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Resort: Kappl
Country: Austria
Domain: Paznaun/Silvtretta
Author: boabski

Date: 2nd to 9th Jan 2010
Our holiday: Family holiday for me, wife and 3 kids -aged 6 9 and 12. Our 5th family holiday and 3rd time skiing for youngest
Website : www.kappl.com
Basics : Probably an hour from Innsbruck but we (to keep costs much reduced) flew Edinburgh to Munich then back via Memmingem.
Lift system : Kappl has around 45km of runs but you can but a whole area pass to include Ischgl, See, Galtur and Samnaun (Switzerland)
The terrain : The terrain was excellent in Kappl alone. The grading was accurate and runs really interesting. From most chairs you could take a blue red or black down (the blacks were more dark red IMO but still very nice). Top of mountain was excellent cruising, in the middle there were several 'runs' through the trees etc, which the kids loved and the bottom part was a very nice forrest track. Longest run was 9 km and excellent. On the upper half was a fun park for beginners and intermediates and a timed slalom course, which was always kept in great condition. Also has a 6km toboggan run floodlight 2 nights a week which was great fun.
The snow : There had not been a proper dump for ages but thanks to the freezing temps and snow cannons the snow was in great condition, with only a couple of minor icy patches to worry about
Off-piste : Did not do but looks pretty decent with most accessible pretty easilly from lifts
The resort : Kappl lies in the Panznaun valley which is pretty steep. Therefore Kappl itself is on a pretty steep slope. Very picturesque with loads of hotels and guesthouses. Only 3/4 4 star hotels. Lovely church in centre with candlelit graveyard at night - really beautiful. Not too many restaurants to choose from and several bars. Few decent apres ski bars too. Gondola that took you to midstation/ski school etc was on valley floor, which was lower than the main village - not really a problem in morning as you skied down but had to rely on bus/taxi/long uphill walk if you skied all the way down at end of day for best apres ski bar at foot of slopes - not a problem though if you stopped off near your accomodation on way down
Food : Sunny Mountain is a biggish complex that houses ski school/kindergarten and large restaurant - serves very good food but was extremely busy once ski school finished for lunch. The Bockalm was a short ski away, more traditional and easy to get table. Anywhere we ate on mountain was always excellent and typically cost us €35 for the 5 of us including a couple of acloholic drinks for the adults
Accommodation Hotel Silvretta only 20m away from piste. We had two massive rooms with balconies overlooking town, piste and valley. Breakfast was OK and 5 course dinner was acceptable but nothing like what Ive experienced in past - admittedly that has usually been 4 star and 4 star superior hotels. €1400 for the week including drinks seemed pretty decent value for me though. Also had sauna and steam rom but never used. Would not go back as evening meals were in the main disappointing
Costs Beers €2.5 - €3 for 0.5l. Gluhwein same. In fact most drinks were €3. Frankfurter and chips €4, Gulaschsuppe €3.5 - €4.5. In the main I thought the resort represented very good value apart from lift pass which was €231 for whole area and €131 for kids over 8
Conclusion: Great find. Can't believe not on any UK operator radar given its excellent child friendly nature, good value, great sking and closeness to Innsbruck. Would I return - you bet. Would stay at a different hotel next time though and fly to Innsbruck (drive from Munich took 5 hours due to horrendous traffic jams). Great place for families and in fairness skiers of all levels (apart from experts I suppose). I am a huge fan of the Arlberg and would rate the skiing better than that of Lech. Was a bit surprised not to have any heated chairs in Kappl or Ischgl (of the lifts and chairs we used anyway). Was a bit disappointed in Ischgl's apparently legendeary apres ski - not a patch on St Anton and whilst busy completely lacked in atmosphere - we were only there till 6 so maybe missed out Puzzled

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Gave our youngest a private lesson for 2 hours on day two which helped. Ski school did look very very busy and would not have been happy as most classes seemed to have around 10 kids. It did get quieter as the week went on though. The pistes were very quiet in the main and blessed by a week of sunshine and cold temps, will go down as one of our best ski holidays

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