Has anyone booked a last minute ski holiday??

I fully agree with the tip of booking last minute. We (couple) are going to the Alps on this week (17-24th Dec) since many years. I always book the hotel on the week before or up to 3 days before leaving, choosing the ski region depending on the snow conditions. We often drive to Tyrol (e.g. by Sankt Anton); no need to book a flight and it's more convenient for skiing at several resorts on the same week. Hotel prices are superb on this week in Tyrol, sometimes even the ski passes are cheaper. By the way, I live in Barcelona, the same distance to the Alps than from London!

Hiya, the deals are definitely there. We've been going to skiing for Xmas with extended family many years and love it, as even in bad snow years there's still enough to ski and we've had white Xmas every year (if not at the resort level then higher up :)
I too, normally book the flights early in the year and then book accommodation in the resort where there's more snow about 2-3 weeks before the flight. This year did hold back booking for Xmas as for family reasons can do our annual ski trip only over Feb half-term (expensive one!). Also couldn't find the flights/dates/times suitable for us.

Anyway, took a risk and booked for us (2 adults+13year old) a very reasonably priced package deal to Italy (as like it there) for 20-27 Dec a week ago. Would think that there will be more late deals available, especially if you are not fussy about where to go.

Booked independently for Feb half-term extended family trip long time ago as didn't think I'll get a deal for a resort/hotel we wanted to go to.

Happy last minute deal finding :)!

Last minute booking is a lottery - sometimes you win and sometimes you don't.
The more in the party the harder it is.
The gremlin is often the flights - those at sensible times go first and even if the bargain holiday is there you may have a 6am flight from an airport miles away.

School hols are always busy but that is often useful as the airlines have a lot more seats available.

As a serial late booker nor my children have grown up, my experience is that holidays start expensive and gradually drop up to about a month away
After that the prices climb again, particularly the hotel based ones where the hotel may sell rooms to many tour ops or independently.
Very last minute bargains do come up at a few days notice - usually where a party has cancelled in a chalet or hotel, providing there are flights. The problem is if you have fixed weeks that you have to go on you may have to accept something to make sure you get a holiday. If dates aren't fixed you just move on to next week or the one after.

Thanks for all the replies. Getting a bit twitchy here today looking at resort webcams! I'm eyeing up Val Thorens at the moment and may decide to go for it now if we can secure a decent deal.....

Andymol2 - thanks for the info - am trying to wangle a cheeky trip in Jan. with a mate, so thinking about best time to book

Hi adders. What do you mean by "models are getting very interesting this week"

Admin wrote:

bedrock barney wrote:will we be able to jump on to last minute deals

Almost certainly.

As you might expect, after two late-starting seasons and with Xmas Day on a Sunday, Xmas has been tough to sell this year. I'd expect there to be deals around...

bedrock barney wrote:is last minute holidaying a thing of the past?

Definitely not! It increases every year.

FWIW, we (family) are hoping to be away the same week as you or maybe the week before - and I doubt we'll have anything booked before December.

The above notwithstanding, the weather models are getting very interesting from this weekend onwards... so if you do see a particularly good deal, and it's where you want to go, then go for it. Otherwise wait.

Ade73 wrote:Hi adders. What do you mean by "models are getting very interesting this week"

Hi Ade - that was written nearly 2 weeks ago, and referred to the turn to cold and all the snow that was then in the forecast... which is what has duly arrived since. 8)

Interestingly enough, you might be interested to know that the interesting thing about the latest forecasts is that they are quite interesting in an interestingly similar way... -) It looks like another decent round of snowfall building about a week out (i.e. next weekend). Interesting, no?

Hi adders, I found that interestingly interesting as I was interested in your interesting reply. Haha. Sorry I didn't realise it was written weeks ago. I think it should be a nice few days looking at present conditions and forecasts. The link to VD opens the day I arrive also.