Money saving tips for creditcrunch ski holidays

26th September 2009

With a recesssion and the high price of the EURO Brits are looking to cut costs and considering options such as downgrading accommodation, choosing smaller resorts and spending less on the mountain.

Money saving tips for creditcrunch ski holidays

1) Book a Catered Chalet

Pre-book lift tickets and equipment, so that the only extra costs in the resort are lunch on the mountain and après-ski (you can save on high resort drink prices by bringing your own).

It might be worth arranging a packed lunch deal with your chalet hosts. A lot of our owners have started to offer packed lunch deals.

2) Fly or Drive?

BA (British Airways) are going to charge for carrying skis and boards. A low-cost flight that starts at around £40 can easily escalate to £200 once you add airport taxes, charges for baggage in the hold, ski carriage and credit card booking fees.

Plus when you add in airport to resort transfers, and the limitations of arrival times and leaving day times, the idea of driving to the Alps is a great alternative.

A car load of skiers, with as much kit as they like, can cross the channel with P&O Ferries - Dover to Calais for about £60.

3) Austria rather than France?

According to the ski guide Where to Ski and Snowboard 2010, you can halve the cost of eating and drinking by opting for a lesser-known resort in Austria rather than a fashionable resort in France.

"Switzerland isn't especially pricey," says co-author Chris Gill, "no more than France. And Italy isn't uniquely cheap. These days it's very much on a par with Austria."

Lift passes are cheaper in less fashionable resorts too - for instance Val d'Isère lift pass costs €218 (£196) for a six-day pass compared with La Rosière where it costs €167 (£150).

Ten of Europe's cheapest resorts

France

La Rosière, Mongenèvre, Puy St. Vincent, Samoens, Vaujany

Austria

Alpbach, Saalbach-Hinterglemm

Switzerland

Adelboden, Engleberg

Italy

Champoluc

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