Is it just me?

New year DIY

Catered Chalet Morzine
Private Bus to the slopes and pick up
Hot tub
£778
Flights from Manchester to Geneva
£220

smartski wrote:I don't disagree that in school holidays T/O prices are crazy, I would definitely go DIY, but at other times I think costs are far closer and T/Os give DIYers a good run for their money.

I'll put my mouth where my money is...simple statement of facts:

With T/O £575 + £15 for one meal out. £590 per adult.

6th January (i.e. out of school holidays).
6 days skiing.
T/O Heathrow flights to Geneva.
Transfers.
La Plagne (i.e. main French resport)
Ski In/Ski Out accommodation.
Ski Guiding.
7x Breakfast.
6x 3 course eve meal & wine. (Need to pay one nights meal out.)

Ignoring hire, lift pass, lessons and uk costs as these are all optional/personal; or at least can be arranged whether you are with a T/O or self org.

I've ignored lunch cost as well for the moment. Personally I find the size of breakfast & eve meal negates the need for much lunch.

Has anyone any good/direct DIY comparables?

Smartski,
You obviously haven't been reading my J2Ski group holiday to Tignes Les Brevieres thread!

Return flights Luton to Geneva with EasyJet 13th January = £80
Chalet transfers = £60
En-suite catered chalet (with hot tub) = £399
Dinner out on one evening = £15 (actually I think it would cost more like £25)

Total = £554

Espace Killy area lift pass = 235 euros (around £190)
Total with lift pass = £744

Includes 5 days of ski hosting
Top resort
Not quite ski in/out ( 4 minute walk to piste and gondola)
Afternoon tea and cakes as well as the evening meal
In-house ski/board hire.
Free wi-fi
Free English T.V. in each bedroom
Free shared use of one computer.

AllyG wrote:

smartski wrote:I don't disagree that in school holidays T/O prices are crazy, I would definitely go DIY, but at other times I think costs are far closer and T/Os give DIYers a good run for their money.

I'll put my mouth where my money is...simple statement of facts:

With T/O £575 + £15 for one meal out. £590 per adult.

Has anyone any good/direct DIY comparables?

Smartski,
You obviously haven't been reading my J2Ski group holiday to Tignes Les Brevieres thread!

Return flights Luton to Geneva with EasyJet 13th January = £80
Chalet transfers = £60
En-suite catered chalet (with hot tub) = £399
Dinner out on one evening = £15 (actually I think it would cost more like £25)

Total = £554

Includes 5 days of ski hosting
Top resort
Not quite ski in/out ( 4 minute walk to piste and gondola)
Afternoon tea and cakes as well as the evening meal
In-house ski/board hire.
Free wi-fi
Free English T.V. in each bedroom
Free shared use of one computer.

Forgot about cakes & afternoon tea, got that too. I'm not getting use of computer. I'll not quibble over cost of eve out.

So good comparable....only £35 between us. :thumbup:
So T/Os are not 'so' bad.
Is the £35 extra worth the service (and protection) they theoretically provide? I think so, but that's personal choice.

Anyone doing "full" DIY, ie with self-catering, around the same time?

I think it may have been about 4/5 years back, having had five and a half weeks skiing, I felt compelled to return for just one week, and my OH agreed.

Free flights.
return train fare 52 Eu.
Hitched up the mountain, got a lift back.
b&b, 24 Eu/night. 168 Eu
Lift pass 36 Eu, (One sixth of a season pass.)
Total: 251 Eu, about £200.

I bought 3/4 meals, and was invited to eat with locals on other nights. This was a deliberate cheapo, I have done better, but not by much, and a good few years back.

Three years ago, at New Year, we stayed in the Skiwelt, HB, for 45 Eu/night, 50Eu train fare, pick up from station by hotel, free flights. Total 292 Eu, £292.

The free flights are because I use Natwest Visa.

In the early part of this season, just as FQ states, I will be spending a bit more, so I have an apartment to myself for the best part of 3 weeks. I will hire a car, since I have some Austrian friends I wish to visit in Kitzbuhel and other areas. I have a pretty good price for that, too. Like Bandit, I buy an area season pass, and that gives a low cost per week.

OTOH, I will be taking a TO for one of my March trips. That is mainly for social reasons ~ will be skiing in a group, part of group marking the passing of my ski buddy, Mel, earlier this year.
I may have to pay the going rate, but I will have the best room in the village! 8)

snowy0000 wrote:New year DIY

Catered Chalet Morzine
Private Bus to the slopes and pick up
Hot tub
£778
Flights from Manchester to Geneva
£220

Hi Snowy0000,
Is that per person? If so, I suppose your price shows just how much more expensive it is to go at New Year than a week or 2 afterwards.

I hope you have a great time!

Dave Mac wrote:
Free flights.
return train fare 52 Eu.
Hitched up the mountain, got a lift back.
b&b, 24 Eu/night. 168 Eu
Lift pass 36 Eu, (One sixth of a season pass.)
Total: 251 Eu, about £200.

Dave Mac,
That sounds pretty cheap to me :thumbup:

If anyone is looking for a cheap catered chalet (no flights or anything included) for January, Bonjour have built a new one called Pere Marie in Le Pre, les Arcs, and it's only £299 all through January and £399 for the 3rd February. I didn't pick it for the group holiday because the location isn't suitable for beginners.

Not sure why people arent factoring in lift pass prices to this as without that you aint going skiing people ;-)

Hi AllyG
Unfortunately it is per person, :cry: but Chalet is first class. It caters for 14 but only 11 are going so we have to pay an extra over :twisted:

We have buns and cake, wine etc and we can ski back to the chalet but prefer to go straight to the pub.

We can only go in School holidays as our youngest is 15, but our eldest is 19 and at uni, hopefully it won't be to long before eldest is wanting to pay for himself :shock: