family skiing holiday in late march to Austria

[Peig]

I have booked flights and accommodation. What should I do about equipment hire, lessons and ski passes. Is it best/cheapest to book on line or wait until we get there? It's our first time skiing with children. Thanks for any advice.

Where are you going? Sometimes it's better to book in advance, because you get some sort of discount that way. It's worth checking it out just in case.

With equipment, it's usually cheaper to book in advance. Skiset, for example, have up to 40% reductions on resort prices if you book online. Lift passes can vary - research your resort's website because you can often get family discounts once there, but some ski companies will offer deals, even if you haven't booked the rest with them - my recent experience is all in France with SkiCollection/SkiHorizon/SkiholidayExtras but there are others out there.

SkiSchool - we don't do this any more, thank God, but ESF (France, I know) charge pretty much the same wherever you book. Depeneding on the make-up of your group, it's sometimes worth looking at private lessons rather than group. A couple of years, when we had a few families and 5 or 6 kids all the same-ish level it worked out cheaper, particularly when you saw the long lines of skischool kids in tabards hanging around waiting for their turn.

I'm very as we've just come back from our annual jaunt, and I'm wondering how I can last a whole year before the next one.

I would book in advace. First of all because it tends to be cheaper, and secondly because as it is your first time, you'll have enought to think about when you arrive. The more you can prepare in advance, the better. I find Austrian resorts very child-friendly. My son has always had a brilliant time at ski school. He probably hasn't learnt as much as with a private instructor, but it does mean that because he has a great time, he looks forward to going back every year. Of course it depends on how old your kids are . If they are teenagers, they might prefer a private instructor.

I'd try to book skischool ahead of time because it won't be high season by then and some instructors will be moving on unless they know there is work for them, especially if you want an English speaking group for the dc.

I actually think it will be high season still - especially if you are heading out on 31 st march for the week before Easter. (we are!) the busiest time we ever had was that same week in Neustift, on the Stubai glacier, as many of the lower resorts had closed and there is sure snow there.

So I think the ski schools will still be in full flow, so for THAT reason you should book ahead!