Fantastic facilities at the Freestyle Academy in Laax

The Freestyle Academy is an enormous building that catches the eye as you drive past the uber-cool resort of Laax. From the main road you can see the ‘rude rabbit’ logo glowing beacon-like, and anyone who’s anyone will be instantly intrigued. 

The centre is set up inside a huge warehouse, just a stone’s throw from the bubble which transports you up to the snow equivalent of the Freestyle chaos, 1500 meters up the mountain. When you walk in most of the breath leaves your chest as you think to yourself ‘how could anyone go off these massive jumps on skis?!’ It’s not until a twelve-year-old dashes past you and throws himself down the 20 foot kicker that you resign yourself to the fact that this is happening, if for nothing else but your sense of pride, bravery and insanity.

For adults, you pay an upfront cost of CHF 50 (plus 5 for trampoline shoes) and for this you get two and a half hours of tuition, which leads you nicely from basic trampoline bouncing onto the Snowflex - a coarse but slippery material (kinder than dry slope) which all the jumps are made out of, sort of like skiing on carpet. Another area that your 50 chuffs buys you access to at the Academy, is the vast pits of foam slabs, which (yep – you guessed) are what you’re meant to fling yourself into after going off the jump.

For the more daring among us - i.e. the kids – it’s CHF 35 until they hit their teenage years when it goes up to CHF 45. After the first time the price drops as you take away the comfort blanket of an instructor, and for adults (2½ hour session) it’s CHF 25, teenagers CHF 20 and kids CHF 15. The youngest they’ll take is 6 years old and their session times run as follows: 1.30 pm - 4.00 pm, 4.00 pm - 6.30 pm, 6.30 pm - 9.00 pm.

Far be it for me to comment having not embarked upon a session myself yet; but it is certainly on my tick list for the season, and I’ll report back when I eventually work up the courage! For now, however, the verdict we have from the ground is this: three of the Flims team visited the Academy last week and came back black, blue and exhausted (we have particularly competitive staff – it’s not like this for everyone), and despite it all, said it was the best CHF 50 they’d ever spent.

The Powder Byrne Team Flims

How to spend Sunday in Zermatt!

When the day doesn't live up to its name,  and the sun doesn't make an appearance, there is still plenty to do in snowy Zermatt. After all, the reason we can't see the sun is the cloud, which has brought more snow to freshen up the already fantastic conditions. Yesterday we were bouncing around in on-piste powder in Cervinia, but today we stayed closer to home and enjoyed the best of Switzerland.

And when better to try a brand new piste, only opened last week. From Grunsee, down through the trees, to Findeln, it is a fantastic "red" which is steeper than you might expect, especially towards the bottom. 

 

Or maybe you prefer the challenge of some un-pisted "black" !! The Hoernli drag lift can be just that... a drag, but the reward waiting for you is well worth it. In the shadow of the Matterhorn a black run untouched by piste-basher just waiting to punish your thighs !!

And what of the ever present background to every photo from Zermatt ? Well, the Matterhorn was hiding for most of the day but managed to breakthrough in the afternoon just to make a point that really Zermatt isn't Zermatt without it.

"Shrouded in cloud and mysticism !!"

 

But there is, of course, much more to this heaven in the Alps than just the skiing. The great and good of Europe can be found strolling up and down the main street looking for a bargain in the fantastic shops (they may be looking for quite a while !!), or enjoying an apres ski drink or two. 

And then head home into the welcome of their hotel ! 

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday !!

 

See you soon !

 

Your Powder Byrne Team in Zermatt

Snow Time in Zermatt !

January in Zermatt has a drawback….. the days, while getting longer, are still a little shorter than ideal to fit in enough time on the amazing snow !! But that must be the only one !!

While, in early December, most of Switzerland was fretting about a lack of early snow, Zermatt was already enjoying great snow conditions, and, as we all know, it then snowed, and snowed…..  !

And after all the snow… the Sun !!

The upshot of all the snow is that runs which have rarely been open in recent years are once again open, and that the whole mountain is available and in great condition. That’s 350km of prepared piste waiting for you !

After a busy Christmas and New Year the Ski Schools, Hotels and Restaurants are re-charging their energies ready to welcome guests old and new in February… but,  those of you lucky enough not to be restricted by the school holidays, why not get over here now and enjoy the biggest snowfall for many years !

With nearly 2 metres of snow on the upper slopes and well over a metre on the lower slopes and deep coverage all the way down to the village, there really is a wealth of fun to be had. Just to be sure that all is as it should be we took a little trip over to Italy to see how the snow is shaping up in Cervinia.  And the news ?? Great conditions all the way down…

but the Matterhorn still looks odd from over there. Just not “pointy” enough !

Where has the tip gone ??

We are looking forward to being able to introduce you (or re-introduce for many of you) to the fantastic mountain restaurants here, the highly rated Chez Vrony, Findelnhof and Zum See to name just 3 of the most popular !

Of course, if you are more interested than catching some “air” than in sampling the fine food the new Snow Park being constructed on the Glacier under the Furggsattell chairlift is ready for the truly brave among you to try out your skills.

So, if you can… why wait until February ??

See you soon.

Your Powder Byrne Team in Zermatt

 

Skiing in the New Year with perfect conditions in Flims

Happy New Year!  In fact better than happy, it's been an ecstatic new year with the snow dumping down and everyone enjoying the amazing conditions here in Flims.

Our last festive guests have returned home and our Yetis and SnowZoners are all back at school, so now it's time for some fun on the slopes with those lucky enough to be joining us for some superb January skiing!  While the tiny ones are in pb crèche their parent's have been on a high enjoying the relatively uncrowded slopes and crunchy corduroy pistes, and those coming to join us for a ski weekend are truly in for a treat.

On Wednesday we headed up the mountain to see for ourselves and what a day we had ... We even did some filming which John, our designer in the London office has made into a video.

 

As you can imagine we're really enjoying life out here, living and breathing the Flims fresh air on a daily basis.  In town you can't walk anywhere without snow tumbling on your head from the trees or nearly stacking it on a patch of ice, but it's nothing compared to the snowfall higher up.

Peter, the lifty at Crap Sogn Gion has been working in Flims for 8 years and tells us that he's never seen this much of the white stuff.  In fact according to recent articles, Flims is in the top ten for deepest snow in the whole of the Alps! With 354cm and counting, we're one of the front runners for absolute perfect conditions this January - have that Zermatt! 

But for all the good there's sometimes some bad and last week we had a bit of a tragedy on the Flims mountain ... La Vacca, the uber-swish meat restaurant at Plaun blew away! The huge teepee that used to stand proud right in the middle of the valley is currently back under construction, hopefully ready to reopen next week, in all its former glory. 

With all the fresh powder on the ground the big man upstairs thought he'd treat us to a weeks' worth of perfect bluebird days, and we've been taking full advantage and working on our ski goggle tans.


So, it would be such a shame to miss out on these epic ski days, with every intention of not sounding selfish, we'll sign off now, head back out there and catch up with you soon!

With love
Powder Byrne Flims Team

It's snow time in Flims and a fluffy white Christmas

When we first stepped foot in resort three weeks ago our big chunky snow boots came straight into contact with grass... and mud, and pavement, tarmac and just plain old ground, no different to what we'd just left behind in England.

So, nervously we begun our season with our fingers sweatily crossed under all of our layers, watched the sunny skies and begged them to bring us a big white fluffy Christmas present. And now, three weeks on we're delighted to report that the arrival of our first clients has also brought the arrival of another very welcome guest – the snow!

And not just a sprinkling, an all-out complete explosion of a snow dump, that has turned the little Swiss village of Flims into a complete winter wonderland. So, the team were lucky enough to experience a white Christmas this year: I'm sure anyone would agree that it's the ideal setting for the season to kick off with, and with Yetis, SnoZone, creche and the adult guiding programme in full swing, everyone out here is wrapping up warm and getting out on those powdery slopes. After a not-so-spectacular end to the season snow-wise last year, old faces in resort have breathed a sigh of relief now that the snow has started falling, and has yet to stop!

Into our third week now, Team Flims have had a whirlwind few weeks getting everything into place for the arrival of our first guests. Now, after getting used to the peace and quiet of the tranquil town, we have had a swarm of wild Yetis let loose upon the place, making noise and going mad – and we're right out there with them.

For the smaller ones, so much snow (up to most Yetis waists!) is tough to ski in all day, and so we've been spending our time adding to the landscape in our own way: For the stronger children we have been skiing hard and shredding the powder as much as possible, in preparation for the big race that falls every Friday. The SnoZone have been having an awesome time up there too, with both groups skiing every possible area of the mountain during their day and perfecting their technique in the deep snow. They hate to lose a second off the piste and are even out two evenings a week ice skating and at the Freestyle Academy – they're running us off our feet!

Outside of the clubs, Flims still has a lot to offer during the festive period, and lots of our guests are taking advantage of the natural Swiss charm and really getting involved in something a bit different this Christmas. A few families are taking a cosy ride on a horse-drawn sleigh through town, while others have dared the Toboggan course, and of course everyone is getting stuck into a festive fondue.

Since Christmas Day has been and gone, we've been busting out the cheer wherever possible for weeks, and with the newest influx of guests it hasn't slowed. It was a stormer up the mountain this year, with a Big Family Christmas meal followed by the Yeti Race! It was the the ideal way to round off the week, with all our families celebrating together and cheering on the sprogs.

With conditions remaining perfect, we haven't had to embellish any chat about the snow on the mountain, and even the locals are saying it's the most white stuff they've seen in years! Even the lifties are jolly... and now with 28 out of 28 lifts open there's no reason not to have a massive grin plastered across our faces.

The Powder Byrne apartment is bustling with lots of life at the moment, as several more members of staff have come out to lend a hand; we've had very little elbow room around our table too!

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year!

With lots of festive love

The Powder Byrne Flims Team

The Picturesque Winter Wonderland of Grindelwald awaits …

A very snowy and festive seasons greeting from team Grindy!                                                                                                                                                                   
We were slightly concerned when the snow wasn’t showing its true colours last week.  However, now the snow has arrived, it has arrived in true fashion!  It has been dumping down for the last 3 days and there is more snow forecast for the rest of the week.  Grindelwald is very much shaping up for a magical festive season both on and off the slopes!   

As a team we have been busy working hard in preparation for your arrival in resort, and now that our first families have arrived, everything has begun with a zealously Christmassy feel!
 
We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to the winter wonderland that is Grindy/Grindelwald over this Christmas and New Year period, as well as the extra excitement of some more Schnee!
 
Here's a recent picture to whet your appetite
 


 
 
Seasons greetings
 
The Grindelwald Powder Byrne Team

The heat is on and the Majorcan sunshine set to stay

What a month August has been.  We might be nearing the end of the summer but things are still in full swing here and we’re having a great time.

The Majorcan summer was temporarily on pause after a few unexpected showers back in July but the last few weeks have been glorious and it’s due to stay like this for the next few weeks. Perfect for those of you who are interested in catching up on your reading, taking in the rays and generally chilling by the pool.
 
We have had some absolutely cracking times in all the kids clubs the last month.

In TheZone the fun never ends, whether is whizzing around on speedboats, sailing around the bay, grabbing your pocket money and hitting the market in town or heading out in the evening for some, in my view, world-class pizza.

The little ones in the crèche have been absolute troopers, even though we have been slap bang in the middle of a heat wave, they have still summoned the energy, on a daily basis to come storming into the crèche in the morning, grab a tennis racket, and head up to the tennis court and give the Scallys a run for their money. Plenty of painting, gallons of glue and glitter and a stupendous amount of sandcastles and swimming. 

The Scallywags have been keeping up their mischievous reputation here in the hotel and we’ve been up to all sorts. Treasure hunts, snorkelling, sailing and some fantastic play writing. A special mention goes to the Scallys last week for putting on a brilliant version of Rapunzel.  I was particularly impressed by the set design. Top notch! With only a few more weeks left before school there is still so much to do and discover.

With August being the time when all of Spain comes on holiday the hotel really has livened up, which is perfect for those of you who like a good atmosphere in the evening. For those of you who are keen to get out and about, the weeks go by and we are still discovering plenty of fantastic restaurants in the area, whether you’re interested in fresh fish, big steaks or just a bit of Tapas. There is so much choice. To really end your evening on a high, if it’s a clear night, I definitely recommend getting a private water taxi to bring you back from town to the hotel beach at the end of the evening, which we’d be more than happy to organise for you.

The summer is not over until we say it is, and we’ve plenty more up our sleeves here at the Formentor.

All the best
The Powder Byrne Formentor Team

Day trips and sunset dinners pb style in Mallorca

In the words of the Sugarbabes ‘Here come the girls’

This week there seems to be a distinct lack of lads in resort. Tennis Tom and myself have been outnumbered as the ladies take over the clubs. Nevertheless they all seem to get stuck into whatever activity we throw at them, however daring and scary it may be. We had a few Lara Crofts on our hands.

For those of you who are travelling for the first time with Powder Byrne, a couple of days a week we try to get out of the resort with the kids. This week the energy levels were high and we hit up the waterpark in Alcudia and Marineland which is just south of Palma. The waterpark was absolutely awesome. It wasn’t that busy which meant there was no hassle with queues which maximised our time trying to break the speed barrier on the flumes. I have no idea how, but TheZone still had enough energy to hit the town with us to try out pamboli (refer to previous blog) and a bit of late night shopping. A long, busy and fun day had by all.

A little bit of an earlier start for our trip to Marineland. We try to be out of the hotel by half 9 as it is a bit of a drive and you don’t want to miss the dolphin show. They also have a fantastic exotic birds show as well as plenty of fish tanks full of colourful fish and coral, just watch out for those sharks! Also keep you’re eyes peeled as you may unexpectedly bump into some furry little friends who have come all the way from the South Pole. They can swim but they are not a fish, they have wings but they can’t fly, they like to dance and they LOVE fresh fish. I’ll let you guess which animal that might be.

In amongst all of this we still managed to find plenty of time to build some epic sandcastles (on top of me), give windsurfing a bash, bust out the sea kayaks, get stuck into some fantastic painting and decorating of the Scallywag room, dominate the tennis courts and much more.

I will finish this with a recipe for a lovely night out for all the family in Puerto Pollenca. Check the sea is not too choppy, hop aboard a water taxi early evening and head round the bay to the Hotel Illa D’or for a drink and to watch the sun go down. It’s about an 8 minute stroll along the water front from there into the centre of town.

 

Just on the harbour is a fantastic seafood restaurant called La Llonja, I’ll book you a table on the large terrace looking out to sea. A lovely place with a great atmosphere where I personally recommend the tuna steak (rare) and the white/dark chocolate mousse for dessert.

All the best
The Powder Byrne Formentor Team

Watersports and thespians at the Formentor in Mallorca

Two words that you thought would never pop up in the same sentence. We’ve had an awesome week in the Formentor, with all 3 clubs in full swing it’s been go go go.

The wind picked up which meant it was time to go sailing. TheZone lifted anchor, swabbed the decks and set sail for the Caribbean (unfortunately they ended up sticking to the Formentor bay). There is a fantastic selection of boats down on the beach which you can either take out yourselves, or hire one of the guys on the beach to be your skipper. If you fancy something a little bigger, give me a shout as there are plenty of boats for hire from the port.

The Scallywags busted out their snorkels, hopped aboard the pedalos and sea kayaks, it was time to pay Nemo, Dory and the gang a visit. Just off the beach there is a small island which is home to plenty of exciting wildlife. It was all documented, processed and we are almost certain that we have made some new, rather exciting discoveries for mankind.

I have recently become aware that the whole island is more like a warren than a solid mass of rock and earth. Hiding under the glassy surface are enough caves to keep your average diver more than happy for weeks on end. Perfect for those of you who are keen to throw on a wetsuit and tank. There are a couple of diving schools/clubs in Puerto Pollenca who will happily come and pick you up from the beach and take you off for either a morning or a full days scuba diving. Something I would definitely recommend.

Onto the thespians.

Children these days.

They really do love the spotlight.

The Scally show unexpectedly took up rather a large part of our week. That’s all they talked about! Various ideas were thrown onto the table and we finally came to the decision that we would take Robin Hood, add a little bit of modern architecture and finish it with a bit of ‘a day in the life of a bunny rabbit’. A slightly odd combination you may be thinking, nevertheless the Scallys knocked it out of the park. We built dens, castles, sets, costumes, we sung songs and we wrote a script that I honestly think could make it to the Globe. Emotions were high, we had tears, we had laughter, we had improvised monologues and we had octopods (still no idea what they are). Something for everyone! All in all a great success and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into a new production with our next bunch of Scallywags.

Right, I’m off to the beach. Looking forward to seeing you down there.

The Formentor Powder Byrne Team

The sun is shining and the kids are smiling in Penha Longa, Portugal

Well another fantastic week at Penha Longa has come and gone, and what a week it was. Our first guests arrived in beautiful sunshine with a light breeze with not a cloud in the sky.

It's been a roller coaster week for the kids, with lots of smiley, happy faces at the end of the day. 

TheZone have been surfing, mountain biking and horse riding amongst many other activities, while the Scallywags took a trip to find Nemo at Lisbon aquarium, played lots of tennis with the devilishly handsome tennis pro and not to forget the trip to the beach.

But parents do not fret, while the children having been having a great time it has been an opportunity for the grown ups to get some well earned rest and relaxation, in the spa or just around the pool. It must be said I have never seen so many laid back and relaxed parents!! So if the beautiful surroundings of Sintra or the lovely weather aren’t enough for you we have plenty more to offer and we look forward to seeing you all here soon.

The Penha Longa Powder Byrne Team