Latest posts for the topic "Self Catering: is it worth it?"

Self Catering: is it worth it?

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:30:44 GMT

Ok so this is the first time I've thought about going for the DIY ski holiday. We couldn't get the hotel we wanted with the TO's so I thought screw them I'll do this myself.

So the question for all you serious skiers is can you really be faffed cooking your own breakfast and dinner after a hard day on the snow?

It looks to me like the kind of places in Austria too book self catering are fantastic, homely farms with cute little aparments tagged on. Does anyone have any experience of this kind of thing. In particular I'm looking for a place in Itter, nr Soll.

Cheers!

Steve

Self Catering: is it worth it?

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:08:20 GMT

stevesmoothie wrote:Ok so this is the first time I've thought about going for the DIY ski holiday. We couldn't get the hotel we wanted with the TO's so I thought screw them I'll do this myself.

So the question for all you serious skiers is can you really be faffed cooking your own breakfast and dinner after a hard day on the snow?

It looks to me like the kind of places in Austria too book self catering are fantastic, homely farms with cute little aparments tagged on. Does anyone have any experience of this kind of thing. In particular I'm looking for a place in Itter, nr Soll.

Cheers!

Steve

We always had holidays, half board in hotels. Until we tried a self catering holiday, loved it so doing it again in 3 weeks time. Its no problem with breakfast and we eat out at night, and usually a soup buffet at lunch on the slopes. No problems. Even if we do cook some evenings it does not feel like the chore it is at home.

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:09:22 GMT

Well Steve,
I guess it depends on the kind of skieer (boarder in my case) you are. I my case, I don't mind the breakfast, but the diner is too much of a hassle.
We used to rent an appartment, but we are too much into apres ski, we always hit the bars after the last run.
At 21.00 no one feels like cooking anymore, so we always eat out.

Nowadays we go to an HB Hotel, but if you are not too much of a barfly, I think it can be all right.

BTW: in every appartment we've been in they offer a backery service, which means you have fresh buns every day. If you run down to the supermarket to buy the rest every other day, breakfast should not be a problem.

Enjoy your vaction!

CustomX.

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:13:30 GMT

vaction = vacation :roll:

PS: Although I do like/love the apres ski, I am a serious boarder. My main goal is to hit as many slopes as fast as I can.
When the sun sets, I get some beers, but never go to bed after 22:30. Next day, it's rise and shine again!

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:53:28 GMT

We've always self catered (apart from next week when we're off to a catered chalet for the first time!), and we usually eat out 3 or 4 times, and cook the other nights. It's never been a big hassle, and it can work out a lot cheaper.

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:01:55 GMT

For the first 3 years we always went half board and ate in the hotel, but for the last 2 years we've been self-catering.

I much prefer self-catering, because you can eat what you want, when you want, and I think it tastes much nicer. I don't like hotel food - even when it's supposed to be top quality. I can remember once we were staying in a very posh four star hotel and they served under-ripe water melon. I am exceedingly fond of water melon and I was really disappointed.

I always eat muesli for breakfast - so that's no problem. I usually go back to the apartment for lunch and have a cheese salad baguette and several cups of tea, which saves a fortune on slope side cafes, and the same at tea-time. And for supper I usually cook the same sort of thing we eat at home - like pasta with cheese and pesto, salad, and broccoli - which takes about 3 minutes of my time and about 10 minutes cooking time. And for pudding we buy fruit and cakes.

Ideally, you need to try and get self-catering close to a supermarket and the slopes, so that you can shop easily and go back to the apartment for lunch.

Ally

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:02:36 GMT

I have been self catering for years. I find that if I go into a hotel now, it's a PITA having to dress up for breakfast. I like having my own space, and not being confined by a hotel's timetable.

And it's cheaper!

Oh, and I get to eat the food I want, not what's on the Menu :D

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:26:55 GMT

I think it is just about as most people have said, self catering seems to give you far more freedom. Personally, we tend to just have hot oats (most modern places have a microwave so this is very easy) and fruit for breakfast, and we usually eat out for dinner.

Plus there are no frowning reception staff when you stagger back in, still in your boots at midnight having forgotten the time in your fav bar at the foot of the slopes :twisted:

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:27:20 GMT

Thanks folks, top advice once again!

Re:Self Catering: is it worth it?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:58:58 GMT

Hi Steve,

As with some of the other replies I do nothing else now (in all fairness though having brought a small apartment a few years back, there is no need for me to use TO's anymore)...

I suppose in the last 16-18years and around 40-50 ski weeks/holidays in that period i have maybe spent 8- 12 going with a tour operator,one of the main reasons is that the people i started skiing with had skied two or three times before me and had gone self catering to keep down costs.

A couple of To's i have used over the years were Crystal and my favourite Ski Miquel, the thing which appeals to me about S/C is that you deal directly with the people who's property you are using and they are more often than not very flexible about arrival and departure days and times (and not just saturday to saturday) so you can go midweek to midweek if you like to take advantage of the cheaper flights,also you can take earlier flights in the morning so can arrive at your accommadation mid-day and not late afternoon or early evening.

Saying all that though ,there are still some great deals around where you can get a weeks skiing full/half board for under GBP350- GBP400 p/p you just have to spend the time looking ( the Daily Mail Ski & SnowBoard Magazine organized trips are great value,but places do get snapped up).On the S/C an apartment for 4-6people can be had for between GBP300 - GBP500 for the week, with flights as low as GBP60 return, and a weeks car hire at the GBP140 - GBP190mark + fuel and tolls so four people could have a weeks skiing from around GBP220ish p/p plus their lift pass and food/drink(which when brought from a good supermarket is good wholesome and quite cheap)

jon. :D