H,i I am hoping for some advice... I have been procrastinating over taking my kids skiing since we arrived here (4 years ago) - they are 5,7,9 and none have skied before. I have successfully put it off every year in favour of an Easter hot break but the day has come that my 7yo is now begging to go skiing.
I have done some research and looked at some lovely (and horrifically expensive) hotels/appt. I had just about sorted what i was going to book when a friend of mine said that with my kids not skiing at all, it would be best to go somewhere with lots of nursery slopes walkable i.e with no lifts, as its a hectic scramble to get up in the lifts every morning - esp with 3 kids on skis, one crying/one moaning and one pushing to get up before everyone else
He suggested that I find one that is high up and that will likely have snow in the village, that way we could walk to baby slopes and get them going with little fuss, then go up the mountains in the afternoons...
whilst this sounds ideal he could not suggest any as he doesnt have kids so has never took much notice of which resorts had this type of thing and he hasn't skied in years
Well this was enough to make me doubt my choice and now im back to procrastinating about it and on the edge of tabling it for another year....but for the sake of my 7yo sport obsessed boy I thought Id try one more time...
does anyone have suggestions??
im not bothered where as long as its drivable 4-5hrs
and my budget I suspect is relatively small by comparison to some of the family hotels ive looked at!
Sorry to go on but its just one of those things that's so bloomin' expensive for us that I want to limit the stuff I get it wrong!
I suggest you give more thought to the quality of ski instruction than the resort or hotel you choose. Don't think of it as a holiday, but as part of their schooling, and base your decisions around that.
It's difficult to be sure, but quite possible that they could all three go together in private lessons, rather the just joining group lessons. The cost for three is likely to be about the same...
And it's important to choose somewhere based solely on the learner slopes available, rather than the more general level of skiing/pistes available.
If you're looking for a rather inexpensive apartment you do want to take a peek at reka.ch. Locations include top notch destinations like Davos,
and Saas(-Fee, -Grund, -Almagell), even Gstaad (BE) and Zermatt, but of course also a plethora of "normal" destinations.
REKA is a for-families-centered not-for-profit organization with a heavy social touch that has apartments for rent all over Switzerland, as well as abroad. Used to be one had to expect no-frills apartments, though that may have changed somewhat (or not, dunno) - rent used to encompass the apartment plus bed cloth plus tableware plus electricity and heating. Everything edible had to be provided/brought/bought by the tenant, including spices, tomato sauce and spaghetti.
Most apartments are(used to be) family-oriented so childrens noise should not be much of an issue. Usually at least one of the well-known big retailers is reasonably close (within no more than 3km) to buy stuff at regular (i.e. non-tourist) prices. Most regulars used to bring a bobsleigh or Davoser Schlitten along to conveniently carry/drag their purchases (they may also be available for rent these days).
Location is sometimes exceptional, stunning, nothing short of perfect. For instance their "Julia" in Zermatt is immediately next to (as in 30m from the entrance door to) the valley station of the Luftseilbahn towards Theodul/Kleines Matterhorn/Cervinia.
Currently available offers in Saas Fee for 4 persons start around 5-600CHF for a full week (7 nights) but of course price is subject to calendar date.
Many will also want to inform themselves about their other offers, including buying REKA checks at a discount (they can be used for gasoline at BP stations, SBB tickets, and lots more). In many cases, employers sell checks (a limited amount per person) on increased discount.
I agree with others. Go for a smaller, family oriented place. You don't need to have 20 lifts and what not if you are just starting skiing. Many of the smaller resorts are also close to Zurich, some offer even a coach that pick up children every day and returns them in the evening. I learnt to ski in Elm in Canton Glarus. Not far from Zurich, reachable by train and still a no nonsense no apres-ski resort. Also check Braunwald and other places in Canton Glarus. Amden is also close to Zurich and small. Melchsee-Frutt could be another option. Have a look at the myswitzerland webpage. They have a location finder http://winterfinder.myswitzerland.com/index.php?l=en
I just tried it and they suggested Klewenalp, Wirzweli, Haslital and Kandersteg among others.
Crans-Montana has a cool skiing beginners slope on the golf course. In Montanna rather than Crans. Our kids loved it, though it is a bit busy at times.
When I was a kid, we always went to Savognin and rented out an apartment where we cooked ourselves - rather than staying in a hotel. That was some 20 years ago, but I don't think much has changed; the area has plenty of options for kids, ski schools, beginners' slopes, but also advanced ones etc.
TBH you will only need to spend half a day or possibly 1 hour on a nursery slope without a lift, with good instruction you can make a lot of progress in a week. What is important is the quality of the snow, so aim somewhere with blue / red runs above 2000 meters.
i learned snowboarding over xmas break in 2005 on Mt Rigi. its small, beginner slope is long and has a small lift. my Gf instructed me 1 day... rest i learned myself. it took me one week to do linked turns. snow was good. price is ok, 50CHF/ticket. so for a bunch of kids its recommended from my side as i liked the length, steepness of the beginner slope and that it was empty and cheap.
flumserberg is ok, too, but the beginner slope is rather small/short and its packed on weekends.
We stayed here in summer http://www.neue-burg.at/ hotel decor is a bit old but lovely people, great food and most importantly childcare, they have some winter deals going and it is about 3hrs from Zurich.
I would consider private lessons as you are looking at minimum 300 day for lessons and ski tickets for 3 children, you will also benefit and can then take them to the next level.
EF member Big Blue 2 has a B&B in Elm which may be an option.
I took my kids up Flumserberg maybe 4 times over the 2 weeks of x-mas holidays last year. Drove up to the top, parked the car (free) and walked to the nursery slopes (free). They have group lessons (I think fr.20) or you can pre-arrange an instructor. We got an English speaking instructor the first 3 times, but the 4th time my older one wanted to come with me up the mountain already and the younger one thought that the group was so much fun (penguin dance etc.) and insisted on joining the group. After the 4 times, both can do the blue runs slowly , between my legs for the first run. We then spent a week in Davos in Feb. and they can now do reds as well.
They were 5 and 7. They get tired after 2 hours anyway so there was not much point in staying up there any longer. The lessons start at 10am and finished at noon, we would then drive back to Zurich and stop at a McD or Burger king on the way home. A couple of times they would nap all the way home then we will just have a late lunch.
The point I am making is that the nursery slopes are free if you join the lessons, prob. not just in Flumserberg. When they get better, in Flumserberg you can buy a 3 hour card or some sort of points card so that you can focus on just a few slopes without it being expensive.
Problem in Flumserberg is that it tends to get very busy...
We also went to Oberiberg near Hoch Y Brig once and the nursery is smaller and less people.
Pizol might be good. At the top of the gondola from Wangs is a Hotel, a ski school, a ski rental and a nursery slope all within about 20m of each other.
Thanks for all the tips, I will probably spend the whole night on the computer looking at all the tips, fingers x'ed Ill bite the bullet and just get on with it....