Late Booking...is it worth it?

Check out UKPA for a good deal, accom not exactly 5* but better than your average UK hostel, food included so might make your budget go further than you think.

4 of us booked for jan 2 weeks before we went and got a top hotel in adh half price. But you run the risk of not getting somewhere you want and also with more than 2-3 people of not getting rooms as heavily discounted deals are usually last rooms in hotels or on flights.

Personally I've waited and had good deals, but also booked early and like snapzz ended up paying a lot less.

Heads you win......

mdonaghy644 wrote:It's most likely only going to be a group of four of us, flying out of Belfast preferably but Dublin is an option too! I've been looking at Val Thorens this evening and there is quite a few reviews saying it is quite expensive?

I think you can get reasonably priced self-catered accommodation in Val Thorens. The problem is the price of the food in the mountain restaurants throughout the Three Valleys. However, if you carry a rucksack with food and drink bought in the supermarket and have a picnic lunch it's not too expensive.

Example price for you:

Self-catered apartment with 2 rooms for 4 people in the Temple du Soleil with Off the Piste, including lift pass for the week from the 15th December = £290 p.p.

Return transfers from Chambery airport to VT with same company = £55

Return flights with Flybe from Belfast City to Chambery = £101.

Total = £446 p.p. (plus food and drink for the week).

I'm not saying this is the cheapest price you could find, but it should give you an idea. And I haven't included a price for ski/board hire or insurance.

AllyG wrote:

mdonaghy644 wrote:It's most likely only going to be a group of four of us, flying out of Belfast preferably but Dublin is an option too! I've been looking at Val Thorens this evening and there is quite a few reviews saying it is quite expensive?

I think you can get reasonably priced self-catered accommodation in Val Thorens. The problem is the price of the food in the mountain restaurants throughout the Three Valleys. However, if you carry a rucksack with food and drink bought in the supermarket and have a picnic lunch it's not too expensive.

Example price for you:

Self-catered apartment with 2 rooms for 4 people in the Temple du Soleil with Off the Piste, including lift pass for the week from the 15th December = £290 p.p.

Return transfers from Chambery airport to VT with same company = £55

Return flights with Flybe from Belfast City to Chambery = £101.

Total = £446 p.p. (plus food and drink for the week).

I'm not saying this is the cheapest price you could find, but it should give you an idea. And I haven't included a price for ski/board hire or insurance.

That's a great help - thanks. Breaking it down like that makes it a lot easier to digest. I know that last year I paid £560 for flights, accomm, transfers, lift pass, equipment and a week's lessons, so I think that sounds about right! I would be happy to be paying around £450/£500 for everything!

Snapzzz and Jon sum it up well. You fall into a critical group, that includes me. I fly from Edinburgh. We share the dilema of limited flights.

I have recently done a really low cost diy New Year deal to the Skiwelt, and a slightly more expensive visit to the Wildschönau. (Still cheaper tha using a TO.) You do have to do the research, though.

When thinking about holiday pressure, do not think about UK circumstances. The demand travels from Europe to the Urals. There is immense demand at New Year.

A friend recently tried to book into my regular place in the Wildschönau for New Year. It was full, but I was able to steer him into a good place. It can get very difficult.

When to book a ski week has always been the big question!!!

If you know where you want to go, from where, and when, then book early and pay the price.

If you want to end up somewhere where the tour operators cant sell, because no-one wants to go, then book late!!

The last few years, in my view, have seen a huge reduction in ski holiday availability, with holiday companies reducing their exposure due to lack of demand caused by the 'recession'. They have retreated to their core market, the people unaffected, and know that they can pretty much keep the prices fairly high in that sector.

This has seen real 'late deals' dry up in the last couple of years.

However, in my experience, there is a window around the end of October when companies get twitchy prior to the arrival of the snow, and if you are prepared to take a chance, then that is the time, again, in my view, to book.

Thankfully, I wont have this problem this year, having just sorted out an apartment for the season in my favourite place!!(Sorry)
:D :D :D

mdonaghy644 wrote:

AllyG wrote:

mdonaghy644 wrote:It's most likely only going to be a group of four of us, flying out of Belfast preferably but Dublin is an option too! I've been looking at Val Thorens this evening and there is quite a few reviews saying it is quite expensive?

I think you can get reasonably priced self-catered accommodation in Val Thorens. The problem is the price of the food in the mountain restaurants throughout the Three Valleys. However, if you carry a rucksack with food and drink bought in the supermarket and have a picnic lunch it's not too expensive.

Example price for you:

Self-catered apartment with 2 rooms for 4 people in the Temple du Soleil with Off the Piste, including lift pass for the week from the 15th December = £290 p.p.

Return transfers from Chambery airport to VT with same company = £55

Return flights with Flybe from Belfast City to Chambery = £101.

Total = £446 p.p. (plus food and drink for the week).

I'm not saying this is the cheapest price you could find, but it should give you an idea. And I haven't included a price for ski/board hire or insurance.

That's a great help - thanks. Breaking it down like that makes it a lot easier to digest. I know that last year I paid £560 for flights, accomm, transfers, lift pass, equipment and a week's lessons, so I think that sounds about right! I would be happy to be paying around £450/£500 for everything!

:shock: how did you conclude £450/£500 for everything?

AllyG's example came to £446 without food or drink and without equipment. Add £20/day s/c food, £100 hire and you're easily at £686. AND AllyG's example was the 15th December not NEW YEAR, the flights/accommodation price might typically double for then.

In fairness I've never tried last minute booking, so would be interested to hear how you get on.

mdonaghy644 wrote:

AllyG wrote:Total = £446 p.p. (plus food and drink for the week).

I'm not saying this is the cheapest price you could find, but it should give you an idea. And I haven't included a price for ski/board hire or insurance.

That's a great help - thanks. Breaking it down like that makes it a lot easier to digest. I know that last year I paid £560 for flights, accomm, transfers, lift pass, equipment and a week's lessons, so I think that sounds about right! I would be happy to be paying around £450/£500 for everything!

I'm afraid it would be more than that, after you've added in ski hire and lessons.

Bronze ski hire through Off the Piste = £69
ESF lessons 2 1/2 hours 6 afternoons = 119 euros (about £95).

New total = £610

And the 3 valleys link may not be open that early, but even if it isn't there is plenty to ski in Val Thorens itself.

It sounds like you had a real bargain last year. Where did you go?