Fancy a ski trip this winter?

 

Brenda Warwick at CTravel will help with all your ski trip needs

 

Yep. I would love to. I definitely did not get enough last year. Ok I shouldn’t complain. I did get to ski in Zermatt, Switzerland one of the best places for skiing. But I want to go again this year.

Do you want to as well? Where should we go? What’s the best time of year? How do I get the most out of my ski trip? And what if there is a family involved?

So many questions. Which is why it’s fantastic that Brenda Warwick from CTravel can tell me and you what to do. What’s her number one tip: Book your ski trip now!

You should probably listen to her. This ski-bunny is addicted to the slopes has worked in Vail for four seasons and has skied many resorts in the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America. So Brenda Warwick is ready with the slope experience and the travel agent experience to help you.

Here she answers some of your…ok my questions (but probably some that could help you) for this month’s interview with the knowledgable and helpful travel agents at CTravel.

But Brenda, what can you offer to Bermudians looking for a good ski trip?

Selling skiing is complicated, as there are so many ski resorts worldwide, but we at Ctravel, have the ‘tool’s and expertise to help any skier, first time or a seasoned skier.

The choices are unlimited, hotels, condos, private homes, private chalets in Europe that are catered from budget right up to Sir Richard Branson’s wonderful private Chalet in Verbier you can rent by the week for up to 20 guests, and of course at a high price!

Ctravel is a Wholesale Tour Operator for Vail Resorts, of Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone and Heavenly Valley, where we have Discounted Lift Tickets available to our ski clientele even during all the Holidays, plus equipment rental, transfers, hotels, ski school, and whatever else is required.

Our Virtuoso Supplier, Alpine Adventures, can offer ski holidays Worldwide, even Summer Skiing in South America if you haven’t had enough skiing in the winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Vail, the largest ski resort in the US and most groomed trails on the planet!  I worked in Vail at the Gasthof Gramshammer, owned by former Olympian, Pepi Gramshammer, who taught me to ski.  Vail Village and the new Village Square, formerly Lions Head are also traffic free, with both resorts of BCreek and Vail offering a free bus service around their villages.

The Lodge at Vail, a Virtuoso property (which means a CTravel partner), is ski in/out and has just completed a new Spa and condos right next to the slopes.  There is a huge selection of hotels and condos in Vail.

 

Sonnenalp Village

 

My favorite where I have stayed for over 20yrs, is the Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, exceptional luxury and service with Old World hospitality in the Bavarian tradition, passed down from five generations of the Faessler Family.

Their rooms and suites are beautifully decorated in Bavarian style, many with fireplaces and balconies overlooking Vail mountain, four restaurants, full Spa, with indoor/outdoor pool,hot tubs, sauna etc.

Vail’s annual snowfull over 346″ , 300 days of sunshine and 33 lifts, you have gentle beginner slopes to bowls, glades and moguls.  A charismatic ski town with fine dining, family fun, and plenty of apres ski!

But Brenda when should Bermudians book if they’re looking for a cheaper ski vacation?

The least expensive ski deals, early season, in high resorts of Colorado,  Utah, California, end of Nov, to Dec 15 or so as each resort differs with their high season dates for the Christmas Holidays.

Mid January to mid February, before Presidents Day Holiday,  then in the spring depending when Easter is each year, and closing date of the resorts.

Colorado’s best snow is usually early to mid April, and very low rates for hotels and lifts. Europe the same, but you have to make sure of the snow, and high resorts again.

Jan and April, but Feb is very busy with UK and European school holidays, the same for Easter.

Where should families go skiing?

 

Mont Tremblant for Families

 

Family skiing, definately Beaver Creek and Breckenridge in Colorado, any resort that is ski in/out, like Snowmass Village also in Colorado.

Any of the Club Meds in Europe cater especially to families.

But, for ski school, you cannot beat the American ski resorts. East Coast, for families, is Smugglers Notch in Vermont, which is very easy for the first time skier to travel to from Bermuda, as well as Mt. Tremblant just an hour from Montreal in Canada.

But Brenda is there a time of the year families should avoid? Or couples? Or the best time to go skiing?

Families usually book during the Feb school break, but this is high season and can be expensive, or at Easter break when the prices are lower and many ski deals during this time.

Couples, I would suggest mid/end January, through to mid March for North America and also Europe, avoiding the busy school holidays. Also the end of November through to mid December, as usually the rates change about Dec 20th, this depends on each resort.

And what about the slope conditions? Is there a better time to go to Europe vs. North America

 

Smuggler's Notch, Vermont

 

vs. South America?

Best time to ski Europe, mid January, less crowded, beautiful snow,  and mid to late March, early April, but again, depends on the snow, should be high resorts if in the Spring.

North America ski resorts, best snow, mid Jan, early Feb, March and definately early April, last year I skied on Apr 6th in 4ft of beautiful new powder snow!

West Coast skiing, ie Whistler, can be very unpredictable, due to being so close to the Pacific, and the resort is not as high as Colorado etc.

East Coast, Mt Tremblant, had wonderful snow this year right through Easter, but be careful if early December?  Same with Smugglers Notch in Vermont.

But where would you go Brenda?

Single skiers, as myself, it is a wonderful way to meet new friends who love the feel of that mountain air, the beautiful scenery and the freedom of flying down the perfectly groomed slopes of North America or the challenge of the steep and deep in Europe, me personally.

I love the ambiance of Europe and definately the Apres Ski is more exciting in Europe, after a wonderful day, skiing up to an ice bar for a gluewein and new friends, it’s wonderful.

For more information about your next ski trip and to book your travels make sure you visit CTravel at their new home on Queen Street or visit their website at CTravel.

Adventure travel around the world!

Have you got vacation time left and are trying to figure out what you’re going to do? Do you want to venture further than America or Europe but can not be bothered with worrying about the organization? Do you want to learn about the culture of Libya? Or swim through the waters of Indonesia?

Are you interested, but worried? Do you want to venture to China, but worry without a guide it just wouldn’t be possible? Do you want me to stop asking questions? Ok fair enough.

It’s Wednesday so it’s time to talk about random wanderings.

Which is why CTravel’s CEO Carl Paiva and his team of trusty agents are here to help. They can help book an adventure through Libya, Bhutan or even India. Or is off the track in Africa more your speed? All of these far-flung as well as the not-so-far (i.e. an adventure around Britain) are accessible with specifically designed tours and operators.

Images from Bhutan by Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions

It’s this travel with adventure and a heavy dose of culture that Mr. Paiva says is in incredible demand and CTravel has plenty of different tours to offer…..you just have to ask.

He said: “It’s generally clients who know the agent or know myself and contact us and do the research with us. They know we can offer it. Our wish is to get the message out that we have contacts with specialty suppliers and we have agents that focus on that type of account.”

What are some of the adventure trips he has booked in the past for clients?

“One of our clients does a river cruise through the Amazon on the Peruvian side where there are more animals. We also have a river boat operator that travels through Africa.

“People will know about the Nile cruises and the Europe cruises, but these cruises are unique. The mass market traveler is also very varied. It can be from the luxury to the second tier operators or independent. But the suppliers would be doing larger groups.”

So Carl what’s the difference between Adventure Travel vs. Leisure?

“Adventure travel or the cultural exploration travel the operators are generally small, focused primarily on catering to people who are cultural minded.

“These are historians or people interested in art, religion, etc…. People who prefer to travel to learn, to have new experiences versus the mass market.”

“Those type of people like to seek out travel suppliers that cater to their needs.”

What do Bermudians or residents need to know about booking with these operators?

“They are small and unique. They don’ have budgets for advertising nor do they want too. It’s important for those clients to give us a heads-up because the operators are small groups so they book-up very quickly.

“These trips are way off the beaten track with very select clientele. They are also education focused and the visitors are not necessarily pulled in to see shows or even bars. They are not necessarily having drinks every day.”

Some of the operators CTravel uses are Zegrahm and Eco Expeditions and Travcoa to name a few.

What are some of your more unique trips?

“An example is I received an email from a contact who said they had a villa on the Mustique Island for 16 adults and 10 children over the Christmas holidays. That’s the kind of thing that comes daily to me.”

So what are you waiting for? Book your Sahara visit in Libya or your Azores trip with Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Canary Islands and Madeira thrown-in with CTravel.