MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALLOW ME, AND AN UPDATE ON COVID TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FROM THE UK

2020 has been a year for many of us to forget but I sincerely hope that everyone can find time to celebrate Christmas wherever they are, with friends or family, and in a safe way.

The news in recent days has all been about the new COVID strain, and people from the UK coming to Switzerland. I can really appreciate the shock for any holiday makers on suddenly having to isolate for up to 10 days but it’s for a very important reason and we hope everyone is following the swiss federal government guidelines. For further information please click on this link.

As an expert in arranging travel for UK clients, both within Switzerland and beyond, please let me know if I can help you at all with travel, accommodation or any other related enquires related to your Christmas or New Year plans. At the minute the top priority for everyone should be slowing down and stopping the spread of Coronavirus to make sure that life in general returns to normal next year and so we can enjoy time with our family and friends, explore new places and live life how we would like to without putting other people at risk.

As I am currently based in Klosters I have been fortunate to be able to spend more time with my family in the mountains and fresh air. It is also great to see the mountain ski resorts open earlier than usual (since October!) and it has been a great start to the season. Here, Davos Klosters mountain has put in place a detailed “safety concept” and I have been not only very impressed by their response but also the respect that everyone is showing these rules on the mountain and in the village. Enjoying the mountains is all about respecting the rules and other people to keep everyone safe. If we can help or advise you in any way on a ski trip this winter then please let me know as my number one priority is keeping clients safe.

Running a concierge company I am often asked, what is a concierge service? What services do you provide? Is it just for the wealthy? Do I need to be a member to use your services? Today’s concierge companies offer a wide range of services to suit the client’s needs, ranging from personal concierge for travel right the way though to corporate concierge for business – but each company, like it’s clients, is individual. With the way the world is balanced at the minute, we want to help all our clients in their own individual way. If you would like Allow Me to help then please get in touch.

On behalf of Allow Me, I’d like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful start to the New Year.

Early Bird Skiing

With snow on the hills already it’s time to start thinking about visiting the mountains. We are very lucky in the Zurich area as we have so many world class ski resorts within a 2-hour drive and even better news, quite a few of them are already open during weekends. Be warned, it’s still very early in the season so most resorts only have a limited ski area open, but it’s still worth going for a weekend to start building your fitness in the legs and enjoy the fresh mountain air (not to mention the famous après-ski!).

So what’s open and where is the best place to go?

Last weekend I was lucky enough to have my first snowboard run of the season in Davos. The Parsenn ski lift was open and they had about seven runs open. The snow was very good on the piste but a bit rocky if you ventured into the powder (at the very least – not to be considered without a helmet). The slopes were not too crowded and being just under a 2-hour drive from Zurich, I would recommend making the trip over this weekend if you are looking for somewhere to go. There’s a huge variety of hotels in Klosters and Davos, from budget and family-friendly to super-luxury, and with many offering a reduction in prices for both accommodation and lift passes, it could be the perfect break before the festive season is upon us.

Apart from Davos, here is a little list of some of the bigger resorts open this weekend within a 2-hour drive of Zurich:

· Andermatt – From the 29^th of November you can ski daily at Gemsstock. With Andermatt only 1 ½ hours from Zurich, with a charming village and easy access to the runs, it’s an ideal a day trip.

· Engelberg – Only and 1 ½ hours from Zurich, Engelberg has been lucky with some great early season snow including a few powder days already. Their last snow was on the 17^th of November and they have 6 lifts open.

· Films-Laax-Falera – Just on the cusp of being within the 2-hour drive from Zurich. From the 29^th Laax will be open daily and for freestyle skiers and snowboarders, Laax has one of the best parks in Europe as well as a huge ski area with plenty of fun and challenging runs.

Allow Me can help with all your weekend ski break bookings during the season and with over twelve years of being professionally involved in the winter sports industry we can make sure you have a weekend that you wont forget.

Don’t forget that the Allow Me Concierge service is also available for any Christmas-related services prior to the holiday season. We can help with present or food shopping, gift wrapping, catering, picking up relatives from the airport, planning ski trips and pet/house sitting – at a very reasonable price, leaving you more time to relax and enjoy your time off.