Ski 2 Questions & Answers
Why have I never heard of Champoluc or the Monterosa ski area?
We struggle to give an adequate answer to this question, but we believe that there could be two reasons.
Firstly, the resort earns enough money from the Italians who use the Monterosa ski area at weekends and therefore they really don't need to fill the slopes with 'foreign' skiers during the week.
Secondly , the village of Champoluc just doesn't have enough large hotels to accommodate the large tour operators who might spend a great deal of money promoting it in the UK. Companies, such as Crystal Holidays, like large hotels because they can secure an 'allocation' of beds each week to sell as and when they want. Many of the hoteliers in Champoluc, with maybe only 30 rooms to sell each week, just aren't interested in working with these large operators.
Whatever the reason, the attractions of Champoluc are the lack of queues, its traditional charm and miles and miles of uncrowded pistes. The 'Where to Ski and Snowboard Guide' calls it Europe's "best kept secret" and who are we to disagree?
Does Champoluc have a good snow record?
Champoluc and the Monterosa ski area traditionally have a very good snow record and, whilst the future is impossible to predict, we can assure you that if any resorts have snow then it is likely that Champoluc will be among them. The resort normally opens on 1st December, several weeks after the artificial snow has begun to be manufactured. This artificial snow not only offers good early season skiing but also forms an excellent base for snow falls later in the season, helping prolong the quality of the pistes for longer. Over 80% of the pistes in the Monterosa ski area have snow making facilities.
Roger Walker, co-owner of Ski 2, has skied with his family during the last week of every winter that the company has featured the resort and would be pleased to discuss his experiences. Even with a late Easter such as 2003, it was possible to ski within metres of the bottom of the cable car in the centre of Champoluc on the last day of the season (21st April).
The village of Champoluc is at just below 1,700 metres, but the majority of the skiing is above 2,000 metres. The highest skiing in the Monterosa ski area accessed by the lift system is over 3,500 metres.
Which airport do you use?
Our prices include transfers from a choice of six airports on the continent, which in turn are accessed by over a dozen departure airports in the UK. Please visit out "Travel Extra" section and click on "Getting There" for more information.
Which airport is the closest to Champoluc?
Turin is the closest airport to Champoluc - just a 90 minute transfer.
Can we book our own flights?
Our package prices don't include flights to allow you the flexibility of booking your own. This is allows you to choose your departure airport, your flights times and your transfer time to resort.
If you are unable to book your own flights, then we offer a flight booking service for which we charge £20 per person. These flights are supplied by an ATOL holder, for whom we act as an agent, so the cost of the flights are protected in the event of the ATOL holder going into liquidation. The cost of the flights will depend on the time of year that you are travelling and the route that you choose and will be shown as a separate cost on your holiday invoice.
Please visit our "Travel Extra" section and click on "Getting There" for more details on the flight options available to you.
Do you really provide transfers at any time of day or night?
Yes! Transfers are included in the price of all our holidays and we will collect you at any time of day or night from any of the 6 airports listed in our "Travel Extra" Section when you click on "Getting There". We only ever collect clients from one flight, so you will never have to wait for other flights to land.
Can you recommend a hotel - they all look very nice?
All the hotels we feature are well known to us and well tested by our clients! To recommend a hotel we would need to know a little more about the make-up of your group. We might suggest the Hotel Castor for those with young children, the California for those looking for a more lively week and the Hotel La Rouja for those looking for pure luxury, but please do call us to discuss your specific requirements. It is a great deal easier for us to talk you through the various hotels than trying to describe them on this website. For more information on our hotels and apartments, go to the "Holidays Section" and click on "Places to Stay".
If we book our own accommodation in Champoluc, can we make use of the Ski 2 transfers, ski school, creche etc.?
Unfortunately not. These and other facilities are provided exclusively for the use of our clients who book the full holiday package with us. We understand that you might be able to put together a holiday to Champoluc yourself by booking direct with a hotel etc., but we firmly believe that what we offer represents excellent value. We offer a hassle-free holiday experience with the financial security of our substantial ABTA bond at little more than you would pay by booking all the elements separately yourself.
Can I reserve a room whilst I book my flights?
Of course. Just call us to let us know that you are going to book your flights. We will then reserve a room for you for an agreed time period whilst you do so.
If you say a hotel is fully booked on a particular date, is it really fully booked?
Unlike the larger tour operators, we have access to nearly all the rooms in all our featured hotels on each week of the season. When we check availability for you, we normally contact the hotel to check what rooms they have free. If they tell us they are fully booked then they have already sold all the rooms on that week. The only possibility is that they get a cancellation closer to the time, so sometimes we are able to secure rooms in hotels that were fully booked, but this is normally only within a couple of weeks of your arrival.
Why do you include a lift pass and lunches in your holiday price?
Our aim is to offer a hassle-free holiday which is all pre-paid in the UK prior to your departure. This alleviates the need to be asking you for money in resort for items that we know you will have to buy anyway. We hope that our bulk-buying of items such as lift passes helps keep the cost of your holiday to a reasonable level.
Can we pay for our holiday by credit card?
You are welcome to, but we do make a 2% charge for credit cards (payment by Debit Cards carry no fee). Please note that your monies are protected by our ABTA membership, so there is no need to pay by Credit Card to protect your holiday.
Is it cheaper to arrange my own holiday to Champoluc by booking everything direct?
You may save a few pounds by booking everything direct, but our prices have proven to be competitive year after year and we guarantee a hassle-free holiday package which will appeal to many. Our strong links with Champoluc ensure that we have have negotiated excellent prices with all our suppliers. You are also financially protected by our ABTA membership.
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