Top 10 Getaway for Tiny Travelers - Club Valtur Pila, Italy
Club Valtur Pila, Italy won a Top 10 Getaways award in 2001 for its support of parents with infants and toddlers.
FTF honored Club Valtur Pila as a Top International Getaway in 2001 for reaching out to those caring for infants, toddlers and children under 5 years, as well as older siblings. Each winner offers such superb childcare, exceptional recreational facilities, real value for money, and overall excellence, that they give proof to FTF's motto: Have Kids, Still Travel! Here's a look at Club Valtur Pila today.
Club Valtur Pila
11020 Gressan (AO)
Valle d'Aosta, Italy
877/582-2284
Like its French counterpart Club Med, the Italian-owned Club Valtur runs all-inclusive resorts around the world staffed by enthusiastic and friendly equipe (Italian for 'crew') who help serve meals; maintain the property; care for and train kids in myriad sports; and come together each evening to entertain guests.
From Pila, or the dark wooden Club Valtur lodge at its base, guests can admire Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and the Alps surrounding the historic Valle d'Aosta. The variety of beginner and intermediate terrain and free lessons make Valtur Pila a wonderful place to learn to ski or snowboard, especially for children who enjoy mini-mogul courses marked by large painted animal cut-outs. Instructors from the Pila Ski School handle many nationalities and ages with skill and good humor. In summertime, the mountains and valleys provide opportunities for trekking and mountainbiking, and tennis and other activities are available.
In the European fashion, children under 5 years are tended most often by parents or grandparents, and they can go to Valtur's small playroom next to the teens club, or head outdoors to the fenced-in snow playground for sun or sledding. However, a supervised recreation program is available for children from 2 to 4-years-old, but space is limited, so a reservation is strongly recommended.
If you're not ready to backpack your babies while skiing, there is wonderful daycare at Pila's BiancaNeve (SnowWhite) Nursery (0165/52 11 90; fax 0165/36 03 57, email: ansed@tin.it; reservations also recommended). It welcomes ages 18 months to 5 years in a bright, spotless, art-filled room near the ski school, just a short walk from Valtur's front door. ANSED, who manages the daycare, trains graduates from the Instituto Magistrale teachers' college in First Aid. Private babysitting can also be arranged. For your school-age childre, a Kids'Club (ages 5-7), Mini Club (ages 8-12) and Juniors' Club (age 12-16) provide sports, recreation and mealtime supervision.
Dining well together is an important part of Italian family life, and it is one of the great pleasures at Pila or at Valtur's 42 other resorts. Of the Valtur family properties, infants to age 5 are welcomed and cared for by specially trained equipe at the large snow and summer resort at Marilleva, and at two southern Italy summer resorts, Ostuni in Apulia and Nicotera in Calabria.
