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Best Resort for Skier and Non Skiing Partner

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Need some advice on where to take the missus who's basically moaning about my selfish annual lads/solo ski escapes . . .on the basis that she is a permanent beginner and is terrified of any gradient over 5 degrees I need resort recommendations based on the following -

Her -
Nice comfortable chalet / hotel (doesn't have to be 5 star)
Pool / Hot tub / Gym / Spa to relax in
Good food
Interesting town / somewhere to wander about / shop
Nice restaurants
Easy access beginner slopes
Good ski school / private lessons should she choose to indulge

Him -
Good ski network / lifts / snow conditions
Accessible / decent mountain restaurants (that we can maybe meet up in if shes not on skis)
Preferably NOT France . . .Europe only

I usually go last week in Jan as euro hols seem to be at their quietest . . anyone with first hand experience of the best resorts to accommodate the above? Cheers Chris
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
How about basing yourself in the Rhone valley at the thermal resort of the Bains de Saillon? https://www.bainsdesaillon.ch/en/ This is between the historic towns of Martigny and Sion in the Swiss Valais. Nearby are the 4 Vallées (Verbier, La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Verysonnaz), Crans-Montana, Ovronnaz, Grimentz etc. The Bains de Saillon is sort of middle-of-the-road thermal resort, not as 5-Star as some of the big names like Leukerbad, but somewhat bigger than Ovronnaz. Although in Ovronnaz you can ski and do the Wellness thing form the same location, the downside is that the skiing isn't that extensive (same with Leukerbad).

Martigny has a great arts museum, the Foundation Giannada http://www.gianadda.ch/ with an excellent collection of Impressionists and modern outdoor sculpture park. You can also easily get the train to Lausanne or Montreux or do a boat trip across the lake on one of the Belle Epoch paddle steamers. Even a day trip to Geneva is entirely feasible. Sion has a market Fridays/Saturdays and has an interesting history. Take a look at the Swiss national tourist website at https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-gb/home.html for ideas and travel packages: they usually have some offers on.

If your partner is happy to be based in Verbier at one of the Wellness hotels, they can take the gondola down and hop on the train at Le Chable in the valley. From there, it's only a short hop to Martigny, or a bit further to Lausanne and Montreux or even Geneva. See the Swiss Train website for integrated timetable https://www.sbb.ch/en


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 18-10-18 16:44; edited 1 time in total
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
What does your wife actually want to do, @Belch? Does she enjoy skiing, as long as it's gentle and with a good instructor? Or would she prefer to do other things?
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Just a small village, but Wengen would be nice, and the Park Hotel has all the amenities that you need. The Park is at the top of the nursery slope, and you can ski down to the main cable car in less than a minute, or walk in 5.

http://www.parkwengen.ch/en/
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
pam w wrote:
What does your wife actually want to do, @Belch? Does she enjoy skiing, as long as it's gentle and with a good instructor? Or would she prefer to do other things?


This.

I must admit I've never quite understood couples where one partner doesn't really like the whole purpose of the holiday persisting in holidaying together. It's not compulsory and for any jealous GF types the chances of their bloke copping off with a random bird in a ski resort is pretty low. Some holidays apart some together seem a perfect compromise.
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Dave of the Marmottes wrote:


This.

I must admit I've never quite understood couples where one partner doesn't really like the whole purpose of the holiday persisting in holidaying together. It's not compulsory and for any jealous GF types the chances of their bloke copping off with a random bird in a ski resort is pretty low. Some holidays apart some together seem a perfect compromise.


We get loads of couples where one skis and the other doesn’t. Not unusual at all. I guess it varies from village to village, but in ours there's tons to do for non-skiers, and most of the mountain restaurants are easily accessible on foot too.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Belch, Selva Val Gardena
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
...or Kitzbuhel.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
telford_mike wrote:


We get loads of couples where one skis and the other doesn’t. Not unusual at all. I guess it varies from village to village, but in ours there's tons to do for non-skiers, and most of the mountain restaurants are easily accessible on foot too.


That's fine if the non-skier actively likes the other activities and would choose to have a winter holiday doing that absent a skiing partner, but I do wonder how many given a free choice wouldn't prefer a wintersun relax by the pool in the Canaries, horseriding in the Camargue, motoring the vineyards of the Western Cape etc etc
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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Mürren - https://muerren.swiss/en/winter/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Personally I would consider moving the holiday to around the second week of March as slopes are quietening down a bit then conditions are usually still excellent, often better than January and alpine towns and villages are a lot warmer and sunnier to roam around in if not skiing.
Lots of different places it depends on the likes of both partners.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Belch, oberlech/lech has everything on your list , zermatt too
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
pam w wrote:
What does your wife actually want to do, @Belch? Does she enjoy skiing, as long as it's gentle and with a good instructor? Or would she prefer to do other things?


To escape the kids . . .mainly lol . . .! She skied a bit pre-kids but to be honest never truly fell in love with it hence me always getting a pass as she knows I do . . .

However; she does love the mountains / scenery / fitness / social so my idea being that if this is on offer she may have a go at skiing when the mood takes her rather than signing up for ski-school / private lessons / the morning rigmarole etc which to be honest stresses her out . . .
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:


This.

I must admit I've never quite understood couples where one partner doesn't really like the whole purpose of the holiday persisting in holidaying together. It's not compulsory and for any jealous GF types the chances of their bloke copping off with a random bird in a ski resort is pretty low. Some holidays apart some together seem a perfect compromise.


LOL . . .neither do I, but you obviously haven't read my post. No one is insisting on anything - the reality is I will most likely 'slope off' myself anyway (which she is more than happy for me to do) however I'm equally more than happy for her to join me on the proviso that she doesn't demand my full attention during the day. . . hence needing distractions from skiing that she can enjoy / experience etc. while I get my fix.


As for copping off (not that I do these days) . . . mmm - no comment. You must be facially compromised Dave - high altitudes+alcohol mean ski resorts are arguably the 'easiest' IMHO . . . . its all about the thrill of the chase . . .Laughing
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@telford_mike, @PeakyB,

Weird - I was thinking of both Wengen & Kitz . . .

Learnt to ski as a nipper in Kitz and know the town / scenery / nightlife / skiing is all great . . .selfishly my only worries are that the snow can be poor at low altitude . .

Have also been to Wengen (but stayed in Lauterbrunnen) . . could be a little bit nervy as she has also skied there - it was the holiday from hell in that our middle child (age 7 at the time) got his leg smashed by an OOC idiot on day 2 of the holiday. . part of which forms her own current nervousness . . .had thought maybe Grindlewald could be a better option . . ?
ski holidays
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Boys week ...

I have tried to solve this conundrum for 20 years; truth is you are not going to enjoy yourself because skiing on your own is never good fun, and you will feel that you need to be somewhere else, and she is going to be in a ski resort playing second fiddle to your skiing.

I now do a boys ski week and go on a holiday together at a destination of her choice.

Alternative could be to find a couple with a similar demographic, in which case it is worth finding a resort with bubble lift access to mountainside restaurants
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@DavidYacht, that is exactly what I currently do . . .

I don't mind skiing solo at all as I'm fairly sociable and never really ski alone . . .just thought this might be a good idea to give her a break from the kids / me my fix and the off-chance that if she can ski 'on her terms' then the universe may change her opinion . . .
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
PeakyB wrote:
...or Kitzbuhel.
would be my choice for skier and non-skier and The Hahnemkann is on Saturday 26th, slalom on the Sunday. From Kitz a non-skier can easily get train to Innsbruck or Salzburg too. No ski resort is really suited to a non-skier for a whole week. There are only so many spa treatments and walks around the shops you can do.

Quote:

Boys week ...

or I have found that Boys four days requires less Brownie points before and after.
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@Pruman,
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Pruman,

That is a monster shout . . .I remember watching Tomba the Bomba up close and personal slope side back in the 80's - it was awesome - she would def enjoy watching the slalom with a few jaeger teas and would be a good day to spend together . . . What's the snowmaking like these days? Is end of Jan historically any good for the rest of the mountain? Will the resort be rammed the following week or quiet?
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@Belch,
With the proviso that I can only talk about the resort I know and love, and talk about a hotel that I have never stayed in, then if I was trying to meet your specifications apart from the NOT France bit I would recommend looking at the Hotel Marmottes in Les Gets and specifying a Chavannes slope view.
Les Gets is a lovely village with a few shops, weekly market, some very good restaurants. Check the hotel out on their website, I can't actually recommend it as I have never stayed there, but it is on my list to do. The view from rooms at the front of the hotel (I suspect the more expensive) look out over the "home" run down the Chavannes slope which provides endless entertainment watching tired skiers on their last run of the day home.

For the nervous skier there is a lot of nice easy blue runs in the area with the possibility for a non-skier on the day to use the bubble to mid station with a good selection of restaurants so that you can meet up for coffee or lunch or it is easy to return to the village to eat and then set off again.

We return to Les Gets for 3-4 weeks every year and as we have progressed, me wanting to ski more and her wanting to ski less, this has proved to be our perfect location, enabling me to ski as much as I want and her to ski as little as she wants and for us both to want to go back there each year.

this is a link to a google maps street view location at the bottom of the Chavannes looking across the road to the Marmottes hotel
https://www.google.com/maps/@46.1563709,6.6678427,3a,75y,335.77h,90.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEeCIXPSDeVZwOTBO3STqWg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Hope this helps and good luck in your search.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I have taken my wife to Zell am See, Mayrhofen and Bad Gastein as a non skier. The former two as i can ski with Ski Club of GB tho this year I also trained it to Kitbuhel and got a bus to Saalbach too for variety. Lots for a non-skier to do as long as you spend out for a good hotel (tho check that the sauna is not au natural if she is a prude like mine). Skiing not too demanding but I have other adventourous trips too.

Like the Lech idea!

She bust her knee and refused to ski again in Avoriaz on day 2 and that is not a place you would take a non skier although the French seem to.

This year she does not wish to go so taking her on a caribean cruise end of March. Yeh I know it is still the ski season so have had to squeeze four trips in with the boyz/snoworks/snowheads before. Hard I know
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Belch, my wife was very happy to wander around Aosta for a few days while we skied up the gondola in Pila.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Kitzbühel is a pretty good option and snow conditions at the end of January are very likely to be at their best. Not only is there a reasonable amount to do in the town, the are lots of hotels with spas etc. There are lots of valley and mountain walks too.It is also easy to do day trips on the train to Salzburg and Innsbruck. Plenty of skiing of all types to keep everyone happy. Only issue might be finding accommodation because of the race though most folk watching that come for the day.

I was going to suggest Lech but the village might get a bit limited after a few days and not so easy to get elsewhere without a car and even then not many places within easy reach. Some really nice walks nearby, eg around Zug.
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why dont the missus just go on an annual girlies holiday instead?
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Quote:

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:


This.

I must admit I've never quite understood couples where one partner doesn't really like the whole purpose of the holiday persisting in holidaying together. It's not compulsory and for any jealous GF types the chances of their bloke copping off with a random bird in a ski resort is pretty low. Some holidays apart some together seem a perfect compromise.


We get loads of couples where one skis and the other doesn’t. Not unusual at all. I guess it varies from village to village, but in ours there's tons to do for non-skiers, and most of the mountain restaurants are easily accessible on foot too.


We also get plenty of couples where one is a mad-keen skier, and the other either a non-skier or a very half-hearted one (no prizes for guessing which is normally male and which is female). However it often seems to work out very well, thanks to the very lively apres-ski scene and ease of arranging rendezvous in mountain restaurants and apres-ski venues. Having a Smart TV and Blueray player with plenty of good DVDs, etc in the apartment also ensures a good time had by all in bad weather.

One year we had a middle-aged couple and their kids - she seemed up to tackling average blue runs, but she ended up at late afternoon happy hour in a mountain restaurant and sank six half-price proseccos. To ski down involved a very easy run down a piste that was essentially a mountain track (would be a green run in France); however anything faster than walking pace seemed to defeat her - all sense of balance gone. Ended up hitching a ride on a skidoo. Didn't ski for the rest of the week - all confidence evaporated. The following year they came for two weeks - she spent the week carrying her skis to various places in the Ski Circus, intending to have a go but settling for socialising and watching the others - but seemed happy enough. They have now been coming for several years, usually for two weeks per season, and she has regained some confidence - enough to get around a bit on blue pistes and foster some ambitions about getting over to Leogang for lunch, although she'll never be a downhill racer.

If you were to ask her why she comes skiing, she would say that she enjoys the atmosphere and scenery of being in the mountains, but more than that, the apres-ski parties, dancing on the tables, watching her kids have fun, the general insanity of places like the Hinterhag Alm and the Spitzbub, ten-pin bowling in Bobby's Pub, horse-drawn sleigh rides to the Lindlingalm, toboggan evenings at the Spielberghaus, meeting the rest of the family at the Bergeralm for happy hour, night time skidooing, ice karting, ice skating - generally letting her hair down, relaxing and forgetting her worries for a week or two.

I suppose the moral of the story is that summer beach holidays aren't for everyone, and that some people - even those who struggle with skiing - enjoy the whole Alpine winter holiday experience. The social scene counts for a lot, and there is also immense satisfaction to be gained from making even slight progress and achieving modest goals (as we all have known at some point on our skiing learning curve).
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
1. Lech, Austria.
2. Wengen, Switzerland.
3. Kitzbuehel, Austria.
4. Cortina, Italy.
5. Zermatt, Switzerland.
6. St Moritz, Switzerland.
7. Get a younger model who likes to ski.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
"Best"...............?

Oh, at least 50 in the world, but I digress...........
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

1. Lech, Austria.
2. Wengen, Switzerland.
3. Kitzbuehel, Austria.
4. Cortina, Italy.
5. Zermatt, Switzerland.
6. St Moritz, Switzerland.
7. Get a younger model who likes to ski.

Preferably a wealthy younger model!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Belch wrote:


As for copping off (not that I do these days) . . . mmm - no comment. You must be facially compromised Dave - high altitudes+alcohol mean ski resorts are arguably the 'easiest' IMHO . . . . its all about the thrill of the chase . . .Laughing


No problem she's obviously up for the idea.

As for the laydeez on the slopes, I'll have you know I ski like a god.

Unfortunately it's Ganesh rather than any of those bronzed Greeks or Norse pretty boys.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Belch wrote:
pam w wrote:
What does your wife actually want to do, @Belch? Does she enjoy skiing, as long as it's gentle and with a good instructor? Or would she prefer to do other things?


To escape the kids . . .mainly lol . . .! She skied a bit pre-kids but to be honest never truly fell in love with it hence me always getting a pass as she knows I do . . .

However; she does love the mountains / scenery / fitness / social so my idea being that if this is on offer she may have a go at skiing when the mood takes her rather than signing up for ski-school / private lessons / the morning rigmarole etc which to be honest stresses her out . . .


Maybe you should bring the kids with you. If they got the bug to ski then your wife would not have any choice in the future!!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
As for the laydeez on the slopes, I'll have you know I ski like a god.

Unfortunately it's Ganesh...


Now if it was Ganache I think you'd have the interest of the laydeez..... Toofy Grin

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