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Ski and snowboarding

For ski chat, join the Mumsnet Ski forum. Check out our guide to the best resorts in Europe and our family ski holiday packing list.

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Original poster

Club Med Ski holidays - anyone been?

15 replies

smilesandsun · 08/09/2011 11:57

Hi!

We have been on Club Med Sun holidays 3 times and love them. They just work so well with our family, the kids club, the family entertainment, the sports and the food. They seem expensive at first but when you consider all the inclusions and then total up what the same would cost on a do it yourself holiday it works out about the same (for us anyway).

Last year we went skiing for the first time and the kids loved it (4 and 7) but i however spent the whole time carrying everything and taking them to classes etc. Never again on holiday (i do that every normal day and that is fine).

So I was thinking that perhaps a Club Med Ski holiday might work well for us and would love to hear about anyones views on them.

Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

smilesandsun · 08/09/2011 19:59

bumping
:)

OP posts:

nametapes · 16/09/2011 12:07

My Ds aged 10 yrs went skiing to Wengen with his dad to Club Med and they said it was really good. Everything thrown and kids ski school was good.
It didnt sound too expensive . Flight they were going to take was from Heathrow to Zurich , but on Dec 19th last year the snow here was so much Heathrow cancelled the flight and they drove over. Not to say the same will happen of course.

ConstantlyCooking · 16/09/2011 14:22

We love Club Med skiing hols - they make everything so easy and once you have paid for the holiday there are no hidden extras (except insurance and ski hire). That said, when the children were young (3 and 6) they found the child care a little robust and not as touchy-feely as UK care.

Original poster

smilesandsun · 18/09/2011 09:21

Constantly Cooking do you mind telling me what resorts you've visited. I'm finding it difficult to get much information that is independent other than trip advisor. I think that the children will cope with the care style as they are both independent.

Any other views or comments welcome too.

Thanks

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IwishIwasmoreorganised · 18/09/2011 21:59

We've never been with ClubMed, but have a look at Family Ski Company

We've been twice with them now (ds's were 1 1/2 and 4 the first year that we went) and have all had fantastic holidays

Original poster

smilesandsun · 26/09/2011 16:45

thanks I'll take a look at Family Ski Holiday as well. They seem fairly expensive, even more than club med but i'll certainly have a look.

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AlpinePony · 26/09/2011 16:55

Did club med ski about 10 years ago.

Hated it, too many Europeans who don't know how to queue. ;) the restaurant was a massive bunfight.

Went with mark warner ski this year, they did everything for the children and I can't recommend them enough!

Original poster

smilesandsun · 27/09/2011 10:37

Thanks AlpinePony. That is an interesting comment about the restaurants, we've been on 3 club med summer trips before and never found the restaurant to have been an issue at all. Perhaps it is a different setup in the winter hotels? I admit the language barrier exists at club med, but we've always been able to get by.

I'll checkout Mark Warner though as I have never looked into them. From your post I am assuming that the restaurant setup / process is different than at club med?

thx :)

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AlpinePony · 27/09/2011 10:58

hello, it may well be that the restaurant on winter hols is different from the POV that everyone has quite a "strict" schedule, i.e., they all want to be out of the hotel by 8:45 to get to ski school so everyone is eating at the same time. The place we stayed at also had "come back to the hotel for lunch" - so again, another 90 minutes of madness.

Mark Warner was much smaller (200 kids singing "follow the leader, follow the leader" at club med) - only ~15 children - this was Jan mind. The restaurant service was with serving staff and you were expected to book a table for a rough time rather than queue at the doors at 6:30 with your elbows at the ready. Don't forget there's a mumsnet MW discount.

Fullcircletravel · 20/10/2011 14:17

I have been to most of the Club Med ski resorts and have worked throughout the alps. I have 3 children (12, 8 & 4) and have taken them to both Club Med and non Club Med options.

With Club Med ski, you need to choose the village very carefully as there is considerable difference between them. Some are significantly more popular with French families and some are very tired.

Club Med are the best value for money all inclusive ski option available in my opinion. Mark Warner are more expensive once all the extras have been added but do cater very well for the English market

Another company to consider is Esprit Ski.

Original poster

smilesandsun · 21/10/2011 15:52

thanks so much Fullcircletravel.

we were considering the serre chevalier property, its only a 3 trident but were drawn to it because of the non-ski activities as well (being for me as I am not a skier).

Any thoughts on that one?

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ConstantlyCooking · 07/11/2011 08:34

only just checked back on this thread. We have been to Chamonix, Les 2 Alpes and Les Arcs Altitude. This year we are trying Les Arcs Extremes.
We usually do the cheaper resorts because of cost! The accom can be a bit tired as one poster said but it has (so far) been clean and an OK standard. We have found the food was v good (apparantly one year Club Med tried to serve cheaper food but was inundated with letters of complaint from French guests!).
The buffets were busy, but not excessively so and there was always plenty to go round. There were different counters for things like pizza so there wasn't one long queue IYSWIM.
I agree with Full Circle that it is probably the best all inclusive package.
We have tried half-board with Crystal and Neilson and found Club Med a better option and better value given the extortionate prices on the slopes.
Some groups return to the hotel for lunch, but others ski to other Club Med hotels nearby and have lunch there. We stayed at a 3 trident resort one year and my husband's group kept skiing to the luxury Club Med hotels on the other side of the mountain!

Original poster

smilesandsun · 07/11/2011 13:15

thanks Constantlycooking, we have booked Serre Chevalier due to 1 cost and 2 the amount of non-ski activities (as I don't ski). My travel agent also thought that they are the best value, so fingers crossed!

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Original poster

smilesandsun · 09/11/2011 12:26

ConstantlyCooking, as you have been to many club med ski holidays can you let me know do they have the theme nights like at the sun resorts? Such as white night, etc.

I'm trying to decide what type of clothes we'll need for the evening. At the sun ones we've been to the people get reasonably dressed up.

thx

OP posts:

ConstantlyCooking · 11/11/2011 10:29

They try to have themes, but keep them simple eg red and black. Lots of people ignore them as ski packing doesn't leave a lot of space for other things. I have generally worn casual clothes in the evenings. May start a new thread tho' as we are going for Christmas this year and I am not sure what the dress code will be.

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