APARTMENT ACCOMMODATION IN THREDBO & JINDABYNE

Ski Kaos manage and offer a lot of snow accommodation. Mostly Thredbo & Jindabyne Holiday Apartments. We also offer lodges and hotels. Get quotes for accommodation here: http://www.skikaos.com.au/thredbo-apartments-quotes.php and we will send you multiple apartment choices for your dates.

LIFTS, LESSONS, KIDS CLUBS, RENTALS & BUS TRAVEL

As well as getting you the best prices, we also offer all our clients great discounts on ski/snowboard hire, clothing hire, lift passes, lift+lessons passes, and kids club programs. Even return bus travel.

Visit our website: http://www.skikaos.com.au or call us 02-9908-8111 (24/7)

The post Ski Kaos – Snow Travel & Accommodation appeared first on Snowatch.

By Pete Taylor
Snow Forecastor & Owner
snowatch.com.au

A comprehensive review of the new Club Med Grand Massif Samoen’s Morillon resort in France

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to be invited by Club Med to review their brand new snow resort in the French Alps at Grand Massif Samoens Morillon. I’d never been to a Club Med snow resort before, but had been to three of their summer resorts (Malaysia, Bali and Mauritius) and was a big fan of the all inclusive holiday. It was on my bucket list due to the great time I had with the family during our Club Med stays over the last few years (see article on our previous Club Med trips). Knowing that Club Med resorts cater so well for families I simply had to take the family along to be able to review all angles.

It took my wife Adele all of a second or two to agree to come, the two boys Zane 13 and Kalan 9 (nearly 10) were not so enthusiastic as I had told them if we head to France then we most likely wouldn’t be going to interschools in Thredbo this year. I was gobsmacked when they whinged and complained saying they would prefer a week in Thredbo racing rather than a week in the French Alps with another week in Paris tacked onto the end of the trip.

Once they saw the photos of the resort, including the indoor and outdoor pools and spa they changed their minds and totally bought in (although I’m still kept getting the “we want to go to Interschools” line). They also remembered that all Club Med’s are ‘all inclusive’ so pretty much everything is included, including accommodation, food and snacks, drinks including beer, wine, cocktails and most spirits. Being a snow resort lift tickets and lessons are also included as well as kids clubs, pools, spa and sauna’s.

We booked in for the last week of the season Club Med Grand Massif Samoens Morillon. Now usually at this time of year the snow would be a little dodgy but France and most of The Alps were having an exceptional season and there was a full deep cover of snow right up til seasons end.

We flew from Sydney to Geneva via Abhu Dhabi on Emirates. It’s a 15 hour flight to Abu Dhabi and then another 7 on to Geneva, which is not easy especially as the kids like to lay all over you to get some sleep, which means you don’t get any. The plane was good with what looked like new tv screens which was very welcome considering I wasn’t going to get much if any sleep and movies would be keeping me occupied for the next day.

Flying into Geneva was spectacular, the views were simply amazing. Imagine a flat city on the edge of a lake surrounded by steep, snow covered mountains, not that I got to see much as dad never gets the window seat. The airport itself was quite small, it kinda reminded me of a regional airport not much bigger than the Gold Coast. Once we cleared customs and gathered our bags we walked out to see our Club Med driver waiting to take us up to the resort which was just over an hour away (can take up to an hour and a half if there is snow on the roads heading up). Club Med can organise transfers to and from either the airport or train station where many Europeans access the very fast train.

We were very excited as none of us had been to Europe before, it was eyes wide open for the drive up. It seemed like only 10 minutes, if that, when we crossed the border from Switzerland into France. We then drove up very green valley with mountains on either side and small villages that looked hundreds of years old, it was just what we had hoped to see. Being late in the season and a warm sunny day we didn’t have to worry about snow on the roads so the drive easy.

The resort sits at around 1600m, if you aren’t staying on mountain you can easily get the gondola up from Samonens Village below. When we arrived at the resort we were greeted at the mini bus by smiling staff as we disembarked. All the Club Med’s we had been to had started on a positive note with warm greetings and this was no different. We were asked to walk straight in and grab a refreshment as we were briefed on everything to do with the resort. Our bags were taken to our room whilst our skis and boots were taken to our lockers, ready for tomorrow.

Our first impressions were that the resort obviously had a very new, fresh look and feel. It was modern, clean and aesthetically pleasing. I’d read some reviews prior to our trip and a few had complained that it didn’t have the wooden log cabin feel, but this isn’t that type of place, it’s more high end snow chic.

We headed to our rooms to check them out. We were in the club rooms which are the basic/club level and they were both more than adequate with balcony’s with a fantastic view or the mountains and pool area. There was plenty of storage space in each room, which meant we didn’t have any clutter around. The kids pretty much dived straight onto the wifi and their ipads as they must have had withdrawals after the long trip. The resort has free wifi but it’s fairly slow so we took up the paid extra boost for the week which was around A$50 and well worth it.

It was just about time for lunch so we headed up to the restaurant to try the buffet which Club Med’s are famous for. Upon entry to lunch we couldn’t but notice the breathtaking views on both sides out to the Alps. Apart from the views all I could notice was the what seemed an endless line of breads, pastries and cheeses…Wow! Walk past that and you had the hot food, cold foods, western , French, middle eastern and Asian styles. Further up and around the corner were desserts, and ice cream bar. There are also self serve outlets for soft drinks, juices, coffee, hot chocolate and beer. You can also order wine if you feel like a tipple….and yes all is included.

After filling up we headed back to our room to relax. Although tired from pretty much no sleep on the trip over we stayed awake to try to acclimatise to the new timezone. The boys wanted to check out the pool so we headed off for a swim. The kids had a ball changing from the indoor pool to the outdoor spa and back again. Some reviews I had read said the pool was cold but it was not at all, the indoor pool was 26C and the outdoor spa 32C. The outdoor pool was still closed as there was around half to a metre of snow around it and it was still fairly cool outside. We were lucky that later in the week due to the very warm weather the outdoor pool area was cleared and the pool was the place to be in the afternoon Spring sunshine as fresh fruit and snacks were brought out to the poolside guests.

After the pool we headed back to our rooms to freshen up. Our arrival day was on a Sunday and on Sunday afternoons you need to book your ski lessons in for the week. We were a little apprehensive as what level class we should put ourselves in as we were from Australia and these mountains looked so much bigger and steeper, so we assumed everyone was going to be of a high standard. Myself, Adele and Zane were advanced skiers back home and Kalan was upper intermediate. Kalan being under 11 (nearly 10) was booked in with the kids club, and was in the second highest level. We decided to try the second highest adult level, we thought if it was too hard we would just drop down the next day.

After some pre dinner drinks at the bar, we headed upstairs for an early dinner. The kids wanted to sit in the gondolas for something different. We decided to give the nightly show a miss and have an early night due to our jetlag, we wanted to be fresh for skiing in the morning.

We woke up keen to get going and filled up on breakfast. One thing about Club Med is it’s hard to choose what to eat as there is such a wide variety. I preferred to start with orange juice, bacon, eggs, sausages, hash browns followed by pastries, breads and coffee. Adele liked the fresh fruits and yogurt whilst the boys thought the pancakes were real winner.

OK so finally it was time to get ready to hit the slopes. We headed up to the locker room where our skis, boots and poles were waiting for us after we had booked them in for a wax and edge tune overnight. The locker room was huge, clean and you wouldn’t believe had a table with fresh pastries, a coffee machine that also did hot chocolate and chilled water on tap. A quick swipe of the wrist band unlocked our two lockers. We kitted up and walked no more than 15m and we were on the snow.

Directly out the door are the ski lesson meeting areas where you meet your instructors. Our instructor was a local Frenchman called Alain who was very polite and apparently he spoke the best English out of the instructors. Our group was a mixture of nationalities, mainly French but also South African, Russian and American. Alain told us we would be taking it easy the first day and he would show us around. It turns out it wasn’t so much as a lesson but a guided tour with some tips thrown in, which was great. After taking our first lift we were told we would take long easy run which was 6km down to Morillon village which sits around 700m. The Grand Massif area is made up of five resorts, Samoens (where Club Med is situated), Morillon, Sixt, Lescarroz and Flaine. From the top there are extensive views of Mt Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, I could just sit there and watch it all day, it was amazing.

The snow was great, nice and firm early and the views very impressive from whatever direction you looked. The runs were long, wide and uncrowded, not like anything back home in Australia. We all headed back for lunch. It was starting to warm up and the snow becoming very soft, it was quite heavy going in the afternoon and only a few decided to go back out with Alain.

The next day we tried some slightly harder runs but it seemed a bit easy and we hoped for something a bit steeper. The level of skier we were with was ok but they were quite ok staying on the intermediate runs. We did a black run on Wednesday and found it quite easy, most of the the group struggled a fair bit (maybe over stating their ability/level) so Alain said they would stick to easier runs from then on.

We asked Alain at lunch that day if we could move up a class the next day, he said we could handle it and arranged for us to join the live wire Michel who was a real character. The new class were bit younger and more energetic than the previous and were a massive step up in level. We were pushed from the start and to be honest I had trouble keeping up, but it was great a huge challenge and much more enjoyable. We went all over, mainly in the Flaine area which was by far the biggest of the five resorts. By lunch we were worn out, it was a hot spring week and seemed to be getting warmer by the day. Temps by mid afternoon were in the high teens and high 20’s down in Samoens village. Michel was great with Zane, getting him to ski right behind him. He gave him many tips and Zane’s skiing technique,speed and confidence improved out of site, I was struggling to keep up with him. On Friday afternoon Michel handed us all a skiing passport that had stamped in it that we had completed Class 3 level and were now level 4 which is the highest level that France has.

At Club Med the ski school with instructor runs from Monday to Friday, so after that you ski on your own, which was fine for us as Kalan was keen to show us his improvement. He had been telling us about all the runs he had done and that they got to do race training. After the first day he was moved up to the highest level class. Apparently his race times on the last day were enough to score an invite to trial with the Grand Massif junior race squad, not that there was any point as we were leaving on Sunday, but he was more than stoked to be asked. He started the week a bit shy and apprehensive with all the other kids being French and not really speaking to him, but it soon changed and he found out most spoke some English. Instead of hanging with us after lunch he preferred to head back out with the other kids for more skiing.

Myself and Adele decided to take the gondola one afternoon down to Samoens Village which sits at an elevation of 700m. We had heard so much about it we just had to check it out. The gondola is not far from the Club Med door, a short stroll across the snow next to the ski school meeting area. The view down on the gondola was amazing, lush greenery and high snow capped peaks, very much like what you see on the coverage of the Tour de France. We were lucky to have such great weather, temps were well above average. It was shorts and t-shirt weather, although none of us brought shorts with us. The village was a very warm 26C whilst the resort was sitting around 17C (but felt much warmer in the sun) by about 3pm.

A great option for lunch or dinner is the Skyline Restaurant which is a lot more upmarket. Run by 2 Michelin Stars French chef Edouard Loubet. You need to book a day ahead for at reception for dinner as it’s very popular. In peak time you are only allowed one booking for the week. The resort was only 60% full (can fit 1,000 guests) so we had a couple of meals and lunches at Skyline. The decor is very elegant and stylish, the entrance has a lounge area and piano bar where you can sit before or after your meal, or just sit and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere at any time after lunch.

The service was brilliant and the very knowledgeable staff made us feel more than welcome. The food as expected was first class. I thought being in France I’d try to the local delicacy of escargot (snails). I’m glad I tried it but wouldn’t have it again, I couldn’t get the vision of our own garden snails out of my head. If you have kids that are a little fussy then there may not be a lot on the menu to choose from, but they can always head down to the buffet to fill up. The rooftop area just outside off 360 degree panoramic views of the alps and the sunset we witnessed was truly amazing.

Both Zane and Kalan have always made friends at the Club Med’s we have been to. With it being school holidays in France most of the kids were French so there was a bit of a language barrier issue but they seemed to get around that. The older kids (11-17 year olds) also have their own play area with games and the Playstation is always a winner. Add to this the pool area and the nightly shows the kids put on and they are kept pretty busy.

I’m not sure how many drinks the kids consumed during the week, but they definitely kept the bar staff busy with making smoothies, ice coffees and soft drinks, as well as giving the hot chocolate machine a workout.

The pool area, besides having a spa outside also has a wet and a dry sauna, which I can thoroughly recommend. From what I’m told the dry spa may be good for your cardiovascular health, whilst the wet spa relaxes your muscles while giving your skin a healthy glow. I’m not too sure if it did anything for me but it felt good anyway. There is also a gym where you can either workout yourself or join in classes (all included ofcourse).

For those seeking a bit more relaxing time there is the Club Med Spa by CARITA at the resort where you can enjoy a massage, facial or beauty treatment. Adele spent a couple of hours there and wasn’t disappointed. This is pretty much the only thing that you need to pay extra for.

Each night at Club Med (and that goes for resorts all over the world) they have shows performed and run by the staff/GO’s. They are highly entertaining and of a good standard, well worth watching. After the shows which are usually around 9-10pm they also run a nightclub disco type thing around the main bar area for the late nighters. The Kids Clubs also do shows on stage which are great for the families, the smiles on the kids faces are priceless.

Our last night just happened to be the last night of the season and the staff were keen to go out with a bang and made sure everyone had a great time. The last show and dance party were quite memorable. I’m sure all the staff were looking forward to a well-earned rest, and possibly a late start in the morning.

Our time at Club Med Grand Massif Samoen’s Morillon had come to an end, and although we were a little sad to leave we now had some great memories of not only the French Alps but of our first Club Med winter resort. It was much more than I had expected. I do love the summer resorts and beach atmosphere, but I also love the snow, as does my Snowatch family. We now have our sites firmly on Japan and the new Club Med resort at Tomamu. It’s a little closer to Australia and the powder world renowned. The kids also have their eyes on the indoor wave pool for after skiing fun.

Thanks to Club Med for inviting us to check out this new jewel of the Club Med family. I’d certainly recommend Grand Massif to anyone and remember it’s all inclusive. Just arrive and then lock your wallet/purse in the room safe and enjoy all that’s available.

Australia’s Premier Snow Forecasting website – snowatch.com.au

#ClubMedInsider  #ClubMedGrandMassif

The post Why a Club Med snow holiday was on our must do list, and is now on the must do another list appeared first on Snowatch.

Charlotte Pass Snow Resort Pty Ltd (CPSR) today announced a 10 million-dollar, 10 Year Capital
Investment program for the resort.

This unprecedented investment at Charlotte Pass will see an increase in lifting capacity and the
expansion of accessible terrain, through the installation of a brand-new Surface Lift towards Mount
Stilwell and the replacement of the Basin Poma with a new surface lift.

The snow season will be extended to operate from the June to October long weekend each year, with
the installation of automated snowmaking to cover the Kosciuszko Triple Chair (to Mid-Station), Kosi
Carpet and Basin Poma areas.

The ‘Grand Old Lady of the Mountains’, the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel will be undergoing a major
refurbishment of all guest rooms, food and beverage outlets.

The Charlotte Pass Oversnow Transport fleet will be expanded, with 2 additional Oversnow vehicles.
Charlotte Pass will also be investing in a range of initiatives to improve the environmental performance
of the resort.

This investment will also see the development of Year-Round activation of the resort, including the
construction of conference and multifunction facilities at the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel. The resort
will also move towards the provision of Accommodation, Food & Beverage facilities Year-Round, as
well as the operation of the Kosciuszko Triple Chair during peak periods.

Kevin Blyton, Chairman of the Blyton Group said “today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment
to the long-term growth of Charlotte Pass Snow Resort. We believe this investment over the next 10
years will transform Charlotte Pass, building on its legacy as an on-snow experience like no other”.

The Charlotte Pass 10 Year Masterplan will deliver the following new initiatives from 2019 onwards:

Extended Snow Season

• The Charlotte Pass Snow season will operate from the June to October long weekend each year
(subject to snow conditions).

Installation of next generation automated snowmaking system

Snowmaking system to cover the Kosciuszko Triple Chair (to Mid-Station), Kosi Carpet & Basin Poma
• Construction of new pumping station
• New underground piping & electrical cabling
• Installation of fully automated snow making guns

Refurbishment of the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel

Retaining its heritage characteristics while upgrading the standard of accommodation
• Upgrade of all guest rooms and suites
• Upgrade and re-configuration of Adams Cocktail Lounge
• Upgrade of The Cellar Bar.
• Expansion of Gift Shop and General Store.
• Re-configuration of hotel heating and plumbing systems.

Replacement of Basin Poma lift with a new surface lift

Next generation surface lift tailored specifically to beginners
• Undertake feasibility and Environmental Impact study.
• Preparation of Development Application and Environmental Impact statement.
• Installation of surface lift to replace Basin Poma, with greater lifting capacity than the existing Poma
Construction of a new surface lift towards Mount Stilwell
This will significantly expand the skiable terrain on offer at the Resort
• Undertake feasibility and Environmental Impact study.
• Preparation of Development Application and Environmental Impact statement.
• Installation of new surface lift towards Mount Stilwell, with associated underground power and
communication cabling as required.

Expansion of oversnow fleet

Ensuring ongoing rapid, safe and reliable access to the resort
• Purchase of 2 additional Oversnow vehicles

Continue to improve the environmental performance of Charlotte Pass

• Replacement of automated Programmable Logic Controllers used in connection with the operation of
the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP).
• Construction of roof over outdoor tanks at the STP, improving the overall energy efficiency.
• Re-cladding of STP buildings.
• Sealing of roads within the resort.
• Development of stormwater monitoring program.
• Increased investment in energy saving initiatives.
• Development of new waste and recycling program to increase awareness.

Construction, re-configuration and refurbishment of buildings

• Construction of new staff accommodation building
• Re-configuration of current Bella Vista staff accommodation to become new Charlotte Pass Snow
Centre, encompassing:
• Expanded space for further development of Children’s Snowsports programs.
• New ‘Day Lodge’ venue.
• Central Oversnow Transport Hub
• Re-configuration of Snow Centre to become dedicated Equipment Hire Centre

Implementation of Year-Round Resort Activation

• Provision of Food & Beverage Facilities Year-Round.
• Operation of the Kosciuszko Triple Chair during peak periods.
• Accommodation to be available year-round.
• Development of a Summer Events Program.
• Development of Conference & Function Facilities, with construction of multifunction facilities at rear of
the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel to facilitate functions and conferences of various sizes.

* All proposed works & timeframes are subject to the NSW Government Planning Approval process.

The post Charlotte Pass $10m, 10 Year Masterplan Announced appeared first on Snowatch.

By Pete Taylor
Snow Forecastor & Owner
snowatch.com.au

We have are nearly at the end of the school holidays for the Victorian kids and in the middle for the NSW. We have a fantastic weekend of sunshine coming up and the crowds will no doubt flock to the mountains and make the most of the fantastic mid July conditions. Enjoy while it lasts as next week will be a totally different scenario with snow on the way.

Monday should see the clouds start to move in and we could see some light snow showers at times, nothing to get too excited about. Early Tuesday should see the winds start to pick up and clouds will increase during the day in the Victorian resorts with snow starting to fall in the afternoon. Snowfalls are then likely to increase into the night and then extend into the NSW resorts with blizzard conditions overnight and carrying into Wednesday as the snow level drops a little with snowfalls extending throughout the mountains. Wind chill will be well into the double figure negatives about the peaks so if you are on the hills then make sure you dress appropriately. To the parents of kids racing in interschools competitions that have to stand around and wait for races it’s a good idea to add an extra layer underneath for yourselves and the kids.

Snow showers should continue on and off across Thursday and Friday before clearing. The resorts look like being left with around 20-35cm with the Falls Creek and Hotham likely to do best.

To those on the slopes have a great week, take care, keep warm and always ski/board with a partner as visibility will be low.

Chains will more than likely be needed around the Victorian resorts late on Tuesday and then throughout the mountains in NSW and VIC on Wednesday morning. Throw a tarp and some old gloves in with the chains so you stay dry and your fingers don’t freeze.

Of course the great news is that the snow will eventually clear later in the week and we should be in for another cracker of a weekend with blue skies forecast. Crowds will be up again next weekend making the most of the fresh snow.

The post Wild weather ahead! appeared first on Snowatch.

By Pete Taylor
Snow Forecastor & Owner
snowatch.com.au

Published on: Jun 28, 2018 @ 20:33

We had the season starter and then cold nights for snowmaking. now we get some light snowfalls over the coming week or so, but what next? Will there be another dump? and if so when will it be?

I like the look of a system with a few fronts due to arrive around the 15th of July, and there is potential it could bring a nice fall across a few days. It’s well positioned between a two high pressure systems and looks like it will have a nice cold blast or air feeding from the south west.

Of course this is a fair way away and with the weather things can change but it’s been looking good for a few days now which is a good sign. I expect the charts to ebb and flow with this system over the next week or so but then build as it nears us. Keep an eye on the long range forecast for daily updates on this and any other possible snow bearing systems.

Pete

The post Could this be the next big dump? appeared first on Snowatch.

Cedarwood Apartments are located highest in the top of the Falls Creek village with unparalleled views and easy access. The central location makes Cedarwood an easy walk or ski/board to all other village facilities. In summer you can drive right to our front door & park on the street out front. Relax and unwind in our roomy, clean and well presented apartments enjoying the spectacular views and the incredible quiet and tranquillity. In winter you can ski/board in and ski/board out from Cedarwood with ease and the Accommodation Transfer Service (ATS) will deliver you right to our front door when you arrive with your luggage.

With our on site manager there to help you, Cedarwood Apartments offer value in a wide range of comfortable studio or self contained apartment that sleep from groups of 2 through to groups of up to10 in private apartments. All apartments offer balconies with BBQ’s where you can take in the amazing sights sounds and smells. Most apartments are self contained (have full kitchens) and the balance are studios (with a kitchenette – no cooking). Some apartments have laundry facilities and all are centrally heated.

http://www.cedarwoodfallscreek.com

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