Recommendations for ski virgins

Pablo Escobar wrote:Yes I have been :roll: Of course I have been otherwise I wouldn't be able to give an opinion on the place! We were very lucky with the snow in February, it rained the last day, I would never discount somewhere on the grounds of weather but a good snow record is a must. My father hated it too.

Andorra gets a load of bad press and IME, rightfully so. There are safer bets for your first skiing holiday.

Pablo Escobar wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

Pablo Escobar wrote:I would say avoid Andorra. Other than that you will love it 8)

Andorra, I have been twice in winter both times great snow, I don't know where the avoid Andorra comes from the place is fine 8)

Also I love Livigno but unless you get your accommodation right be prepared for walks and crowded buses !!!! 8)

It comes from long lift lines at at weekends, terrain with lots of flat spots and no real variety, unreliable snow conditions (this year excluded, I am pretty sure they have had one of the best on record) and don't even get me started on the villages themselves. There are better places to go, the attraction of Andorra originally was that it was so cheap it made a very easy option for a first ski holiday or folks without much cash to throw about but now it ain't even that cheap. I fail to see the attraction.

Long transfer too.

AllyG wrote:Hi Coop,
I have no idea what Arinsal, Soldeu or Passo Tonale are like. However, the answer is quite simple - it's Niederau in Austria :lol:.

AllyG wrote:Hi Coop,
I have no idea what Arinsal, Soldeu or Passo Tonale are like. However, the answer is quite simple - it's Niederau in Austria :lol:.

I've never been there myself, but I know other people who have, and it's meant to be great for beginners and intermediates, and even some experienced people like going there. There are plenty of Niederau supporters here to give you more info.

I wouldn't take them anywhere too high because those resorts are a bit scary - very cold and sometimes very windy and no trees, so there's nothing to focus on and all the slopes look much more frightening if you're a beginner.

Also, somewhere with other kinds of activities, like ice-skating, ski-doos, swimming pools etc. might be a good idea in case they decide they don't like ski-ing, or the weather is too bad. I have been on 2 ski holidays which both had one day on which we couldn't ski because of the weather.

It might also be a good idea to think of places the schools take kids to. My daughter's school took them to Geilo in Norway (expensive) and St Johann (cheap). When they went to St Johann there was supposed to be no good snow anywhere, and I thought they'd all have an awful time, but apparently the beginners slopes were fine. I suppose they covered them in artificial snow.

If you want them to come with you on future ski holidays you need to make sure they have lots of fun, and don't get frightened or bored. So I think you're doing the right thing in thinking very hard about where to take them. And I'm not sure you can expect a 6 year old to ski all day, so you will have to think about that as well. They might get very tired and cranky, or they might want to ski all day.

I'd also think of somewhere with short transfers to the resort, especially if you have someone in the family who gets car sick or is easily bored in coaches. I find the mountain roads very sick-making - all tight bends. I can't stand more than about 1 1/2 hours without feeling like I'm dying.

I hope you find a suitable resort and have a great holiday,

Ally

Tony_H wrote:

Pablo Escobar wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:

Pablo Escobar wrote:I would say avoid Andorra. Other than that you will love it 8)

Andorra, I have been twice in winter both times great snow, I don't know where the avoid Andorra comes from the place is fine 8)

Also I love Livigno but unless you get your accommodation right be prepared for walks and crowded buses !!!! 8)

It comes from long lift lines at at weekends, terrain with lots of flat spots and no real variety, unreliable snow conditions (this year excluded, I am pretty sure they have had one of the best on record) and don't even get me started on the villages themselves. There are better places to go, the attraction of Andorra originally was that it was so cheap it made a very easy option for a first ski holiday or folks without much cash to throw about but now it ain't even that cheap. I fail to see the attraction.

Long transfer too.

I have to say I find everything Pablo says is exactly what I have been told or read about.
It used to be the Magaluf of skiing, but the prices have gone through the roof and the resort is rebranding itself far more up market.
I love tapas and Estrella, so I might give it a go, but only when I know there is a shed load of snow, as the record is iffy, to say the least!