Jetsettersblog

Popular Landing Spots For British Skiers & Snowboarders

Leading flight search engine, Skyscanner (www.Skyscanner.net), dips into its data to see where British winter sports enthusiasts are flying to this winter. Despite economic woes, European ski searches appear healthy with a small rise in flight search traffic for ski airports compared to last year. With a strong US dollar, it seems many Brits are avoiding transatlantic mountains and favouring the more local European peaks.

1. Geneva (Switzerland) – at number one by quite a long way it’s Geneva. Close to the French border (the airport even has a French sector), Geneva is an ideal landing zone for skiers and snowboarders, offering the choice of over 100 ski resorts within two hours’ drive. One of the closest is Lelex, a small resort served by 13 ski lifts, ideal for families and beginners, and at the other end of the scale – Morzine, part of Les Portes Du Soleil ski area, a huge interlinked domaine offering some 650 different pistes, served by over 200 ski lifts.

2. Nice (France) – located for good access to the ski resorts of the Southern French Alps and the Italian Alps, Nice offers access to 12 ski resorts within 3 hours’ drive. Isola 2000 is one of the best in range, rising to 2610m, offering about 50 pistes and around 120km of downhill skiing and snowboarding. Alba, about 2.5 hours from Nice is an ideal choice for beginners, a compact area which is also good for cross country skiing, boasting 52km of Nordic trails.

3. Salzburg (Austria) – located in the north of the country, Salzburg is surrounded by over 100 resorts to the south, east and west, all of which are less than 2 hours drive from the airport. Mayrhofen is one of the most famous in the area and one of the highest resorts in Austria; part of the Zillertal ski area, it offers access to 130 pistes. If you’re looking for a family ski area and need something with shorter drive times, try St Wolfgang – one of the closest ski areas to Salzburg, this small resort has 9 ski lifts as well as 30km of cross country trials.

4. Munich (Germany) – another good access point with almost 100 ski resorts within 2 hours of the airport. Choose from a great selection of Northern Austrian resorts, or for something a little different, why not visit a German ski resort? Though little known as a skiing destination, Germany has some great options; Sankt Englmar is a small ski area best suited to beginners and young families in the east of Germany – or try Grainau – one of the bigger resorts in Germany offering an impressive vertical drop of over 2000m and 44 pistes.

5. Grenoble (France) – there are over 50 ski resorts within 1.5 hours of the airport, including some of the biggest and best such as Alp d’Huez, Courchevel, La Grave, Meribel and Valmorel. For somewhere a little more secret, try Autrans - a quieter area with 16 lifts and about 18km of downhill slopes as well as 160km of cross country ski trails.

Best of the Rest:

Toulouse (France) – offers access to Pyrenean ski resorts in France, Spain and Andorra. Pas de la Casa is a firm favourite with the Brits, renowned for its excellent value and lively après ski action.

Innsbruck (Austria) – great for getting to resorts in the Tyrol region and the city of Innsbruck itself is home to Nordkette, a small ski area with slopes overlooking the city, which boasts one of the steepest runs in Europe.

Milan Bergamo (Italy) – good for Northern Italian resorts. Try Livigno, a duty free ski resort with an excellent terrain park and good off piste options, a quaint alpine town untouched by overdevelopment.

To find more cheap flights, fast – visit www.Skyscanner.net

The Rhine Valley Music Festival (24–31 May 2009) features seven private concerts performed by top rank musicians in a variety of historic buildings along one of Europe’s great rivers. The audience lives on a modern and comfortable ship, chartered exclusively for the week, disembarking for concerts or to explore historic towns and sites along the way.

Some of the finest musicians in Germany and Switzerland (and Britain), including the Baden-Baden Philharmonic, Andreas Scholl, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Cantus Cölln, Natalie Clein, Basel Chamber Orchestra and Amphion Octet, perform music by Mendelssohn, Haydn, Nikolaus Bruhns, Matthias Weckmann, Schumann, and others.

The historic venues, often dating from the same period as the music performed in them and in some cases with even more specific links, include the Kurhaus in Baden Baden, Church of the Holy Trinity in Speyer, Hambacher Schloss and the Residenzschloss in Mannheim.

The spoken word contributes to the audience’s experience and there are daily talks by musicologist Roderick Swanston and Timothy Blanning, Professor of Modern History at Cambridge.

Launched in 2006, the MS Helvetia II is one of the most modern and comfortable passenger ships on European waters.

Prices range from £2,660 to £4,390 per person and include admission to all seven private concerts, a choice of flights from London, Manchester and Birmingham, accommodation for seven nights on board the river cruiser, all meals including wine, water and coffee, coach travel, talks by a musicologist and historian, interval drinks, all tips, taxes and admission charges, practical and historical information and a detailed programme booklet.

Naturidyll Hotels – Take a country break.pdfAustria was recently hailed as one of the world’s best destinations for sustainable tourism in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report. And the Austrian Institute for Sustainability hails the Naturidyll hotels as the pioneers of Europe with an “aristocratic” green sensibility.

Your holiday at a Naturidyll hotel starts in the morning with a culinary excursion: delicious cheese, milk or yoghurt - all regional products of very high quality. All breakfast buffets at Naturidyll hotels uniquely reflect their region and it is of utmost concern to all hoteliers to show the excellent culinary specialities of the region. Amidst spectacular lake or mountain scenery, Naturidyll hoteliers want you to feel at home, which is why the service is not only personal, it’s also lovingly attentive. Austria’s Naturidyll hotels are family- run and limited to a certain size.

Eco-conciousness, sustainability, the keeping of regional traditions and values, and the careful use of nature’s gifts are the virtues of all Naturidyll Hotels in Austria. Aside from the work of farmers, hunters and forest men, 70% of power comes from alternative energy and 60% of all waste is recycled.

Winter break at the Naturidyll Hotels
Winter in Austria is not only long and intense but also exciting, refreshing and offering more than its share of possible adventures as well as romantic and relaxing moments. When the Austrian countryside is covered by a white blanket of snow, time has come to get up, gear up and go out. There are abundant possibilities for every gender and age. Go fast or go slow, go up or down – you will enjoy whatever you do tremendously.

Naturidyll Feriengut Buasen*** Schneewalzer Package:

• 7 days/6 nights including half-board
• ski pass for the ski arena Wildkogel (www.wildkogelbahnen.at)
• 3 days (4 hours daily) skiing lessons for advanced skiers OR 5 days (2 hours daily) skiing lessons for beginners
• free use of wellness area
• 20 % reduction on equipment for hire
Available from: 10 - 31 January 2009, or 7 - 28 March 2009

Price: from EUR 549.50 (GBP 379.16) per person in a double

‘European Boating Holidays’ announce fixed Euro to Pound exchange rate for 2009 bookings With brochure prices currently in Euros, EBH will offer existing and new travellers a fixed rate of 1.30 to 1 for holidays booked to any destination by the end of January 2009.

European Boating Holidays is the 1st independent inland water cruise company in Europe operating two brands Locaboat with the classical P nichettes and Cardinal with its modern fleet of Europas Call 0845 450 5229 or visit Locaboat.com or cardinalboating.com

LONDON, UK - ‘European Boating Holidays’ announce fixed Euro to Pound exchange rate for 2009 bookings

This week, EBH will freeze the Euro to Pound exchange rate in order to pass significant savings onto customers for 2009 holidays. With brochure prices currently in Euros, EBH will offer existing and new travellers a fixed rate of 1.30 to 1 for holidays booked to any destination by the end of January 2009.

‘We are determined that our existing and new clients are able to continue enjoying boating holidays across Europe in the New Year despite the economic downturn. This fixed exchange rate, will save a family of four more than 225* for a week in April onboard a P nichette 1020FB in Ireland or France,’ says Matthieu Glasson, Sales and Marketing Manager at EBH.

EBH can be contacted on 0845 450 5229 or enquiries made online at
http://www.locaboat.com or http://www.cardinalboating.com.

Notes to Editors:
* Based on today’s rate of 1, 09 to 1

About EBH
With Locaboat and Cardinal EBH has 450 boats, traditional or modern, for 2 to 12 people, with no need for a boat licence, spread across 28 bases through France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Holland and Ireland. Whether you’re a couple, family or group of friends the differing models are designed to suit any sailor.

During your cruise, an abundance of activities are available, from discovering gastronomic delights, historical sites, biking along the tow paths, fishing for catch of the day or simply relaxing on deck with a glass of the regions finest wine.

Example Pricing based on fixed exchange rate: ( 1.30 to 1)

Prices for the 4th May bank holiday weekend onboard a Locaboat Penichette in France, Italy or Holland, start at 184 per person based on four sharing.

Prices for the 25th May Bank Holiday weekend onboard a Locaboat Penichette (P1400FB) in Ireland start at 1182 - so 148 per person based on 8 people sharing.

Prices for a week in April onboard a Cardinal Europa in Germany start at 1292, so 646 per couple based on two couples sharing.

Prices for a week in June onboard a Locaboat Penichette (P935R) in Ireland start at 759, so 253 per person based on 2/3 sharing.

Prices for a week in June onboard a Locaboat Penichette (P935R) start at 985, so 328 per person based on 3 sharing.

Rail Europe, a distributor of European rail products in North America, announced the launch of Trenitalia’s new Milan to Rome high-speed rail link. The new line shaves an hour off the route, connecting Italy’s political and financial capitals in 3 hours and 30 minutes. The new route establishes Milan as Italy’s main point of connection with Europe’s high-speed larger rail network for the benefit of business and leisure travelers alike. Milan is currently served by Artesia trains from Paris, Cisalpino from Basel, Bern and Geneva, Riviera from Nice and Elipsos overnight trains from Barcelona.

Trenitalia’s ETR500 AV Red Arrow Train, which will service the new route and will be available for reservations on www.agent.raileurope.com in January, was designed by Italian automotive designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Giugiaro was recently named Automotive Designer of the Century for his achievements in designing for Audi, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati, Volkswagen and others. The Red Arrow reaches a maximum speed of 186 miles per hour, offering rail travelers in Italy an equivalent level of speed, service and convenience as other European countries.
Passengers can order from a menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections from the restaurant car, as well as snacks and beverages from the bar car. TrenItalia’s InterCity Plus and Eurostar Italia trains, offer speedy connections between Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Bologna and Naples and convenient access to many smaller Italian towns. Rail Europe offers a full range of TrenItalia tickets that can be tailored toward each traveler’s individual needs.

To book any of Rail Europe’s wide range of economical railpasses and point-to-point tickets on trains throughout Europe, call 888-382-7245 or visit Rail Europe’s website at the banner at the right.

Ski Freshtracks, the market leaders in adventure skiing, are offering the perfect solution for single skiers this season.

Every Ski Freshtracks holiday is graded by skiing standard which means everyone on the holiday skis and socialises together – ideal for those wanting to hit the slopes, when friends otherwise engaged.
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For the 2008-9 season Ski Freshtracks is offering nine holidays where everyone gets their own room at no extra cost. On all other holidays there are a small number of rooms which can be booked for single occupancy. The holidays with no single supplement include an instructional week in Courmayeur, Italy, a week in the chic Swiss resort of St Moritz and a testosterone-free girls’ weekend in Grindelwald, Switzerland.

For those keen to take advantage of the amazing early-season snow conditions there is still availability during Christmas week in La Plagne and a New Year off-piste week in Flaine.

Caroline Boileau, General Manager of Ski Freshtracks explained the secret to Ski Freshtracks’ success: “All our holidays are ideal for those who don’t necessarily have friends or family who ski at the same level as them, or maybe don’t even ski at all. Anyone can come on our trips and ski at the level that suits them, meaning their skiing nearly always improves and at the same time they make new friends.”

Ski Freshtracks offers 54 off-piste adventure and improvement courses as well as a large ski touring programme and heliskiing trips. Other trips on offer include Action holidays at varying levels of ski standard, weekend trips and a large ‘Peak Experience’ programme aimed at skiers over 50 years of age.

For more details and for booking visit www.skifreshtracks.co.uk  or call 0845 45 807 84

Snowfall Boosts Demand

Prices From £13* Per Day

With heavy snowfall already reported in the Alps, car hire comparator Carrentals.co.uk is advising customers to book ski car hire early to secure the best prices and essential accessories such as snow chains and child seats.

Many resorts in Switzerland, Austria and Italy are enjoying prime conditions, opening early to make the most of the snowfall, with skiers being attracted to snow levels of up to 130cm and more in places.

Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “With the ski resorts enjoying a fantastic start to the season, we’ve seen demand for car hire in these areas jump significantly over the last couple of weeks. There is still availability but prices for rental can vary significantly between suppliers, so our advice is to compare the best deals in advance and book early to secure specific requirements such as snow chains and baby seats.”

Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from leading rental companies in over 9,000 locations, including ski destinations such as Lyon, Turin and Chambery, with prices starting from just £13* per day at Aspen; £18* per day in Lyon; and £21* per day at Banff and Geneva.

Gareth added: “If this level of snow fall continues we are likely to see a rush in bookings over the next couple of weeks. Leaving car hire to the last minute, or, worse, leaving it until you arrive in resort, is likely to mean you pay a premium to secure the car you need, so book early and shop around for the best prices.”

Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire prices from up to 50 companies including Holiday Autos, Alamo, Budget and Thrifty. To compare the best ski deals visit www.carrentals.co.uk

*Prices are based on seven-day rental from 31 January and are subject to change.

Enjoy Luxury For Less With 33% Off 4th January Holidays With Indulgent Chalet Company The Alpine Club

OFFER 1: Enjoy an indulgent winter holiday at a Sunday Times ‘Super Chalet’* for only £515pp - saving 33% off brochure price. Holiday week 4 Jan.

OFFER 2: Save £100pp on selected dates in Jan. Offer available for all chalets. Holiday weeks 4,11, 25 Jan & 1 Feb.

Gourmet food, luxury accommodation and some of the best skiing and scenery in the Alps make booking an Alpine Club holiday the ideal tonic to the bussle of Christmas, the economy blues or just simply because you deserve it!

Call The Alpine Club on +33 (0)6 30 22 62 15 or book online www.thealpineclub.co.uk to make your booking today

5 sensational reasons to choose The Alpine Club for your winter holiday:

• Fine dining from professional chefs as standard
• La Ferme de Belleville is a Sunday Times ‘super chalet’
• The Alpine Club put personal service & attention to detail first
• The Alpine Club’s stylish chalets come with en-suite as standard
• The picturesque village of St Martin de Belleville is the jewel of the Three Valleys with 600km of skiing on its doorstep

Terms & Conditions:

• Offer subject to terms and conditions. Offer may not be combined with any other offer or discount and is only available on full price bookings for new holiday bookings only. Offer subject to availability. Offer expires 31/12/08

• The holiday price includes seven nights accommodation; cooked breakfast, afternoon tea, canapés and gourmet four-course dinners on six days; carefully selected wines served with canapés and dinner; fluffy towels, bath robes and toiletries, DVD film library, games & books, resort mini bus and local taxes. Flights & travel are not included.
Want to find out more? The Alpine Club can host press trips in return for guaranteed coverage. Chris and Helen are available for interview.

More about The Alpine Club

1. The Alpine Club was conceived by Chris and Helen Raemers and opened for its first season in 2004-2005. The Alpine Club strives to understand their guest’s unique needs and to exceed their expectations.

2. The Alpine Club prides itself on being a small, private, owner-run company who can guarantee exceptional service The Alpine Club company owners Chris and Helen remain in the resort to ensure all guests’ needs are met and they have the best holiday possible. It is this passion for service, attention to detail and commitment to focus on what matters most to their guests that singles out The Alpine Club as a premier chalet specialist.

3. Chris Raemers is a fully qualified architect who designed both of The Alpine Club’s chalets to ergonomically accommodate the needs of skiers and boarders.

4. The Alpine Club offers stylish chalets with en-suite as standard. Each chalet is unique with many personal touches and lots of creature comforts. La Ferme is a 400-year-old farmhouse with a vaulted ceiling, exposed stone and old wood while La Maison is a brand-new bespoke chalet with designer interiors and stunning views over the village. A new boutique chalet, ‘Abode’ is opening 2009/10.

5. As part of the Trois Valleys network, St Martin is the undiscovered jewel of the Three Valleys and can cater for mixed ability groups with enough scope and variety to keep expert skiers and boarders entertained year after year. With traditional stone buildings, St Martin allows visitors to experience a beautiful and authentic French mountain village, with reasonable prices to match, while the major resorts of Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens are a short ski away

The Alpine Club (www.thealpineclub.co.uk; 0033 (0)6 30 22 62 15) chalet prices start from £479pp. This includes seven nights luxury accommodation and cooked breakfast, afternoon tea, canapés and gourmet four-course dinners on six days; carefully selected house wines served with canapés and dinner; hair dryers in every room; fluffy towels, bath robes and toiletries, DVD film library, CD player and a selection of games & books, chauffeured mini bus and local taxes. The Alpine Club can also arrange return airport transfers from £75pp. Flights are not included.
Quotes from guests:

“The chalet and the food were excellent, but it’s the personal attention that makes the difference between good and marvelous.” Mike and Karen

“Surpassed all our expectations. The chalet, food and hosts were wonderful. Could not wish for more.” Dawn, Clint and family

“I’ve never been so pampered in my whole life! On our honeymoon in Mauritius, we stayed at the five-star Prince Maurice which is recognised as one of the best hotels in the world but The Alpine Club was even better!” Richard Lewis

Self catering skiing

Austria is known for its excellent hotels and guest houses, but has an increasing number of contemporary and traditional, purpose built apartments and self-catering properties. Here’s a selection of the best

Natural surroundings, natural materials

Highly contemporary wood, glass and slate apartments, designed and built in a stepped arrangement up the mountain at Kappl in the extreme west of the Tirol, provide open plan, high ceilinged accommodation for up to six guests, in three bedroom apartments. Each one of the four `Aradira’ apartment buildings has a tiled stove and a private terrace, ideal for winter barbecues, and a baker delivers fresh bread each morning.

The use of natural materials in the construction reflects the apartments’ natural setting, looking out across the famous Silvretta mountain range.

Excellent skiing is right on the doorstep at Kappl and a short bus ride away at Ischgl, with skiing into neighbouring Switzerland. www.aradira.at

Luxury for the family

Anti-allergic linen, natural materials, minimalist interiors and natural ventilation system are designed to aid healthy sleep at the `Arche’, a highly contemporary house, with four twin bedded rooms, a saua, steaem bath and hot tub. Located in the top family ski resort of Serfaus, the Arche is a fantastic and luxurious place to spend a family holiday, or to enjoy the activities and winter sports in the vicinity.

The sister property, Villa Rasilla is a state of the art, lavish holiday home for eight people in four spacious twin bedded rooms. Design is minimalist and highly contemporary, the house is well appointed and has a south facing terrace, dining area, kitchen, sauna and wellness area.

Skiing is particularly good for families in Serfaus, with Europe’s first children-only run.
www.villarasilla.at

Family accommodation for up to 11

The new Pezid apartments are in the heart of the village of Serfaus and provide tastefully appointed accommodation with plenty of room for a family, or group of up to 11. Most of the Pezid apartments take advantage of the mountain scenery and have a chill lounge, a glazed, higher-level room within a room that provides a view of the mountain world. In some of the apartments the double bed is stored beneath the chill lounge reclining area. It can then be pulled out in the evening and pushed back in the morning.

The indoor pool at the Pezid is situated beneath the roof and provides a marvellous view of Serfaus. A sauna landscape with steam bath, sanarium and rest room are available, too, and there’s a superbly equipped playroom for the kids (www.pezid.at)
Light flooded apartments amid nature

Vast balconies and picture windows let in both light and nature at the new CHI-Q apartment house on the slopes of the Kaunergrat nature park in Kauns, 60kms each of Innsbruck. The house has three light-flooded apartments, available for weekly rental, close to the mountains of the Piztal and with a beautiful meadow right in front of the contemporary styled property.

A weeek’s rental costs from 1120 euros. (www.chi-q.at)

Ski apartment houses in Paznautal

Built in 2007, the apartment houses at Rifugio Galtür include two houses, Casa Valtellina and Falisia, located in one of the most beautiful and snowiest Austrian ski resorts in the Tirolean Paznauntal, around 1600 m above the sea level. One house, the Falisia, can accommodate eight people comfortably in the four spacious double rooms. It is built over three floors with a kitchenette, sitting room with Swedish stove, a sauna and a ski room. On the roof there is a large sun terrace with a magnificent view of the Silvretta mountain range. The second house, the Valtellina, comprises five double rooms and one room with several beds, thus comfortably accommodating 15 to 20 people.

All rooms have en-suite bathroom, cable and internet facilities. An extensive terrace is also to be found on the roof of this building. (www.rifugio-galtuer.at)

Further information: Tirol Info, tel. +43.512.7272-0, info@tirol.at  www.tirol.at  

Listen to www.JetsettersRadio.com for special shows about European Skiing.

Ski holidays on the upward climb despite pound’s downward slope.

Ski-mad Brits are refusing to sacrifice their winter holidays by turning their back on the recession and heading to the slopes.

Even the falling pound, which means a lack of extra spending money, isn’t putting ski-crazy Britons off scouring the net for the best bargains to bring down the cost of their winter break.

By booking lift passes and organising the kitty in the UK, powder monkeys are ensuring they stay on the piste but not out of pocket, says Wigadoo, the UK’s leading website for booking trips and events.

“We’ve seen an avalanche of groups booking last-second trips to the slopes to enjoy the best snow for decades,” says Andy Cockburn, CEO of www.Wigadoo.com.

“Some groups have even used the site to get all the money together for a ski trip, and then wait until the best deal comes up.”

“As anyone who’s ever been on a group ski holiday will know, it’s impossible to bag the cheapest deal because of the length of time it takes to get all the money together and book it.”

Looking for holiday companies which offer a discount on groups, such as half-price lift passes or one free place is just one of the bonuses of going with a large group of friends, says Cockburn.

And the beauty of Wigadoo is that you can get your friends to commit quickly and collect the money instantly, then use a virtual prepaid MasterCard to book everything securely at once.

It takes the hassle and pain out of planning and is perfect for complicated get-togethers like ski trips where you might need to book flights, accommodation and ski passes separately but for many people.

Clever ski bunnies have always found the cheapest deals by tailoring their own holidays to suit their needs, and with the Wigadoo MasterCard, they can avoid falling victim to the exchange rate by buying lift passes in advance from the UK.

“Normally as the organiser I would pay for the car rental, ski hire and lift passes out of my account and we would sort out the money when we were there,” says Olivia Gwynn. “However, I would always end up a bit out of pocket and this year that just wasn’t an option.”

Olivia suggested going on a ski trip while she was at work, inviting friends through the Wigadoo Facebook application. Two days later, she had collected all the money, booked a bargain deal and transferred the surplus cash into her own account to use as a kitty.

“Skiers are passionate about their hobby,” says Dan Fox, MD of SkiWeekends.com. “A poor exchange rate or even a recession is not enough to put powder monkeys off their annual pilgrimage to the slopes.”

“Using Wigadoo is just one of the things skiers and boarders can do to keep the costs of their trip down, along with seeking out the best exchange rate,” says Fox. “Because we buy currency in advance if you pre-book your passes with us it’s cheaper than buying them in resort and similar savings apply to ski hire.”

Wigadoo’s top 10 tips to save on a ski holiday

1. Book in groups – there are often great deals around, such as ‘10th person goes free’ or half price insurance for groups of over eight

2. Book ahead – buying lift passes on the internet from the UK is often cheaper than on the slopes

3. Be realistic – if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t get up till gone midday, buy half-day lift passes rather than a full week

4. Be flexible - Christmas, New Year, February half-term and two weeks in April are the most expensive times to ski so try and go in between these dates

5. Get organised – using Wigadoo to pay for everything up front, like a kitty for the chalet, car hire and petrol money means no-one is left out of pocket

6. Don’t settle – ski hire shops are often flexible and a little bit of bartering can go a long way

7. Buy in the UK – goggles, gloves and everything else ski-related practically doubles in price once you get on the slopes, so make sure you’re kitted out before you go

8. Look elsewhere – while the pound is weak against the euro, ski outside of the Eurozone in places like the Czech Republic

9. Be quick – last-second trips are often the cheapest, and many packages have been reduced by 50 per cent in the last few weeks

10. Get behind the wheel – with the recent drop in petrol prices, it may be cheaper to drive to the Alps rather than fly