Top tips for a budget family skiing holiday
The summer holiday is now drifting into the sandy memory banks, kids are going back to school, normality is returning. Which means that it must be time to look forward to the Family Winter Holiday! However, with the housing market still shaky, the media still harping on about double-dip (which I’m sure used to be an ice cream topping), and general belt-tightening going on, this year there will have to be a strict budget.
The ski chalet is probably the best type of accommodation for most winter sports holidays, but for families they are brilliant. Exclusive use of a chalet allows your family to spread out, toys, books and games can be left out, with a more homely atmosphere. However, most chalets cater for eight or more people, and a supplement is generally required to secure that exclusive use. For those looking at budget skiing with the family one way to gain exclusive use is to share with another family.
Rather than going for a catered chalet, the budget could be stretched further by choosing the self-catered chalet option. Sharing an self catered chalet on an exclusive basis can help the budget conscious in many other ways. Very often the cooking, cleaning, and many other chores are left to Mum. Babysitting duties can be shared alternately with your friends, and if a nanny is booked for a big night out, the fee is halved. Sharing these tasks and costs with another family, and having a cooking/housework rota, can certainly make for a far more relaxing holiday, and one that stays within budget.
Another tip for the budget family skiing holiday is to look at self-travel. Very often, when you are able to travel is decided by school holidays, which is when airlines raise their fares. Choosing to drive to the alps, and booking well in advance, has a number of benefits. You are able to pick the departure time and date, those who don’t like flying are happier, the airport scrum is avoided, you have your own transport in resort. However, one the biggest advantages of driving is that you can take your own food and other supplies, as well as larger items which the airlines would charge extra to carry. Most chalets will have high chairs, steam sterilizers and child seats, and cots can usually be made available if organised with the tour operator in advance. All you have to buy in resort are fresh produce such as milk, bread and vegetables.
The French Tourism Ministry is actively promoting it’s ‘Famille Pus’ scheme, aimed at highlighting those resorts which provide a high level of quality and breadth of family holiday orientated facilities. Tour operators, such as Alpine Elements, can make use of this scheme when recommending family friendly resorts. Les Gets, Morzine,, Les 2 Alpes and Les Arcs are examples of Famille Plus mountain resorts. Les Gets, for example, has a complete Wild West Indian village themed area, ‘Le Territoire du Grand Cry’, which is specifically aimed at 5 to 12 year olds.
For those without ski gear - don’t buy it for your kids. They will grow out of it by next season. Borrow or buy second hand. Or use what you may already have - Rash vests from the summer holiday make great second skin wear. Ski socks, salopettes, jackets, gloves etc all ‘do the rounds’, just pass your old stuff down the line!
For the best family ski deals it is definitely best to book early. Make maximum use of the early-bird and room occupancy discounts - sharing a quad room can shave £100 from the bottom line! Other deals like money off ski and snowboard hire, as well as free infant holidays are all there if you book early. Leaving the family ski holiday in the hands of the late booking god is asking for a biblical style disaster, especially as tour operators have cut back on their bed space this year in order to try and reverse the late booking trend of recent years.
Top tips for a budget family skiing holiday
• Share a chalet with another family to gain exclusive use.
• Drive to the alps, and carry more.
• Choose a Self Catered Chalet.
• Book early and make maximum use of family discounts.
• Choose resorts with Famille Plus style programmes.
• Make use of free children’s activities.
• Borrow, don’t buy children’s ski clothing.
Visit Alpine Elements website for the best ski holidays deals: alpineelements.co.uk
