J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by saffer

All this talk of schnapps and face planting is detracting from the fact that the forecast is getting better and better, and I get to N on 6 March!!!!!! Cant wait.

We are staying at Pension Margit. I hope someone can give me a review.

Also, mrs saffer wants to know how not so good skiers make it back down from the top of the mountain? She always feels a bit shy asking to get on the lift to go down again.

Went end of Feruary one year and Feb half term the year before. To be honest the resort only opens in December, but this year they had snow in november already.

The first year we flew to Poprad(2 and a half hours) but I dont know if any one is flying there from the uk at the moment. Transfer is 45 mins to Jasna.

Last year we flew to Bratislava(2 hrs), took a 10 min taxi to the station(25 euros) and then a 3 hr train journey( 30 euros first class return) to a small village outside Jasna called Liptovsky Mikulas. 15 mins up the mountain from LM to the resort. We stayed with Ed and Ruth from skiandsnowboardslovakia. All the info on their web site. Brilliant holiday and what you see on the web site is exactly what you get. On the mountain there is good medical support, and I am told by Ed that the hospital, etc is very good, and most Slovaks speak a reasonable level of English.

Boo_yay I hope you have great time when you are not in N next week. I am really jealous. I spoke to the owner of the chalet we are not going to in 5 weeks time, and he said the recent snow has made the resort perfect.

Size might be everything, but for a realy good cheap holiday, Jasna is unbeatable. The Slovaks are doing all they can to encourage tourism. The resort is not massive, and for hard core very experienced skiers, you would be bored after 3 or 4 days possibly. But the ski map does not do justice to the variety and length of runs, and the fact that no queue is ever longer than 5 mins is hard to beat. We never spent more than 30 euros a day on the mountain and that included lunch for a family of 4, and a few jager bombs and hot chocolate when the ski lift closed.

There is also a fairly large off piste area that good boarders and skiers tell me is as good as anywhere in the world. The map does not show you that the lift goes all the way to the top, and you can ski the other side of the mountain as well.

We took another family with us last year, one of whom is a reasonably (10 Trips) competent skier. He said that it wasnt one of the biggest European resorts, but for a mixed ability cheap family holiday, he couldnt think of a better place to go. Door to door from Bristol, including flights, accomodation, ski hire, lift pass, spending money, 7 nights food in good quality restaurants, transfers and airport parking for a family of 4 worked out at under £800 a head. That includes pretty much anything we want while on the mountain.

Try Slovakia. The only negative is the airport. We flew into Bratislava and took a 3 hr train trip to Liptovsky Mikulas. Jasna is the resort in the Low Tatras. The Grand hotel for ski in ski out, or someone like Ed at Skiandsnowboardslovakia.

Absolutely brilliant time and enough sking for a third timer.

By the way, 1 euro 30 for a beer on the mountain

I am not "not going to to Niederau" on the 6th of March for a week )

If you have not booked yet, I would suggest Jasna in Slovakia. Smallish resort, perfect for beginners. It is cheap, and I would say the only drawback can be getting to Jasna from Bratislava. We took the train and were relly impressed, but with small kids a 3hr train journey can be a bit stressful.

There are many options available in Jasna, and the ski school will tailor your lessons as and when you want them. I agrre that lessons in the morning and then the afternoon off is best. We have been there the last two years, and are going to Niederau this year to try somewher new, not because we did not enjoy ourselves. We went to Ed at skiandsnowboardslovakia and I cant praise him and ruth highly enough. What it says on the web site is exactly what you get. However, I have just checked, and he seems to be fully booked, however he may be able to assist you.

Enjoy wherever you go.

Iam taking Mrs Saffer and the two saflets to N on 5 March for a week. We are going with another family of 4. Cannot wait!

Dont you just love that feeling of anticipation, and a bit of trepidation about the quality of the snow for your trip........almost like Christmas used to be!