com which acts as agent for various companies to get an idea. or crystal, inghams. etc. put in your dates and number of people and it will give you options. from say minimum 400/500 per person for flights transfers accommodation but then you add in the tuition etc. ask about learntoskipackages with lessons ski hire ski pass included.
www.igluski.com/ has example meribel one week from 504 per person in a chalet most meals flights transfers

[welovepancakes]

This might be helpful

www.bensbus.co.uk/