How To >> “Savile Row skiing, Skid Row prices”
I’m often asked, so here are my Top 5 ways to get “Luxury ski holidays on the Cheap”:
1. Find an exact fit
The best way to keep the price down is to book a chalet which sleeps exactly the number in your group. Under-occupancy costs can feel like wasted money, so get your numbers exact from the start of your chalet search.
How? Get everyone to give you their deposit at the start, before you begin your search. It’s depressingly common for the poor group organiser to spend a week finding the perfect 30 person ski pad, only for a third of those who were “definitely in” when you all talked it over in the pub, to say they can’t (i) get time off work, (ii) afford it (iii) convince their partner, etc. when the time comes to pay/book (meaning the group leader has to start their search all over again, for a 20 person chalet).
NB: For the inevitable late-bookers (some people will only commit when they see all their mates are going) go for a “chalet-hotel”, so your main party can book together early and get their group discount, but the stragglers can still tag along later (although they’ll pay a little more if not booking with the group).
More tips on organising a group here sno.co.uk/ski/group-ski-trip/
Dakota Lodge, Morzine
2. Do “Baltic Bling”
It may not be the country you’d first think of, but for really cheap 5-star ski holidays go browse the Bulgarian hotel packages, where gems like the Winter Palace in Borovets and the Premier Luxury Mountain Resort in Bansko have the luxury bells and whistles, but with a “Holiday Inn” price tag. If your heart’s set on the Alps, some up-market self-catering in France (see sno.co.uk/cheap-ski/cheap-luxury-ski-holidays/ ) will also give the Balkans a run for their money.
Winter Palace, Borovets
3. Go high-end, but low-season
If you’re flexible in terms of dates, you’re probably in the best position for the luxury bargain-of-the-century. Chalet Marco Polo in Val d’Isere competes among the very finest, for the title of the best ski chalet in the world (it did actually win the title of “best ski chalet in the France” this year) and, while a week there is an eye watering £5k per person during half-term (yes, that’s an £80k booking for 1 week), you can stay there for only £1k per person if you book it for the end of January.
Chalet Marco Polo, Val d’Isere
4. If you must do peak-dates, drive!
Much of the hiked price during the school holiday dates like Xmas, New Year, Feb Half Term and Easter is down to the scarcity of flights. I wouldn’t recommend waiting for a late deal on those Peak Dates dates but, if you can drive and you don’t mind where you stay, there are often some great last minute ski deals to be had, which include the ferry for your car.
How? On a last-minute page like ours, change the Airport to either “Self-Drive”, and in the Advanced search section choose Minimum Rating “min 4 star” and Accom-Type “Chalet” to see some of the cheapest catered chalet ski holidays which are either luxury or almost luxury.
Top tip: sort by “Star Rating” to see the 5 and 4.5 star chalets first.
Driving to the Alps
5. Take your own chalet boy/girl
Self-catering chalets can be unbelievably cheap, so become your own tour operator, by taking your own chalet host along for the trip. If anyone in your group knows someone who’s “done a season” as a chalet host, they’ll be able to easily put together a week’s menu and shopping list. For the price of a spare bed and seat in the car down to the alps, they can be given a free ski holiday by you guys, in return for doing the cooking. Failing that, simply take it in turns to each cater for the rest of the group for one day in the week. If you drive there instead of fly, you can benefit from cheap supermarket food prices too (i.e. so you’re not shopping up in resort, where even supermarkets are more expensive).
Examples of just how cheap it can be: sno.co.uk/ski-chalets/self-catering-ski-chalets/
Book a self-catered luxury chalet
6. Upgrade Yourself!
This one might sound a little like cheating, but it’s my personal favourite because it puts you in charge of where the extra money is spent. Basically you don’t book a luxury ski chalet at all… You book a cheap ski chalet but keep the extra budget aside, to stock it with all of your favourite treats. Have a basket from Fortnums delivered before you arrive, so that your teas and biccies and chocs and phizz are exactly to your own taste! If each of your party is saving hundreds of pounds by booking a cheaper package, make sure each of you picks a different hamper from this mouth-watering list. It’s amazing how high-end your catered chalet experience feels, when you breakfast like a king and lunch like a lord…
If you compare e.g. booking a £2k per person lux operator like Scott Dunn, with an £800 cheap catered chalet, you can even treat yourself to the latest Moncler jacket, so you’ll look the part when opening up the hamper, and have something very groovy to wear home.
A Fortnums Hamper can make any chalet feel 5 Star
Have more tips for cheap luxury skiing? Tell us in the comments and please do Share.
