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

Fast track to the Fresh Snow - Luxury Skiing PB Style

FAST-TRACK TO THE FRESH SNOW FOR A LUXURY SKI WEEKEND Whether you fancy skiing as a couple or with friends and family, we'll ensure all the hassles are removed and you make the most of every minute you are away. You'll find our knowledgeable sales consultants are adept at fast-tracking you to the slopes so from the moment you call the Alps couldn't seem nearer. SUPER-CONVENIENCE GUARANTEED Total flexibility around your travel plans Personally met at the arrivals hall Private luxury transfer to your resort with delicious refreshments Personally checked into your hotel with ski passes waiting Driven to the ski shop for skis and equipment Complimentary ski guiding - ski only the best runs Lunch reservations and après-ski plans sorted each day Shuttles from the slopes and around the village 'Nothing is too much trouble' service as standard from our friendly teams Latest ski footage from Switzerland Ski Weekend availability

LUXURY FAMILY SKIING Join us on the slopes this February half term and Easter holidays and experience the unique personal resort service, highest level of family accommodation and children's ski programmes, which have made us the top choice in luxury family travel. As parents, we understand the challenges of travelling with young children so we like to take care of every aspect of your holiday. We teach your children to ski and develop their skills in our carefully designed, age specific ski programmes from 3 years old whilst little ones too young to ski enjoy a home from home environment in our pb crèche. We offer a complimentary ski guiding service and for those wanting to explore off piste we can arrange a local mountain guide to take you to the top spots. Moreover, it's never too late to learn to ski in our Learn in Style programme; our clinic for beginners offering the perfect introduction to skiing for first time adults with like minded people. February half term availability Easter availability Call us today for bespoke ideas for your next skiing adventure or email to find out what we can do for you.

 

---

Click to view this email in a browser If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: Unsubscribe

 

Click here to forward this email to a friend

 

Powder Byrne 250 Upper Richmond Road London, England SW15 6TG GB

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

Jane Knight and family head to the Waldhaus Flims with Powder Byrne

The Times
December 17 2011
By Jane Knight

CHILL OUT WITH THE KIDS ON THE SLOPES

BEST FOR LUXURY:

Powder Byrne, Flims, Switzerland
If skiing is like being in a privileged club, skiing with Powder Byrne is like belonging to the most exclusive part of that club. It's pretty much the best family skiing package out there if you have the money....

“There is a nice community feel; it is an opportunity to meet other interesting people,” said Judy Mitchem, of London, on her third Powder Byrne holiday. “I think every year that it’s the price of a car, but it is worth it because it really takes the hassle out of skiing.”
 
That hassle-free feeling starts at Stansted on the Powder Byrne charter flight to Friedrichshafen, with its smiling reps and free refreshments, then on to the little-known Swiss resort of Flims, one of the company’s core resorts.
 
We stayed in the Waldhaus, which is more faded grandeur than grand, a strange series of buildings in a park connected by underground passageways that sometimes lead to deserted rooms, giving it a ramshackle feel. Our bedroom, though large, wasn’t anything special, while the restaurant service was some of the slowest I have ever experienced, particularly at breakfast.
 
There was, however, a good choice of places to eat on the half-board meal plan, with a Chinese, a pizzeria, a fondue restaurant and a curling bar in addition to the main restaurant. And the outdoor pool was a great place to wallow in at the end of the day, chatting to barristers, accountants and City high flyers, many of whom return year after year.

Apart from the family feel of it all, they come because Powder Byrne excels on the slopes. The incredibly well-run children’s ski school (which runs all day) had groups of no more than six, each with an instructor and a Powder Byrne rep. Adults also had groups of different abilities for ski guiding; mine never had more than four people in it. On one of the days Judy and I were the only two skiers with top guide Andreas — the guy who the television presenter Fiona Bruce likes to ski with.
 
It’s not ski in, ski out — the slopes are a short shuttle from the hotel — but the resort offers good skiing with efficient and heated chair lifts and gondolas. On family day, when there are no classes, my son and I headed off to neighbouring Laax with Andreas, down a black run. When it got slightly too tough for my son, that was no problem; Andreas simply picked him up and skied him down. With Powder Byrne, it’s all part of the service.
 
One word of warning, though: not only is the bill steep, but it’s an unwritten rule that you pick up the tab for your ski guide’s lunch, too.
 
The lowdown
Seven nights’ half board at the Waldhaus with return charter flights to Friedrichshafen costs £10,430 for a family of four in a junior suite with two extra beds. Ski passes, ski hire and kids’ ski school (£495 to £545 a week) are extra.

 

Read original article at www.thetimes.co.uk

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

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

We are delighted to report big snow falls across the Alps and Dolomites this week. Some resorts are reporting over 1 metre of fresh snow in the last few days, giving a fantastic boost to early season conditions. Zermatt is enjoying fantastic conditions and the Austrian Arlberg (including resorts of Zürs and St Christoph) have reported over 70cm of fresh snow in the last 48 hours alone. Elsewhere, our main resorts of Grindelwald, Flims and Laax have all benefited from heavy snowfalls with more expected in the next few days. Our resort teams are hard at work in the lead up to Christmas as they look forward to welcoming many of you over the festive season. If you are still tempted by a Christmas or New Year escape, we've some great options available including: rocksresort, Laax Prices from £1,964 per person for 8 nights from 18 - 26 December staying in a stylish 2 bedroom self catering apartment on the slopes. Hotel Belvedere, Grindelwald Prices from £2,380 per person from 19 - 26 December in a South Twin room with half board including 7 nights for the price of 6. Hotel Adula, Flims Prices from £2,372 per person for 7 nights from 2 - 9 January in a Superior Twin room with half board. Call us on 020 8246 5300 for the latest options for a magical festive holiday. See for yourself click here to view live resort webcams.

Festive family skiing with all the trimmings!

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE SKIING For a magical family Christmas and New Year surrounded by the deep and crisp and even, escape with us to the Swiss Alps. Wake up in your cosy hotel and admire the tree before heading out to the slopes with our friendly ski managers, while the little ones busy themselves building their own Frosty the snowman in the safe hands of our pb crèche staff or learning to ski in one of our unique kids programmes. The bells will be ringing and the children singing when Father Christmas visits our family Christmas lunch on the slopes. And while you’re enjoying a gluhwein or two, the Yetis will have great fun showing off their new skills in their Christmas and New Year’s day races. Relax with some delicious mince pies by the roaring fire, enjoy a leisurely swim or head out tobogganing or a dash through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh. However you like to spend your time, nothing is too much trouble for our dedicated teams who are on hand to ensure you have everything you need to enjoy this precious time with family and friends. Call us to discuss the best festive family options in Flims, Grindelwald, Laax and Zermatt or click here to email for more details.