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Are a lot of skiers like this?

60 replies

Theblacksheepandme · 23/12/2021 23:06

We decided to go to Austria for Christmas. We wanted to do lots of hiking and have good food in the evenings. We have gone to this particular resort in Austria for summer holidays but have never gone in the winter. We couldn't manage to get the hotel we liked but were assured that the one we're staying in was just as good. We have spent most evenings listening to British families discussing how much property they own. Talking about the businesses they run. Hiring of architects for the building of their house. What prestigious University their son or daughter has got into. One morning a Mother was giving her son a little money for the morning - €100. I am surrounded by self entitled obnoxious people that probably made their money exploiting their employees. A lot of these families come to this hotel every year. The hotel is nowhere near as good as the one we like. Rooms are just ok and food isn't great. For people that have so much money they don't seem to know good food at all. It would put me right off coming here again in the winter because of these people. My husband is trying to convince me that not all skiers are like this and it is probably the type of resort we decided to stay in but I'm not sure.

OP posts:
EmmaGrundyForPM · 24/12/2021 04:52

A few years ago when he was in Y12 DS and his two best friends went skiing in France and stayed in a catered chalet. The other guests were like this, ds said that they were "dead posh" which I thought was funny as we are not at all posh, but DS's friends are. They both have posh names, posh voices, from wealthy families etc. DS said the other guests did a lot of discussion about their second homes, their cars etc. Both of DS's friends have second homes, horses, posh cars etc in their families but DS said the other guests were "really posh and let you know about it" so clearly he felt there was a difference. Grin

DS said that the other chalet guests were truly shocked when they asked which school they were at and DS and friends said they were at the local comprehensive. DS said he didn't think they'd ever met teenagers from a comprehensive before!

Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 06:53

EmmaGrundyForPM
I actually think people that always had money less like I described. It is people that have made money along the way that I think need to tell everyone about it. Almost like they need to prove something to people.

OP posts:
Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 06:59

Ginandplatonic
So they’re discussing (presumably with other members of their group) their children, jobs and houses and this leads you to conclude that they are self-entitled, obnoxious and exploitative??Isn’t this just normal conversation? I sometimes talk about those things with friends and family and we sometimes go skiing - it’s never occurred to me that people around us would be listening to our conversation and judging us. For the record I am not self-entitled or obnoxious and have no employees to exploit. HTH

I can assure you that when we are dining each evening that I am not speaking loud enough for guests at other tables to hear me. Of course you don't think your self entitled or obnoxious.

OP posts:

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CovidCorvid · 24/12/2021 07:00

I’ve been skiing for about 20 years, staying at chalets where it’s communal dining and you sit on a table with strangers making conversation. I think this is the issue, apart from chatting about skiing what else is there to talk about? People generally want to avoid political talk so ask each other about what they do, what their kids do. Can’t say I’ve ever heard anyone talk about property prices. But sometimes there’s a bit of Willy waving about jobs. Overall though I find it interesting, met some people with some very unusual jobs.

Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 07:08

Aroundtheworldin80moves
Weve been on ski holidays in Austria, Italy and Andorra and never met people like that. But then, we travel with Crystal rather than one of the more exclusive firms...

Does it all come down to the resort? It is so nice in summer at this resort. People are so down to earth but also very few British in the summer. We only meet a few British every now and again on our summer breaks. The ones we meet in summer are lovely. Never seemed to hear them speaking in the dining areas either. They obviously weren't the type to want other people to hear their conversations.

OP posts:
Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 07:12

CovidCorvid
I’ve been skiing for about 20 years, staying at chalets where it’s communal dining and you sit on a table with strangers making conversation. I think this is the issue, apart from chatting about skiing what else is there to talk about? People generally want to avoid political talk so ask each other about what they do, what their kids do. Can’t say I’ve ever heard anyone talk about property prices. But sometimes there’s a bit of Willy waving about jobs. Overall though I find it interesting, met some people with some very unusual jobs.

Not communal dining. That is why it is irritating me. Do people actually think it's ok that you would go out to dine and be able to hear people at other tables because they are so loud?

OP posts:
IsAnybodyListening · 24/12/2021 07:50

Not sure if this is just restricted to skiing in my experience. Whenever I go abroad I seem to be a magnet for that ONE couple who shoe horn their financial situation into the first 2 mins of conversation.

Last holiday met a nice lady by the pool, her husband swanned over and immediately I knew about the new car they brought for 40k cash the day before the holiday, the extension, how his wife only works school hours for 'pocket money' but he of course would support her not working as he ears x amount per day.

Holiday before that, in a AI in the canaries, chatting again by the pool with a couple with similar aged DC's, and honestly 2 minutes in they are happily telling me this wasn't a 'proper' holiday for them, they just wanted to get some sun before their 'proper' holiday to Australia, because 'short haul flights' aren't proper holiday destinations!

Both times I just smiled and nodded.

Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 07:55

Jumbojem
Yeah, they don't sound pleasant but neither do you OP. Moaning about the food and hotel when most of us haven't made it out the country for 2 years.
Can't you just zone them out and enjoy the break? I'd adore to be enjoying snowy mountain scenery

Just because most people haven't been away in two years doesn't mean I have to put up with poor food and just ok accomodation. Are we all just to be grateful for everything now and not complain about poor hotels and restaurants? You are right though and I am going to try to make the most of it as it is a beautiful location. I'm also glad my teen would think I was bonkers if I gave her €100 for half a morning spending money.

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 24/12/2021 07:58

I don't know, I can't afford to go skiing.

daretodenim · 24/12/2021 08:01

Oh OP I know exactly who you're talking about and can assure you that European ski resorts do too - there's a certain reputation that comes with/from these people. They're usually (not always) English and they're renowned. They have a reputation for more money than ability on skis. There are some resorts that are worse for this sort of thing than others, because it's not enough to say you're going skiing (for this crowd) you have to say the name of the resort too. They're known for being louder than necessary too - in part because they don't fit the stereotype of "reserved Brit" that many have of us.

The resorts in summer are often very different because that crowd are off to second homes/beach holidays (in similarly worthy places). The mountains aren't at all attractive then because everybody who's anybody simply isn't there.

There are also what I'd call hardcore skiers. They are experienced, skilled and are there because they love the actual sport, rather than the socialising (so ski resorts don't usually make as much money from them). They are on black pistes or off-piste, they're often not in the fanciest ski attire, not there for apres aki, get up early every morning to be the entire day on the snow and come back at last lift. They're very fit. Think of them like the experienced hikers of downhill ski. My DH is one of these. He's also not British. Used the same ski gear for 20 years (stupid in my opinion as it improved incredibly in that time).

People like my DH can be (and are) are a social group in the same way the loud Brits are (these Brits are known for being loud btw), but they're much more quiet. They're also tired at the end of the day, so less energy to spend on being loud. Aren't out drinking in the evening because they got to bed early to be in best form the following day.

The issue really with the people you're talking about is that they tend to have a sense of entitlement + need to be seen, so they enter a restaurant and fill the space. Everybody has to know they're there (because they're wonderful, so why wouldn't everybody?). Often a fair amount of performance parenting too. It's hugely irritating for people who just want to talk to their own table in peace.

Btw there are similar groups from other countries/cultures too who beat these groups of Brits in showing off, but they tend to keep their voices at a more normal level in the restaurants (likely different once a few drinks have been had though). They can be less superficially friendly too.

The people you'll like, OP, are the cross country skiers. They're basically the hikers of ski. And it's a cheaper sport (because it's only sports brands that make the gear, not fashion brands and it's not cool) so there are absolutely no show off point to be gained from going on that sort of holiday! Usually the resorts with good cross country skiing are completely different locations too. Interesting social groups in there too.

I love watching people. We all gather towards people like us in some way (there are some very judgemental, socially exclusive hikers for example) and the only thing I'm really criticising about the group you're referring to is the volume/space filling because it's irritating for others!

Enjoy the snow!

MilitantFaucet · 24/12/2021 08:03

It’s not a skiing thing it’s a people thing. Some people are loud show offs and some aren’t. Some people like skiing some don’t. Some people like sailing, hiking, horse riding, climbing, others don’t.

To label an entire set of people based on one experience is incredibly judgmental.

SW1amp · 24/12/2021 08:05

@GoodVibesHere

I don't know, I can't afford to go skiing.
Useful contribution Grin

I’m ‘a skier’ and have never encountered people like this, but we tend not to go to the flashy, showy resorts so maybe you’ve just picked a bit of a twat-magnet hotel

Berlinkreuzberg · 24/12/2021 08:08

I've been on many a skiing holiday with ex partner, pre and post kids. Canada, the States, France, Italy, Austria, Rumania...Generally a middle class type of holiday because it is relatively expensive with all the equipment, ski wear etc Pre kids we generally stayed in chalets and I never really noticed how wealthy or not people were, just enjoyed chatting casually of an evening. Post kids definitely mixed with more affluent folk, kids at private schools etc but that was because we travelled with more upmarket family friendly companies. I remember saying to ex dp that I finally realised what middle class really meant having mixed with people from London and the South East. Just a different level of wealth basically.

MarleneDietrichsSmile · 24/12/2021 08:11

It does depend on the resort Grin

Did you not know?

You must be in a posh one

Lots of Austrian resorts are not like this, Switzerland is much more moneyed

France and Austria middle class

Poland, Bulgaria cheap and cheerful

Tulipomania · 24/12/2021 08:13

Are you in Kitzbuhel? Or maybe Alpbach, there's some quite wanky hotels there.

We have been going to Austria for 25 years (DH has family there) both skiing in winter & hiking in summer and have never met anyone like the people you describe OP.

I would give my DC 30 euros for a day on the slopes without us - food is expensive - but would expect some change at the end of the day.

bluechinavase · 24/12/2021 08:22

Have skied in Austria many times and love it. The resort I go to has hardly any Brits though. I think in any walks of life there tend to be show-offs but don’t judge the whole lot by one experience. We do Austria on the cheap and drive there, staying in a hired caravan. We ski, we hike, we x country ski, we toboggan. It’s a winter holiday for us, in a winter place. We meet lovely folk from Holland, Italy, Germany and laugh, drink and dance together. I wish I was there now.

WhiteXmas99 · 24/12/2021 08:23

Most really wealthy skiers go to their own chalets in Switzerland.
They are very unlikely to be staying in a Brit dominated hotel in Austria.

hivemindneeded · 24/12/2021 08:27

@MrsTerryPratchett

Skiers are all fuckers. Hikers on the other hand... glowing bastions of virtue.
Grin Grin Grin

I try not to be prejudiced but I agree

zafferana · 24/12/2021 08:35

@WhiteXmas99

Most really wealthy skiers go to their own chalets in Switzerland. They are very unlikely to be staying in a Brit dominated hotel in Austria.
I was thinking this too! Austria is lovely, but it's kind of the bargain basement of skiing if you're rich and posh. Now if you were staying in St Moritz or Gstaad then fine, complain away, lots of filthy rich people there. OTOH, the people in your hotel just sound tacky.

As for you, please stop with the humble bragging. Most of us are stuck in grey old England this Christmas and not for lack of trying to be elsewhere.

Ginandplatonic · 24/12/2021 08:41

Do you seriously think they’re talking loudly at dinner so you will overheat and be impressed?? Hate to break it to you OP but it’s not all about you!

As for the kid with the €100 maybe that’s the smallest denomination she had? Maybe he needs to buy a new ski jacket? Maybe it’s to buy lunch for a group of kids? Maybe that’s his spending money for a week? Maybe he’s a spoiled brat - I don’t know and neither do you, but why on earth do you care so much? What business is it if yours how other people bring up their children.

Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 10:23

daretodenim
I think you're completely right in what you said.

I am relaxing by the pool for the day today. Apologies to anyone that didn't get to holiday in a while and I hope you get away soon. I must say it is my first time going away at Christmas and it is lovely but I don't know if I would do it again. As Dorothy said "There's no place like home".

Ginandplatonic
Yeah, I think they are doing all this just for my benefit. Read what I have been saying and don't be so ridiculous. They do it for everyones benefit.

I think judging by some of your replies that people might be recognising a bit of themselves.

OP posts:
AyeOop · 24/12/2021 12:24

I went on holiday where one group were loudly competing. Bloody loved it, such good entertainment for the rest of us, we still talk about now it which probably says more about me than them Grin
They asked us to join them - we declined
It's just the way some people are
I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday

Theblacksheepandme · 24/12/2021 12:39

AyeOop
I went on holiday where one group were loudly competing. Bloody loved it, such good entertainment for the rest of us, we still talk about now it which probably says more about me than them
They asked us to join them - we declined
It's just the way some people are
I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday

I love you're way of thinking and going forward I think I will try this strategy.

OP posts:
notacooldad · 24/12/2021 12:41

Snowboarders are worse
No we're not!!😅

jpbee · 24/12/2021 12:51

I'm confused, the conversations you describe don't sound particularly snobby or obnoxious.. If someone is building a house or having an extension it is necessary to hire an architect to get planning permission. And talking about the business they run sounds normal as it will basically be their life and likely they are working very hard so not necessarily entitled. It's odd that you knew how much money the mother gave her child, did she shout out loud that it was €100?!

If someone was laughing about poor people or showing off about exactly how much their watch costs then yes I would agree, but this doesn't sound that bad.

And if owning a business and paying people to work there is automatically exploitation then we're all in trouble..