Hotel Vecchia America

8 readers found this review helpful

I just got back from a really nice holiday in Italy - I have never been there so was not sure what to expect. Pleasantly surprised. I have read about the lift systems in Italy not being up to French standards (I think this is put about more by the French tourist industry than anyone else :-)
Any I looked around the internet for a cheap family holiday (me + my other half and 2 children). I was looking for 1 - a company with an ATOL badge (that was checkable on the CAA site) 2 - a hotel near the slope 3 - a price that was FULLY inclusive (do some companies really have that little respect for their clients to think they can say a lift pass is "optional" on a ski holiday) 4 - a resort without huge concrete hotels all over the place. 5 - Most importantly a company that didn't B**S*** you when you call them. I found my perfect location in this resort.
I booked with a company called folgarida.co.uk - which is part of a much larger adventure sports company with offices all over Britain - I have heard of people booking "bucket shop" holidays to save money. I booked with htis large company and still could not find anything cheaper after many hours of Googleing.
It's not all good though? So the bad bits first
Even though we went in low season the chaos at Gatwick airport is just mad. Can't they sort this out once and for all.??
When we arrive in Fogarida we found the hotel restaurant had closed at 9pm (we arrive at 9-30) so we had to pay for a meal at a local restaurant.
Their are some "very" rude people in Italy - if you only know a few words of English and they are swear words - please don't say them in front of children.
The good bits now.
Folgarida is a reasonably quite resort with plenty to do when not skiing. We went ice skating and to the cinema (on the same night). The après ski tends to revolve around a bar called the eta beta which is right at the bottom of the blue run back to the town.
The lifts are modern and fast (except for the small chair leading to the ski school which is designed to be soooooooooooo slow.
There are (to put it mildly) lots of cafes on the slopes which means (due to competition) that the prices are "much" less than you would pay in France.
The ski school is fun and the Italian teachers seem (unlike the French) to actually enjoy teaching so they make the classes fun.
All in all I would recommend this resort to anyone - the scenery (the Dolomite range) is truly stunning.
We have already booked to go again next year (although not from Gatwick airport - in case anyone from Gatwick reads this. Note you are also a service provider and people have a choice. We choose not to use you in future).