Latest posts for the topic "J2Ski Holiday 2014"

J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:17:22 GMT

As suggested by AllyG here is a new thread to discuss possible venues for a ski holiday for likeminded individuals for the 2013/14 season.

As we have managed, against the odds (and the negative comments), to get the holiday for the 2012/13 season booked and deposits paid for a good number of us; perhaps we need to start early for the next season.

Many were disappointed by the choice of resort and dates for this first holiday, even though Ally did her very best to accommodate everyone who showed an interest.

We are never all going to agree on one place or time but at least we can discuss it (like adults hopefully) and come to a general consensus. I hope I am giving you all plenty of notice here?

Over to you guys.......

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:22:08 GMT

I vote March

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:49:13 GMT

Snapzzz - did you think my SurveyMonkey was a good idea, or would you rather we tried to pick a date and a resort for the 2014 group J2Ski holiday some other way?

The only criticism I have for that survey is that it was anonymous. I would like to find another one where people have to put down their names.

It's all very difficult because we all have different preferences. I mean, if I'm picking a holiday for myself I usually go for the cheapest accommodation I can find in a resort with a large well connected ski area. And I don't care much what it looks like.

What surprised me most about the results of the survey I did was that people picked the more expensive accommodation price band

Which was why I chose such a lovely chalet in Tignes. I could have found one much cheaper, but not nearly so nice.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:26:45 GMT

Tignes. January.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:00:14 GMT

Total waste of time this thread.

Morzine, August

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:14:38 GMT

Those who think this thread is a joke, or who just wish to post flippant remarks thinking they are being funny............ hahahaha

you are politely invited to not bother, as the rest of us will discuss where we want to go and when and book accordingly.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:21:53 GMT

How can you decide what you are doing in 2 years time?!

Just think how hard it was for Ally getting opinion for 9-6 months out....2 years out you are extremely unlikely to get a solution.

Who said my remark was flippant? I was serious

I think a reality check is needed

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:28:10 GMT

Ally got so much criticism for trying to get some information out of people about where they might like to go for 2013 and when she did make a decision, she was criticised for that too.

There are other website groups who plan well in advance, and I am talking at least 18 months. There is no harm in trying to get some suggestions and then making a decision later this year, if there is a consensus. If we leave it until we get back in January 2013, there will be people complaining that they have already booked for the next season and would have liked to have known more in advance.

I know you cannot please everyone but it would be nice to get some suggestions and positive feedback, rather than all the negative stuff that has flown about.

If you haven't got anything nice to say then perhaps it is better to say nothing.

Nuff said.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:34:38 GMT

Just making a point, thats all.

Cant promise not to make another comment on the thread

Soz about that

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:38:14 GMT

felthorpe wrote:
you are politely invited to not bother

Another attempt to take over the whole forum, or just get some more thread exclusivity?

Lets see:

Current No Go areas for me:

J2ski Holiday to Tignes thread
Wibble thread

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

Perhaps you could ask Admin for a J2ski Holiday section on the forum, and an Ignore Button?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:38:24 GMT

No offence taken Icy, honest.

As a relatively inexperienced skier, who has only been to France and Andorra!! it would be really nice to hear about places that we could take a group to that would suit most and aren't just the obvious run of the mill places.

I don't feel qualified to make these sorts of suggestions but I know that you and others like you will have valuable knowledge to impart.

Please........your comments on this would be appreciated.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:41:27 GMT

bandit wrote:

felthorpe wrote:
you are politely invited to not bother

Another attempt to take over the whole forum, or just get some more thread exclusivity?

Lets see:

Current No Go areas for me:

J2ski Holiday to Tignes thread
Wibble thread

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

Perhaps you could ask Admin for a J2ski Holiday section on the forum, and an Ignore Button?

Gosh, really rattled your cage Bandit, totally didn't mean to. It seems I can't win today

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:47:35 GMT

bandit wrote:J2ski Holiday to Tignes thread
Wibble thread

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

Perhaps you could ask Admin for a J2ski Holiday section on the forum, and an Ignore Button?

Why not the wibble thread

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:05:34 GMT

Oh dear, poor Felthorpe

Never mind, maybe for the 2014 group J2Ski holiday I should just say we're all going to XXX on the XXX and staying in XXX, and ask who would like to come - and I'll send a personal invitation to Bandit so she doesn't feel left out .

And I'll do all the research first to make sure it's a great place with plenty of ski-ing for all levels of skier/boarder and that the accommodation is fine but not too expensive etc. etc.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:50:35 GMT

bandit wrote:

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

I'm thinking of joining this group, you'll be pleased to hear.

This place has definitely lost any sense of humour it once had, apart from a few. I get the impression one or two members have a darkened room with cuttings taken from threads posted on the walls under pictures of certain "offenders".

People really need to lighten up.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:28:57 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

bandit wrote:

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

People really need to lighten up.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:39:02 GMT

I just don't know what to say.....

My first reply was genuine though. I'd be up for a March holiday provided i got on with those attending also.
It will be interesting to see how it works out in jan.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:43:10 GMT

Thanks for your input Snapzzz. Any preferences for venue?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:45:56 GMT

felthorpe wrote:Thanks for your input Snapzzz. Any preferences for venue?

Zermatt.
Sella Ronda.
PDS.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:54:41 GMT

PDS? Sorry, showing my ignorance here.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:18:04 GMT

Felthorpe - I think PDS is short for Porte du Soleil, which isn't a resort but a ski area made up of 12 ski resorts.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:21:39 GMT

Iceman wrote:

Tony_H wrote:

bandit wrote:

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

People really need to lighten up.

Lighten up .... have you seen the price of electricty

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:24:06 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:I just don't know what to say.....

My first reply was genuine though. I'd be up for a March holiday provided i got on with those attending also.
It will be interesting to see how it works out in jan.

It is a bit of a gamble as apart from a few,I don't really know any one on here, It is only a week
I'm sure you can grin and bear us for a week

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:52:55 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

Iceman wrote:

Tony_H wrote:

bandit wrote:

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

People really need to lighten up.

Lighten up .... have you seen the price of electricty

Or stamps to that matter

Agree with wise old wickers

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:32:44 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

felthorpe wrote:Thanks for your input Snapzzz. Any preferences for venue?

Zermatt.
Sella Ronda.
PDS.

I would be happy with any of those Maybe put the Sella Ronda at the top of the list. Early March should be good for there.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:55:34 GMT

ditts

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:23:59 GMT

Iceman wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

Iceman wrote:

Tony_H wrote:

bandit wrote:

BTW a few of the forum's more established members don't bother any more, but I doubt you'd notice that.

People really need to lighten up.

Lighten up .... have you seen the price of electricty

Or stamps to that matter

Agree with wise old wickers

You know what happened to the last wicker man, lit him up for sure & no electricity required

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:28:16 GMT

The Porte du Soleil would be a good idea if Snowbandit is still working in Morzine because we could go and visit her and watch her jumping in the Snow Park

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 06:06:20 GMT

AllyG wrote:The Porte du Soleil would be a good idea if Snowbandit is still working in Morzine because we could go and visit her and watch her jumping in the Snow Park

Watch someone jumping in a snow park?.. Come on ally it's a SKI holiday.... I'd rather pull my teeth out than sit and watch that. And plus the park runs away from the main slope so you wouldn't see much.

Anyway my suggestion is as long as the resort is a good size and has plenty to offer I'd consider it. Morzine is a great choice no problems there, PDS is ok but I've been tons so wouldn't be too bothered about going back just yet and I'd like to try st Anton however I don't think it would suit everyone's budget. ADH would is also a suggestion?

Is it too early to mention the N word.....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 07:04:34 GMT

crispyapplepie wrote:

AllyG wrote:The Porte du Soleil would be a good idea if Snowbandit is still working in Morzine because we could go and visit her and watch her jumping in the Snow Park

Watch someone jumping in a snow park?.. Come on ally it's a SKI holiday.... I'd rather pull my teeth out than sit and watch that.

You are being rather rude to Snowbandit, who lives in PdS each winter.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 08:26:14 GMT

Zermatt sounds good. PDS on the low side?

Interested but will depend on our wider holiday plans. Might be heading to the US in 2014 which will use up our entire holiday budget for the year.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 08:43:10 GMT

bandit wrote:

crispyapplepie wrote:

AllyG wrote:The Porte du Soleil would be a good idea if Snowbandit is still working in Morzine because we could go and visit her and watch her jumping in the Snow Park

Watch someone jumping in a snow park?.. Come on ally it's a SKI holiday.... I'd rather pull my teeth out than sit and watch that.

You are being rather rude to Snowbandit, who lives in PdS each winter.

Not really bandit, this is only my opinion. I have no issues with snow bandit jumping in the park if that's her thing. I'm saying I'd rather not. And PDS is a great ski area, but I've skid there that much over the last few yrs that I wouldn't want to return. I dont recall having a personal dig at snowbandit and if thats how its come across then for that i DO apologise........But for a thread that your not interested in your sure making your opinions felt.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 09:20:48 GMT

Crispyapplepie,
The reason I said that about Snowbandit jumping in the SnowPark was because she posted up a video of herself doing it - so it was more of a joke than anything else, but it would be nice to see her if we happened to be in the Morzine area

I don't really care where we go as long as there's plenty of snow, a large well connected area, and it's not too expensive.

I wouldn't want to spend more than about GBP900 for transport, accommodation, ski hire, and lift passes - so not more than somewhere around GBP450 for the actual accommodation.

So - that may restrict me to the cheaper dates. Looking at the prices for the chalet Bonjour-Bonjour in Tignes for 2013 (the one we have booked for 2013) simply because they are in front of me, it would mean 16th December, all of January, 17th March, or 14th April in 2013.

Of course - we might find somewhere cheaper elsewhere in another resort, but it does give an idea of prices.

Sun 16 Dec 2012 299
Sun 23 Dec 2012 569
Sun 30 Dec 2012 775
Sun 6 Jan 2013 399
Sun 13 Jan 2013 399
Sun 20 Jan 2013 399
Sun 27 Jan 2013 399
Sun 3 Feb 2013 499
Sun 10 Feb 2013 549
Sun 17 Feb 2013 749
Sun 24 Feb 2013 525
Sun 3 Mar 2013 525
Sun 10 Mar 2013 499
Sun 17 Mar 2013 449
Sun 24 Mar 2013 599
Sun 31 Mar 2013 699
Sun 7 Apr 2013 599
Sun 14 Apr 2013 299

From the point of view of the organizer I liked it the way everyone sorted out their own transport to the chalet in Les Brevieres. It was less hassle for me and gave them more flexibility, and we've got people going by car, train, and aeroplane.

So, unless some very cheap package turns up, I think it's worth considering doing it that way again.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 12:31:56 GMT

I think if price is an issue, we need to consider resorts outside th expensive French regions.

You have PLENTY of time yet though!

No need for flash surveys!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 12:40:08 GMT

Icy,
It may just be me that's short of money

Everyone else may be really rich and want to stay in a top-of-the range chalet in a really swish resort in the most expensive week in March

I'm suggesting we consider a budget at the start so we don't waste a lot of time thinking about places and dates we can't afford - unless of course everyone else really is super rich and I will crawl off to my own dog kennel somewhere on the outskirts of a large ski resort, in January 2014

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 12:41:54 GMT

5 pages in three days!

For a possible holiday in 2014 !!!

Interesting.

After so much scepticism and a now working J2Ski group trip next year maybe there is hope of regular group trips?
Hope so ...
Would love to join one if/when circumstances allow.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 13:03:26 GMT

Ally,
I was thinking GBP900 was a lot!

We went easter holidays, admittedly self catering, but no way we spent anywhere near that per person.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 13:18:30 GMT

Yep, me thought that too.

I dont think it is very constructive thread though Andy. Think of it more of "son of wibble thread"

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 13:39:42 GMT

Dids1 wrote:Ally,
I was thinking GBP900 was a lot!

We went easter holidays, admittedly self catering, but no way we spent anywhere near that per person.

I went to Brides Le Baine this year on a last minute "cheapie" early march

Accommodation and flight GBP275
Ski transport GBP35
Food +wine GBP150
Lift pass GBP230

which is GBP690... and we went self catering and I had the couch

there's not much in it

but we do seem to be looking at more expensive areas and I would like to go to say..the Stella ronda or even the Milky way...

A friend got a really good deal to montgenevre this year GBP350 + pass allinclusive

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 13:46:40 GMT

The lift passes are the stinger.
We were lucky this year. Got family lift passes in Les Houches and they include children up to 18 years old.
And you only pay for one child, all additional are free. Up to three, I think it was.

In the rest of the area same applies, but age is lower, but we saved a lot like that.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 14:49:39 GMT

crispyapplepie wrote:

bandit wrote:

crispyapplepie wrote:

AllyG wrote:The Porte du Soleil would be a good idea if Snowbandit is still working in Morzine because we could go and visit her and watch her jumping in the Snow Park

Watch someone jumping in a snow park?.. Come on ally it's a SKI holiday.... I'd rather pull my teeth out than sit and watch that.

You are being rather rude to Snowbandit, who lives in PdS each winter.

Not really bandit, this is only my opinion. I have no issues with snow bandit jumping in the park if that's her thing. I'm saying I'd rather not. And PDS is a great ski area, but I've skid there that much over the last few yrs that I wouldn't want to return. I dont recall having a personal dig at snowbandit and if thats how its come across then for that i DO apologise........But for a thread that your not interested in your sure making your opinions felt.

My italics on yet another "don't post here" comment. My, some forum members are sure lining them up. I bet the PM system has been busy. BTW I don't recall saying that I was not interested in 2014, but the message from this thread comes across loud and clear, and even gets repeated, just to make sure.

Yet another No Go area on J2ski.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 18:26:15 GMT

I disagree ..This is just a discussion of possible destinations where people might like to go ..it should definitely not be a no go area as anyone is welcome as far as I am concerned and I am sure there could be a consensus as to an agreed destination/area and period without any falling out...even if a contributor has no intention of going it doesn't mean that their point of view should be dismissed

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 18:33:37 GMT

AllyG wrote:Never mind, maybe for the 2014 group J2Ski holiday I should just say we're all going to XXX on the XXX and staying in XXX, and ask who would like to come - and I'll send a personal invitation to Bandit so she doesn't feel left out .

Bandit - you, your OH, and any other members of your family and friends are very welcome to come with us on either the 2013 or the 2014 J2Ski group holiday

I'm very sorry that you're upset about this. I had no intention of trying to exclude you in any way at all.

Everyone is invited

And no-one has the authority to ban anyone from coming on this holiday. Admin controls this website, but not the holiday. He wants it made quite clear that he is NOT organizing it, because J2Ski is NOT a Tour Operator.

All any of us can do is decide whether WE want to go on a J2Ski group holiday.

And as Daved said ALL members of J2Ski have the right to post on this 2014 holiday thread, whether they want to go or not, unless otherwise decreed by Admin.

We haven't got an organizer for the 2014 holiday yet. I took on the job for the 2013 holiday, mainly because no-one else wanted to do it. But if anyone else wants the job for 2014 I am quite happy to hand it on.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 19:14:44 GMT

Got to be honest guys, things on this site are going from bad to worse.
I think i may retire for the summer as i don't want to get drawn into all the fighting.

Whats going on, everyone used to be so friendly.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 19:22:19 GMT

Yes Snappy, I think you are very right. Adders needs to step in somewhere and have a word.

If you cast your mind back to Jan/Feb this year it was a great place for banter. Even back in November we were all coming here for support during the hard times of dull web cams.

I think Facebook will become my new hangout.

Hey, I could make a group for those peeps that like banter....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 19:29:14 GMT

AllyG wrote:

Bandit - you, your OH, and any other members of your family and friends are very welcome to come with us on either the 2013 or the 2014 J2Ski group holiday

I'm very sorry that you're upset about this. I had no intention of trying to exclude you in any way at all.

Thanks Ally, I appreciate your clarification. I'm not upset by the hostile posts made on this thread and the 2013 thread, though I do think it's a shame that some posters are seeking to control who posts what and where. Right I'm going back to writing up my April Blog entry, easy year 2012, only 40 days skiing.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 19:30:45 GMT

Look forward to reading with interest. Usually a good read.

Out of interest, why do you do blogs?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 19:38:35 GMT

Iceman wrote:Look forward to reading with interest. Usually a good read.

Out of interest, why do you do blogs?

Thanks! I like looking back at past years, I enjoy sharing the experience. I survived an attempt to use the Police to shut down my Blog, and I even used to earn money with Adsense until my account got hacked by a very unpleasant person. That's about it in a Nutshell

Anyhow back to J2ski Holiday 2014.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 1 May 2012 20:09:10 GMT

bandit wrote:Anyhow back to J2ski Holiday 2014.

I think we were discussing budgets. I said I wouldn't like to spend more than GBP900 (for everything including ski hire, except lunch on the slopes), which would probably equate to somewhere around GBP450 for catered accommodation.

Some of the others seemed to think that was quite a generous budget.

And I said I didn't mind which resort we went to as long as it was a large well connected ski area with a decent amount of snow (and not out of my budget).

So far Snapzzz has suggested the Porte du Soleil, Zermatt, and the Sella Ronda.
Far Queue likes all Snapzzz's suggestions but prefers the Sella ronda.
Iceman said ditto to Far Queue.
Crispyapplepie said he liked Morzine and what about St Anton and Alpe d'Huez.
Bedrock Barney likes Zermatt.

Has anyone got any more comments/suggestions?
Old Andy said he'd like to come if he could manage it.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 08:21:28 GMT

Zermatt is great ...but a tad !!!! expensive
I've never been to the Stella Ronda looks great but how about the Milky Way ..a friend found an all inclusive deal in Montgenevre this season at very reasonable cost...Stopped in a place called Verchaix a couple of ears ago and was 5 mins from the Grand Massif and 15 from Les Gets with Pras de Lys in between ..great when you have transport

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 10:35:08 GMT

I don't mind where we go and am happy to defer to those who have more experience than I do. I am so glad that we are getting lots of suggestions on where to go in 2014. I appreciate that this potential trip is a long way off and may never happen. But as Ally has successfully organised the 2013 trip, there is no reason why 2014 shouldn't happen aswell.

It was never my intention to suggest that anyone be excluded from this thread and I apologise if that is the impression I gave. I just wanted to start up a constructive discussion on what was available out there and get some info. I felt disappointed when my only intention was to start up a conversation for all the right reasons and instead I seem to have upset several people and hence got criticised for my efforts. Perhaps I just need a thicker skin?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 10:58:06 GMT

felthorpe wrote:I don't mind where we go and am happy to defer to those who have more experience than I do. I am so glad that we are getting lots of suggestions on where to go in 2014. I appreciate that this potential trip is a long way off and may never happen. But as Ally has successfully organised the 2013 trip, there is no reason why 2014 shouldn't happen aswell.

It was never my intention to suggest that anyone be excluded from this thread and I apologise if that is the impression I gave. I just wanted to start up a constructive discussion on what was available out there and get some info. I felt disappointed when my only intention was to start up a conversation for all the right reasons and instead I seem to have upset several people and hence got criticised for my efforts. Perhaps I just need a thicker skin?

Don't worry too much, I for one think it is great that you guy's are organising J2ski trips, and hopefully one year I may be able to attend

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:00:15 GMT

Yeah, I'd be up for it one day as well.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:12:04 GMT

Thanks Ian and Dids

Have you got any ideas about suitable resorts/ski areas for us for 2014?

One of the problems with trying to plan this is that in some ways the date is tied up with the resort - as in it's no good thinking of a low resort in December or the second half of March (or April!).

There was a guy in my chalet in Les Boisses a couple of weeks ago who belongs to the 'other lot' Snow..... and he said they went to Val Thorens at the end of April for their group holiday and they usually have 100 people who go

So I guess that means they go for the cheap budget option because they stay in self-catering apartments in VT.

But when I did that survey the people on here who responded didn't seem that keen on s/c and they wanted a more expensive/quality sort of holiday.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:16:56 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks Ian and Dids

Have you got any ideas about suitable resorts/ski areas for us for 2014?

One of the problems with trying to plan this is that in some ways the date is tied up with the resort - as in it's no good thinking of a low resort in December or the second half of March (or April!).

There was a guy in my chalet in Les Boisses a couple of weeks ago who belongs to the 'other lot' Snow..... and he said they went to Val Thorens at the end of April for their group holiday and they usually have 100 people who go

So I guess that means they go for the cheap budget option because they stay in self-catering apartments in VT.

But when I did that survey the people on here who responded didn't seem that keen on s/c and they wanted a more expensive/quality sort of holiday.

The guys on SH *cough* book out an entire hotel or two Ally and they do have a lot of people that go. I was almost temped to join in their trip to Arraba in feb before Mrs Snapzzz signed up for Flaine. Which i am glad she did as i have been flamed a few times on SH for daring to post a silly question and they just don't seem as friendly as J2 guys

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:23:47 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks Ian and Dids

Have you got any ideas about suitable resorts/ski areas for us for 2014?

One of the problems with trying to plan this is that in some ways the date is tied up with the resort - as in it's no good thinking of a low resort in December or the second half of March (or April!).

There was a guy in my chalet in Les Boisses a couple of weeks ago who belongs to the 'other lot' Snow..... and he said they went to Val Thorens at the end of April for their group holiday and they usually have 100 people who go

So I guess that means they go for the cheap budget option because they stay in self-catering apartments in VT.

But when I did that survey the people on here who responded didn't seem that keen on s/c and they wanted a more expensive/quality sort of holiday.

This is what I would do, ignore if you wish .... Collate the suggested resorts by the number of people who have suggested each resort down to a short list of five ....... post the top five and get the guy's to vote on the resort they wish to go to.
Post the date for 2014 as early as possible so everybody knows well in advance when the trip is gonna happen.
And buy a tin hat in case any missiles come your way

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:26:01 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

AllyG wrote:Thanks Ian and Dids

Have you got any ideas about suitable resorts/ski areas for us for 2014?

One of the problems with trying to plan this is that in some ways the date is tied up with the resort - as in it's no good thinking of a low resort in December or the second half of March (or April!).

There was a guy in my chalet in Les Boisses a couple of weeks ago who belongs to the 'other lot' Snow..... and he said they went to Val Thorens at the end of April for their group holiday and they usually have 100 people who go

So I guess that means they go for the cheap budget option because they stay in self-catering apartments in VT.

But when I did that survey the people on here who responded didn't seem that keen on s/c and they wanted a more expensive/quality sort of holiday.

The guys on SH *cough* book out an entire hotel or two Ally and they do have a lot of people that go. I was almost temped to join in their trip to Arraba in feb before Mrs Snapzzz signed up for Flaine. Which i am glad she did as i have been flamed a few times on SH for daring to post a silly question and they just don't seem as friendly as J2 guys

I signed up to SHeads but I always seem to find the site difficult to navigate

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:27:53 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:
This is what I would do, ignore if you wish .... Collate the suggested resorts by the number of people who have suggested each resort down to a short list of five ....... post the top five and get the guy's to vote on the resort they wish to go to.

Agreed.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:42:19 GMT

Thanks Snapzzz and Ian

Right - how am I going to keep track of how many people have suggested which resort?

And how long do we let this thread run for, before adding up the total for each resort?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:44:55 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks Snapzzz and Ian

Right - how am I going to keep track of how many people have suggested which resort?

And how long do we let this thread run for, before adding up the total for each resort?

Well i say we have bags of time so 'a month'?
I'd ask adders to clean up the thread and head it with an invitation to suggest a destination. Possibly three per person as to give a better spread and more chance of agreement.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:45:23 GMT

9 or 10 months I would say Ally

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:47:15 GMT

You could really spread it out.

A month or so on the destination
A month or so on a date
A month or so on accom type etc....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 12:56:47 GMT

I'm really glad Snapzzz and Ian decided to stick to J2Ski

The trouble is, Snapzzz, no thread on here ever stays 'clean' for long

(And I should know because I'm the Wibble Queen!).

I think using this thread to collate ideas is fine, but then we need to use something like that SurveyMonkey to count the votes. But this time I'd like to find a survey where the voting isn't anonymous.

The other problem is that this is the 'quiet' period for J2Ski.
So I think, like Old Andy suggested, we'd have to let the voting run for several months, probably into next winter.

I've noticed that quite a few people book their ski holidays as soon as they get back from one, so I reckon we'd have to have the holiday for 2014 all sorted by, say, the beginning of January 2013. And then people could decide whether they wanted to come or not.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:03:57 GMT

My 2 penneth, if you look to be all sorted in Jan '13 you will put out those peeps that go in Feb/March. I think the timing that you have this year is the earliest you should be looking to finalise.

I would not commit to booking anything further out than 4 months so it pretty much counts me out of everything. Next year I MIGHT be going away in March, subject to other peeps, but I bet that wont get booked until Jan '13

But everyone (mostly others) are different

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:07:01 GMT

You are spot on there Ally, as usual.

We could use this "down time" to gather info and do some research perhaps on options as they are put forward? Then attack the decision making/surveys etc. in anger as we approach next season. If we can get the when and where finalised around Christmas, after everyone has had their chance to make suggestions and vote (or however we are going to reach a consensus), we can book in January.

We might even be able to leave the booking until after the 2013 trip, so that those going can report back on how it worked out, which may (or may not) encourage others to sign up for 2014.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:29:01 GMT

Hi Icy, and Felthorpe

I started typing a reply and it totally disappeared

I wonder if it will ever re-appear?

Icy,
I started organizing the January 2013 holiday in March 2012 and some people had already booked their 2013 ski holiday by then, so they couldn't come.

I don't really know how to cater for the last-minute type of person. It's easy enough to book a ski holiday last-minute if it's just for your own family, but it's much harder if it's for a group.

There may well still be places in the chalet in Les Brevieres at the last minute. But I don't know, because it's out of my control. Even Bonjour don't know. I just had a booking this morning for one of our own cottages for tomorrow

As far as I know the only way we can make a block booking is either to make it well ahead of time (like I did with Bonjour) or to go for a less popular date (like the other lot did by going for the end of April). Bonjour were happy to hold the entire chalet for us for a month whilst I found out how many people wanted to come. I don't know how long other companies would hold it for us.

If I'd waited until a peak booking period I'm sure Bonjour wouldn't have been willing to hold the whole chalet for us. They told me at the time that bookings were quite slow (apart from for entire chalets). By the time I phoned them towards the end of March 2012 the first 2 weeks of January 2013 had already been booked.

Felthorpe,
If we could make the same sort of arrangement with the accommodation owners as we did this time, we could do something like start the booking process for 2014 at the beginning of January 2013, and end it at the beginning of February. That way, as you said, people could see how much fun we'd had during our Les Brevieres holiday before they made up their minds. We could sort of be like J2Ski group holiday guinea-pigs

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:33:22 GMT

AllyG wrote:I'm really glad Snapzzz and Ian decided to stick to J2Ski

The trouble is, Snapzzz, no thread on here ever stays 'clean' for long

(And I should know because I'm the Wibble Queen!).

I think using this thread to collate ideas is fine, but then we need to use something like that SurveyMonkey to count the votes. But this time I'd like to find a survey where the voting isn't anonymous.

The other problem is that this is the 'quiet' period for J2Ski.
So I think, like Old Andy suggested, we'd have to let the voting run for several months, probably into next winter.

I've noticed that quite a few people book their ski holidays as soon as they get back from one, so I reckon we'd have to have the holiday for 2014 all sorted by, say, the beginning of January 2013. And then people could decide whether they wanted to come or not.

I would suggest resort nominations by PM and then post the list and the short list

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:37:21 GMT

What a good idea Ian! I never thought of that.

I wonder how large my inbox is

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:39:30 GMT

AllyG wrote:What a good idea Ian! I never thought of that.

I wonder how large my inbox is

I don't really know how many J2skiers want to book a J2 ski hol, just a guess I'm thinking 20 ???

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:39:30 GMT

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:41:08 GMT

OR to make sure we cater for all tastes.........

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:48:11 GMT

Firstly, I come in peace. I think the end of the season is making some a bit tetchy, but it looks like you've all calmed down now.

I would definately consider the 2014 trip as I can't do the 2013 trip as its in January, I really don't mind where we go, as long as there's snow, that's all my requirements

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 13:50:25 GMT

Live long and prosper Nelly..........

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 15:01:15 GMT

What about 2015?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 16:05:10 GMT

Iceman wrote:What about 2015?

Careful Icy - don't tempt fate by making plans for that far away.

With your life style .............

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 16:56:20 GMT

Very funny Felthorpe

felthorpe wrote:

Icy - once we get a format sorted we can use it for organizing J2Ski holidays for years to come ...

Nellie - so you don't care which resort or when as long as there's plenty of snow and it's not January? What about budget? How much would you be prepared to spend on just the accommodation (lift passes, transfers, flights etc. are extra)?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 17:31:08 GMT

felthorpe wrote:OR to make sure we cater for all tastes.........

I think you may have posted on the wrong thread

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 20:52:15 GMT

you cant please every1. i think ally has done a great job. if it wasnt for work (or lack of it) i would have been on the list. it prob wasnt my first choice of resort but after checking tignes out, it looks a great place to go.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 21:04:31 GMT

You know 'work' has a lot to answer for

We would have had at least another 10 people on our January 2013 holiday if they hadn't had 'work' problems

I'm really sorry you couldn't book with us Old Boarder, it would have been great to have had you and your kids on that holiday.

I hope your work problems sort themselves out, and you can still manage to come with us in 2013

But there is at least always this, new, 2014 group J2Ski holiday to look forward to.

Have you got any ideas for where or when you'd like to go on the 2014 one, or any helpful comments?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 22:02:54 GMT

Just a suggestion:

http://www.skiworld.co.uk/ski-resorts/france-ski-holidays/val-disere/the-lodge

Could get a deal for about GBP700-750pp including flights, pass, ski carriage, tax etc. Would have to be Jan though to get that price.

I stayed there in December and it's fantastic.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 22:33:06 GMT

Thanks AndyHull

It looks like a lovely chalet, but I don't suppose people would want to go to Val d'Isere in 2014 because we're going to Tignes in January 2013, and it's the same ski area.

But that does look like a reasonable price - about the same as we'll be paying for the chalet in Les Brevieres, after adding in the cost of transport and lift passes.

I might try ringing skiworld up tomorrow and see how they do their group bookings, to make sure they'd allow us all to pay separately. When I phoned up some TO's before I booked the independent chalet for 2013, they said they'd only allow group bookings if we all travelled together as a package - in other words we'd all have to fly from the same airport.

I wonder how Skiworld do it. We could always go to another of their chalets in a different resort.

And - Nelly wouldn't like it if we went in January, because she wouldn't be able to come - again!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 23:31:16 GMT

how about les arcs or la plagne in either feb or march ?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 2 May 2012 23:42:45 GMT

I would like Les Arcs at the beginning of Feb, because I could get there easily on the train, and we probably wouldn't have many holidaymakers here at home for me to look after then.

But somebody said Les Arcs was hideous. Does it have any nice bits, where we could have a chalet, that aren't too expensive?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 07:32:32 GMT

Les Arcs is excellent, stayed in Arc 2000 a couple of times. Superb ski area.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 08:34:42 GMT

I've skied les arcs. Thought it was very good although would choose Espace Killy over Paradiski.

Les Arcs 2000 is a bit brutal, architecturally. There wasn't much ambience as far as we could tell. More happening in Les Arcs 1800 but didn't spend much time there. We stayed in Les Arcs 1950. Excellent accommodation but to be honest it was quite flat in apes ski terms. Didn't see many classic looking chalets as you would see in val d'isere

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 08:42:36 GMT

Thanks Bedrock Barney

I was very impressed with Tignes/Val d'Isere (Espace Killy) during my 3 days there. It's an enormous ski area with a good mixture of runs, some really nice long runs, and it's very well connected.

Maybe we should ask SnowCrazy about Les Arcs - as our resident expert
Perhaps there are some decent chalets hiding somewhere in Les Arcs

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 08:56:47 GMT

AllyG wrote:
Perhaps there are some decent chalets hiding somewhere in Les Arcs

There are some chalets floating around the edges of Les Arcs.
A few around 1650, some over Peisey way (def worth thinking about) and some in the 2000 bowl.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 09:04:09 GMT

I, personally, preferred the La Plagne side to Les Arcs but I thought the main accommodation areas were soulless ..Monchavin and Champagny were more traditional and the former is right in the middle of the full area

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 10:16:44 GMT

I appreciate that some resorts can look a bit bland and dull, but surely for a ski holiday it is the actual ski area which must account for most of the reason to go. As long as the resort has great skiing, and some decent bars and eateries, I don't really mind if it looks like the famed ferrier estate in kidbrooke.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 10:53:09 GMT

Far Queue wrote:I appreciate that some resorts can look a bit bland and dull, but surely for a ski holiday it is the actual ski area which must account for most of the reason to go. As long as the resort has great skiing, and some decent bars and eateries, I don't really mind if it looks like the famed ferrier estate in kidbrooke.

Sorry mate don't agree with that one ..... I do like a rustic village feel when I'm walking about resort,
If you take Avoriaz there is some wonderful skiing to be had, but the place is as dull dish water infact I would much prefer dish water.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 10:59:47 GMT

daved wrote:I, personally, preferred the La Plagne side to Les Arcs but I thought the main accommodation areas were soulless ..Monchavin and Champagny were more traditional and the former is right in the middle of the full area

I've just been reading up on Monchavin - isn't it a little low - at 1250? It does sound nice though, as it's a traditional village. What happens if there's not enough snow to ski back to it? Do you just go down in a gondola or something?

It seems La Plagne is made up of 10 villages.

Far Queue - I can survive hideous architecture myself (surely La Plagne/Les Arcs can't be worse than Val Thorens?) but seem people might not be able to. For me, the ski area and how well connected it is etc. is far more important than what the buildings look like.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:32:45 GMT

AllyG wrote:

Far Queue - I can survive hideous architecture myself (surely La Plagne/Les Arcs can't be worse than Val Thorens?) but seem people might not be able to. For me, the ski area and how well connected it is etc. is far more important than what the buildings look like.

Agreed.

I like the traditional look but it doesn't bother me if it looks like Flaine. The architecture is not the driving force in my choice of destination, the ski area is.
At the risk of being flamed i would say that Avoriaz is very high on my go to list and it will probably happen next year unless i find a cheap Austrian venue.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:51:52 GMT

If I had to choose and it was between say Flaine and Samoens I would choose Samoens.
Same ski area, totally different places.

This year we went to Les Houches, nothing there.
Few shops, no atmosphere in village.

Admittedly late in season, but we've been to S at same time and it's been really buzzing.
We like to take something home for the house, but there was nothing in LH except the usual keyrings and penknifes.

Of course if you want ski in, ski out you won't get that in S, but I would choose a village with a great ski area and a heart for a 'holiday'.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 12:08:49 GMT

I've been to La Plagne and Les Arcs and both are pretty souless but good skiing.

The resort I remember as having a bit of both was Alpe D'Huez. A traditional village with a big ski area and a modern bit above it. Only problem here is that it is South facing, so we would have to go mid season to be sure to avoid the slush.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 12:56:53 GMT

Well, if it was a choice between ugly or slush, I think I would pick ugly

However, it's not really that simple, because we might be able to find a pretty, interesting village amongst all the ugliness of a snow-sure resort - like Daved's Monchavin in La Plagne or Did's Samoens next to Flaine.

Dids - does Samoens get slushy in the main season?

Felthorpe - do you reckon Alpe d'Huez deserves to go on the potential list of resorts?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 13:05:28 GMT

Ally - yes I would like to add it, even though I have been there before, it is somewhere I would happily go back to. It does provide an extensive and varied ski area with lots of options for accommodation.

However I am open to try somewhere new and will go with the majority decision on this.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 13:23:56 GMT

What about one of these http://www.mountainsunltd.com/ - they are flexible with the dates, so you can go for as long as you like, the price also includes transfers from Geneva so you would just have to arrange your own flight/train.

Although the ones in France may be a bit on the small side (apart from the one in Tignes which doesn't sound like its on the list).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 13:25:47 GMT

Ally,
You're talking to someone who skis at Easter so slush on lower slopes is my surface!

Samoens is a village at 700m.
The skiing starts at Samoens 1600m. You have to get a gondola to the slopes.
So, the skiing would get no more slushy than anywhere else at that height at the time of the year and you have acces to 265 km of skiing including Flaine(open and high) and Les Carroz and Morillon, more sheltered and better scenery.

It's worth a consideration I'm sure.

Though I think it's rather a long way away for me to say if I'd be going!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 13:33:39 GMT

I have rung Skiworld, as suggested by Andyhull (who has organized lots of group ski holidays).

They were very helpful. I explained that I was only making a general enquiry for 2014. This is what they said:

1. They will normally only hold a chalet for the exclusive use of a group for one week whilst the group sorts out how many people want to go.

2. Their deposits are GBP150 per person.

3. They will accept group sizes starting from 7 in the group. For a group size of 15 there may be 2 free places depending on the date and the chalet.

4. Their chalets are in the main resorts/villages - not the little villages like Monchavin.

5. They sell package holidays which include flights. However, when I pushed the poor guy on this he said that they would allow flights to be from different U.K. airports (regional ones would cost slightly more), and they would even allow the direct Eurostar (to suitable resorts), OR no flights at all for certain people, with a discount for this.

6. They would accept individual payments from group members - most people apparently do it by bank transfer - as we have done for the 2013 group holiday.

7. They will accept name changes free of charge up to 10 weeks before the holiday. Between 10 and 4 weeks before the holiday there will be a charge of GBP35 per name, and less than 4 weeks before the holiday the charge will be GBP50 per name.

I asked him for a general price and he said around GBP600 for early February to include flights, transfers, and the catered chalet.

Looking on their website for 2013 they do deals on certain dates/to certain chalets, like 2 lift passes for one etc.

I thought they seemed fairly flexible and willing to be helpful - which is encouraging

So - it means another group decision. Do we book a chalet directly with the owner (like we have for the 2013 holiday) or do we use a TO like Skiworld?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 13:49:23 GMT

NellyPS wrote:What about one of these http://www.mountainsunltd.com/ - they are flexible with the dates, so you can go for as long as you like, the price also includes transfers from Geneva so you would just have to arrange your own flight/train.

Although the ones in France may be a bit on the small side (apart from the one in Tignes which doesn't sound like its on the list).

Nelly - I know all about the one in Tignes Les Boisses, because that's where I was just over a week ago

Their special out of season deals are amazingly cheap - which is why I went

My daughter and I paid GBP169 each for 3 days ski-ing with them, including transfers to and from Geneva, 3 nights and 3 days of breakfast, lunch (if you wanted it), tea and supper, 3 days lift passes for the whole Espace Killy, and ski and boot hire. The only extra we had to pay was the return flights to and from Geneva for GBP100.

And as you all probably know by now, we were incredibly lucky and we masses of snow, and sunshine, and practically the whole resort to ourselves with no lift queues

I did think of this chalet, Les Melezes, for the 2013 group holiday, but I discounted it because I didn't think it was of a high enough quality for the rest of the group. I mean, I don't mind the facts that they had duck tape covering the worn out stairs, we could hardly shut the bathroom door, the food wasn't very good etc. The staff were very kind and helpful, the skis seemed practically brand new, and we were only there for the ski-ing.

I don't know what their other chalets are like, but I'm sure they'd be worth considering (and they might be a bit 'posher').

That's why I said we need to discuss budgets. I'm sure some people are like me and they don't care much about the quality of the accommodation or the food, but to other people these things are very important.

Dids - I'm not expecting anyone to book this 2014 holiday just yet - but it's a very pleasant way of occupying the time until we can all go ski-ing again and we might actually make some useful progress towards organizing the 2014 holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 14:10:46 GMT

I think you are putting yourself forward as organiser again Ally!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 14:14:51 GMT

Dids1 wrote:
I think you are putting yourself forward as organiser again Ally!

Oh dear

I suppose it's getting to be a habit now

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 14:52:55 GMT

Thinking about it i don't think i would have to make March a priority for me in 2014. Seeing as its quite aways off i could do any month and organise my family trips around that.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 15:34:16 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:Thinking about it i don't think i would have to make March a priority for me in 2014. Seeing as its quite aways off i could do any month and organise my family trips around that.

Thanks Snapzzz
It might be a good idea to make the date a starting point. As far as I can remember all anyone has said about this is that Nelly says she can't manage January and I'd prefer the beginning of February.

Once we have a date we could all pencil it in for our advance diaries, or in our heads, and remember not to book anything else at this time.

I'm assuming that the people who don't want to go in our school holidays will again outnumber those poor people who have to go in school holidays.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 15:35:51 GMT

School holidays are usually more expensive

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 15:39:51 GMT

Looking at your prices for 2013 Ally from the Bonjour chalet, it seems that the prices are fairly stable during January and then go up first week in February and then on up again.

So perhaps the last week in January which is 25/26 or first week in February which is 1/2 in 2014 might be a possibility?

What does everyone else think?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 18:24:43 GMT

Felthorpe,
I think that Nelly can't go during the whole of January

It is very hard on those that can only go during school holidays, and I don't like excluding anyone, but as you say prices are far higher during the school holidays.

Here are some more chalet prices, with Ski Olympic for the chalet Graciosa in La Plagne, for 2013. For this chalet the first week in February 2013 seems to be the same price as January. I'm not recommending this chalet, I'm just using it as an example. The prices include catered accommodation, flights and transfers, and ski hosting.

A friend of mine has been with Ski Olympic and she thinks they're very good. This is a ski in/ski out chalet hotel above Plagne Centre. It's more functional than pretty, and it sleeps 46 people. It does Sunday to Sunday booking.

I reckon the prices are around GBP100 p.p. higher than we're paying for the Bonjour-Bonjour chalet in Tignes Les Brevieres, but I haven't phoned them yet to see how much group discount they offer.

http://www.skiolympic.co.uk/ski-snowboard-holidays-la-plagne-paradiski-chalet_graciosa

December 9 Sold Out
December 16 GBP595
December 23 GBP775
December 30 GBP1075
January 6 GBP685
January 13 GBP675
January 20 GBP675
January 27 GBP675
February 3 GBP665
February 10 GBP835
February 17 GBP1135
February 24 GBP705
March 3 GBP705
March 10 GBP705
March 17 GBP685
March 24 GBP685
March 31 GBP945
April 7 GBP845
April 14 GBP665

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 18:49:50 GMT

personally I think you should get a consensus as to area before you start looking at particular chalets...its a bit previous ..who knows what the prices will be it two years time

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 18:56:06 GMT

daved wrote:personally I think you should get a consensus as to area before you start looking at particular chalets...its a bit previous ..who knows what the prices will be it two years time

I think Ally was just using some guides for next season to look at a trend of pricing over the season and in particular the ramp up in prices during school holidays.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 18:56:35 GMT

Daved,
I'm looking at dates - not chalets - not really

I just thought if we checked a couple of the chalets out we could see how the prices change throughout the season, and get an idea of when we want to go.

All we need really, early on, is the date we want to go.

So - are there are particular months you can't go, for any reason?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 18:59:56 GMT

Old Andy - you beat me to it

That's exactly what I was looking at

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 19:30:28 GMT

looking at those dates/prices i would say the last cheep week in Jan/early Feb would be most suitable for me.
That would give me a early season hol and a late season hol with the family with J2 mid way between.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 19:54:12 GMT

Thanks Snapzzz, that's exactly the sort of thing I wanted to hear

Anyone else got any preference for dates?

Edit
Sorry - new page - this is what Snapzzz said:

looking at those dates/prices i would say the last cheep week in Jan/early Feb would be most suitable for me.
That would give me a early season hol and a late season hol with the family with J2 mid way between.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 21:36:28 GMT

March for me

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 21:39:48 GMT

Oh dear Icy - are you sure you can't change to the beginning of February?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 22:11:31 GMT

if not les arcs or la plagne, or even alpe d'heuz, how about les deux alpes ?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 22:20:23 GMT

Start of Feb won't give me much time to save up after jan one.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 22:31:22 GMT

You can start saving now Icy, there's plenty of time

I'll buy you a special money box if you like

OldBoarder - I don't know anything about Les Deux Alpes, other than what I can read up on it - like this, from the Ski club of GB:
Loads of challenging off-piste, a world-class terrain park and complimentary 'Free Respect' avalanche-awareness courses.
The young, predominantly Brit party element won't appeal to everyone.

Large glacier suits all skiing abilities and is snow-secure throughout the season.
Lift queues (going up and coming down) can be endless, particularly at weekends.

Lack of trees for bad-light days.
.

Have you been there? And if so, what did you think?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 23:14:53 GMT

All money now is going on divorce

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 3 May 2012 23:24:46 GMT

Oh dear, poor Icy

How about, if I give you a special money box that your ex can't get into

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 07:44:10 GMT

All looks a bit pricy, I thought at first it included lift pass .......

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 08:45:15 GMT

Ian,
Don't worry, we haven't actually picked a chalet yet. I put those prices up just because I found them easily (I hate it when you have to phone for prices), to show how the price varies with the date. But thank you very much for saying they look too expensive (I totally agree with you!).

Ian, if we could find a date, resort, and budget to suit you, would you be interested in coming?

Here are some more dates and prices for 2012, for the budget Mountain Sun Chalet Melezes in Tignes les Boisses (where I was just over a week ago)

http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/chalet-hotel-les-melezes/page/view/accommodation

This is definitely NOT a 'posh' chalet, but I found it okay. These prices do include 6 day lift passes for Tignes and Val d'Isere:

18 Dec 11 Sun GBP709 8 night stay
26 Dec 11 Mon GBP729

02 Jan 12 Mon GBP469

08 Jan 12 Sun GBP529

15 Jan 12 Sun GBP549

22 Jan 12 Sun GBP589

29 Jan 12 Sun GBP619

05 Feb 12 Sun GBP629

12 Feb 12 Sun GBP759

19 Feb 12 Sun GBP639

26 Feb 12 Sun GBP639

04 Mar 12 Sun GBP639

11 Mar 12 Sun GBP639

18 Mar 12 Sun GBP619

25 Mar 12 Sun GBP619

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 08:49:43 GMT

AllyG wrote:
Here are some more dates and prices for 2012, for the budget Mountain Sun Chalet Melezes in Tignes les Boisses (where I was just over a week ago)

http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/chalet-hotel-les-melezes/page/view/accommodation

Do these prices include travel Ally?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 08:54:46 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:All looks a bit pricy, I thought at first it included lift pass .......

I have never seen divorce include a lift pass

I thought it looked expensive, thought I was just being tight. The 2013 holliday is expensive when you add in lift pass Then if you want a single room you may as well take the whole chalet yourself

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 08:57:28 GMT

No they don't Andy - you're quite right - I forgot to point that out. Oh dear, sorry everyone

Maybe being a travel agent isn't quite as easy as I thought!

Mountain Sun include free transfers with their short breaks but not with their week long stays.

Transfers are an extra GBP28 each way, and I suppose flights would be an extra GBP100 or so.

That does make it quite expensive, for the standard of accommodation

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 09:01:30 GMT

So taking the above prices for first week in Feb would be:

about GBP729 inc lift pass. On reflection I dont think that is a bad price. I know you can get it for GBP500 la de daaaa, but as in the majority I think it is good

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 09:32:52 GMT

Iceman wrote:So taking the above prices for first week in Feb would be:

about GBP729 inc lift pass. On reflection I dont think that is a bad price. I know you can get it for GBP500 la de daaaa, but as in the majority I think it is good

Icy - I think you've forgotten to add in the transfer prices (for the Mountain Sun chalet in Tignes).
I got GBP629 + (GBP28X2) + GBP100 = GBP785

The 13th January 2013 holiday to Tignes is GBP399 for the chalet, GBP60 for chalet transfers, GBP100 approx for flights = GBP559
6 day Espace Killy Lift passes approx = GBP200

Final total = GBP759
(Unless you have to hire skis and boots, costing around another GBP100).

And as for the GBP200 single supplement, well you'll just have to find someone you can share with

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 09:58:53 GMT

I may be Interested in 2014 ... but it really depends on her in doors and Little W as they both don't have any connection with J2ski so it may not be of interest to them, but Mrs W went with some J2skiers in March so with a touch of arm twisting you never know. I think of bulk buying of rooms we should demand a discount !!!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 11:34:56 GMT

I've been to Les Deux Alpes twice and I rather like it but it is a slightly unusual layout. The village is a mix of traditional and new stuff but quite expansive with loads too do (pool/skating/cinema etc.) There are some good eating places at both ends of the price range, loads of bars etc.

The only down side is getting up to the glacier as you have to take a cable car up (there are two to choose from), there are no chair lifts that go up that high. But once up there you can stay all day and the skiing is extensive, with loads of mountain chalets to stop at for drinks or food.

Sometimes the queue for the cable cars can be a bit long but it wasn't ever too bad, as they seem to have got it pretty well sussed.

The ski back to the village is also tricky as you only have two choices 1) is a very long windy green, which is just plain dangerous (too many people on it, often icy and bumpy and very narrow in places - I got two black eyes from a fall on this run one year). 2) Black runs - which didn't have enough snow on them last time I went. We just chickened out and came back in the cable car each day.

So if you dont mind getting in a cable car first and last thing, the skiing is pretty good. Even if the village doesn't have much snow, there is usually loads up top.

Personally I like the place and would happily go back there. I think there is reasonably priced accommodation to be had too, as it doesn't seem to be as popluar as some of the other snow sure resorts.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 11:38:44 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:I may be Interested in 2014 ..

Ian,
That would be great if you'd consider coming with us in 2014

We have all summer to sort this out for 2014 and try to find a date, resort, chalet, and budget to suit the maximum number of J2Skiers and their friends and family.

I suppose we could arrange a meet-up of those possibly interested in this 2014 holiday and you could bring your family for them to see if they think they could put up with us all for a week

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 11:43:08 GMT

Felthorpe,
Thanks

How long does the cable car take to get up to les Deux Alpes, and when were you there?

We do seem to have a bit of a problem with the date, at the moment. Nelly can't do January, Icy doesn't want to go in February, and I'm not that keen on March (because of my work here at home).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 11:49:08 GMT

I cant believe that we are talking about 2014 in Summer....In Sep/Oct this year I will only be booking 2013.

Crazy

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 12:01:32 GMT

It's only chit chat at the mo.

But already we are encountering problems just trying to find a month that we could all possibly agree on! So perhaps it's not such a daft idea to start early, as it may take until 2014 to get it sorted!

I can't remember how long the cable car takes at L2A, probably about 15 mins? but it never seemed to be too much of a chore.

I went in December 2009 and then again in January 2011 and we very nearly went back in February this year but my OH couldn't get away from work

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 13:59:36 GMT

Icy, it is all well and good leaving personal trips to late bookings, but when trying to arrange something for a larger group, especially a group who are varied in ability, location and age, it is much better to start as soon as you can and get a basic set of ideas in place so you know ehere to start your enquiries closer to the date.

I am not having a dig at Ally here, but perhaps if the 2013 trip had started earlier, we may have found something which would have been more acceptable to you, both in location and time of travel.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 16:35:46 GMT

fair point

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 16:39:55 GMT

felthorpe wrote:It's only chit chat at the mo.

But already we are encountering problems just trying to find a month that we could all possibly agree on! So perhaps it's not such a daft idea to start early, as it may take until 2014 to get it sorted!

I can't remember how long the cable car takes at L2A, probably about 15 mins? but it never seemed to be too much of a chore.

I went in December 2009 and then again in January 2011 and we very nearly went back in February this year but my OH couldn't get away from work

I think you have to be realistic, put the censor's out there and go with the majority, you will never be able to please everybody, I would consider January or maybe March..... good luck !!!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 17:26:13 GMT

But you never know .......

By 2014 there may be two or three J2Ski trips being organised to different countries and at different times.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 17:26:52 GMT

Ian,
I'm sorry to be so dense, but does that mean you definitely couldn't come in February?

If the majority vote was for March then I'd have to say that I might not be able to go, but I would continue to organize it anyway, and see how things at home are looking nearer the booking time (re whether they could manage without me or not for a week in March).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 19:31:54 GMT

AllyG wrote:
If the majority vote was for March then I'd have to say that I might not be able to go

March it is then!

Just kidding, couldn't help myself there.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 19:36:29 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

AllyG wrote:
If the majority vote was for March then I'd have to say that I might not be able to go

March it is then!
Just kidding, couldn't help myself there.

Snapzzz .....
I am appalled and can only assume that you have been celebrating the weekend early.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 19:57:08 GMT

It's OK Snapzzz and Andy, if the majority vote is for March and I can't go then that's just how it is

If that's the case I will try and find someone else to ski with in January or February.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 20:45:06 GMT

AllyG wrote:It's OK Snapzzz and Andy, if the majority vote is for March and I can't go then that's just how it is

If that's the case I will try and find someone else to ski with in January or February.

God, i feel really bad now.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 21:06:53 GMT

So you should - you nasty person!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 21:43:14 GMT

Snapzzz,
The simple truth of the matter is that we're not going to find one date which suits everyone who's interested (not even those interested at the moment).

This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - said he wanted to come but didn't specify which months
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - hasn't said which month he'd prefer
Far Queue - hasn't said which month he'd prefer

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 21:54:06 GMT

Jan or March are my preferred months please. I cannot do half term or the week before, that is compulsory for me at work. In fact I cannot do any week which is just before a school holiday. Also, Feb tends to be when I do my family and friends ski trip, and I would prefer to keep them separate so I can get another holiday in

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 22:04:06 GMT

AllyG wrote:
Thanks Far Queue - I've amended your entry for you

This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - said he wanted to come but didn't specify which months
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - hasn't said which month he'd prefer
Far Queue - wants January or March
Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 22:10:42 GMT

Sounds like March is the favourite, or am I wrong.

Who cant do March?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 22:28:24 GMT

We are likely to go skiing with our children at new year or possibly Easter in 2013/2014. Therefore, it would be me and Mrs BB for the 2014 j2ski trip. Late feb/early march sounds good to me.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 4 May 2012 22:52:16 GMT

AllyG wrote:This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - said he wanted to come but didn't specify which months
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - hasn't said which month he'd prefer
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Thanks Bedrock Barney, I've added you now

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 May 2012 05:31:59 GMT

Sounds fun,love to come but anytime but March as New car registrations means busy busy month.

TP

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 May 2012 08:24:14 GMT

AllyG wrote:This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - said he wanted to come but didn't specify which months
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Thanks Tonypants, I've added you now

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 May 2012 22:20:50 GMT

AllyG wrote:This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - said he wanted to come but didn't specify which months
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Brooksy said he's interested as well, so I've added him to the list

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 11:44:25 GMT

AllyG wrote:
Tony H - said he wanted to come but didn't specify which months

Thats news to me
I've been away for a week and just catching up with threads, and I see we are up to about 20 pages nearly and full of similar wibble to the 2013 thread.

I honestly think its too early to consider 2014, and maybe people should see how the 2013 trip goes first before signing up?

My suggestion would be to make Tignes in Jan an annual event for J2ski to avoid all this p***ing about with discussion over where, when, how, etc. Make it simple so that people can sign up to a specific holiday or not, as oppose to wasting time doing a lot of research into different resorts, accommodation and tour ops. Also we know already that with the Skibonjour place they will allow you to fly, drive or train there.

Further complicating matters by trying to arrange another group holiday to a yet unknown destination with unknown numbers at an unknown time of year seems a bit daft to me.

The alternative and obvious option, it seems to me, would be for J2ski to organise a trip to Niederau, seeing as its this websites championed resort. With so much first hand experience from the likes of DaveMac etc, it would be easy to organise and you could have your own J2ski-guide. I think it would be perfect.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 12:53:13 GMT

The alternative and obvious option, it seems to me, would be for J2ski to organise a trip to Niederau, seeing as its this websites championed resort. With so much first hand experience from the likes of DaveMac etc, it would be easy to organise and you could have your own J2ski-guide. I think it would be perfect.

As you consider N to be perfect for the 2014 trip would you be going ?

I was under the impression that you had a dislike of N, unless you mean its the perfect choice for all members excluding yourself, I myself have not been there so what was you experience when you went?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 12:56:05 GMT

brooksy wrote:

As you consider N to be perfect for the 2014 trip would you be going ?

I was under the impression that you had a dislike of N, unless you mean its the perfect choice for all members excluding yourself,

Sarcasm Brooksy, after 500+ posts you should be becoming acclimatised to Mr H round about anytime now.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 13:08:11 GMT

Snapzzz I think you'll find Tony & I understand each other well enough

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 13:19:24 GMT

I thought in general that I tend to agree with the single destination but I think N might be a bit limiting as it is only a small area

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 14:01:50 GMT

No, I genuinely think N might be the perfect place for a J2ski group holiday, such is the knowledge of the place on this forum.
No sarcasm intended, this time

It wouldn't be for me though.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 14:04:16 GMT

Tony_H wrote:No, I genuinely think N might be the perfect place for a J2ski group holiday, such is the knowledge of the place on this forum.
No sarcasm intended, this time

It wouldn't be for me though.

Certainly wouldn't be for me either. Ski area looks far too limited.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 14:06:47 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

Tony_H wrote:No, I genuinely think N might be the perfect place for a J2ski group holiday, such is the knowledge of the place on this forum.
No sarcasm intended, this time

It wouldn't be for me though.

Certainly wouldn't be for me either. Ski area looks far too limited.

One of the main reasons the place wasn't for me, but still something for the group to consider.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 18:22:04 GMT

In light of the recent comments on N it would appear as non favourable, in that case Tony would you suggest a resort that you would go to & if it was the one chosen would you be up for it, in principle at least.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 18:28:48 GMT

AllyG wrote: This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Tony H - I've amended your entry now - sorry I must have misunderstood what you said

I don't somehow think we'll be going to Niederau

This thread, at the moment, is just to discuss possible dates and resorts for 2014.

The way I envisage it is that we can enjoy ourselves during the summer with these discussions and start the serious voting somewhere around November. And then, if I can find another chalet owner/TO that will hold a chalet for us for a month, we can start accepting bookings at the beginning of January and go on until the beginning of February (thus covering the period when we are away on our first J2Ski holiday to Tignes on the 13th January).

And after the beginning of February hopefully we will be able to continue booking the chalet, but without exclusive use, as we are doing now with the Bonjour chalet in Les Brevieres

As can be seen from the list of J2Skiers and who wants which dates, we're not going to be able to include everyone who is interested, as some can't go in January and some can't go in March etc. etc. We are intending to go with the majority vote - firstly for the date and then for the resort.

I think it's fun, and quite interesting, hearing about which resorts people favour, and why. Once we've got a list of potential resorts we can draw up a short list and then vote on it.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 18:44:05 GMT

never been there but how about Les Clusaz/Grand Bornand ...220knm piste and a reasonable priced lift pass with the reputation of having an affordable cost of living or even Verchais where I have stayed ...on the Grand Massif and 20mins drive to the Porte du Solaille

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 20:03:44 GMT

daved wrote:never been there but how about Les Clusaz/Grand Bornand ...220knm piste and a reasonable priced lift pass with the reputation of having an affordable cost of living or even Verchais where I have stayed ...on the Grand Massif and 20mins drive to the Porte du Solaille

Thanks Daved

La Clusaz and Verchaix were both places I'd never heard of until now, which just shows how useful this sort of thread is at introducing me to new villages and ski areas - it's like window shopping

Now that I've looked them up, it seems that Verchaix is close to Morillon (and Samoens), but you need to get a ski bus (or drive) to Morillon to connect with the ski area. Maybe we should just put the Grand Massif down as a ski area choice.

La Clusaz is much higher up, at 1100m (Verchaix is only 788m), and has its own ski area as well as connecting up with the rest of the Grand Bornard. J2ski says it is possibly one of the prettiest ski resort villages in France, and they've given it 4 stars for experts, 5 stars for intermediates, 4 stars for beginners, and 4 stars for snowboarders, AND it's only a 1 hour drive away from Geneva. Has anyone skied there?

http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/France/La_Clusaz.html

La Clusaz does look quite promising to me - thanks Daved

Edited to correct the altitude of La Clusaz (after Snapzzz very kindly pointed out the error of my ways)

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 20:41:08 GMT

La Clusaz is on my list for Feb 2013 but Ally i believe the village is at 1100m not 1800. so i wont be booking until last minute.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 20:53:54 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:La Clusaz is on my list for Feb 2013 but Ally i believe the village is at 1100m not 1800. so i wont be booking until last minute.

Thanks Snapzzz

I was totally taken in by what the La Clusaz tourist board website said, which was this:

La Clusaz and Manigod are located on the north-west flank of the Aravis massif. This favourable position gives them a combined average snowfall of more than 6 metres at an altitude of 1,860 metres.

You're quite right - La Clusaz village IS at 1100m - but that doesn't sound too bad to me. However, maybe I need to check out its snow record, and wait for some replies from J2Skiers who have been there.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 21:00:43 GMT

AllyG wrote:

Snapzzz wrote:La Clusaz is on my list for Feb 2013 but Ally i believe the village is at 1100m not 1800. so i wont be booking until last minute.

Thanks Snapzzz

I was totally taken in by what the La Clusaz tourist board website said, which was this:

La Clusaz and Manigod are located on the north-west flank of the Aravis massif. This favourable position gives them a combined average snowfall of more than 6 metres at an altitude of 1,860 metres.

You're quite right - La Clusaz village IS at 1100m - but that doesn't sound too bad to me. However, maybe I need to check out its snow record, and wait for some replies from J2Skiers who have been there.

It does look a nice resort and Crystal (hate them now though) are doing free lift passes all season there.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 23:08:59 GMT

Thanks for the offer of ski guide for the group, but, I am busy that week.

Anyway, I agree that Niederau is totally unsuitable, it's a rubbish resort. You will never catch me there.

There is no colour about the place:

The ski rental is garbage:

No snow cover:

Too much inbreeding:

Another bad snow day:

Rubbish architecture:

The ski instructors can't keep their skis, (or their pants), on:

The drunks keep leaving their kit behind:

The wimmin have more style than the guys, and that is just unacceptable:

The place is just too crowded:

And finally, the area is just too flat for experienced skiers:

Nope, as I said, you won't catch me.....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 23:26:15 GMT

Thanks for the lovely photos Dave Mac

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 May 2012 23:34:28 GMT

Tony_H wrote:
I honestly think its too early to consider 2014, and maybe people should see how the 2013 trip

AT LAST!!!!

Someone that agrees with me. Crazy!!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 00:35:37 GMT

It does seem somewhat premature, two seasons hence. I'm still dropping HUGE hints to my OH about going skiing this coming week. I'm trading a new bathroom, cutting down a dozen trees, decorating the hall/landing, and installing underfloor heating in the conservatory.

She says that is double counting, I traded all of those for my January bash.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 09:15:38 GMT

AllyG wrote: This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Here are the places suggested so far for 2014:

Snapzzz - Zermatt, Sella Ronda, Les Portes du Soleil
Crispyapplepie - Morzine, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez
Daved - Milky Way, La Plagne (Montchavin and Champery), La Clusaz, Verchaix/Grand Massif
Old Boarder - Les Deux Alpes
Dids - Samoens/Grand Massif
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
Tony H - Niederau

Any more places/ski areas anyone would like us to consider? Would anyone else like to go on the list of those potentially interested for 2014?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 09:58:02 GMT

brooksy wrote:
In light of the recent comments on N it would appear as non favourable, in that case Tony would you suggest a resort that you would go to & if it was the one chosen would you be up for it, in principle at least.

Thats a no from me on both counts.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 10:24:16 GMT

Tony - if you're quite sure you definitely don't want to come with us in 2014 I will take you off the list.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 11:05:33 GMT

Following yesterdays European election results, I am thinking that Switzerland might be a good option after all. At least we will know what currency we will need

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 13:54:02 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony - if you're quite sure you definitely don't want to come with us in 2014 I will take you off the list.

Oh God, I can't take this kind of pressure

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 15:48:46 GMT

Tony H said:
Oh God, I can't take this kind of pressure

Tony - I will leave you on the list then, to ease the pressure, and you can make up your mind at a later date

I'm surprised no-one's suggested the 3 Valleys yet. I think I will add it to the list.

Most of the places/ski areas that have been suggested so far are in France. Has anyone got any favourites in Italy, Switzerland, or Austria that might be suitable for the group?

We may have beginners (like we have for the Jan 2013 trip) so ski resorts need to be suitable for all levels of skier/boarder.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 15:55:08 GMT

AllyG wrote: This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but presumably OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Here are the places suggested so far for 2014:

Snapzzz - Zermatt, Sella Ronda, Les Portes du Soleil
Crispyapplepie - Morzine, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez
Daved - Milky Way, La Plagne (Montchavin and Champery), La Clusaz, Verchaix/Grand Massif
Old Boarder - Les Deux Alpes
Dids - Samoens/Grand Massif
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
Tony H - Niederau
AllyG - 3 Valleys

Any more places/ski areas anyone would like us to consider? Would anyone else like to go on the list of those potentially interested for 2014?

I have added Randyrat to the list of those interested in this 2014 group holiday.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 15:56:59 GMT

You know what, i think id pretty much go anywhere and i bet others would too.
The venue is not really ever going to be the issue, its the date as we all have lives.

I'd do the 3V

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 May 2012 19:55:25 GMT

Snapzzz,
I agree with you and I think that the date will be the deciding factor for most people as to whether or not they can go on this holiday.

I have had a look at a few calendars for 2014 and I think most school holidays will finish on Friday 3rd January. Hence Saturday 4th January will be the first available date for us.

And half-term seems to be from Monday 17th - Friday 21st February or from Monday 24th February to Friday 28th February.

So - if they put the prices up for both weeks in February then that means about half of Feb is wiped out

Easter is really late - Good Friday is 18th April, so it shouldn't affect dates in March

If we make Saturday 22nd March the last date we'll consider, then it means we have 10 available weeks if we miss out both half-term weeks.

I followed Icy's suggestion and discovered the text box (for comments) on SurveyMonkey, so it would be feasible to post the date survey up on here (in, say October) and ask people to put their J2Ski user name in the text box so that I know they are genuine. And we could let the date voting run for a month and go with the majority decision on this. And then we could let the resort survey run for another month and again go with the majority decision.

We need to make sure we pick some decent resorts to select from.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 12:48:55 GMT

Randyrat (who started the 2013 group holiday thread) says he's interested in the 2014 group holiday, so I'll add him (and his group of 4) to the list

He prefers the last week in January and doesn't want to book anywhere too expensive (but thinks GBP399 for the catered chalet in Tignes Les Brevieres for the 2013 holiday is an acceptable price).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 13:06:19 GMT

Thought this was Felthorpe's thread

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 13:12:38 GMT

Iceman wrote:Thought this was Felthorpe's thread

Icey, you should go to specsavers

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 13:15:43 GMT

Icy - Randyrat started the 2013 J2Ski group holiday thread, and Felthorpe started this one, the 2014 group holiday thread

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 13:38:14 GMT

Well I'm still up for it, Feb/March fine with me.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 14:14:33 GMT

Thanks Nelly. I'm glad you're still up for this
I've amended the list for you now.

AllyG wrote: This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Here are the places suggested so far for 2014:

Snapzzz - Zermatt, Sella Ronda, Les Portes du Soleil
Crispyapplepie - Morzine, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez
Daved - Milky Way, La Plagne (Montchavin and Champery), La Clusaz, Verchaix/Grand Massif
Old Boarder - Les Deux Alpes
Dids - Samoens/Grand Massif
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
Tony H - Niederau
AllyG - 3 Valleys

Any more places/ski areas anyone would like us to consider? Would anyone else like to go on the list of those potentially interested for 2014?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 May 2012 18:39:15 GMT

AllyG wrote:Icy - Randyrat started the 2013 J2Ski group holiday thread, and Felthorpe started this one, the 2014 group holiday thread

Icy, that's your cue to start the 2015 group holiday thread......

Good, Now that's sorted, maybe we can get back to sorting out 2016.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 May 2012 10:29:05 GMT

AllyG wrote:Icy - Randyrat started the 2013 J2Ski group holiday thread, and Felthorpe started this one, the 2014 group holiday thread

But you're taking ownership of both trips, right?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 May 2012 12:56:20 GMT

Tony, yes, I am organizing the 2013 and 2014 J2Ski group ski/board trips, if that's what you mean.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 May 2012 13:48:41 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony, yes, I am organizing the 2013 and 2014 J2Ski group ski/board trips, if that's what you mean.

Well done Ally - just what's needed.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 May 2012 21:29:09 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony, yes, I am organizing the 2013 and 2014 J2Ski group ski/board trips, if that's what you mean.

So what is felthorp doing? She has gone quiet, I think you have upset her

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 May 2012 21:43:03 GMT

Hi Icy,
I happen to know that Felthorpe is fine, thank you, although I'm sure she appreciates your concern for her well being

She's just busy - as Snapzzz said, some of us do have lives away from the ski slopes (and J2Ski)

Starting this 2014 thread was her idea, but she doesn't seem to mind me organizing the group holiday.

Anyway, there isn't much left to organize for the 13th January 2013 J2Ski group holiday to Tignes, (although we still have places available in case anyone else wants to come), so I might as well make a start on the 2014 group holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:43:02 GMT

Hello peeps,

It's nice to know you've missed me Icy!

Sorry I have been quiet but I assure you I have been keeping an eye on you all. As I didn't have anything new or contructive to say, I thought it best not to say anything, as it would only have been wibble.

Ally has done a stirling job with 2013 and I am very grateful to her for offering to take on 2014 aswell. I only started this discussion (it was Ally's suggestion) because we thought we could get the place and date sorted a bit earlier, so that more people can have input and come with us. We hope that this may become a regular feature and will involve more people each year.

I am more than happy to do whatever is needed to help and Ally knows this.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:16:01 GMT

Is it worth making the suggestion again that if you want to make it an annual event, you use the same place each year?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:52:27 GMT

It worries me that people will get bored if we ski the same place every year? Personally I want to try lots of different places. What does everyone else think?

Perhaps trying to stick to the same week every year might be more productive? That way everyone will know what this groups J2Ski week is and can book their other trips around it if they want to go.

This is of course assuming that we manage to find a week that suits most people in the first place!!

Wishful thinking?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:14:58 GMT

Tony,
I agree with Felthorpe. If we go to the same place every year it would get a bit boring. And, as someone else said, if we go on the same date every year it would mean that certain people would miss out every year (like Nelly if we always went in January), unless we did 2 trips per year and that seems a bit ambitious at the moment

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:10:16 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony,
I agree with Felthorpe. If we go to the same place every year it would get a bit boring. And, as someone else said, if we go on the same date every year it would mean that certain people would miss out every year (like Nelly if we always went in January), unless we did 2 trips per year and that seems a bit ambitious at the moment

Agree/Disagree

I think the same time each year would be a great idea that way i would know that i need to keep certain weeks free WELL in advance. And it would also give people plenty of time to organise the time off.
Christmas day is always on the 25th dec and that works pretty well doesn't it. We all know where we stand there.

Or we could just do this:

2013: 13-20 Jan
2014 : 8-15 March
2015 : 10-17 Jan
2016 : 12-19 March
2017 : 8-15 Jan

Right there, i have just sorted the dates for the next five years. You all have plenty of time to organise your lives if you want to come. If you want to come you will find a way......simples.

Everyone who wants to go has to post a GBP50 deposit by to the event organiser (ally) no less than ten months prior to departure. These people can then vote on a venue over a 2 week period, whats the point on everyone voting that can't go?
Then its set in stone.
People can join later but have to accept the venue.
Any people dropping out can get a refund of their GBP50 (which is just to weed out time wasters)

There!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:30:04 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

Or we could just do this:

2013: 13-20 Jan
2014 : 8-15 March
2015 : 10-17 Jan
2016 : 12-19 March
2017 : 8-15 Jan

Right there, i have just sorted the dates for the next five years.

I don't believe it. That rules me out of 2017 My boiler is playing up and I just arranged a service visit from British Gas, it clashes right with those dates!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:43:20 GMT

Put me down for 2016....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:43:45 GMT

Snapzzz,
What happened to February? And are those Saturdays or Sundays?

Seriously though, are you suggesting we rotate the holiday month each year? The trouble with that idea is that we might have different customers each year and we might find that we are supposed to be having fish on Friday (ski-ing in March) and most of the people interested in that particular holiday want to go in February.

It's not an easy problem to solve in a fair and democratic way.

We have something like 17 people on my list now who are interested in this 2014 holiday, which is the same number of people who completed the survey for 2013. So we could do a vote for the date now, but most people seem to be in favour of waiting several months longer, so that other interested J2Skiers can help with picking the date.

And once we've got the date we can start deciding on where to go.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:45:17 GMT

You aint gunna get a date for 2014 within the next 25 pages of this thread. Bet ya

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:47:02 GMT

Icy,
If you keep wibbling all over this thread I doubt we'll ever get a date for this holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:49:07 GMT

wipe it up then

There has been a lot of wibble, not just me

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:51:17 GMT

Just pick a date....its two years away...people will fit around it if they want to go.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:52:24 GMT

29 Feb!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:00:16 GMT

AllyG wrote:
This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Here are the places suggested so far for 2014:

Snapzzz - Zermatt, Sella Ronda, Les Portes du Soleil
Crispyapplepie - Morzine, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez
Daved - Milky Way, La Plagne (Montchavin and Champery), La Clusaz, Verchaix/Grand Massif
Old Boarder - Les Deux Alpes
Dids - Samoens/Grand Massif
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
Tony H - Niederau
AllyG - 3 Valleys

Any more places/ski areas anyone would like us to consider? Would anyone else like to go on the list of those potentially interested for 2014?

Some people simply can't make certain dates, because of things like closing dates for submitting tax returns etc.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:03:26 GMT

AllyG wrote:
Some people simply can't make certain dates, because of things like closing dates for submitting tax returns etc.

I'd only believe that if they worked for HMRC

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:04:52 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

AllyG wrote:
Some people simply can't make certain dates, because of things like closing dates for submitting tax returns etc.

I'd only believe that if they worked for HMRC

Accountants - January ...
Busy month

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:08:44 GMT

Caingorms, Glencoe

Am serious

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:08:47 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

Snapzzz wrote:

AllyG wrote:
Some people simply can't make certain dates, because of things like closing dates for submitting tax returns etc.

I'd only believe that if they worked for HMRC

Accountants - January ...
Busy month

How many accountants do we have on here?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:15:11 GMT

Nelly works for an accountants. Not sure what she does

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:21:07 GMT

Icy,
Nelly is a PA - don't you remember I was going to ask her to be our PA in our Wibble Kingdom? So all those accountants can't do anything without Nelly. She is a Very Important Person

And she's really keen on coming ski-ing with us on a J2Ski group holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 22:46:31 GMT

I would quite like to go to Switzerland or Italy in 2014. but I have no idea which resorts are good ones?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:11:48 GMT

felthorpe wrote:I would quite like to go to Switzerland or Italy in 2014. but I have no idea which resorts are good ones?

Why did you change your original post to this?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:26:40 GMT

Icy,
I expect Felthorpe is trying to resist wibbling - it seems to be highly infectious

Felthorpe,
We already have a couple of Italian suggestions.
The Milky Way, which is a 400km ski area including Sauze d'Ouix where I first learned to ski at the age of 8.
Sella Ronda - which I believe is a route around the Dolomites, including Arabba etc.

And for Switzerland we have Zermatt as a suggestion.

But, like you, I don't know much about Italy or Switzerland

And nobody has suggested any more resorts/ski areas for a while, so maybe everyone thinks we have enough choices already?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:56:10 GMT

You just need to book a date and then people will book if they can make it ... remember you are not going to please every one

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:56:19 GMT

Ally, as Ian says you are not going to please everyone. We are already on page 27 of this thread and are no closer to sorting something, and with due respect, I think its too early other than to confirm a date to work to.

You keep saying things like "it would get boring" for the same place or "people cant go" for certain times, but I actually think the best bet would be to have an annual J2ski trip to Tignes, and you can vary the dates. Skiing never gets boring, unless of course you're in a tiny Austrian resort on a small hill. Tignes is part of a massive area, and the one advantage you'd have of going to the same chalet would be familiarity for those who'd been before, and with YOU as organiser you'd be able to show people round the chalet, resort, and ski area in a flash.

I do think the past 27 pages have achieved little in all honesty.

As organiser YOU need to set a date and go from there. If you dont agree with me about going back to Tignes, then YOU choose a resort and see who signs up and who doesnt. Its as simple as that and would save a lot of time and effort.

Something along the lines of what Snapzz said might be good as well. But all this huffing and puffing, worrying about which of your gang of J2 friends you'd like to come and cant make it, and chuntering about not going in Feb is getting nowhere.

I hereby propose that, as J2ski Tour Party Leader, Ally G picks a week in 2014 and chooses a resort, and those interested contact her by PM to express an interest so she has something to run with. At last.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:42:44 GMT

Iceman wrote:

felthorpe wrote:I would quite like to go to Switzerland or Italy in 2014. but I have no idea which resorts are good ones?

Why did you change your original post to this?

I got in a muddle trying to cut your post down to the bit I wanted to comment on and so gave up and decided to put something sensible instead. These computer thingys still confuse me....i'm easily confused.

I was going to be a bit flip about you saying you were being serious!! but maybe that wasn't very kind so it serves me right that I failed!

Now I am wibbling!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:45:00 GMT

AllyG wrote:Icy,
I expect Felthorpe is trying to resist wibbling - it seems to be highly infectious

Felthorpe,
We already have a couple of Italian suggestions.
The Milky Way, which is a 400km ski area including Sauze d'Ouix where I first learned to ski at the age of 8.
Sella Ronda - which I believe is a route around the Dolomites, including Arabba etc.

And for Switzerland we have Zermatt as a suggestion.

But, like you, I don't know much about Italy or Switzerland

And nobody has suggested any more resorts/ski areas for a while, so maybe everyone thinks we have enough choices already?

I have come close to booking Saas Fee before but it didn't happen in the end. Any info on this resort anybody?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:16:25 GMT

Livigno or chamonix

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:23:48 GMT

Iceman wrote:Livigno or chamonix

I think what you need to do with Livigno is also take in Bormio and maybe St Moritz, just to spice up the skiing

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:59:09 GMT

Livigno was one of the areas I also looked at to put on our todo list. Hmmmmmm too many choices.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:05:44 GMT

felthorpe wrote:Livigno was one of the areas I also looked at to put on our todo list. Hmmmmmm too many choices.

Things to remember with Livigno, fly to Innsbruck to avoid the 4 hour transfers from the Milan airports

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:32:21 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

felthorpe wrote:Livigno was one of the areas I also looked at to put on our todo list. Hmmmmmm too many choices.

Things to remember with Livigno, fly to Innsbruck to avoid the 4 hour transfers from the Milan airports

Or drive It only took us about an hour longer than driving to Val D'Isere, and it is a pretty drive through Switzerland and up past Klosters etc.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:51:05 GMT

Far Queue wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

felthorpe wrote:Livigno was one of the areas I also looked at to put on our todo list. Hmmmmmm too many choices.

Things to remember with Livigno, fly to Innsbruck to avoid the 4 hour transfers from the Milan airports

Or drive It only took us about an hour longer than driving to Val D'Isere, and it is a pretty drive through Switzerland and up past Klosters etc.

I normally go Stuttgart into Austria and turn at Landeck and up the Inn valley into Switzerland, it a beautiful drive

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:54:48 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

Far Queue wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

felthorpe wrote:Livigno was one of the areas I also looked at to put on our todo list. Hmmmmmm too many choices.

Things to remember with Livigno, fly to Innsbruck to avoid the 4 hour transfers from the Milan airports

Or drive It only took us about an hour longer than driving to Val D'Isere, and it is a pretty drive through Switzerland and up past Klosters etc.

I normally go Stuttgart into Austria and turn at Landeck and up the Inn valley into Switzerland, it a beautiful drive

Sounds like it is definitely one to do then, as we usually drive and I love that mountain scenery.

I was rather put off by the long transfer from Milan. So it may not be the place for a J2Ski group in light of that, as many prefer to fly. Unless Innsbruck is as cheap to fly to as Milan?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 18:15:55 GMT

felthorpe wrote:I would quite like to go to Switzerland or Italy in 2014. but I have no idea which resorts are good ones?

St Moritz is the best skiing I have ever had. Amazingly quiet pistes, wonderful snow, varied terrain, 2 mountains locally to ski, lots to go at......

....however its horribly expensive to go there. We did it with Club Med for under GBP1000 each which included BA scheduled flights T5 to Zurich, private transfers, lift passes, lessons/guiding if you wanted it, all food and drink (and I mean ALL - breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, wine with dinner, unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks).

Stunningly beautiful as well. Just dont eat out or buy drinks in the bars in town.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 18:23:15 GMT

Maybe if we put St Moritz down on our list of potential resorts we should put a 'very expensive' warning next to it

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 18:27:29 GMT

AllyG wrote:Maybe if we put St Moritz down on our list of potential resorts we should put a 'very expensive' warning next to it

If you have a Livigno lift pass you get a a days skiing at St Moritz

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:07:38 GMT

Thanks for that Ian

I didn't even know that Livigno was anywhere near St Moritz!

What did you think of Livigno? Do you think it's good enough to go on our list of potential group holiday resorts?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:21:15 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks for that Ian

I didn't even know that Livigno was anywhere near St Moritz!

What did you think of Livigno? Do you think it's good enough to go on our list of potential group holiday resorts?

I love Livigno ........ but the skiing is over graded and you really do need after a couple of days to jump on the bus to Bormio or St moritz.
A great Village and friendly people and of course excellent food ...... not a lot of catered chalets in Livigno but prices are pretty good in the restaurants.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:26:51 GMT

Thanks Ian
What do you mean by the pistes in Livigno are overgraded?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:49:11 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

I do think the past 27 pages have achieved little in all honesty.

As organiser YOU need to set a date and go from there. If you dont agree with me about going back to Tignes, then YOU choose a resort and see who signs up and who doesnt. Its as simple as that and would save a lot of time and effort.

Gotta agree.....pretty much what i said.
Im getting bored with this thread now. I think i will just look in again when there is a thread for booking on a definite date.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 21:48:25 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks Ian
What do you mean by the pistes in Livigno are overgraded?

Blacks are only reds .....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:06:53 GMT

Thanks Ian

Hmm... maybe Livigno might be too easy for some people here, in that case. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't really want to have to travel to another resort half-way through the week because I've got bored with the one I'm in.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 03:56:20 GMT

Hi Everybody,

I was away on a 1-wk vacation in Florida, followed by a busy weekend, so only now I am finally catching up reading the latest posts. Wow: lots of comments, opinions!

I have NEVER planned a vacation so far in advance, so I clearly do not have any plans yet for 2014!

Therefore I am OK with any time choice at this point. However, since somebody suggested Tignes, I will say that I would prefer some different place, since we'll be skiing one week there in 2013. I do not have any particular preference (as long as it's a 'good' ski area ).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:29:05 GMT

Stand out resort = Engelberg.
Good snow, decent onpiste, exceptional offpiste.
Train access via Zurich (cheap flights from all of UK).

Nice town, reasonable prices. 1 main bar so great way of keeping a big group together.

Anyone who has been will concur this is the place for you.

Am afraid some suggestions like Livigno (biblical transfer time) cannot compete to this place.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:19:00 GMT

I heard lot of good things about Engelberg and even that it's not feasible for my weekly skiing, I keep in on my radar for long trips. They have very good snow record. Even last season though poor by their standrads was way better than in most places.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:37:06 GMT

Engelberg is a fab resort. It's got the feel of a real destination, and the transport links are top notch. However I'm not sure about the resort for a J2Skier week. There is no ski in-ski out for starters, buses or walk to the main Titlis lift. The biggest attraction of Engelberg is the off piste, again I'm not sure that it would provide the right kind of skiing for the majority of the group.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:50:54 GMT

Thanks for the info. Bandit

Is there maybe a resort near Engelberg that would be okay for the rest of us (who probably want ski in/ski out and a larger ski area than 80 Km of pisted runs that J2Ski says Engelberg has), so that the advanced/expert J2Skiers could disappear off to the delights of the off-piste at Engelberg during the day and rejoin us in the evening?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:59:26 GMT

There are (to my knowledge) no larger resorts in the vicinity. Switzerland does not really do ski in/ski out, resorts are much older and more established, they grew from farming villages and Health Spas mostly.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:02:59 GMT

AllyG wrote:
This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Here are the places suggested so far for 2014:

Snapzzz - Zermatt, Sella Ronda, Les Portes du Soleil
Crispyapplepie - Morzine, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez
Daved - Milky Way, La Plagne (Montchavin and Champery), La Clusaz, Verchaix/Grand Massif
Old Boarder - Les Deux Alpes
Dids - Samoens/Grand Massif
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
Tony H - Niederau and St Moritz
AllyG - 3 Valleys
Ian W - Livigno
Icy - Chamonix
Ranchero_1979 - Engelberg
Bandit - Les Arcs

Any more places/ski areas anyone would like us to consider? Would anyone else like to go on the list of those potentially interested for 2014?

I have added CatP to the list of those interested in coming, and added Chamonix, Les Arcs, St Moritz, Livigno, and Engelberg to the list of potential resorts/ski areas.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:06:31 GMT

bandit wrote:There are (to my knowledge) no larger resorts in the vicinity. Switzerland does not really do ski in/ski out, resorts are much older and more established, they grew from farming villages and Health Spas mostly.

Thanks Bandit

I've never skied Switzerland so I don't know much about it

Have you got any suggestions for somewhere you think might suit us all, or comments on the long list we have already (obviously we will have to trim this down at some point).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:11:47 GMT

Les Arcs might fit the bill. Plenty of variation in the slopes, a broad, mixed ski area, possibility of La Plagne linked in on the Paradiski Pass. Lots of ski in/ski out. Big altitude range, tree lined and open faces, prices moderate when compared to other Tarentaise resorts.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:09:31 GMT

Thanks Bandit

I will add Les Arcs to the list.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:10:30 GMT

bandit wrote:Les Arcs might fit the bill. Plenty of variation in the slopes, a broad, mixed ski area, possibility of La Plagne linked in on the Paradiski Pass. Lots of ski in/ski out. Big altitude range, tree lined and open faces, prices moderate when compared to other Tarentaise resorts.

And the chance to meet/ski with snowcrazychris

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 May 2012 21:13:30 GMT

Far Queue wrote:

bandit wrote:Les Arcs might fit the bill. Plenty of variation in the slopes, a broad, mixed ski area, possibility of La Plagne linked in on the Paradiski Pass. Lots of ski in/ski out. Big altitude range, tree lined and open faces, prices moderate when compared to other Tarentaise resorts.

And the chance to meet/ski with snowcrazychris

Yes - maybe I should send a pm asking for chalet suggestions ...

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:22:31 GMT

I reckon Grimentz we could all stay at Bandits

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:00:38 GMT

Engleberg wouldnt be the place for a J2ski trip. Although it might scare Ally G out of going if anyones up for that?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:22:31 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Engleberg wouldnt be the place for a J2ski trip.

--- Just curious: Why is that?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:47:37 GMT

Yep please share.
Actually walk is <250m from centre of town (remember hotel I stayed in was something like Hotel de Sol?) to main lift. I considered this a warm up, was also carrying 2 pairs of ski as us gents frequently have to.
80KM of high quality onpiste is enough, some resorts claim 150km and then you realize 1/2 of summer trails, hardly worth wasting your wax.
Offpiste is fantastic but not extreme so great place for first timers to dip their feet. The classic offpiste run is 1Km, 60m wide, 30 deg, The Laub. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dgw_69iv9I. Best runs I have had were off backside though and also top of Titlus itself, 30min skin.
Glacier runs although drag lift are perfect for anyone wanting to work on technique and carving, super wide and nice angle.
Again each to their own, I went with GF who had 3 weeks skiing under her belt and she loved place. I took a guide with friends, she took instructor (same company), easy to meet for lunch etc etc. Perfect for groups of mixed ability.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:52:40 GMT

catp wrote:

Tony_H wrote:Engleberg wouldnt be the place for a J2ski trip.

--- Just curious: Why is that?

Because Ally said so. She wants somewhere easy for herself I mean beginners, and lots of pisted area where you wouldnt get bored. The pisted area in Engleberg is not enough for a weeks holiday. I'd love to ski the off piste there personally but it would scare a lot of people off a group trip if selected.
Hmmm. Maybe thats not such a bad thing

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:24:05 GMT

I've been checking Engleberg out and it looks like a place I would like to try but I think it is going to be too pricey for the J2Ski trip.

I think we are probably safer sticking to better known resorts, at least until we know this group holiday thingy is workable. Maybe then we could be more adventurous?

Or am I just being boring here?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:40:46 GMT

felthorpe wrote:I've been checking Engleberg out and it looks like a place I would like to try but I think it is going to be too pricey for the J2Ski trip.

I think we are probably safer sticking to better known resorts, at least until we know this group holiday thingy is workable. Maybe then we could be more adventurous?

Or am I just being boring here?

Seems sensibly boring to me felthorpe.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:46:30 GMT

And to be even more boringly sensible, perhaps the way to filter out some of the more unsuitable (albeit more adventurous) resorts would be to set a criteria that will suit the widest group of people?

e.g. minimum height of resort (or snow sure), max transfer times we are prepared to tolerate, size of ski area and whether suitable for beginners etc.

I usually do this when picking a resort to go to,as I know what I do and don't like and what I am prepared to put up with. I am sure others do the same. Then I just see what falls out and what the prices are like. Simples

It also gives me an excuse to study the maps and resorts out of season when I am missing the snow

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 17 May 2012 05:44:19 GMT

Cervina, short transfer,135km piste, great for everyone and guaranteed snow. Decent food (taste and price) as is Italy. Ski in ski out resort. For more advanced can always do Zermatt.

Went there a few years ago and certainly nothing wrong with the place.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:38:44 GMT

AllyG wrote:
This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - March a bit doubtful about whether I can manage it or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

Here are the places suggested so far for 2014:

Snapzzz - Zermatt, Sella Ronda, Les Portes du Soleil
Crispyapplepie - Morzine, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez
Daved - Milky Way, La Plagne (Montchavin and Champery), La Clusaz, Verchaix/Grand Massif
Old Boarder - Les Deux Alpes
Dids - Samoens/Grand Massif
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
Tony H - Niederau and St Moritz
AllyG - 3 Valleys
Ian W - Livigno
Icy - Chamonix
Ranchero_1979 - Engelberg
Bandit - Les Arcs
Ranchero_1979 - Cervinia

Any more places/ski areas anyone would like us to consider? Would anyone else like to go on the list of those potentially interested for 2014?

Ranchero - I like the look of Cervinia, so I've added it to the list, thanks for the suggestion

And there are some lovely photos of Cervinia here, that Mattski_score took on his holiday:
http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/11604.page

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 19 May 2012 18:17:19 GMT

We are starting to collate the things that people want from their accommodation. This helps to identify the resorts that can offer those facilities, some can't and so will be ruled out automatically. We are looking at chalet hotels specifically, half board. So opinions on whether we need to make sure the resort is snow sure, chalet is ski in/ski out etc are all questions that need to be asked. any thoughts would be helpful on what should be expected as a minimum. Then we can come up with a list of 5-10 resorts. We are still working on the date, this will influence the price. Input required please. I have found that the best places are already fully booked for 2013, so it's not too early to be making a list, then we can be first in the queue for 2014 .

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 19 May 2012 19:26:40 GMT

Well, I have been trying, and failing, to find reasonably priced acceptable accommodation for us in St Moritz

The best deal I can find is the one Tony H had - GBP1000 with Club Med to include all food and drink, flights and transfers, accommodation, lift passes, and lessons. It doesn't, however, include ski and boot hire, so anyone who needs this would have to pay another GBP100 or so on top of the GBP1000 basic price - making it a very expensive holiday costing GBP1,100.

So I would like to ditch St Moritz as a resort option. I think it's much too expensive for us, and I'm sure we can find cheaper places just as good (or better)

I am aiming to bring in the potential resorts/ski areas for a total price of GBP800 or less, not including ski and boot hire. As I have said already, the January 2013 holiday works out at a basic total price of about GBP759 p.p. apart from the cost of ski and boot hire. I would like to be able to repeat this for 2014, and find some accommodation in each resort/ski area where the single occupancy charge isn't more than the GBP200 Bonjour are charging us for 2013.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 17:47:30 GMT

AllyG wrote:Well, I have been trying, and failing, to find reasonably priced acceptable accommodation for us in St Moritz

The best deal I can find is the one Tony H had - GBP1000 with Club Med to include all food and drink, flights and transfers, accommodation, lift passes, and lessons. It doesn't, however, include ski and boot hire, so anyone who needs this would have to pay another GBP100 or so on top of the GBP1000 basic price - making it a very expensive holiday costing GBP1,100.

So I would like to ditch St Moritz as a resort option. I think it's much too expensive for us, and I'm sure we can find cheaper places just as good (or better)

I am aiming to bring in the potential resorts/ski areas for a total price of GBP800 or less, not including ski and boot hire. As I have said already, the January 2013 holiday works out at a basic total price of about GBP759 p.p. apart from the cost of ski and boot hire. I would like to be able to repeat this for 2014, and find some accommodation in each resort/ski area where the single occupancy charge isn't more than the GBP200 Bonjour are charging us for 2013.

Ally. I initially thought GBP1000 for a holiday was a lot of money. But then take into account what youre comparing against. You are willing to spend GBP800 on a holiday inc lift pass. Club Med is GBP1000 inc lift pass and all meals and all drinks. That basically means you're spending GBP200 a week per person on lunches and all your drinks. ALL of them. Still think its expensive? Do the maths and you'll see it works out a really good price. Especially in a swanky top notch resort like St Moritz. Think you'll find somewhere as good or better???? I've been, and I doubt you will.

Just look at what you posted again. Its too expensive at GBP1000, yet you'd pay GBP800 without lunches and drinks.

Hmmmmm

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 18:02:13 GMT

You telling me you would go back to the accommodation for lunch? I wouldn't and a packed lunch is just not the same either

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 18:17:24 GMT

Tony,
I've found your excellent reports on St Moritz and Club Med:

http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/9835.page
http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/9839.page

Icy - Tony says there are 2 ClubMed restaurants up on the mountain for lunch.

But I still think J2Skiers will hesitate before paying GBP1000 each, plus Igluski says it's a 5 hour transfer.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 19:34:18 GMT

AllyG wrote: plus Igluski says it's a 5 hour transfer.

Both Zurich and Milan are around 200km which is about the biggest distance.

Here are the rest..

http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Switzerland/St_Moritz.html

Not sure where Igluski are flying folks into???

Edit: just looked on their site, and Geneva is suggested, which has to be a joke. Like suggesting Munich as a gateway for Andorra maybe

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 20:10:59 GMT

Bandit, I wouldn't count on it being a joke (or a mistake). It wouldn't surprise me at all if Igluski flew people into Geneva to get to St Moritz and it resulted in a 5 hour transfer time.

I lost faith in the TO's when we were made to walk right past a perfectly good ski hire shop in Zell am See to one the other end of town (and back carrying all our ski stuff) because it was the one the TO 'preferred'

How about Celerina for St Moritz? Does anyone know of a nice, large, catered chalet here that is hopefully much cheaper?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 21:35:20 GMT

Isn't Iglu just a travel agent? They don't fly anyone anywhere....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 20 May 2012 22:20:02 GMT

Bandit,
I've just tried 'pretending' to buy the Club Med holiday with Igluski, and they say the flight is from Heathrow to Zurich (I don't know why they say Geneva as their standard airport for St Moritz). I think the transfer time from there is around 3 or 3 1/2 hours.

Snapzzz,
I think that makes Igluski even less likely to care.

I rented accommodation through Igluski for our New Year holiday in Meribel, solely because it was cheaper through them than I could get directly from Pierre et Vacances.

It was pretty strange, because I paid them, and they paid Ski Horizon, who paid P&V.

And it was pretty bad, too, because Igluski didn't give me any details about the accommodation, even though I asked them to, before I left on the holiday. Yet in the past when I have rented an apartment directly through P&V they have sent me details about the opening hours of the reception, phone numbers to ring if I think I will arrive late, all their terms and conditions, prices for cleaning at the end of the stay etc. etc.

Fortunately for me I know how P&'v works, and I survived Igluski's neglect.

This St Moritz holiday with Club Med seems rather similar to this. If I was to try and book it directly with Club Med (I've just tried doing it), it costs GBP100 more per person than booking through Igluski, who, as you say, are just an agent acting for another company who has bought the holiday from Club Med. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Anyway - I shall return to trying to find potential resorts and accommodation for the 2014 group holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:13:27 GMT

Ally, I dont understand your negativity towards Igulski. I booked through them for my last 2 ski holidays, service was excellent and they gave me the max discounts out of anyone. As Snapzz says, they are just an agent.

Also you havent ever been to St Moritz or been with Club Med, and seem to be dissing it, what with your talk of ridiculous flights and transfers.

Club Med will fly you into Zurich with BA so no messing about with rubbish airlines, and it took us about 2 hours 45 mins by road, sometimes it can take longer if the weather is bad. Its not a long transfer.

I also dont understand why youre saying people wont pay GBP1000 for a 4 star hotel in a top resort with amazing skiing when they may well end up spending more than that for somewhere else in not such a top resort with not such good skiing and much more crowded slopes.

I've just realised how good St Moritz was looking back. So you carry on with your search for a suitable place to ski, for under GBP1000 I'm going back to St Moritz......

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:05:54 GMT

bandit wrote:... Switzerland does not really do ski in/ski out, resorts are much older and more established, they grew from farming villages and Health Spas mostly.

Hi Bandit

A friend of mine has been a few times to Laxx, which he says is ski in ski out (or at least I seem to recall that is what he said). What would be your opinion of that resort for the J2S group ?

By the way, just picked up on this excellently entertaining thread after my recent proposed first week of May trip to Tignes was curtailed by an engine blow-out on the M26 en route to the Channel Tunnel ....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:30:20 GMT

billip1, bad news on the car engine, I suppose it's good that it happened on the way to the Chunnel and not halfway down France.

Laax is not a resort I've skied. Looking at the piste map it seems that the accom is at 1100m, and there seems to be no slopes below the main villages. I guess you can ski to the lift if you have accom at the top of the village?

Looks like there are plenty of easy slopes, and sufficient snowmaking on the return runs. Several snowparks of different grades too.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:51:29 GMT

Hi Billip 1,
If we can find a date, price, and resort that suits you, would you be interested in coming on this 2014 group J2Ski holiday with us?

I'm sorry to hear about your car. I hope you eventually got some ski-ing in Tignes. I left plenty of snow for you

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:59:54 GMT

Oh Billip,

Bad news on the Tignes trip. I had wondered what had happened to you.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:32:55 GMT

Dont go to St Moritz. Its rubbish. And really expensive.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:59:09 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Dont go to St Moritz. Its rubbish. And really expensive.

"I've just realised how good St Moritz was looking back. So you carry on with your search for a suitable place to ski, for under GBP1000 I'm going back to St Moritz...... "

Tony you really are undecided concerning St Moritz, as your for & against posts prove

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 22 May 2012 23:08:52 GMT

Brooksy,
I think Tony is a bit confused.

After he'd been to St Moritz he wrote this, in his report (page 1 part 2):

So, overall the experience gets 5 out of 10 from me. I don't think I'd go with Club Med again.

Anyway, to get the thread back on topic again I'd like everyone to know that we've been trying very hard to find nice chalets/hotels for 2014 that come in within budget.

Apart from St Moritz, Zermatt, and possibly St Anton, we're not doing too badly, although we may have to increase the budget by GBP100 or so for February and March. Generally speaking, January seems to be the cheapest month. The easiest resort on our list in which to find a reasonably priced ski in/ski out chalet seems to be La Tania in the 3 Valleys

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:30:48 GMT

Don't want to stray into off-topic subjects, but thanks to Bandit, Ally and Old Andy for your comments re my car breakdown en route to Tignes a few weeks ago. Trip couldn't happen as a result, but on the plus side we did visit the snow dome in MK a couple of times to make up for it !

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:53:09 GMT

This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - I'm not too sure whether I can manage March or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date
Billip 1 - is fairly flexible on dates

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

I have added Billip 1 to the list, because he asked me to

If anyone else is interested in coming with us in 2014 would they please let me know - either by posting on here or by sending me a pm

Here are the places we are considering for 2014:

Zermatt
Sella Ronda (Gardena etc. in the Dolomites)
Les Portes du Soleil (Morzine)
St Anton
Alpe d'Huez
Milky Way (Sauze d'Ouix)
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs etc.)
La Clusaz
Les Deux Alpes
Grand Massif (Samoens)
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
3 Valleys
Cervinia

I have tidied up the list of ski areas/resorts. We are checking to make sure we can find a reasonably priced chalet/hotel for each of them. And if we can't, (or there is some other reason we feel they are not suitable) I am deleting them from the list.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:50:51 GMT

Excellent. It worked. St Moritz is not on your list.
Carry on.....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:59:59 GMT

The resorts list seems to major on 1 country, France. Why?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:09:05 GMT

bandit wrote:The resorts list seems to major on 1 country, France. Why?

I think that is because those are the resorts that people asked for.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:25:45 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

bandit wrote:The resorts list seems to major on 1 country, France. Why?

I think that is because those are the resorts that people asked for.

Fair enough

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:34:39 GMT

bandit wrote:

OldAndy wrote:

bandit wrote:The resorts list seems to major on 1 country, France. Why?

I think that is because those are the resorts that people asked for.

Fair enough

Would there be anywhere good to stay that you would recomend in your valley?
I'd heard the name Anniviers but never looked at it until coming on here but it does looka really tidy place.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:47:30 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

bandit wrote:

OldAndy wrote:

bandit wrote:The resorts list seems to major on 1 country, France. Why?

I think that is because those are the resorts that people asked for.

Fair enough

Would there be anywhere good to stay that you would recomend in your valley?
I'd heard the name Anniviers but never looked at it until coming on here but it does looka really tidy place.

The Anniviers is unlikely to fit many of the criteria for the group. Chalets offering catered accom tend to be rare and upmarket, there is almost no ski in/out and the slopes predominantly suit adventurous skiers.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 24 May 2012 08:56:45 GMT

bandit wrote:

OldAndy wrote:

bandit wrote:

OldAndy wrote:

bandit wrote:The resorts list seems to major on 1 country, France. Why?

I think that is because those are the resorts that people asked for.

Fair enough

Would there be anywhere good to stay that you would recomend in your valley?
I'd heard the name Anniviers but never looked at it until coming on here but it does looka really tidy place.

The Anniviers is unlikely to fit many of the criteria for the group. Chalets offering catered accom tend to be rare and upmarket, there is almost no ski in/out and the slopes predominantly suit adventurous skiers.

Good answer Bandit. You dont want all and sundry exploring your area

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:45:43 GMT

Tony_H wrote:
Good answer Bandit. You dont want all and sundry exploring your area

Those are the facts, plain and simple

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:12:56 GMT

Does anyone know of any hotels/chalets on the Sella Ronda route that has twin beds that really are two separate beds?

I have been looking in the Selva Val Gardena area and I must have checked the details for about 15 chalets and hotels and they ALL have Austrian twin beds (which are basically double beds with separate mattresses).

Now, whilst I am perfectly happy to share a room with another female I've never met, I'm not too sure I want to share a double bed with them, and I expect other J2Skiers will feel the same

I have looked with several agencies, as well as with the hotels directly, and several of them are pretty sneaky and say 'twin room', but when you look at the photo it's a double bed

I really like the look of the ski area and the mountains, which are also known as the Dolomites Superski, or South Tyrol, and it would be an awful shame to have to knock it off our list of potential resorts/ski areas just because I can't find a chalet or hotel suitable for our group holiday

Has anyone got any ideas please?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:56:32 GMT

Well, I suppose if the beds really don't come apart into two singles you could always put one of the mattresses on the floor.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:34:46 GMT

Thanks for the suggestion Billip, but I think I might be rather annoyed if I had to pay over GBP400 to sleep on the floor all week

Plus, I expect the chalet/hotel owners might be rather annoyed at us dragging mattresses all over the place

Let's hope someone on here knows of a nice, large, cheap chalet/hotel in this ski area, which has real twin beds

I might try posting a message in the winter solutions room on chalets direct as well, and hope a chalet/hotel owner will respond.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:12:14 GMT

Indeed, Ally ! Sleeping on the floor wouldn't really be what you'd be wanting to look forward to for the next 18 months ! If the resort of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis in Austria was on your list, I'd recommend this chalet / appartement house, as it was pretty swish last year(sauna etc) and did have proper twin beds !
http://www.sonnhof-ladis.at/

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:10:32 GMT

Thanks Billip

I will promote you to an official Chalet Hunter if you disentangle all the German for me and find a suitable chalet/hotel in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis for our group holiday.

And I will add the resort to the list

Ideally we would like somewhere large enough for 20 people, that will take at least 3 singles without charging them more than an extra GBP200 each, has twin rooms with real twin beds, is as close to the slopes and the village as possible, is comfortable (doesn't have to be snazzy, just comfortable will do, but snazzy is nice), and is easy enough to get to with a transfer time of not more than 3 hours.

We have had to make a few compromises in the chalet search, like allowing accommodation that isn't close to the slopes as long as it has a private free shuttle service to it.

And it mustn't cost more than about GBP450 for catered accommodation only. This allows us about GBP150 for flights and transfers, and GBP200 for lift passes, making a total of around GBP800. As long as it meets these criteria for January, February and March can cost more.

One way we have found of solving the numbers problem is to find a couple of chalets next door to each other in the same ownership, or a hotel.

It's OK using a TO as long as they allow us a discount for making our own way there. CatP will be flying from the U.S. and some of us might like to fly from our own local airports etc. etc.

Thanks very much Billip, and good luck

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:58:40 GMT

You could always put a plank (or perhaps a wardrobe door) between the mattresses. Failing that why not get in touch with the chalet/hotel directly and ask them if they can provide you with a double room with single beds.

If you want easy access to the Sella Ronda Arabba and Corvara are good places to stay, try Collett's, Ski Total or Inghams (both part of the Hotelplan group). I think most of the 'chalets' (most look like former hotels to me) are run by TOs, sometimes the get yourself there price is higher than the flight inclusive price!

Bear in mind that the Dolomites are on the southern side of the main alpine ridge so the weather patterns are different from those on the northern side. This year was not a very good snow year.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:13:54 GMT

Serfaus looks nice ...and an easy drive with no French tolls

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:11:10 GMT

Thanks SwingBeep

I've tried looking at quite a few really lovely chalets and hotels in Arabba now, as well, and they seem to suffer from the same problem - no real twin beds.

And I'd already e-mailed one hotel in Selva to ask about their bed configuration, but I haven't received a reply as yet. It's all very irritating, but I must say you and Dave have cheered me up no end - I'm going to look out for French trolls, and be sure to bring a screwdriver with me in case I have to dismantle any wardrobes

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 17:38:14 GMT

Selva would be my Number 1 choice, better apres

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 17:44:28 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:Selva would be my Number 1 choice, better apres

Hi Snapzzz,
Would you like to be promoted to Chalet Hunter as well

I'm going to be really busy for the next couple of weeks. I'm helping with a local history exhibition (military aviation is my specialty, although I do other things as well - like I'm doing a piece on the Royal Yachts), which starts in one week and I've hardly done anything for it yet.

I've totally failed to find any suitable accommodation for us in Selva, and I'd really appreciate your help

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 17:55:52 GMT

http://www.skitotal.com/resortdetails.aspx?resortId=13

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 19:14:26 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:Selva would be my Number 1 choice, better apres

Lovely 'twin' beds, as well (Chalet Brigitte)

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 22:46:00 GMT

AllyG, I can't see what the problem is, a very quick search turned up these real twin beds (notice the split in the foot boards):

Chalet Igloo Selva http://www.skitotal.com/AccommodationDetails.aspx?accomId=5024

Hotel Genziana Arabba http://www.hotelgenziana.net/genzianaweb/index.php?id=44

It can take a while to get replies at this time of the year as we are between seasons and many hotels are shut.

About time you got a grip, otherwise people will start thinking that you couldn't organise una festa in una fabbrica di birra!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:02:04 GMT

Thanks SwingBeep,
You may just have saved my sanity

I am still waiting for the reply to my e-mail about beds. It is very difficult to tell which sort of beds they've got in each hotel, unless they specifically say, as they seem to call them all 'twins', and for all I know the beds in your photo are the only real 'twins' in that hotel

I was reading one Trip Advisor review where someone was very cross with their hotel because they were supposed to be twin beds (they'd gone to the trouble of checking with them beforehand) and they weren't.

Apart from this bed problem everything is going okay, luckily

And we still have several months before we need to actually book anywhere.

I suppose I am worrying in case we get to a hotel/chalet in Selva and then discover that the beds are doubles, and everyone half kills me

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 27 May 2012 14:42:15 GMT

The bed type in Allys pic are 2 single mattresses on a double base so no way can be seperated as in SwingBeeps pic, in my time I have seen many of both types in ski accom.The only way to be sure is to contact the owner & ask if the beds can be separated.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 29 May 2012 10:19:22 GMT

AllyG wrote:
This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - I'm not too sure whether I can manage March or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date
Billip 1 - is fairly flexible on dates

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

If anyone else is interested in coming with us in 2014 would they please let me know - either by posting on here or by sending me a pm

Here are the places we are considering for 2014:

Zermatt
Sella Ronda (Gardena etc. in the Dolomites)
Les Portes du Soleil (Morzine)
St Anton
Alpe d'Huez
Milky Way (Sauze d'Ouix)
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs etc.)
La Clusaz
Les Deux Alpes
Grand Massif (Samoens)
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
3 Valleys
Cervinia

I have tidied up the list of ski areas/resorts. We are checking to make sure we can find a reasonably priced chalet/hotel for each of them. And if we can't, (or there is some other reason we feel they are not suitable) I am deleting them from the list.

If Billip can find us some suitable accommodation I will add Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis (in Austria) to the list of potential resorts/ski areas for the 2014 J2Ski group holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 29 May 2012 16:57:51 GMT

AllyG wrote:Does anyone know of any hotels/chalets on the Sella Ronda route that has twin beds that really are two separate beds?

I have been looking in the Selva Val Gardena area and I must have checked the details for about 15 chalets and hotels and they ALL have Austrian twin beds (which are basically double beds with separate mattresses).

No. They all have double beds. Stay away from the Dolomites.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 22:27:11 GMT

A couple of people have recently asked about the 2014 J2Ski group ski/snowboard holiday, so I thought I'd post this back up.

Does anyone else want to go on the list of those potentially interested in coming with us?

I need to get back to work on reducing the size of the resort list to a manageable shortlist of resorts and then pick a date.

AllyG wrote:
This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - I'm not too sure whether I can manage March or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date
Billip 1 - is fairly flexible on dates

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

If anyone else is interested in coming with us in 2014 would they please let me know - either by posting on here or by sending me a pm

Here are the places we are considering for 2014:

Zermatt
Sella Ronda (Gardena etc. in the Dolomites)
Les Portes du Soleil (Morzine)
St Anton
Alpe d'Huez
Milky Way (Sauze d'Ouix)
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs etc.)
La Clusaz
Les Deux Alpes
Grand Massif (Samoens)
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
3 Valleys
Cervinia

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:01:56 GMT

Crikey. I'd better do the Dolomites this year if this is being planned for 2014 and too many people get to know about the accommodation I've sized up already

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:35:14 GMT

Whats all this tosh about single beds, I can't think of anything better than a cuddle with brooksy

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:46:17 GMT

Ooo I'd forgotten all about this, thanks Ally for bumping it. And I couldn't even remember if I'd read all 37 previous pages or put my name down. Saves me a job.

Still interested. And unless I happen to change jobs in the next 18 months, I still can't do January

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:53:04 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:Whats all this tosh about single beds, I can't think of anything better than a cuddle with brooksy

Preferably a double Huggy Bear

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 22:54:57 GMT

OK, so now we're all in agreement I'll book the group into double beds in Selva

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:30:29 GMT

St Anton definitely on our list for future trips. Have only skied France and Norway so far. All of the other areas on Tony's list look good to me.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:30:28 GMT

Does anyone else want to go on the list of those potentially interested in coming with us?

I need to get back to work on reducing the size of the resort list to a manageable shortlist of resorts and then pick a date.

Thanks for your input Tony

Is there any particular reason for your choice?

Any help with trimming down the list of resorts to a more manageable number is very gratefully received, especially if it gives us new information, and most particularly if those posting have actually been to any of these resorts

Out of those resorts/ski areas on the list I have only been to the 3 Valleys myself - oh, I forgot I've also been to Sauze d'Ouix but it hardly counts because I was only eight years old at the time!

AllyG wrote:
This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - I'm not too sure whether I can manage March or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date
Billip 1 - is fairly flexible on dates

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

If anyone else is interested in coming with us in 2014 would they please let me know - either by posting on here or by sending me a pm

Here are the places we are considering for 2014:

Zermatt
Sella Ronda (Gardena etc. in the Dolomites)
Les Portes du Soleil (Morzine)
St Anton
Alpe d'Huez
Milky Way (Sauze d'Ouix)
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs etc.)
La Clusaz
Les Deux Alpes
Grand Massif (Samoens)
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
3 Valleys
Cervinia

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:12:26 GMT

Has anyone got a preference for catered Chalets over Hotels?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:53:31 GMT

felthorpe wrote:Has anyone got a preference for catered Chalets over Hotels?

One of the things I don't like about hotels is that they charge you for every cup of tea you have. I've only stayed in one chalet, but you could drink tea all day long if you wanted to, for free. And I drink an enormous amount of tea in a day, and it's surprising how the bill mounts up in a hotel. Of course, there may well be some hotels that offer free tea all day long, but not one that I've stayed in!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:27:22 GMT

Hi Ally,
I've skied Alpe D'huez in 2011 season, at easter when there wasnt more than 1" of snow on the lower Pistes (below 2000m) and the run down to Alpe D'Huez 1800 was mud..Nice! however all the runs above 2000m were OK. The advantage of this resort is the Pic Blanc glacier which controls the area climate, and at 3300m is truly awesome. This year (2012) Easter was a whiteout.. with a foot of fresh powder - totally transformed the resorts at 1350 like Oz en Oisans and Vaujany. This area (grande rousses) boasts the 16km sarenne black run and vast off piste areas (not for me though) I've also skied the link resorts to Flaine (samoens/ Morillon and Les Caroz) in the Grande Massif a very good cruising area and not suffering especially from overcrowded lifts.Both these areas (ADH and Samoens) are 1-1.5h transfer from the nearest airports. Hope this helps...
Would I be interested in 2014 - Definitely!

Paul

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:32:11 GMT

At the risk of sounding smug and to correct my post - I didnt really Ski the lower runs -we took our skis off and walked to navigate the pine trees and rocks appearing through the piste, then put them back on!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 12:23:14 GMT

Sinbad14 wrote:Hi Ally,
.....

Would I be interested in 2014 - Definitely!

Paul

Thanks Paul

I'll post the list of those interested in the 2014 holiday back up later. It is probably about time we got this thread going again now, as we are off on the 2013 group holiday in 2 weeks!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 23:07:31 GMT

I can't believe you'd have time to concentrate on 2014 when you have other more imminent plans! I'm sorry I was too late for signing up...

Also I cant believe how rubbish/inactive this forum is for buddying up!!

Doesnt anyone want to go skiing???

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:13:09 GMT

Against all the odds and a few negative comments from one or two doubters, AllyG managed to organise the 2013 trip to Tignes and there are now 16 of us going!

Assuming we all get along OK and have fun (so far all the indications are good, as we have been getting to know one another via facebook), then we shall no doubt be discussing a 2014 adventure while we are away.

Watch this space......

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 22:36:22 GMT

We have had a late booking, and there are now 17 of us booked on the 2013 group holiday - only a few days to wait now

As Felthorpe said, I'm sure we will be discussing the 2014 holiday whilst we're away, and I'll start organizing it once we get back

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 23:42:32 GMT

I would love to come on the 2014 trip but will hopefully be working the season somewhere!!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 23:45:34 GMT

MattSki_score wrote:I would love to come on the 2014 trip but will hopefully be working the season somewhere!!

Well, if you're anywhere near us (and we don't even know which country we'll be in yet!) maybe you could come and ski with us on your day off

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 23:47:47 GMT

I'm def interested in the 2014 trip - if i'd been a wee bit more on the ball I'd probably have joined you in 2013, but was already commited to to much in January by the time I realised it was happening.... doh.

Have a great time this year folks and come back with dates and a venue for 2014 asap!

Dave M.

AllyG wrote:We have had a late booking, and there are now 17 of us booked on the 2013 group holiday - only a few days to wait now

As Felthorpe said, I'm sure we will be discussing the 2014 holiday whilst we're away, and I'll start organizing it once we get back

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 23:52:09 GMT

I've added Sinbad14 to the list of J2skiers potentially interested in coming with us in 2014 - but it may well depend on how much fun he has with us in Tignes on the 2013 holiday

AllyG wrote:Does anyone else want to go on the list of those potentially interested in coming with us?

I need to get back to work on reducing the size of the resort list to a manageable shortlist of resorts and then pick a date.
Any help with trimming down the list of resorts to a more manageable number is very gratefully received, especially if it gives us new information, and most particularly if those posting have actually been to any of these resorts

Out of those resorts/ski areas on the list I have only been to the 3 Valleys myself - oh, I forgot I've also been to Sauze d'Ouix but it hardly counts because I was only eight years old at the time!

This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - I'm not too sure whether I can manage March or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Old Andy - said he'd love to come if he could manage it
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive.
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date
Billip 1 - is fairly flexible on dates
Sinbad14
Tiger7 is flexible on dates and resort.

Have I left anyone out, or accidentally included anyone I shouldn't have?

If anyone else is interested in coming with us in 2014 would they please let me know - either by posting on here or by sending me a pm

Here are the places we are considering for 2014:

Zermatt
Sella Ronda (Gardena etc. in the Dolomites)
Les Portes du Soleil (Morzine etc.)
St Anton
Alpe d'Huez
Milky Way (Sauze d'Ouix etc.)
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs etc.)
La Clusaz
Les Deux Alpes
Grand Massif (Samoens etc.)
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
3 Valleys
Cervinia

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sat, 5 Jan 2013 23:53:34 GMT

im def interested in 2014, will have my 18yr old daughter and my 14yr old son with me. we are all intermediate boarders so has to be good for boarding. my kids are funny eaters so i need to think of that when booking. but def interested

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 00:20:18 GMT

Funny eaters? Fussy eaters?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 09:18:11 GMT

oldboarder wrote:im def interested in 2014, will have my 18yr old daughter and my 14yr old son with me. we are all intermediate boarders so has to be good for boarding. my kids are funny eaters so i need to think of that when booking. but def interested

That would be great if you and your kids could come with us for the 2014 holiday

I'd like to collect a few more names, together with dates they really CAN'T do, so that I can set a date for this holiday. I'm just going to do it by finding a date suitable for the majority of J2Skiers who are interested in coming. And it won't be a school holiday, because they're too expensive.

Once we've got a date we can do a vote for the resort, and then try and find a suitable chalet/hotel for the group, which will allow single occupancy of a room without a huge supplement and is hopefully either ski in/ski out or is within a 4 minute walk of the piste, or does mini-bus transfers to the lifts. I'm not fond of using the ski bus service but in some resorts it seems to be the norm. And we don't want anywhere stupidly expensive, and it's got to be suitable for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced skiers, and large enough for the group. We will see what we can find

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 11:36:57 GMT

Just for the record, I'm still interested, potentially have an additional two with me and Mr Nelly, one is a total beginner but she plans on having lessons before we go, although she said that this year and didn't get anywhere, the other is a boarder, but never mind, although he did say he might try skiing so they can learn together.

Look forward to hearing about this year's trip and hope that the 2014 trip isn't cancelled before the 2013 has finished.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 11:59:29 GMT

I think we may have a problem with 2014 in fixing a date that suits everyone. Someone is going to be disappointed because not everyone can go in March for example or January or February. We all want different things and some have prior commitments.

So I hope that when the date is finally set, those who cannot make it will be kind. It is going to come down to a majority vote and avoiding expensive school holiday weeks.

The next issue will be resort. This is likely to be dictated by choosing a fairly extensive area so that the majority of levels can be catered for, so as not to exclude anyone from joining in if they want to. That probably means an established resort, which many may have been to before.

This year we have a mixed ability group and some are having lessons and others not. We are also looking at the potential for private lessons for small groups that may want to focus on a particular technique.

The third and possibly most tricky decision will be choosing suitable accommodation. We have been very lucky this year with Bonjour who have been extremely helpful and flexible in allowing us to pay separately and offering single supplements. We are quite an awkward group to cater for in this respect because many tour operators want payment in one lump and do not have many single rooms.

So if anywhere springs to mind that caters for all of the above please suggest it, any help would be gratefully received.

Ally has already started a spreadsheet of options and we have been adding suggestions to it after researching places this season. I think the key is going to be booking up well ahead to ensure we get what we want, so we hope to come back from this years trip with some solid ideas.

So come on fellow J2Skiers, join in and help us find a good location for next year. We have 17 people coming this year as a first attempt, so it would be great to see more of you next year.

P.S. Ally is a great organiser, none of this would have happened without her diplomacy and determination.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 12:22:14 GMT

I was disapointed this year because of work commitments in January that meant I can never go at that time of year (unless I leave), although I'm tempted to ask the question anyway seeing as everyone else is taking time off at one of our busiest times of year. Grumble grumble.

I hope it works out, I'm happy to do research for accommodation flexibility in advance and add to the pot.

There's no reason why there can't be two trips, not that I'm expecting Ally to set up a travel agents, I love organising. It's what I do (and clearly work can't manage without me for a week in January).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 13:02:57 GMT

Count me in Ally......I know we havent been away this year yet but Im sure it will be a blast and Ill be counting down the days til we do it again!!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 15:57:49 GMT

Tiger7 wrote:Count me in Ally......I know we havent been away this year yet but Im sure it will be a blast and Ill be counting down the days til we do it again!!

Hi Tiger7
Are there any weeks out of Jan, Feb, March (excluding school holidays) in 2014 that you can't manage?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 19:02:44 GMT

I'm happy with what the majority decide....Also happy with where as well.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 20:19:08 GMT

Tiger7 wrote:I'm happy with what the majority decide....Also happy with where as well.

Well that's one more on the list for Japan Ally

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 20:45:09 GMT

Tiger7 wrote:I'm happy with what the majority decide....Also happy with where as well.

Thanks - I'll add you to the 2014 list

Far Queue - I didn't know Japan was on our list? Who added that? Isn't it a bit expensive?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 21:04:53 GMT

AllyG wrote:

Tiger7 wrote:I'm happy with what the majority decide....Also happy with where as well.

Thanks - I'll add you to the 2014 list

Far Queue - I didn't know Japan was on our list? Who added that? Isn't it a bit expensive?

Maybe Far Queue has won the Euromillions and is going to treat us all ?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 6 Jan 2013 21:23:41 GMT

OK RustyInn, I'll add you to the list now as well - Japan it is

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 17:40:33 GMT

I'd certainly be interested for 2014 for me and Mrs O

Much prefer Jan to March as normally have a spring break in May and then "summer" holiday in september/october (sprogless you see) so January is best balance of holidays over 12 month period

As for where: direct flights from Newcastle would be a major plus so served from Geneva for preference (I know its a terrible airport but what can you do).

Definitley prefer a good chalet and pay a little more (this years trip is a little more expensive than my own to VDI but we got a bargain on a very similar style chalet).

As for my last proviso - and this will be V controversial: I'd prefer a "no kids" policy in the chalet. I go on holiday away from half term so that I dont have to put up with brats so turning up to the chalet and finding some that have been taken (illegally) out of school is really galling. This is NOT a comment on the families of anyone on here who I'm sure are all lovely, simply my own preference as the chalet may well not be sole occupancy to J2Ski after all if its a big chalet / smaller group. Most of the TOs now have this as standard policy in many of their chalets and I applaud them for it.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 20:07:35 GMT

andyoneil wrote:I'd certainly be interested for 2014 for me and Mrs O

Much prefer Jan to March as normally have a spring break in May and then "summer" holiday in september/october (sprogless you see) so January is best balance of holidays over 12 month period

As for where: direct flights from Newcastle would be a major plus so served from Geneva for preference (I know its a terrible airport but what can you do).

Definitley prefer a good chalet and pay a little more (this years trip is a little more expensive than my own to VDI but we got a bargain on a very similar style chalet).

As for my last proviso - and this will be V controversial: I'd prefer a "no kids" policy in the chalet. I go on holiday away from half term so that I dont have to put up with brats so turning up to the chalet and finding some that have been taken (illegally) out of school is really galling. This is NOT a comment on the families of anyone on here who I'm sure are all lovely, simply my own preference as the chalet may well not be sole occupancy to J2Ski after all if its a big chalet / smaller group. Most of the TOs now have this as standard policy in many of their chalets and I applaud them for it.

Good thinking, I'll leave my brat at home then

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 22:31:10 GMT

andyoneil wrote:I'd certainly be interested for 2014 for me and Mrs O

Much prefer Jan to March as normally have a spring break in May and then "summer" holiday in september/october (sprogless you see) so January is best balance of holidays over 12 month period

As for where: direct flights from Newcastle would be a major plus so served from Geneva for preference (I know its a terrible airport but what can you do).

Definitley prefer a good chalet and pay a little more (this years trip is a little more expensive than my own to VDI but we got a bargain on a very similar style chalet).

As for my last proviso - and this will be V controversial: I'd prefer a "no kids" policy in the chalet. I go on holiday away from half term so that I dont have to put up with brats so turning up to the chalet and finding some that have been taken (illegally) out of school is really galling. This is NOT a comment on the families of anyone on here who I'm sure are all lovely, simply my own preference as the chalet may well not be sole occupancy to J2Ski after all if its a big chalet / smaller group. Most of the TOs now have this as standard policy in many of their chalets and I applaud them for it.

Andy,
I don't want to discriminate against anyone, so any J2Skier is welcome to come on this 2014 group ski holiday, with their friends and family

And I've set a date for it now - it will be either Saturday 1st Feb, or Sunday 2nd Feb.

I picked this date because it suited the majority of those on my list of J2Skiers potentially interested in coming on this holiday.

Some of us going on the 2013 holiday have already put in a lot of work on preparing an Excel sheet of chalets we consider suitable in the resorts shortlisted on this thread. If we get any spare time whilst we're in Tignes we will try and whittle the list down a little further.

Ideally, I'd like it so I can offer a choice of resort with a chalet/hotel in that resort, so that people can see what they're voting for when they decide which resort they'd like to go to. Some resorts are more expensive than others, so the accommodation will either be of a lower standard as compared with a cheaper resort, or more expensively priced, or perhaps may involve a longer walk to the piste etc.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 23:25:12 GMT

And I've set a date for it now - it will be either Saturday 1st Feb, or Sunday 2nd Feb.

Sorted! I've booked 31/1/14 - 10/2/14 off. I'm IN !

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 23:26:04 GMT

Might have to bring one of the brats tho..... but she will be 20 by then

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 08:47:34 GMT

The list has changed slightly. Old Andy can't come now, because of family commitments, and RustyInn wants to come. At least we know now it will be either the 1st of 2nd February

Does anyone else want to go on the list (or come off the list) of those potentially interested in coming with us?

No-one is committed until after they've paid their deposit, so there is plenty of time left to think about it

This is a quick summary of the situation at the moment:

Ian W - wants January or maybe March, but now says he might manage 1st/2nd February.
Nelly - can't do January but OK for Feb and March
Me - I'm not too sure whether I can manage March or not
Snapzzz - prefers last week in Jan or early Feb but could probably manage Jan, Feb or March (as long as we hurry up and organize it before he books his family holidays)
Icy - wants March
Tony H - Thinks it's too early to consider 2014
Bandit - possibly might be considering it - I don't really know
Dids - would like to come 'one day'
Old Boarder - wants Feb or March
Felthorpe - doesn't seem to mind which month
Daved - wants last 2 weeks of Jan or 1st week of Feb
Far Queue - wants January or March (but can do first week in February)
Bedrock Barney + 1 - wants late Feb or early March
Tonypants - not March
Joe Colin - wants January or February
Brooksy - doesn't want school holidays and prefers the cheaper holiday dates if possible
Randyrat - has a group of 4 people, and prefers the last week in January and somewhere not too expensive. But now says he can manage the first week in February, although not bringing his own mini-group
Catp - is interested in coming and hasn't got any preferences for the date
Billip 1 - is fairly flexible on dates
Sinbad14
Tiger7 is flexible on dates and resort.
RustyInn says 1st or 2nd February is fine with him.

Here are the places we are considering for 2014:

Zermatt
Sella Ronda (Gardena etc. in the Dolomites)
Les Portes du Soleil (Morzine etc.)
St Anton
Alpe d'Huez
Milky Way (Sauze d'Ouix etc.)
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs)
La Clusaz
Les Deux Alpes
Grand Massif (Samoens etc.)
Andyhull - chalet The Lodge in Val d'Isere with Skiworld (around GBP700-GBP750 all inclusive except ski hire, January prices)
3 Valleys
Cervinia

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 16:48:01 GMT

im in. i will have to bring my brats too, daughter will be 18 and son will be 14. as for resorts, i dont mind as long as its good boarding. you skiers dont mind 3 boarders tagging along do you ?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 16:55:44 GMT

We have boarders on this years holiday too Oldboarder. So you are very welcome.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 17:00:18 GMT

nice 1 felthorpe, see you on the slopes

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 18:34:40 GMT

oldboarder wrote:im in. i will have to bring my brats too, daughter will be 18 and son will be 14. as for resorts, i dont mind as long as its good boarding. you skiers dont mind 3 boarders tagging along do you ?

That's great news
All brats and boarders welcome

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 21:12:44 GMT

2015 it is then....

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 21:16:26 GMT

AllyG wrote:

oldboarder wrote:im in. i will have to bring my brats too, daughter will be 18 and son will be 14. as for resorts, i dont mind as long as its good boarding. you skiers dont mind 3 boarders tagging along do you ?

That's great news
All brats and boarders welcome

Brats i can handle......Boarders, i draw the line there.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 21:43:05 GMT

Totally agree!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 21:45:48 GMT

There is a border coming this year.
Seems nearly reasonable enough so far. Obviously somewhat deluded and, perchance, a little strange - but, new experiences in strange lands and odd people can add to the enjoyment and feeling of the intrepid traveller to these type of trips.
I will report back.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 21:57:13 GMT

now now snapzz and iceman thats enough of that

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 22:02:50 GMT

oldboarder wrote:now now snapzz and iceman thats enough of that

I totally agree with you Oldboarder - we are a nice friendly bunch in the 2013 group, and we want to stay that way for 2014

Icy - does that mean you can't manage the 1st/2nd February for the 2014 group holiday? That's a shame, I thought everyone on my list would be able to come on that date

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 22:19:10 GMT

oldboarder wrote:now now snapzz and iceman thats enough of that

My.girlfriend is a goat old boarder so unfortunately I have to put up with it a lot

Ally I said from the start that March was best for me, nit sure if I can get Feb off work. Have to see much nearer the time

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 22:35:08 GMT

Iceman wrote:

Ally I said from the start that March was best for me, nit sure if I can get Feb off work. Have to see much nearer the time

Let's hope they decide they can manage without you for that week

And if we choose a chalet/hotel large enough then there should be enough room for latecomers, like there was for the 2013 holiday

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 22:40:18 GMT

Date is fine by me, im in.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 22:50:08 GMT

Thanks Snapzzz, that's good to hear

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 09:26:19 GMT

I'd still be interested for January

Certainly wasn't trying to be discrimnatory with flippant "brats" comment but do still stand by my personal preference.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 09:37:03 GMT

andyoneil wrote:I'd still be interested for January

Certainly wasn't trying to be discrimnatory with flippant "brats" comment but do still stand by my personal preference.

Andy don't worry ... I can send you my Brat for a couple of weeks before you go, just to get you in the mood

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 13:54:53 GMT

Its still too early to think about 2014. Apart from planning a Xmas trip of course.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 16:02:37 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Its still too early to think about 2014. Apart from planning a Xmas trip of course.

I concur.

So does Wickers!!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 18:00:09 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

andyoneil wrote:I'd still be interested for January

Certainly wasn't trying to be discrimnatory with flippant "brats" comment but do still stand by my personal preference.

Andy don't worry ... I can send you my Brat for a couple of weeks before you go, just to get you in the mood

Thanks Wickers - that's why I come on here: aklways someone looking to help out their fellow J2Skier

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 19:06:16 GMT

andyoneil wrote:I'd still be interested for January

Hi Andy
I know I'm often a bit slow on the uptake, and a lot of the time I don't understand what people are talking about on J2Ski, but the group holiday we're talking about on this thread is now going to begin on either 1st or 2nd February.

You are very welcome to come with us on this holiday, but it's not going to be in January!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 19:24:19 GMT

I vote for ski in ski out & short transfers.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 19:31:09 GMT

Hang on a bit Snapzzz, wait until we've got all the options up

It may well be that ski in/ski out chalets/resorts cost GBP100 more than the other ones. Once we've got the options sorted I'll post them up and everyone on the list will have a chance to say which they prefer

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 9 Jan 2013 19:44:01 GMT

AllyG wrote:Hang on a bit Snapzzz, wait until we've got all the options up

It may well be that ski in/ski out chalets/resorts cost GBP100 more than the other ones. Once we've got the options sorted I'll post them up and everyone on the list will have a chance to say which they prefer

GBP100 well spent.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:50:46 GMT

Couldnt agree more. especially at the end of a bloody long hard day

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:50:20 GMT

Me & Mr Nelly will be there. 385 sleeps!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:52:41 GMT

I am still game

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 20:04:20 GMT

We have finally decided where we're going in 2014

We are going to Kronplatz in the Dolomites, to stay in the chalet hotel Diamant with Mountain Sun on Sunday 2nd February 2014.

I decided to pm everyone who was on the list as being interested in the 2014 J2Ski group holiday on 1st/2nd February, and go by the majority vote, after we'd made a final shortlist of the resorts and chalets that we were considering.

This is what the Kronplatz mountain looks like:

(Photo taken from Kronplatz.com)

And here is the piste map:

(taken from Kronplatz.com)

And here is the chalet:

(photo taken from http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/chalet-hotel-diamant- )

Kronplatz itself has 116 Km of piste, and is connected by free ski bus to the rest of the Dolomites ski area, which has an enormous 1,200 Km of piste

This is another DIY holiday (like the one we have just come back from in Tignes).
The full price of the catered chalet for the week is GBP499, but we think our group will be large enough to qualify for 3 free places, which will bring the price down to GBP424 per person.

As before, the price of flights, transfers, and ski hire/ski carriage will vary according to how individual group members travel there.

However, I think the whole holiday will cost about GBP900 including the area lift pass, if one takes the cheapest options each time, (like sharing a basic room).

Catered chalet = GBP424
Return flight Gatwick to Venice with BA = GBP104
Return chalet transfers = GBP60 (might go up slightly for 2014)
In-house ski and boot hire for top grade = GBP105 (depends partly on currency rates)
Area lift pass = GBP219 (depends on currency rates and if it increases from the 2013 rate)

Grand Total = GBP912

EasyJet flights might be slightly cheaper but they're not on sale yet so I can't price them up. And the chalet also does return transfers from Innsbruck.

We already have 18 people who say they would like to come, 4 people who want to come but can't commit yet, and 2 people who are 'interested' in coming

Like last time, I have paid a GBP400 retainer fee to reserve the rooms I think we will need, for one month, with Mountain Sun.

I have reserved 8 twin/double rooms, 4 single rooms, and one triple room.

I already have customers for the 4 single rooms, the triple room, and 6 of the twin/double rooms.

If anyone else is interested in coming with us, would they please let me know either by sending me a pm or posting up on here

If necessary I can always ask to reserve more rooms (except for the single rooms as there aren't any more in the chalet!).

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 01:05:48 GMT

i hope that triple room is for me Ally

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 08:37:43 GMT

oldboarder wrote:i hope that triple room is for me Ally

Yes it is

How did you guess?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 09:36:32 GMT

What dates?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 09:44:25 GMT

Tony_H wrote:What dates?

Sunday 2nd February 2014

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 11:03:09 GMT

AllyG wrote:

Tony_H wrote:What dates?

Sunday 2nd February 2014

Thanks for confirming
I think that probably rules me out as I like to go early January

Funnily enough, selva is a high possibility for us next season too.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 11:17:53 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

AllyG wrote:

Tony_H wrote:What dates?

Sunday 2nd February 2014

Thanks for confirming
I think that probably rules me out as I like to go early January

Never mind Tony, there's always 2015

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:06:32 GMT

We had a last minute change of heart, and we're currently considering Folgarida, which is linked to Madonna di Campiglio. It's also in the Italian Dolomites, but in the Brenta Dolomites.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:10:09 GMT

AllyG wrote:We had a last minute change of heart, and we're currently considering Folgarida, which is linked to Madonna di Campiglio. It's also in the Italian Dolomites, but in the Brenta Dolomites.

Now I might be interested going there

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:30:30 GMT

That's good Ian

We're keeping to the same date, Sunday 2nd February 2014. Costs at the moment are looking to be about GBP100 cheaper than Kronplatz, but we haven't got anything confirmed yet.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:31:55 GMT

AllyG wrote:That's good Ian

We're keeping to the same date, Sunday 2nd February 2014. Costs at the moment are looking to be about GBP100 cheaper than Kronplatz, but we haven't got anything confirmed yet.

Let us know when you have and I will start talking round the other two in doors

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:52:24 GMT

Is that the Inghams chalet hotel on the slopes?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:53:57 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Is that the Inghams chalet hotel on the slopes?

What Hotel St Christoph ...... that was alright, but can't afford this time round

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:18:49 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

Tony_H wrote:Is that the Inghams chalet hotel on the slopes?

What Hotel St Christoph ...... that was alright, but can't afford this time round

Has that been moved to Folgarida????

The Hotel Park in Folgarida, apologies its a Crystal run hotel not Inghams. GBP735 for a week 2 Feb 2014.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:22:02 GMT

Tony_H wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

Tony_H wrote:Is that the Inghams chalet hotel on the slopes?

What Hotel St Christoph ...... that was alright, but can't afford this time round

Has that been moved to Folgarida????

The Hotel Park in Folgarida, apologies its a Crystal run hotel not Inghams. GBP735 for a week 2 Feb 2014.

I'll check the brochure

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:34:58 GMT

Its not the Christoph

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:52:37 GMT

daved wrote:Its not the Christoph

Obviously. Because thats in austria

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:28:38 GMT

or the hotel park

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:57:43 GMT

Would happily join you but tied to school hols unfortunately. Maybe you could find something nice/suitable in Madonna di Campiligo (locals call the place Campiglio). It is centrally positioned both for Folgarida/Marilleva on one side and Pinzolo in the other (a new modern cable car link from M.d. Campiglio was opened last season, takes about 20 min). Also M.d.C has a good (modern) lift system in case the weather's not perfect, Folgarida/Marilleva are lacking well behind with their investments into lifts. We've always done DYI package to there but I'm sure quite a few TOs offering their packages now too. We first went 2004, there weren't many skiers from UK then but things have changed. The place is relatively easy to get to from both Verona and Bergamo, unfortunately no more flights to Brechia from UK.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:31:38 GMT

Thanks for that information

We did try looking at hotels in Madonna di Campiglio, but we couldn't find any cheap enough, which were otherwise suitable for us. Hence we started looking at Folgarida.

We are considering Venice Marco Polo aiport, because BA go there from Gatwick, and Verona (Valerio Catullo) as BA go there as well, and Milan Bergamo as RyanAir fly there from Manchester and London Stansted. Monarch fly from Manchester to Verona (Valerio Catullo), and Venice. Jet2.com only seem to fly to Venice in the summer, but EasyJet fly from Manchester to Verona (although this season only on Saturdays) and from Gatwick to Verona and Venice Marco Polo.

There also seems to be a bus shuttle service, 'Flyskishuttle.com' going between Folgarida (and Campiglio) and Verona Catullo, Milan Bergamo, Venice Marco Polo, and Venice Treviso for only 32 euros return this season.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 21:14:31 GMT

I'd be very interested too. I'm new on this forum but it feels right already. I'd be on my own and happy to share with another single. I can pay up front if necessary.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 21:29:22 GMT

no luck on where we are going then ally ?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 21:31:43 GMT

Hi Jadavi

Send AllyG a PM and she will add you to the list of interested parties.

We had a great time this year on our trip to Tignes and all the J2Skiers were very friendly. I am sure you will enjoy the 2014 trip.

We had several singles who were happy to share and Ally is a master at organising everyone and making sure we get good accommodation.

Once we have a definite booking, as people pay their deposits, they are invited to join a private Facebook page and this allows us all to get to know each other a bit before we go away. This worked very well for Tignes and it felt like meeting old friends when we eventually met up.

I hope you will join us and look forward to meeting you next year.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 21:33:18 GMT

Oldboarder.

Ally is busy having a good time skiing in Tignes but she has her finger on the pulse just the same and is in contact with the preferred hotel. I expect more will be posted next week when she is back.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 21:40:41 GMT

nice 1, cheers felthorpe

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 22:27:57 GMT

Thanks. I have been reading this thread from the start so I feel I know some of you a little already haha!

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 09:05:39 GMT

I got a bad feeling about the snow in europe next year. i think head out to colarado..... feb is best.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 11:30:47 GMT

The hotel in Folgarida that we're going to stay in is called the Gran Baita. There's a photo of it here taken from Trip Advisor: It's not next to the slopes/lifts, unfortunately, but it's within walking distance of the village and the hotel run a shuttle bus to and from the lift. We will be arriving there on Sunday 2nd February 2014, and leaving on Sunday 9th February. The hotel has agreed prices with me for our rooms. The price includes half-board, with dining in the hotel's own restaurant, free use of the gym, sauna, wi-fi in the lobby, billiards room, lift, ski lockers, shuttle bus to the lift, and private parking. A double/twin room is 700 euros for 2 people, and a triple is 990 euros. We have to pay extra for flights and transfers, lift passes, ski/board hire, and lessons if we want them.

BA and Monarch flights are on sale already. BA return from Gatwick to Verona (VRN), the closest airport, is currently available at GBP107 including luggage.

There is a public shuttle bus between Folgarida and the airports of Milan Bergamo and Verona (VRN), and this season a return only costs 32 euros.
http://flyskishuttle.com/

It takes about 3 1/2 hours on the shuttle bus, because it stops in several places. A direct taxi between Verona airport and Folgarida, in good conditions, takes about 2 hours.

But this season there's only one bus per day on Sundays, so we may well end up hiring a mini-bus taxi to carry some members of the group.

Prices from Italiabus.it for a mini-bus taxi were 328 euros for an 8-seater between Verona aiport and Folgarida, which works out at 41 euros per person, single trip, if we fill the mini-bus.

There is also a somewhat convoluted train route between these airports (and Venice Marco Polo, and Innsbruck) and Folgarida. Plus, of course, there is always the option of hiring a car at the airport for a week and driving there and back.
I don't know which firm is the cheapest for car hire, but I looked at Rentalcars.com and the prices I got for a week's hire from Verona airport were GBP185 for a Fiat Punto, and GBP222 for a Volkswagen Golf. Snow chains are available but you have to pay extra for them.

Some people are going to drive all the way out there and back.

I am planning on getting there and back on the train, going on the Eurostar from St Pancras and using the Thello sleeper train between Paris and Verona, and then another couple of trains plus a bus/taxi to Folgarida. If I manage to buy the tickets early enough it might cost me GBP150 return in a 6 person couchette. By doing this I should be able to get 7 1/2 days of ski-ing

I looked at the price of ski hire with Skiset, for this season,and it looked cheap enough, after their discount. 'Blue' skis and boots were only 50 euros, and 'performance' skis and boots 77 euros.
http://folgarida.skiset.co.uk/

The area lift pass, which covers Folgarida, Madonna di Campiglio, Passo Tonale, and a couple of other places, costs 247 euros for an adult, 6 day, high season pass, this season. It covers 380 Km piste, which sounds very impressive, but unfortunately only 150 Km of that is lift and piste linked. It takes about 45 minutes to drive to Passo Tonale, and although there is a free ski bus there it goes from a village close by, Dimaro Ponte, not Folgarida. So if we decide to go to Passo Tonale on a day trip we'd have to get a taxi to that village.

The 150 Km of linked piste is at Folgarida (60 Km), Madonna di Campiglio (58 Km), Pinzolo (30 Km).

There seem to be several ski schools. The Azzurra ski school does adult group lessons from Monday to Thursday, with 2 hours in the morning on Monday to Wednesday and 4 hours on Thursday, making a total of 10 hours for which they charge 110 euros in high season.

http://www.scuolaitalianasciazzurra.it/folgarida/prices-eng.html
http://www.skirama.it/EN/Ski-pass-dolomites/

I have never been to Folgarida, but from reading the reviews and website descriptions, we think that it will be suitable for boarders, beginners,and intermediates. It's not as good for advanced and expert skiers as, say, St Anton, but there are some challenging pistes and off-piste areas.

And it does look very pretty!

The reason we're staying in a hotel in Folgarida, and not Madonna di Campiglio, is because the hotels in Folgarida are much cheaper! Folgarida is not a party town. It is apparently more suited to families.

We currently have 16 people who are committed to coming with us, and 8 more (not counting Ian W) who would like to come but have to wait to sort out issues with work/family etc.

Out of the 17 members of the group who came with us to Tignes in January, 16 would have liked to come to Folgarida, and 15 are still hoping to do so

Old Boarder is the first one of us to buy plane tickets out there for himself and his 2 kids. So we will have at least 3 boarders in the group

Jadavi definitely wants to come, but she's looking for a female room buddy to share with.

If there is anyone reading this that would like to come with us, would you please let me know, either by posting on here or by sending me a pm. Thanks

The total cost of the holiday will depend on several factors. This would probably be one of the cheaper scenarios:

Flight = GBP105
Return transfer = GBP30
Half-board hotel = 350 euros = ? GBP315
6 day area lift pass = 247 euros = ? GBP220
Performance ski and boot hire = 77 euros = GBP70
Total = GBP740

This is what J2Ski has to say about Madonna di Campiglio:

http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Italy/Madonna_di_Campiglio.html

And this is what it says about Folgarida:

http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Italy/Folgarida.html

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 17:50:49 GMT

GBP740!!!!!!

Thats a lot for somewhere that is not near the lifts and you have to get a shuttle bus to the town

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:21:05 GMT

Iceman wrote:GBP740!!!!!!

Thats a lot for somewhere that is not near the lifts and you have to get a shuttle bus to the town

What are you talking about Icy?

That is an all in price for half board in a decent hotel and including lift passes, ski hire and travel. The shuttle bus is dedicated to the hotel, so no hanging about and if you feel like walking you can.

I think it's a very good price for this quality of holiday. Organising a big group is not easy and I think Ally deserves a pat on the back for taking it on.

I didn't think you wanted to come anyway?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 21:55:58 GMT

Stayed at the Gran Baita three years ago. Nice 3* hotel run by lovely people. Very good food when we were there. Italian guests that we kept in touch with returned the following year and commented on how many Eastern European staff and guests were there. It's only 400m from the gondola (too far in ski-boots) but the hotel shuttle bus takes 3 minutes and runs at your convenience. It also brings you back (between 3:30 and 5:30, I think). If the bus isn't waiting at the lift station it will be running other guests back to the hotel. It will be back in 5 minutes. The driver Simone is a really nice guy. We would have returned the next year too but it wasn't available for the dates we could travel so we stayed at the Hotel Renzi (100m from the gondola and still ran a shuttle-bus). That was nice too

I think GBP740 all in is a good deal.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:12:35 GMT

Gaz C wrote: It's only 400m from the gondola (too far in ski-boots) but the hotel shuttle bus takes 3 minutes and runs at your convenience. ......
I think GBP740 all in is a good deal.

Thanks
I didn't know it was only 400m to the gondola. That's about the same distance as we walked from the Bonjour Bonjour chalet to the gondola in Tignes les Brevieres.

Which gondola is it close to? I think there are 2 in Folgarida.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:23:10 GMT

Ally, the Gran Baita is in Folgarida 1300 and is about 400m from the gondola shown as 1 (Folgarida) on the piste map.
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Folgarida/pistemap_full

The other gondola, 2 (Belvedere) serves Folgarida 1400 which is a 10-minute bus-ride away. Both gondolas go up to the same place (Malghet Aut) which is where you may have to queue (5-10 mins) at busy times for the 4-man chair-lift that takes you up Spolverino and away from the nursery slopes. From there you ski to the chair-lift that takes you up Monte Vigo where you then decide to head for Marilleva (nice skiing, hideous concrete buildings) or Madonna di Campiglio (super skiing, classy town). If you go to MdC you will need a full area lift-pass. Anyone wanting to do big mileage can buy a 6-day pass. People wanting to go for just one day can buy a one-day extension to their Folgarida/Marilleva pass at the kiosk at the
bottom of the Malghette piste 10, indicated by a brown square with the words 'SKI PASS' on the map.

There is some great skiing in MdC and you'll really get a sense of travelling if you ski the Groste or the Doss del Sabion. The home runs (black and blue) to 1300 are lovely. The red to 1400 is great too. Nice little bar about two thirds the way down that red. So nice we overstayed and missed the last lift back up . No problem there is a frequent free bus back to 1300. Hope this helps .

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:39:49 GMT

Iceman wrote:GBP740!!!!!!

Thats a lot for somewhere that is not near the lifts and you have to get a shuttle bus to the town

All in that's not A lot at all. 740 for everything is very good. Well done ally again I say. Trying to organise my own trip at the moment and know how difficult it can be. Ike I say for lift pass food transfers ski hire all In is good value. Not sure how you see this as expensive?!? We're u planning on coming then?

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:06:54 GMT

I think its a great deal......plus you get to spend the week with lovely people which is priceless!! Heres a challemge for you Iceman, try and organise and price a DIY holiday for 16+ people from all over the country with differnt requirments and see if you can get it any cheaper? Good luck.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:16:47 GMT

I agree, I actually think it is a very good deal

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:24:01 GMT

Never done full board on skiing trips & haven't heard of others that do so don't see the point.

If you are organizing a trip in advance you will always have unknown final costs as some prices are unavailable eg: lift passes & that will affect anywhere you ski.

Please be aware that those coming will have their own say on mode of transport & Ally has just been using what info is available at this time to give those that are interested in coming some details.

As you will definitely not be involved in this trip I cant help wondering why you're getting involved in the thread, something similar happened on the 2013 trip & hope you will not be posting in the same vein, although your latter comments were pleasant.

IMO only those who are interested in joining the group & want to know more should be commenting, unless those who are not interested would like to share info that could be helpful to the group, does that make sense?

I ask you please to not post negative or personal comments about the group members or organizer as happened for the 2013 trip.

Thanks in advance.

Re:J2Ski Holiday 2014

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:09:51 GMT

brooksy wrote:IMO only those who are interested in joining the group & want to know more should be commenting, unless those who are not interested would like to share info that could be helpful to the group, does that make sense?

+1
Any further wibble will be removed; +ve contributions welcome. Carry on...