It’s a big season coming up for Neilson, one of the biggest, best-known and longest-established ski holiday companies in the UK.
Established almost 40 years ago as the mass-market ski industry was just getting started in the UK, Neilson had for most of the ‘noughties’ been part of the giant Thomas Cook group. Late last year, however, it regained its independence and to celebrate has launched a whole swathe of new ideas and initiatives for 2014–15, going back to its roots of high value, good service and innovative ideas created for skiers, by skiers (and boarders)!
The new-look Neilson brochure and website features 234 winter properties across nearly 50 resorts in Andorra, Austria, France, Italy, Bulgaria and Spain.
Skiers and boarders can choose a flight-inclusive holiday from eight UK airports including Bristol, East Midlands or Birmingham, with new routes this winter from Edinburgh and Bristol into Grenoble. Alternatively, they can book accommodation only. Neilson provides free return coach transfers, or guests can also upgrade to a private return transfer from just £45 per person.
In this ever-more confusing ski holiday booking market when it’s sometimes difficult to know what you have and, sometimes more crucially, haven’t got included in your package, it’s reassuring to know bookings with Neilson include flights, accommodation and transfers with the ability to add lift passes, expert coaching, quality equipment rental and travel insurance.
For anyone who wants it, a more tailored service is also available with the Neilson team available to put together the perfect ski holiday with, for example, personalised chalet experiences and private nanny services.
The Neilson Mountain Collection
In a major new initiative, Neilson has gathered together all of its new and existing Neilson-run hotels and chalets under one operation, named The Neilson Mountain Collection.
The Neilson Mountain Collection features 15 catered chalets in France and Italy and three hotels, all fully managed and operated by Neilson, with superb hospitality from friendly and knowledgeable Neilson hosts.
Hotels within The Neilson Mountain Collection include: Neilson Hotel Aalborg and Neilson Hotel Le Crêt, both in Les Deux Alpes, France, along with the newest hotel to join the winter 2014/2015 ski portfolio, Neilson Hotel Del Clos in El Tarter, Andorra (see info box).
All hotel guests can enjoy a daily cooked or continental breakfast along with a delicious afternoon tea with freshly baked cake, pastries or biscuits every day. Each night, there is a three-course evening meal with a weekly regional dish. Chalet guests can also enjoy daily breakfasts and afternoon tea plus hearty three-course evening meals including a selection of wines on six nights, leaving one evening free for guests to enjoy a local restaurant for dinner.
New Resorts and Properties For 2014–15
The Neilson Chalet Chaberton in Montgenèvre in the heart of the French Alps also joins the Neilson Mountain Collection this winter. This contemporary chalet sits in a fantastic elevated position above the resort, housing a log-burning stove in the second-floor lounge and a balcony with superb panoramic views of the surrounding slopes and mountains. The private sauna will help ease away any aches from a day on the slopes while a Neilson host will provide exquisite food and personal service.
When booking an entire chalet, guests can personalise their experience and tailor the holiday to suit their group. You can tailor trips to include selecting when you eat out, preferences for meal times and choosing to add extras such as champagne, beer, picnics on the slopes and cheese and biscuit dinner courses.
New in Austria are the neighbouring resorts of Lech and Zürs in the giant Arlberg region with its 320km of slopes. Neilson offers three 4★ ski-in/ski-out properties, Hotel Anemone and Hotel Montana in Lech and Hotel Hirlanda in Zürs.
For families
Families can take advantage of the Neilson-run children’s clubs in Les Deux Alpes, France, and El Tarter, Andorra. These clubs are based in the Neilson Hotel Aalborg in Les Deux Alpes and Neilson Hotel Del Clos in El Tarter and available to any family staying in these resorts.
Also new for winter 2014/15 is the ski school drop-off and collection service for children booked into Neilson kids’ clubs in Les Deux Alpes, France and El Tarter, Andorra. All the children’s clubs are open from 9am–4.30pm, 6 days a week; and from 7pm–10pm, 5 evenings a week.
Children aged 4 to 23 months can join the Snowangels Club, where they can enjoy singing, dancing, arts and crafts, baking and story time, not forgetting the daily outing into the snow for some fresh, mountain air. For 2- to 4-year-olds, the Snowman Club provides games, music, messy play, cookery lessons, snowy treasure hunts and sledging. For older children aged between 5 and 12 years old, the Snowbusters Club has a packed programme of activities such as team games, treasure hunts, tobogganing and making snow sculptures. For a service tailored to every family, there is also a private nanny service available in all Neilson chalets.
Visit neilson.co.uk/ski or call 0333 014 3350
