Some beginner ski holiday advise please

Big open question but here are a few of my thoughts:

1. If you can, go for a full week - the cost savings of a shorter trip are usually marginal while you will get much more out of a full week your first time - the last 2/3 days of the 1st weeks skiing are the best part as it is usually then that you get to go all the way up the mountain!

2. As already mentioned pick a smaller resort - they tend to less expensive. Remember don't just focus on accommodation/ package cost - you will need to take account of cost of lift passes, ski/boot hire, lessons, etc. Also watch out for resorts that have free beginner lifts - you may get away without needing a ski pass for the 1st 3/4 days. Some of the ski companies, e.g. Crystal, now do all inclusive to some smaller resorts in France and Austria that may be worth checking out. Check snow reliability of your chosen destination - snow conditions can make a huge difference to your enjoyment.

3. Gear: as already suggested borrow whatever you can for the first trip (obviously skis and boots should be hired in resort - some "Learn to Ski" packages include them). If you do need to buy some stuff, TK Maxx can be good. Another, somewhat unlikely, source can be ALDI or Lidl - they usually carry a limited range of very cheap, reasonably quality ski gear around Christmas (especially good for kids stuff and for items like gloves, socks, etc).

4. Go for it! The overwhelming majority of people who try skiing fall in love with it (many, like most of the people visiting this site, become quite obsessive about it!). You will love it, your son will love it and there is something quite special about skiing with your kids. However, watch out - you can expect him to learn much faster than you and be itching to take on more challenges that you will not be comfortable about!!!

Good luck

Simply to second what has been said - you will get a week on a package at a better price than you will get 4 days for. Leave it to the experts for your first trip - dont try going DIY. Thomson, Crystal, Neilson, Inghams - all offer excellent packages and learn to ski deals too.

I would suggest somewhere small too, as a learner you want to make sure you spend time learning the basics, instead of stopping for coffee in some expensive mountain cafe and admiring the view for hours: you can do that once you have been through the pain of learning.

However, I would avoid Bulgaria like the plague. You want to enjoy your first ski holiday, not have your card scammed, or a timeshare flogged to you, or trip over beggars, or be ill on the food. France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria all have small places to learn.

I would recommend Filzmoos, Galtur or Niederau in Austria, Val Senales in Italy, and Thyon or Nendaz in Switzerland. All in good areas with good snow records, but also smaller and quieter. Not sure about France, possibly Valmorel?

Beg, steal and borrow your clothes for a first time in case you dont like it. If you take to it, you can gradually build up your wardrobe and equipment. I ski'd for 5 weeks before I bought boots and skis. TK Maxx is the way forward for budget quality clothing, or try Decathlon stores with their range og Quecha stuff.

Let us know what you decide.

Tony_H wrote:Simply to second what has been said - you will get a week on a package at a better price than you will get 4 days for. Leave it to the experts for your first trip - dont try going DIY. Thomson, Crystal, Neilson, Inghams - all offer excellent packages and learn to ski deals too.

I would suggest somewhere small too, as a learner you want to make sure you spend time learning the basics, instead of stopping for coffee in some expensive mountain cafe and admiring the view for hours: you can do that once you have been through the pain of learning.

However, I would avoid Bulgaria like the plague. You want to enjoy your first ski holiday, not have your card scammed, or a timeshare flogged to you, or trip over beggars, or be ill on the food. France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria all have small places to learn.

I would recommend Filzmoos, Galtur or Niederau in Austria, Val Senales in Italy, and Thyon or Nendaz in Switzerland. All in good areas with good snow records, but also smaller and quieter. Not sure about France, possibly Valmorel?

Beg, steal and borrow your clothes for a first time in case you dont like it. If you take to it, you can gradually build up your wardrobe and equipment. I ski'd for 5 weeks before I bought boots and skis. TK Maxx is the way forward for budget quality clothing, or try Decathlon stores with their range og Quecha stuff.

Let us know what you decide.

I can recommend Filzmoos also as a great place for beginners. It's small but part of the Ski Amade range if you get good quick. Has a good selection of slopes for beginners and intermediates. The town itself is very pleasant and welcoming. I can definately recommends the Apres Ski n the Happy Alm, suitable for all the family. Night skiing is also available on the beginners slope opposite at least 1 day a week and the snow is really great for such a low resort.

One warning however....get a room in the centre of town. Some residences are up to 4km away and getting a taxi past midnight is impossible, you have to rely on the locals or snowboard home drunk across fields at 4.30am.........or so I'm told :)

Hi there

Would definately recommend a week so that you can have a full week's ski school and I don't think you'd really be saving that much by going for 4 days. Your son will probably be in a different class from you but it is such a laugh in ski school when you are first learning to ski :-) We learnt in Niederau, Austria with the 1st Wildschonau Ski School and they are fantastic. Niederau is a brilliant little spot - you only have to look on here to see what others think about it. It's just over an hour from Innsbruck airport and no matter where you stay in the village, you are no more that 5 or 10 mins walk from everything. We've stayed for 3 years now in the Hotel Austria and it's right across the road from the gondola, nursery slopes and ski school. I definately wouldn't bother with Bulgaria - I've heard so many bad reports about it and the transfer from the airport is about 3 hrs. I've also heard that one of the ski hire shops in Niederau only use their hire skiis for two years before they replace them - the old ones go to Bulgaria apparently.

My hubby and I only started in Jan 06 and we got our gear from TK Maxx and Mountain Warehouse. Some shops may also hire out ski clothes - we have a local shop in our town that does this. We've booked each year with Inghams - used them 4 times now with no problems. Book ski school and lift passes with them when you book your holiday - they don't charge any more than the resort. You may be able to get ski hire cheaper in the resort but for beginners I'd recommend you book a ski pack which should include skiis, boots, poles, ski school and lift pass.

Hope you have a great time no matter where you go but you WILL love skiing! 8)

Try ebay for clothing etc some bargains to be had. Seefeld a lovely place. Great ski school and the nursery slopes are completely seperate from the main ones. Also apres ski good and fab swimming pool with every form of treatment for very low cost.

I would like to add one caveat to what Skigirl said about booking ski school through your travel agent. That can be absolutely fine. However..... not all ski schools are the same! Check out reports on the ski schools available in your chosen resort - sometimes, it is better to go with a small operator - often smaller classes and sometimes better instruction. There are also a number of specialist UK ski schools in the alps so you can be sure of having an English speaking instructor. Generally reports would suggest that there are very good but can be much more expensive - might be more relevant later in your ski career when you want to make the jump from intermediate to advanced! Believe me that day will come sooner than you think!.

Bottom line, do your research before you go to maximise your fun!

I have to second what skigirl said about Inghams. Have used them a few times, and never ahd a problem, whereas Neilson and First Choice gave us one or two issues to consider. I would definitely not ski with First Choice again, and Neilson let us down with flights.

Obergurgl is perfect for beginners. Me and my boys learnt there. Also, it's linked to hochgurgl which is cruisy blues heaven, we were skiing it on day two. I'd highly recommend it.

good luck
Caron