Latest posts for the topic "To book or not to book"

To book or not to book

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:13:06 GMT

OK, so I've found a deal for the week in Jan I want to go, but I've noticed some mega deals surfacing for first week in jan, literally half price, so it suggests wait another couple of weeks and then 21st Jan will be on mega sale as well. Or does it? Thats the dilemma.

The deal I found is a weeks HB in Claviere, next to Montgenevre, and access onto the milky way, a lot of which I have skied before from Sauze and enjoyed immensely. Flights from local airport, transfers, half board, ski in ski out hotel next to the lifts, doesnt look a particularly good hotel but its Italy and its all about the food and the position of it tbh. Lift pass and ski carriage included and I can book it for GBP575pp for 4 of us. Sounds good. Except I found a catered chalet in Solden for GBP380 (half price) for 7th Jan earlier, and Claviere wasnt exactly our first choice of resort.

So, should I pass this deal up and wait for something "better" or is this too good to let go?

Re:To book or not to book

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:19:41 GMT

Well, if it has most of what you want, and you would be kicking yourself if you missed it and could not find something suitable as an alternate, then I think you should book it.

If on the other hand you are easy about what you finally take, and will not be too upset if you do end up paying more, then I say wait it out.

For what it's worth, I would wait.

Re:To book or not to book

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:41:57 GMT

Tony,
If your pretty flexible then I would wait a bit longer.
Article in the Times today talking of bargains available now and through xmas/new year.
The writer was suggesting January would be heavily discounted in the next 2/3 weeks.

Re:To book or not to book

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:17:17 GMT

I've been to Claviere and I think it might turn out to be a bit limited for you. It's quite a ski on to main part of the Milky Way and some of our group decided to get a mini bus to Sestriere (on the advice of local knowledge) rather than spend ages skiing over and worrying about getting back.
This was before the Olympics though so access might be easier now.

What's the hotel you are looking at? We stayed in the Passero Pellegrino - it was a nice place. The village was pleasant, the skiing enjoyable, but a couple of chaps in our group had skied at after the 1st day so bought an extension to Montgenevre. It may have changed now and be included on the same lift pass.

As you like high mileage I'm not sure it's for you - I reckon you would prefer being in the heart of the Milky Way and not the edge.

This of course is only my opinion!!

Re:To book or not to book

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:29:36 GMT

Thanks guys.
Its the Miramonti Hotel.
Claviere and Montgenevre lifts are next to the hotel and the link into Milky Way isnt anywhere near as bad.
BUT
its not a resort we had selected, it just came up as a deal.

Hmmmm.
I'm thinking lets wait.

Re:To book or not to book

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:26:48 GMT

Tony I have a friend who is a manager at Thomas cook, he told us when we went on our summer holiday that holiday companies now are not selling as many off when the date becomes nearer. Reason for this is because they give the beds back to the hotel and let the flights go back to the airline or use them for something else. Also worth noting. When you book in advance and get the discounts these are generally added to late deals on top of the price, ie fuel charges, occupancy charges etc which may of been wavered.

However these costs clearly don't and shouldn't put you off waiting for a late deal, the savings you get far out way these charges IMHO. But I always use my own notion of if the numbers stack up, book it.

Yes you might get the price a little cheaper if you wait a little longer, however you might also miss out. Which would you rather do?

All the best and let us know the outcome.

Re:To book or not to book

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:30:55 GMT

Do both!

Re:To book or not to book

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:18:49 GMT

Our party have decided to hold out a few weeks and see what comes up. Claviere would be ok, but I might be disappointed, and thats no way to have a ski holiday. I can go to small low lying resorts in the Tirol for cheap prices if I want to be disappointed )

Re:To book or not to book

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:09:07 GMT

In my experience you're usually dammed if you do dammed if you don't in this sort of situation. GBP380 for catered accom sounds a cracking deal BTW. I had 2 free weeks to get my final week of 4 in for this season so booked up. Things have changed over night at work so could have gone pretty much any week so was kicking myself as I could have waited for a bargain.

I find you usually don't end up exactly with what you want if you wait last minute usually resort wise.

I'll be off to one of those low lying Tirolean resorts you refer to in Feb! Had much better conditions in February in Saalbach last year than I did in Les Arc in January.......

Re:To book or not to book

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:41:27 GMT

We usually book our Ski holidays early to be sure we get exactly what we want, however for a variety of reasons (mainly firming up numbers and deciding on a resort we were all happy with!) only actually got round to booking this years yesterday (going 22nd Jan for a week).

Result - the resort / hotel we had all agreed on in Sestriere no longer had availability that week! While there was other accomadation availalbe is wasn't near the lift which is a bit of a requirement for us. :oops:

However, in our mad scramble to find somewhere else, we managed to get the week we wanted but at Serre Chevalier instead - which looks absolutly fantastic! (I know it was recommended to me here when I asked about resorts a few months back - should have gone their all along :mrgreen: )

Anyway - counting the days now :D

Re:To book or not to book

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:50:16 GMT

Just got a promotional e mail from igluski headlining half price chalets for 8th and 15th Jan.
January prices starting to drop??
Seen a number of cheap deals post new year and first week in Jan but these are moving a bit later in the month.

Re:To book or not to book

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:28:24 GMT

Wait and get a last min deal and you will always save a few quid if your not too fussy about where you go.
The first week after christmas when the kids go back to school is always the cheapest and quietest time of year to go. I did it once and we skiied empty runs all day long.

Re:To book or not to book

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:13:06 GMT

TH - have you booked yet? And I know I've asked you this before, but what websites do you find your deals on?

Re:To book or not to book

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:30:30 GMT

Theres some cracking deals for 7th and 14th Jan, half price catered chalets, but we've put 21st week aside so waiting another week or 2 for those weeks to be discounted, which they will.
No decision yet on where to go, depends on the deals. We're happy enough to be flexible. Only 3 major requirements:
1. Not Bulgaria
2. Not Andorra
3. Not Niederau

I have a feeling its going to be France, but hoping for Italy/Austria/Switzerland. The bargains seem to be in places like L2A, ADH and Val d'Isere.

Re:To book or not to book

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:54:22 GMT

And the websites? Bookable Ski perhaps?

Please share :)

Re:To book or not to book

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:06:15 GMT

NellyPS wrote:And the websites? Bookable Ski perhaps?

Please share :)

I have looked there, but you soon work out that they are only brokers for the main tour ops.

Best bet is surf Inghams, Crystal, Neilson etc and find their deals as their websites are FAR more up to date. Then find the same deal on another agents website like Skiline, catered-chalet-holidays or Igluski and ask them what they will do it for. Someone always wants the business more than the others.

My St Anton deal for March was Igluski and they knocked over GBP140 off in order to get the business.

I'm playing mainly on Igluski website for general searches initially and then go more specific from there.
Still waiting for 21st Jan deals though.