All booked for xmas week

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    • All booked for xmas week

      Hi all,

      will be arriving for our first skiing holiday on 23rd Dec 12. Me, the missus, and 3 sons (8,11,15).

      Have booked through Thomas Cook (Neilson), got an amazing deal with everything included, equipment, passes, lessons, hotel half board, transfers, all really cheap. I only hope we did the right thng :S

      Loads of questions :D as trying to get info from Thomas Cook is a nightmare.

      Staying at hotel Crest in room for 5. Cannot find too many reviews but is it ok?
      Does this hotel lay on special christmas dinner, if not do other restaurants? Not all that fussed but maybe nice for the kids.
      We are all beginners so are the slopes really suitable for us?
      Anyone who has booked with Thomas Cook know when their ski lessons are?
      I keep reading about lockers, are they necessary? What are they for and how do I arrange one? Anything to make life easier is good idea!
      Looking at the maps the hotel is right at the top near the lift, but away from the rest of the activities. Is it far from other bars / restaurants as its difficult to guage the distance? Are kids welcome everywhere?
      Is there much to do in the evenings? Specifically anything to keep the kids amused on 1 or 2 nights.

      Sorry for all the questions, we are all really excited, but really nervous as its our first skiing holiday and not sure what the whole procedure is.

      Thanks in advance
      Jim

    • Hi, I've been to Arinsal a few times so here's my two bobs worth, Don't know anything regarding the Hotel Crest as I never stayed there, but in my experience the hotel is somewhere to sleep and get get fuelled up for skiing as you spend all day skiing and then socialise afterwards (Après-ski).
      When you arrive in Arinsal the reps have a knack of finding you, but if not there will be a welcome meeting where you will be told everything you need to know. Go to the ski hire shop ASAP. The queues' quickly build and the staff then have less time to make sure you get gear that fits properly.
      Arinsal is great for beginners' and I haven't heard a single bad report regarding the ski school. You really should hire a locker, it is invaluable as transporting your gear every day is a real hassle (with kids I would say a nightmare) and it makes a handy store for spare gear you don't want to carry on the slope. You can hire lockers on this site or at the top of the Gondola.
      I imagine on the first day you will need to access the mountain via the Gondola as you are all beginners, a free bus picks up people from various stops and deposits them at the Gondola, just look for groups of people with ski gear and you can't go wrong. When you reach the top reps will be there to help you get to where you need to be, as will the ski instructors'. They are used to meeting new students every week so they know what they are doing. There are various restaurants up top or you can head back to the village for lunch as most pubs/restaurants are a few minutes away from the Gondola down below. Personally I prefer staying up top cause I don't have to change my boots.
      I would say your hotel is around 900m away from the Gondola which is near the centre of all the activities but the walk to the activities is all downhill, going back up there are regular buses which can take you up for a few euros (we caught the bus from Sant Gothard to the Derby Irish Pub a few times). Don't be put off by the walk, I find it eases sore muscles after a day skiing. There are no taxis' in Arinsal, they just pass through. I have seen kids in the pubs in the early evenings but less as it gets later. Teens seem to hang out at El Cau to play pool, listen to music etc. People with younger kids tend to sit in the hotel bars/lobbies which is a good place to meet others to find tips and other info. People of all ages go to the reps night, This is called decades and is good fun.
      I would also suggest some lessons in a ski fridge or dry slope before you go, it will give confidence and give you a bit of a head start. Hope I helped a bit, enjoy the skiing.

    • Hi Jim

      Glad to hear you've booked to come to Arinsal!! :thumbup:

      If you're at the Crest you're right at the top of the village, it's a walk to get to the village centre for apres ski but for going skiing it's a great location because there's a chairlift right next to the hotel. There's also a blue run back to the hotel, although that won't be until the middle of the week if it's your first time! As you're right next to the lift a locker is completely up to you, because you won't have far to move them. Your reps will most probably have a "cage" which is a communal locker and I think is €10-12 per set or you can get a private locker which is supposed to be for 4 sets of skis although you'll probably squeeze your five in as 3 of them are children, and that would be around €54 for the week.

      There are a couple of bars/restaurants at the top of the village just by your hotel although the majority are int he village centre which is around a 10 minute walk down and 15 minute walk back due to the hill. If you're doing the journey before 5pm then it is possible to be really lazy and use the chairlift up and then the gondola down to the village, as they meet in the same place at the top by the slopes! If you get yourself a locker and leave your skis by the slopes then when you've finished skiing at the end of the day you can take the gondola down and then you only need to walk up when it's time for dinner (if you're on half board).

      There's plenty going on, and a lot arranged by your reps - there's usually a pub crawl, quiz night, meal night, trip to the spa, sledging evening, ski away day to Arcalis, and a few other trips, plus at the Princesa Parc hotel in the centre of Arinsal there's a bowling alley open to non-residents too. Kids are welcome in any of the bars.

      Historically, Thomas Cook/Neilson usually have the afternoon ski lessons, however that wil be confirmed by your reps when you arrive.

      Just ask if you have any other questions!

      Steve