So, what’s the response from forum users on the early booking deals?
 
Are you taking advantage of them -  the low deposits are an excellent way to secure a trip now.

Don’t do package deals but just in process of booking accomodation in St Anton for boys trip in March. Also considering booking catered chalet in Kappl for family holiday - through Dutch company as cheaper than UK

We’ve booked flights and accommodation in two dolomite resorts for the second half of January. Very cheap flight. Italian accommodation always seems to be cheap - provided you book direct.
 
JJ

Hi All,
 
I have been looking at having a week away sometime at the middle of september to the middle of october after my hernia op and flights and car hire hire for a week come in at £172 - £194 depending on the week…which isn’t bad.
 
On the skiing side of things I have looked at flights for the beginning of january or the beginning of march and there seems to be some good deals about.
 
As both John and boabski rightly say by doing it yourself you have no agent to pay either.Mind you I had not thought of looking at a foreign agent as boabski says ,it will be interesting to hear how boabski gets on if the Dutch company is used
 
jon

You’re better organised than me… I tend to plan early autumn;  there seems to be good flight sales just after the schools go back.
 
Yeah - I’m quite interested in what Boabski says about the Dutch company too. How did your hear/find out about them B?
 
Based on this year though, did it not cost you more to go independently - or doesn’t that matter when weighed up against, say flexibility?  And what do you guys think about short breaks in terms of next season - some say it will be more popular, others that less so.

Quite hard to say. The accommodation we booked this year simply wasn’t available with any agent or operator that we could find. Because of other things in our calendar, we need to travel out on a Sunday and return on a Friday. No problem for the apartment owner - they just made a pro-rata reduction of 2/14ths. I don’t quite see a queue of tour operators lining up to do that!
 
I have a friend in Holland who says that when she books for the family, the tour ops are really cheap - but I think that Holland is a very child-friendly country.
 
When she’s booked for two (as I usually do), she finds it better to go direct to the accommodation provider and negotiate in their own language - and she seems to speak them all! I’m comfortable doing this in German and just about OK in French. However if my French were a bit better, I might be more successful at negotiating more flexibility!
 
I think tour ops will have to front load their prices to offer short breaks. I can’t see how they could be competitive with DIY.
 
JJ

So where are you off to in the Dolomites JohnJ? I love the region - such fab scenery. Great place in summer too. I quite fancy a stay in San Cassiano and also some of the away-from-the-main circuit places.
 
W
 

Hi boab,wen,jj et al,
              Trying to book for my now usual season opener to St Anton at end of November and have noticed an almost universal problem with trying to book b + b through the tourist office website.When you go on and put in your dates etc it gives you a total price but then you have to "request" and give some details email address etc and you get a mail back but the price has almost doubled in most cases.I mailed back the gasthofs to ask the reason and surprise,surprise no reply!Just out of curiosity I "requested" 18 different premises accross the range and they were all far more expensive than the quote on the tourist office website, the "cheapest" was a studio for 3 nights for 2 people which went from 121e to 177e.Has anyone else come across this problem or a solution to it or woulkd I be better off ringing the tourist office quoting the cheaper offer and see what happens.
                briand

Brian
I have just booked Gesthaus Angelika http://www.arlberg.com/hotel.angelika/ which has got to be in position A as far as St Anton is concerned - right at the bottom of the ski runs from Mooserwirt and beside Galzigbahn and the new Rendlbahn (being built at bus terminus). I’m paying 73EUR per night b&b and has sauna etc too. Other bonus is that the room has two beds and not the Austrian twin, which as you know is not ideal for a boys trip. If you mention that your friend Bob Steel has just paid a deposit for week commencing 27th Feb it may help??? Who knows?
Problem that you will encounter is that if you’re only going for 3 nights. St Anton as you know is so popular that it can insist on 7 nights Sat to Sat. Hotel Montana on the Dorfstrasse may be worth checking out as they don’t insist on 7 nights stay. Also try this website http://www.st-antonamarlberg.co.uk/
Good luck

Wendy
Dutch company is http://www.skichalets.nl I did come accross another one but I can’t remember the details.
 
Looking at the family holiday it may be cheaper for us to do a package this year but only based on a couple of deals - the vast majority are cheaper independently

Wendy - got that other Dutch website http://www.chatel.nl/

Hi Wendy,
 
Yes we are going a bit off the beaten track. We’re going to have a week around Sesto and then another in Castelrotto. A good way for us to mix up the alpine and XC without sacrificing on scenery!
 
JJ

That sounds very interesting, John. Hope you’ll report back. So, you’re keen X-country skiers - do you think this would be a good option in a resort chooser?
 
I’m keen to include it - so it’s interesting that you have based your choices around both downhill and nordic possibilities. Have you been to those resorts before?
 
Bob: the Dutch company looks good. Was it recommended to you or did you find them by chance?

Wendy,
 
Yes I do. I often find that there are days when conditions for downhill might not be so great (perhaps when it is a bit windy up top) that are just perfect for XC. Similarly, after new snow, it can take a long while to get around an XC network with the PBs whilst downhill slopes can be open first thing.
 
We’ve been to Castelrotto before (brilliant for Seiseralm) but not to Sesto, Dobbiacco (where we’re going to stay).
 
Some of the best resorts which provide a real choice include St Moritz (Celerina is our absolute favourite), Schladming (incl. Ramsau), Cortina, Levi (limited for downhill but fantastic for XC) and Geilo (ditto).
 
However, if you’re prepared to travel a bit, there are a whole host of places where there is good downhill or XC on the doorstep and plenty of the other sort a short bus or train hop away.
 
At the risk of being broing, happy to tell you more ...
 
JJ

And I should definitely have mentioned Oberstdorf on the German/ Austrian border. Fantastic scenery, plenty of skiing and lots to do!

Wendy - found the shichalets.nl on a thread on another ski forum (starts with snow and ends in heads). The chatel.nl purely found by chance as I was looking for something in Stuben