Skiing for a weekend

[CallmeAngelina]

Where should I look for accommodation for a long weekend of skiing either mid-January or early March?
We can only leave (from a London airport) either Thursday evening (in which case, not Gatwick) or very early Friday morning, returning Monday evening. Flights are not the issue though, but accommodation is.
We preferably want a chalet or large apartment (possibly two, if easier as numbers could range from 6 to 10), self-catering, that is very close to the slopes.
So many people talk about skiing for a weekend, but how do they do it, when so many of the usual websites are drawing a blank, or wanting you to commit to whole packages leaving on days we can't do.
Last year we used a friend's chalet, which was great, but that's not an option this year.

We've done this a few times. Try the Chalet Solution Forum as you post your requirements and dates and the chalets get back to you..

www.chaletsdirect.com/forum/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=1

Try staying in a city with an airport e.g. Innsbruck or Salzburg. Then you have no transfer times and can stay in a hotel or appartement for less than a week. You do have to get the bus up to the slopes in the morning though.

Look at the ski weekenders website. Your timings are perfect as their package runs Thursday evening to Monday evening. All you have to do is book flights to Geneva and they do the rest.

Definitely look at ifyouski.com and give them a ring as they will be able to come up with different options for your group. Always best to ring them.
www.ifyouski.com/

As mentioned already choose a resort with a sub one hour transfer to the airport. All my weekend ski breaks have been booked independently of the usual tour operators as they generally only offer one week plus deals. There are loads of chalet and apartments listed on booking.com etc. Sadly most ski resorts have latched onto the fact that long weekends are increasingly popular and take the piss on lift pass prices.

Thanks all. Knew I could count on you lot for some pointers!

Phone someone - ski tour operators will easily put together a break for you; just more flexible tailor made ones not the usual big names. You can cobble it all together but when availability is starting to get scant (especially in lower and closer resorts where season is short) their advice on quality and availability is brilliant. The price is generally comparable and their knowledge excellent compared to sitting there on booking.com and easyJet (fine if you know exactly what you want not so good if you need a steer).

Peak retreats or igluski worth trying

Chamonix is just over an hour from Geneva and there are masses of transfer buses. Try AirBnB for a large apartment or chalet. There are also companies that deliver your equipment to your door if you are hiring...