Jetsettersblog

Directski.com, has come up with its pick of the top ten European ski destinations for all types of skier….

1. Best ski resort for friends – Söll, Austria
Söll is a good choice for a group of mixed ability skiers and non-skiers, as it has lively après, ski, a pretty village atmosphere, access to 250kms of ski runs, good ski school and gentle nursery slopes, and masses to do for non-skiers, such as curling, ice-skating, swimming, paragliding or indoor tennis. When the lifts stop, the entertainment ranges from authentic Tirolean, to modern and Eurotrash, with masses of bars, clubs and restaurants.

A week’s ski holiday with accommodation at the Schindlhaus Apartments in the centre of Soll can be booked over Christmas 2011 from as little as £335 from Gatwick and £255 from Manchester based on 4 sharing on a self-catering basis, departing on 24thDecember 2011. Visit www.directski.com

2. Best family ski resort – Mayrhofen, Austria
The traditional Tirolean town of Mayrhofen is a good choice for a family ski holiday, with its friendly family-run hotels, streets lined with brightly lit shops and restaurants, English speaking ski schools and good crèche facilities, while the town is surrounded by mile upon mile of excellent skiing. The ski schools, crèche and the ski lifts, ski school are also all close to the centre, simplifying pre-ski drop off and pick up for younger kids.

A week’s stay costs from £563 for a family of four at the Alpin-Hotel Schrofenblick, a family run traditional hotel in the centre of Mayrhofen, departing from Gatwick or £603 from Manchester, including return flights, accommodation and transfers on 14th Jan 2012 (€788 from Dublin, £623 from Belfast). www.directski.com

3. Best après ski – Arinsal, Andorra
The prize for best value après ski has to go Andorra for its duty free pricing, inexpensive, great value resorts. The happy hours, discos, lively cafes and restaurants also give the Andorran resort of Arinsal its reputation as one of the liveliest resorts in the mountains. The skiing’s pretty good too!

A week’s skiing with b&b accommodation at the Hotel Ayma can be booked from just £342 from Gatwick, £382 from Manchester and €417 from Dublin including return flights and transfers, departing on 8th January 2012, based on 4 sharing.www.directski.com

4. Best skiing for ski divas – Val d’Isere, France
Val d’Isere is one of the world’s top ski resorts and draws skiers from around the world. Home to the men’s downhill in the 1992 Olympics it offers extensive, world-class skiing, amazing powder and great opportunities for off-piste adventures. If you want to be seen in all the right places, it has to be on the piste in Val d’Isere.

A week’s skiing in Val d’Isere over New Years costs from £416 per person, based on 2 sharing a self-catering apartment in the Residence Le Villeret from 31st December 2011 with return Gatwick flights (Manchester £436, Belfast £476, Dublin €605) and transfers.www.directski.com

5. Best new kid on the block – Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
For a week’s skiing away from the ski glitterati pick somewhere like Slovenia, where the food and nightlife is rustic, the skiing is close to nature and there’s no need to invest in the latest ski gear when you’re bound to come across some one piece classics from the early 1990’s.

7 nights half board accommodation at the 4* Hotel Lek in the Slovene resort of Kranjska Gora costs from £283, based on 2 sharing, travelling on 7th January 2012. www.directski.com

6. Best beginners resort – Pas de la Casa, Andorra
Learn to ski away from the bright lights of a glitzy resort. Pick somewhere fun and lively like Pas de la Casa in Andorra for cheaper equipment, duty free shopping and great value learn to ski packages, with good, English speaking ski schools and great après ski too.

A week’s skiing with self-catering accommodation at the Aparthotel Olimpiades in Pas de la Casa can be booked with Directski.com from £387 per person with return Gatwick flights (Manchester £427, Dublin €468) and transfers, departing on 8th January 2012, based on 4 sharing.

A learn to ski pack costs from £225 / €260, including 5 half days tuition, ski and boot hire and lift pass. www.directski.com

7. Best for ski & spa – Bad Gastein, Austria
The Austrian spa town of Bad Gastein is world renowned for the soothing properties and the alleged healing powers of its natural thermal waters. Its snow record is pretty good too, which makes it a perfect ski and spa combination for those looking to relax after pounding the slopes.

With its steam bath, outdoor heated pool, whirlpool, sauna and massage facilitiesDirectski.com has a week at the 4* Sporthotel Alpina, arriving on 14th January 2011, for £412 per person from Gatwick, £452 from Manchester (Belfast £472, Dublin €555) including return flights, half board accommodation and transfers, based on 4 sharing.www.directski.com

8. Best high altitude skiing – Tignes, France
When the snow’s melting elsewhere Tignes is a cert for the white stuff and is one of Europe’s premier destinations for glacier skiing with the Grand Motte glacier dominating the surrounding area giving it one of the longest ski seasons in Europe. The resort is served by the large well linked L’Espace Killy ski area and offers access to over 300km (190 miles) of pistes.

A week’s self catering ski holiday at the 3* Le Hameau du Borsat apartments, based on 4 sharing, costs from £329 per person, departing on 14th January 2012, including return flights from Gatwick or £349 from Manchester and transfers, (Belfast £369, Dublin €430). www.directski.com

9. Best budget skiing
The best way to trim the cost of a ski holiday is to ski in mid-January when Christmas and New Year are over, but before half term, take some friends, find a good value apartment in the French Alps and self-cater for a week. France’s La Plagne together with Les Arcs is one of the largest ski areas in the world with extensive access to high altitude skiing on uncrowded pistes.

Departing on 17th December 2011 Directski.com has a week’s self-catering ski holiday in France’s La Plagne for £259 per person from Gatwick (£239 from Manchester) including self-catering accommodation at the 3* Belambra Residence Cassiopee apartments, return fights and transfers, based on 4 sharing. The prices tumble further for larger group sizes. Visit www.directski.com

10. Best non-ski activities – Zell am See, Austria
For non-skiers and those wanting to take a break from the slopes Zell am See – with its pretty lake – has masses to offer, including tobogganing, bowling, a sports centre with indoor pool, ice-skating, snow shoeing, sleigh rides and cinema. Its good rail links with other resorts and Austria’s cities makes it a pleasant base for touring too.

7 nights half board accommodation at the 3* Hotel Seehof costs from £496, based on 4 sharing, with return Gatwick flights and transfers, (£506 from Manchester, £566 from Belfast, €643 from Dublin), departing on 7th January 2011. www.directski.com

Dublin based ski tour operator Directski.com is giving skiers a €50 per person off the price of every ski holiday booked to Andorra between now and the 8.30pm kick-off of the EURO 2012 group stages on Friday 7th October 2012 if Ireland beat Andorra by two goals or more.

The €50 saving will be automatically rebated to ski holiday bookings to Andorra if the Irish national football team secures qualification for EURO 2012 by a two goal lead and is in addition to Directski.com’s current promotion offering €70 off all holidays from Ireland to the Alps this winter when the holiday is booked online.

All ski holiday discounts will be applied to bookings by 6pm the following Monday.

To book visit www.directski.com

Thousands of skiing holidays are being discounted heavily leaving specialist ski operators vulnerable.

With New Year landing on a weekend this year, skiers are unwilling to travel on those days and the traditionally busy New Year week has been left unsold.

Many schools are also returning as early as 3 January, preventing the family market holidaying a few days after Christmas and the initial high New Year prices have led skiers to look for cheaper alternatives.

Richard Sinclair at ski specialist sno, said: “While skiers are benefitting from ever more eye watering discounts, it’s the smaller indie ski companies who are suffering. The big boys can afford to make a loss for a few years but, with small business struggling to secure borrowing, many small ski firms are finding things very hard.

“Prices are the lowest we’ve ever seen them and you can currently pick up an early January ski holiday for what were previously only available as ‘last minute’ prices.

“The take-home for customers though is that these crazy prices are getting noticed and are selling fast. Its simple supply and demand – when these prices reduce supply, these prices will have to go.”

Some ski operators had switched departure dates in a bid to avoid the problem but many, including Crystal and Inghams, are now discounting by as much as 40%.

Resorts that traditionally fly on Saturday have been affected like France, Austria and Switzerland while Andorra, which has packages starting Sunday, 26 December have been snapped up as more affordable.

David Tonks, ski and activity manager at agency Ski-Direct, part of Midlands Co-op Travel, said “Prices have been heavily discounted.

The main reason is the fact that people do not want to go away on the 31 December as they may arrive in resort quite late to fully enjoy the New Year.

“Also, they come back later in January than normal and this has an effect with schooling.

“New Year is the most expensive time along with Feb Half Term and the prices were very high of course.

“Some people have opted to go at other times due to economic reasons.”

Snow holiday specialist Neilson has launched a second edition of its 2011/12 ski brochure with a fresh new look and design, new resorts, exclusive travel options and fantastic ‘ski inclusive’ package for 11/12.

To celebrate they are offering one of the first 500 customers who request the brochure (via www.neilson.co.uk from Thursday 4th August 2011) the chance to win a ski trip for 2 to Åre, Sweden*!

Exclusive Airport for Andorra

The new brochure announces Neilson as the exclusive UK operator to fly into the brand new, stunningly designed Lleida Airport. Guest holidaying at one of Neilson’s Andorran resorts will enjoy the benefits of shorter transfer times and exclusive use of all check-in desks, security points and arrival/dept hall for Neilson flight times.

Scandinavia Specialist

Neilson are proud to remain experts in Scandinavia. Harnessing their knowledge of this stunning country they’ve hand picked snow-sure resorts in Norway and Sweden that are ideal for families and beginners, all equipped with excellent ski schools and first-class hospitality. Non-skiers and those looking for something a little different have plenty of pre-bookable snow activities to choose from too – from horse drawn sleigh rides and snowmobile safaris to tree top walks and dinner in an igloo.

And that’s not all! Neilson are expanding and are now operating in some incredible new resorts:

Folgarida, Italy – a truly wonderful resort for those who love winter sports and want to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing holiday with the stunning scenery of the Dolomites as a backdrop.

Take advantage of the new Lleida airport to access the largely undiscovered Baqueira Beret, the largest skiable area in Spain; beautiful, un-crowded slopes and an extensive and varied selection of après-ski.

Brand new and exclusive to Neilson Lofer, Austria is a hidden wonder just a short 30 minute transfer from Salzburg Airport. Great value accommodation, perfect for families & beginners and a base point for the better known nearby resorts of Maria Alm & Saalbach.

And finally, internationally known Grindelwald, Switzerland set amidst breathtaking scenery and offering something for everyone including non-skiers.

Great Offers

Neilson offers customers guaranteed savings on December departures, 1000s of Kid’s fly, ski & stay free options, 2 for 1 Lift Pass Offers in Norway & Sweden throughout December & January and the best groups deal out there with up to 1 in 4 going free. They have a dedicated groups ski reservation team available on 0845 070 3460 to help with every step of organizing your trip.

To make life even easier there’s a new Ski Inclusive option from just £399 to get you on the slopes in one easy-to-book package which includes flights, accommodation, return transfers to resort, lift pass, ski or board hire or carriage, boot hire and dedicated Neilson rep service!

*The Prize One randomly selected customer from the first 500 who request a copy of the new second edition 11/12 Ski & Snowboard brochure from www.neilson.co.uk will win a January 2012 trip for 2 to Åre, Sweden. The prize is non-transferable. The prize includes flights from the UK, transfers and half-board accommodation for 2 adults travelling on available dates in January 2012. . Neilson Holidays reserves the right to alter details of/ withdraw the prize at any time.

For further information and bookings contact Neilson on 0870 33 33 347

or visit www.neilson.co.uk

with Airport Transfer Providers

Private and shared-ride ski transfers from airports to Alpine destinations and ski resorts by ground transportation service

PERRYSBURG, OH – World-Airport-Transfer.com connects ski transfer-seekers directly with airport transfer providers operating out of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. The website announces that it has private and shared ride transfers covering all Alpine destinations and ski resorts through its network of service providers. Transfer vehicles are based at major airports and can be reserved in advance via online booking or hotline number +852 8127 7525.

“Ski transfers bring vacationers straight from the airport to ski stations or resorts, making ski transfers convenient and low-cost options for travelers,” notes Emmanuel Issaurat, president of World-Airport.Transfer.com. “Vacationers can save time and money because there is no need to line up for a taxi or wait for a pick-up. On World-Airport-Transfer.com ski transfers are available by shuttle or shared vans alongside making them even cheaper for customers.”

English vacationers to the French Alps have options for five major airports. From Chambery – Aix les Bains Airport, Grenoble-Isere Airport (IATA: CMF), and Lyon-Saint Exupery Airport (IATA: LYS) shuttles and private cars bring passengers to most of the big ski destinations, including Courchevel, Moutiers (access point to the Les Trois Vallees), Tignes, Val D’isere, Les Gets, and Chamonix; and ski resorts of Meribel, Avoriaz, and Les Arcs.

From Chambery or Grenoble, transportation is also available for these ski towns: Brides-les-Bains, Les Avanchers-Valmorel, Doucy-en-Bauges, Cellier-du-Luc, Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, as well as for Briancon, ski station of the Serre Chevalier ski resort.

Meanwhile Bourg-St-Maurice, St-Francis-Longchamp, Montgenèvre, and Bonneval-sur-Arc are additional options for travelers arriving in Lyons.

Toulouse-Blagnac International Airport (IATA: TLS) has ski transfers to the Pyrenees ski towns including Andorra la Vella, Bagnères-de-Luchon, Baqueira-Beret, Canillo, Encamp, Ordino, Pas de la Casa, and Soldeu. The Pyreenes can also be reached from Barcelona International Airport (IATA: BCN).

Vacationers heading for the Mercantour area from Nice Cote D Azur Airport (IATA: NCE) has options for Auron, Isola 2000, and St Dalmas.

From Munich International Airport (IATA: MUC) transfers are available for vacationers in the ski towns of Berchtesgaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Lenggries Mittenwald, Oberammergau, and Oberstdorf.

Transfers from Malpensa Airport (IATA: MXP) can take travelers directly to Aosta, Champoluc, La Thuile, Chur, Lugano, Pinerolo, Sestriere and other ski resorts. Ski transfers are also available from Orio Al Serio Airport (IATA: BGY), and Linate Airport (IATA: LIN).

Transfers from Geneva Cointrin International Airport (IATA: GVA)and Zurich Airport (IATA: ZRH) in Switzerland reach most of the major ski stations in Valais, Vaud, Bernese Oberland, Central Switzerland, Graubünden, and Eastern Switzerland.

About World Airport Transfers

World Airport Transfer offers economical and hassle-free transport options in major airports worldwide since 1997. Travel agents, corporations, Internet users, hotels, and airline passengers can book airport-ground transportation at over 400 major airports by booking online.

The website is translated into 15 international language versions (English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Dutch, and Greek) and features online-booking and 24-hour toll-free phone reservation centers.

Its full range of transportation options, including shared-ride shuttle vans, private vans, sedans, limousines, mini coaches, and deluxe motor coaches, can be customized for all kinds of needs and to complement any type of travel experience.

World Airport Transfer is managed by Tours and Co Associates Inc, which also operates City-Discovery.com, an international leader in the Tours and Activities industry. The company has offices in the USA, France, Greece, Italy, Brazil, and the Philippines.

CIE Tours International inaugurated its fifth year of selling European River Cruises with the release of European River Cruises & Coach Tours 2011, a 44-page brochure spotlighting eight different river cruise itineraries.

“CIE Tours is offering European river cruising on the Danube, Main, Rhine and Mosel rivers via state-of-the-art 150-passenger river ships with deluxe accommodations, lounges, fitness centers, sun decks, balconies and elevators,” said Brian W. Stack, managing director of CIE Tours International.

“Clients will explore Old World Europe in 2011-style, and everything is included on board ship — three gourmet meals daily and complimentary local wines.”

New for 2011 is Europe’s Rivers & Castles, a 14-day/12-night/25-meal vacation that starts on land with three nights in Paris and visits Luxembourg before boarding a seven-night cruise from Remich to Nuremberg.

The cruise moves through the center of Germany past castles, wine country and the Romantic Road, ending in Prague for two nights.

This cruise also operates in reverse, Prague to Paris, and includes two hotel nights in Prague to three hotel nights in Paris. Prices start at $2,099 for cruise only; $3,339 for cruise and land.

Once a cruise is paid for, the price is guaranteed against any currency fluctuations.

Departures are April 21 through Nov. 3, 2011.

The cruise meanders through Bernkastel, Cochem, Koblenz, Lorelei Rock, Rudesheim, Frankfurt, Miltenberg, Würzburg, Bamberg, the Main-Danube Canal, and Nuremberg. Highlights include touring the Mosel wine-producing region; a guided tour of Reichsburg Castle or a cruise to Koblenz where the Mosel meets the Rhine; a guided walking tour of Mainz or Heidelberg, Germany’s oldest university town; guided walking tour of the old Franconian town of Miltenberg; visit to Würzburg, “the Pearl of the Romantic Road”; or an optional excursion to Rothenburg for a walking tour.

The land tour also includes guided tours of Paris and the French countryside, Luxembourg and Prague.

In addition, CIE Tours offers cruises concentrating on the Danube and Rhine as well as Tulip Time cruises to Holland and Belgium and Christmas Time cruises that include stops at European Christmas markets.

The choices include cruises ranging in duration from nine to 16 days. For information, call 800-CIE-TOUR or visit www.cietours.com

Europcar’s new Roadside Gastro Guide takes motorists from roadside stands to converted cowsheds and stately homes to reveal Britain’s hidden foodie gems.

Europcar survey* reveals 95% of motorists believe the choice, price and quality of roadside food is unacceptable – with 80% saying they have previously gone hungry rather than eat from the selection on offer.

To escape the tyranny of the motorway service food offering and celebrate the diversity of Britain’s local, independently owned eateries, Europcar, the UK’s leading car hire company, has teamed up with The Guild of Food Writers to produce a free-to-download Roadside Gastro Guide.

Instead of offering yet another list of renowned, Michelin-starred, celebrity chef restaurants, The Roadside Gastro Guide tapped into the knowledge of some of the UKs finest food writers and broadcasters – including Anthony Worrall Thompson and Valentine Warner – to reveal 20 of Britain’s hidden culinary gems.

Stretching from the Scottish Highlands to the Dorset coast, the Europcar guide includes everything from country inns, to tea shops and stately homes, and all specialise in offering locally sourced, fresh, home-cooked fare.

A far cry yet a short distance from the motorway services, the guide reveals a foodie world of individual character, spectacular views, friendly service, converted barns, quirky decor, old-fashioned bone china and quirkily named dishes such as the Wortley Wedge – ‘a beast of a sandwich made from the roast of the day’.

According to Richard Ehrlich of the Guild of Food Writers; “Motorway catering may mostly be the pits for pit stops, but outstanding food can be found just a short detour from many main roads.

“The establishments here cover a fantastic range.

They cover much of the country, and include both celebrated restaurants and little gems known largely to locals.

I hope they convey the message that being in the car doesn’t mean giving up on good food.

You just need to know where to look – and downloading a free copy of the Roadside Gastro Guide is the perfect place to start.”

Catriona Kempston of Europcar added: “Whether it’s delivering a car to their door or simply helping them to avoid soggy chips and overpriced pies, we’re always looking for new ways for motorists to get maximum pleasure out of their driving experience”.

The full version of the Roadside Gastro Guide contains detailed, individual recommendations by Guild of Food Writers members, including background information, personal insights, recommended dishes, contact details, opening times and, most importantly, directions from major roads.

Won’t Break The Bank

Keeping track of the best last minute skiing bargains is about to get easier this season with the launch of a new ski price index from Teletext Holidays.

The new index, which is designed to help people manage their winter holiday budget and will be updated on a weekly basis, is online at www.teletextholidays.co.uk/skipriceindex

The index makes Teletext Holidays the first company to track not only the typical cost of the ski holiday itself, but also the cost of essential items such as boot hire and lift passes giving a complete picture of the overall cost of a break away, helping snow seekers keep a check on their holiday budget.

To keep the index bang up to date the Teletext Holidays team will be tracking thousands of last minute holiday prices from hundreds of different companies every week.

Bulgaria and Andorra top the index for the lowest ski holiday destinations.

“The ski market is set for a bumpy ride this year,” said Alison Steed, financial expert and editor of mymoneydiva.com: “For anyone who isn’t a die-hard skier, a winter snow sports holiday could be seen as a luxury especially when people are living on a tight budget. But ski holidays don’t have to break the bank.”

“Prices are likely to come down as the season progresses and – because of the recession – we could potentially see much lower ski prices than they have done for years. That makes it the ideal time to get a bargain break.”

“The index is a really useful tool. It’s essentially an online “shop window” to show where the best prices are at a glance.”

Despite the Euro strengthening against the pound this year, there are more deals available in popular resorts European resorts which show great value.

Example prices include:

- Three star self catering in Tignes, France £ 319
- Three star self catering Les Deux Alpes, France £252
- Three star half board, Pas de la Casa, Andorra £283
- Three star half board La Plagne, France £318
- Three star half board Borovets, Bulgaria, £233
- Three star half board Courmayeur, Italy £351

Mark Bloxham, head of marketing, Teletext Holidays, said: “The in-resort extras which go alongside a ski holiday, such as boot hire, lift passes, eating and drinking must be considered alongside the actual cost of the break to get a true picture of the total cost.

“The winter sports market was down last year and it’s likely to be a similar story for the 2009/10 season which means tour operators are likely to stimulate demand by dropping prices. The index will allow people to keep track of the best deals.”

For clever ways to save money on a ski break Teletext Holidays has teamed up with financial expert Alison Steed and her tips are online at www.teletextholidays.co.uk/skipriceindex

Auto Europe has launched a full-service car rental reservation mobile website.

Travelers can reserve car rental services, look up their current reservations or jump over to their main website for additional services on a web-enabled phone or PC.

With one click, car rental services can be arranged at over 4,000 locations worldwide including airport, hotel and downtown locations.

Simply select your rental country, pick up city, dates of travel, transmission and car category and from there, choose the car rental that best suits your needs.

If you already have a reservation but need to change or review your services, visit Reservation Look Up on the mobile site and enter your voucher number, and driver’s first and last name.

There is also a full FAQ section and information to contact Auto Europe if you have any questions about your reservation or using the site.

For additional services, select Full Site.

For more information,

visit www.autoeurope.com/mobile

Snoangel is the site for anyone interested in what the mountains have to offer, whether you’re a fair weather skier, preferring apres ski to a day on the slopes, or a seasoned pro.

Previously www.girlpowder.co.uk , we have relaunched this season with a slicker, more user friendly site.

We aim to provide a user friendly, regularly updated, site that you’ll come back to again and again for ideas, information and expert, unrivaled editorial on all aspects of winter sports.

The idea of this site is to celebrate fun and a passion for skiing and snowboarding, which will inspire people of all capabilities to be the best they can be.

We hope readers will feel engaged and empowered to achieve anything you want in the sport at any level.

Whether it is perfecting your parallel turn or just finding the right resort for you and your friends this season.

Aside from access to information on women only training camps and holidays worldwide, each month we will aim to deliver the inside track on the subjects that matter most to women, alongside reader resort reviews, tried and tested reports of the latest gear, health and fitness tips, slope fashion and the best of après ski.