Am I too late to book a family ski trip for February 2018. First time skiing.

[littleroots]

Hi

This isn't really an AIBU but I am posting here for traffic.

Our kids are agreed 3-8 and there are 4 of them. We have never been skiing together though DP has taken his elder children before.

I have heard Italy is less busy, less expensive, and friendlier for children so that's where we'll start looking. DP says we are too late and all ski school places/good accommodation will have gone. Is he right?!

I think we need to book a package as I couldn't begin to know where to start otherwise - ski passes/lessons/kit? I am sure I would forget to book something or end up booking a hotel that's a mile away from the ski school ....

Can anyone please help with recommendations for package companies, which resorts to ski at (quiet is good for us), child friendly resorts. What to pack. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thank you.

Try Seitenalm.at for accommodation (Austria). You can ski just up the road, there is a ski school, at Forstau. Very child-friendly, family-run, great food.

Try snow bizz. They go to a small resort in France. They have basic apartments and a ski school just for English children. They also do kids club and movie nights very cheap. The resort is small but great for beginners.

I would suggest Andorra as being really cheap. Fly into Gerona airport (north spain) and hire a car and drive up.

Sorry I meant 'Girona'

Bansko in Bulgaria is really cheap for a ski holiday and child friendly, but Feb is crazy busy whereas March quietens down and still has snow

£12k .

I would have thought that the only way you could get a deal is to call the package operators, tell them your requirements in terms of date, party size, and the fact that you need something suitable for beginners with ski school, but otherwise say you'll go anywhere and see if they can come up with anything?

Off piste suggestion (did you see what I did there?) - What about Sierra Nevada Spain (fly to Malaga so lots of flights available, food cheaper in Spain than France, Italy, Scandinavia etc) but I don't know if it's a beginner friendly resort.

Any chance that Canada is cheaper than Europe? Can't get over the fact that a holiday cost £12k.

Club Med have quoted £7821 for the 2nd week of April (will there still be snow?) at Valmorel in France

I love the sound of the ski-in and ski-out hotel option. Can just imagine the fun of getting them all to ski lifts with all their kit early in the morning.

We booked last week to go for a week at Xmas this year. The price was half of the Feb half term deal. We are going to Passo Tonale in Italy with Crystal - never been before so don't know what it will be like but its apparently good for beginners and intermediates (which is what we are). Prices for Feb half term were astronomical.

Have you thought about going to Scotland if you want to go at half term this year and then try abroad next season. We have been skiing a few times in Scotland and whilst there are compromises its a lot cheaper overall.

Second week in Eastern probably only half the resort will be open, thats why it's cheaper

We are going to France/Switzerland with a company called Ski Famille. for about your budget (2 adults 3 children). You could try them?

Sorry - we are going end Jan - not in holidays. It was about 3k more for school holidays.

Sorry OP I missed the half - term part, I thought you were going to take them out of school.

Have pm’d you

Just updating with quotes as I get them. Latest one is from Powder Byrne, £14,000 for 1st week of April.

Has anyone skied with Mark Warner?

We've had good ski deals with Trailfinders before - but that was to Canada. Maybe give them a try?

Not too late. The higher places are fine until Easter time. Book and have fun. Look at tignes for family friendly and fairly sure snow bet

Neilson are one we looked at before too.

I'd look for flights, car hire/transfers and local places to stay.

I do that for about a quarter of these quotes 😂 And I'll often leave it too quite late to book flights. You have LOADS of time.

Bulgaria is categorically not "cheap" though. Sadly. It's cheaper than overpriced touristy places in France, but it doesn't beat nice non touristy places with great snow and family atmosphere in Austria...

Suesue, I feel fine about booking flights/accommodation/car hire, but concerned about finding ski lessons/ski school for the children (they are all pretty much beginners) and also hiring equipment.

No idea where to start booking all of that independently, and if we arrived and couldn't get anything it would be game over!

Can't get over the fact that a holiday cost £12k.

Not per person, thats for 6 people! Sounds about right for a decent luxury holiday!

The biggest problem will be that all the child places are likely to be full at this late stage. Have you tried Snowbizz?

Having a look at Snowbizz now

One way to cut costs and have more flexibility would be to drive not fly.
Then book a s/c apartment. We have paid about €1,500 for a s/c apartment that sleeps 6 in Serre Chevalier, walking distance to the slopes, during half term.
Then pay for lift hire, ski passes and ski school separately.