Help please Austrianites.

A snowHead

We want to go to Austria this year. It HAS to be half term, but that is as far as my knowledge goes with Austria I'm afraid, never been. Need advice!! It has to be half term, we don't want to be walking for 3km or bussing it to the lifts(exaggeration on the walk I know but you know what I mean) some sort of après would be welcome, but we have an 11 year old so not epic nights out. Comfortable, not 5* luxury, full ensuite!! Open to chalets, hotels or SC. Reasonable english speaking schools.
Not too much, or just normal.
TIA

A snowHead

@ricfrench, what sort of level are you skiing?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@ricfrench, you might have left it a bit late for this year unless you look at a UK tour operator - the UK half term from 14th to 21st February is also Fasching in Austria and Bavaria, a major holiday week for half of Holland, and apparently also the main week for the Danes this year. We booked in May and found very few self-catering options in our candidate areas.

Have a look at http://www.crystalski.co.uk/search/sr.44#whatsIncludedContent for somewhere you won't have to take a bus from to get to the piste and the lifts.

Most of the ski schools in Austria have a lot of English speakers - Saalbach in particular seems to be 75% Dutch.

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@ricfrench, Fasching week is the only week you may have some problems with getting accommodation close to the slopes. That corresponds with the UK schools HT (WB 15th Feb) so you may have to look at a DIY and maybe a little away from the slopes to be affordable. If you are/can drive out it is way, way easier to find affordable accommodation in non TO resorts. Alternatively fly to Munich/Salzburg and hire a car.

If you need any help sing out again, there are lots of us out here that know more than the usual suspects! Toofy Grin

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@ricfrench, BTW all the Austrian ski school instructors have to be able to teach in English. The level of English teaching in schools is amazing, so most instructors, especially those working with children have little or no problems communicating with even the most reticent child.

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@Samerberg Sue, SING. I need help, never been to Austria so I know nothing about the areas, country or anything.
As for levels. I'm ok on anything, but would do school just to give me something to do whilst Mrs ricfrench and minime are learning. Minime is inter snowboard Mrs ricfrench (slow progressor) should be lower inter. If she would let herself go a little!!!.
Accom. We'll do anything, self drive I think is out, we don't really have the time. Im lookin UK TO ATM it's just where to go for a reasonable mix of varied level skiing, reasonable accessible après.
I think cost is just going to have to be what it is now.
Just don't want to be stuck out miles from anywhere.

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@ricfrench,
There are some resorts where most of the accommodation is within easy distance of the slopes Obertauern, Zauchensee and I believe Serfaus and Obergurgl though I have not been. Plenty of other resorts will have accommodation close to the slopes just not the majority of it. You could try contacting the tourist info for the resorts you are interested in and they will tell you what accommodation is left and you can check it out on the map which you can usually find on line.
Being Fasching you might have to hunt hard but there will probably be something left somewhere.

After all it is free

@ricfrench, of the areas I've been to Skiwelt (Ellmau, Soll, Scheffau, Westendorf etc..), Kitzbuhel and Ski Amadé (Flachau, Zauchensee, Schladming, Wagrain etc..) all would be suitable for your families level of skiing. The places we stayed in all required a bit of a walk/bus to get to the lifts, but it wasn't too bad. Soll for instance has lockers at the base station so you can walk in normal shoes every morning.

A quick search on Igluski throws up a hotel in Niederau/Oberau only 50m from the lifts and another 150m from the lifts http://www.igluski.com/niederau-oberau/hotel-austria_p2108?holidayid=840403671. Never been there so can't recommend it.

Niederau is a lovely little place and the Austria is a decent hotel, right next to the gondola. I did my first ever week's skiing there and have fond memories. But it's a very limited area so you might get bored. I'd recommend Obertauern for ski in/out convenience with a decent range of pistes and good hotels. Hotel Latschenhof was comfortable and had good food. Walk about 100m in the morning to a bridge over the road, then ski down to the ski-school meeting place.

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@ricfrench, looks as if there's one room left at flangesax's place http://www.austrian-adventures.com/haussusanne.htm surprised no one has mentioned it Confused

Is very highly recommended on here snowHead

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to be honest, it's hard to go wrong with Austrian hotels. Always fantastically clean, rooms are usually large and food very good. And for a couple or family room usually work out better value that French shoebox apartments.

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@sarah, I was going to mention it, but the OP was very clear he didn't want to get buses

@Valkyrie, hasn't the area been linked/extended recently?

@sarah, I assumed Flangesax's was full or I'd have recommended it. That said it would defy require a bus to get anywhere. We hired a car for the week and it suited us fine.

You know it makes sense.

How many of you? I am sharing a chalet with a few families I know, kids between 5 and 8ish... the girl who organised it mentioned that there may be a couple of beds left but shoe won't know until a couple of weeks.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Valkyrie, to answer my own question no... Bus needed to get to Auffach to ski the wider area.

A snowHead

@holidayloverxx, @hammerite, ah sorry, I read it but didnt register it Embarassed

that said if a compromise might have to made then it's otherwise a good option isn't it?

A snowHead

@sarah, it certainly is

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@holidayloverxx, if I venture to Austria I will go there Smile

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Hi, over the last couple of years, we've been a party if 5 (4 adults and a little one). Self catered last year in Wagrain, great ski area, accommodation (found on owners direct) in village cente, short bus (1 or 2 stops 8 think) to gondola. Flew to Salzburg and arranged private transfers (only about an hour, so really easy). Village ticks the boxes I think, large ski area that links to Flachau. We loved it. The year before we went to Maria Alm. We went with a small company, local to the area - Skifix: http://www.skifix.co.uk/Special-Offers-February, based in Maria Alm, part of ski amade. They provide a great service, worth a look. Picked us up from Salzburg airport and ferried us to / from the big ski area each day. Nice village, very pretty, some après both at bottom so slopes and in village. Ski fix can sort out other stuff for you like booking up restaurants, meal / toboggan night (great fun). Ski schools excellent in both resorts.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@ricfrench, there are any number of places in Austria which will suit your requirements, but of course the time of year makes some of them very expensive and/or very busy. The UK market is not a huge part of any of them though, so half term is not as big an issue as the German and Dutch holidays.

Of the places I've been, I would recommend in descending order Hinterglemm, Saalbach, Flachau, Zauchensee, Finkenberg, Wagrain, Ellmau, Soll, Zell im Ziller, Mayrhofen, Zell am See, Gastein. Based on your requirements, I would discount Kaprun despite liking it a lot as the bus and uplift make it more difficult. I'd also struggle to recommend Kitzbuhel as we had a bad experience with the conditions there. At busy times Mayrhofen has uplift problems but Finkenberg is 3 miles away, a lovely village, and accesses most of the same areas without the hassle.

All of these are easily reached in under 90 minutes from Salzburg or Innsbruck airports - Flachau in 40 minutes from Salzburg, if you want it very short. For DIY, scheduled flights to Munich are much cheaper, but you then either need to take the train and a taxi/bus, or hire a car and face many of the worst stretches of road delays on the inbound route which everyone else is taking.

For a large linked area with no need for buses, Saalbach/Hinterglemm is the obvious choice. Flachau, Wagrain and Zauchensee are on a single Ski Amade pass, but need a bus or car to get to all the areas between them so are less convenient. Ellmau/Scheffau and the rest of the SkiWelt is well linked, and the villages linked from Zell im Ziller in the Zillertal Arena are a hidden gem with the run over the top around Kreuzjoch one of the more adventurous I've experienced since you really feel like you're in the back of beyond.

The apres varies, and you'll find everything from raucous to relaxed depending on time and location. What you won't find are large groups of teenage Essex lads vomiting in the street, and even the loudest outdoor bars are quiet from about 8pm with the noise then restricted to basement venues with good soundproofing.

Give it a go, and you'll wonder why you haven't been converted before now

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@ricfrench, which airport is ATM? I would look at either flying into Salzburg (cheap flights maybe a problem now) and getting a transfer to any of the numerous resorts within easy transfer times of 45 minutes to an hour. Or fly into Munich and hire a car to drive to wherever you select/find accommodation. Unfortunately I am working every Saturday or I would offer my services as a taxi/transfer "bus" for you.

Please do not discount resorts where you have to get a bus to the slopes: a) they are free and b) they are frequent. This is not the type of navette/shuttle sardine can often seen in the past, hopping around some of the French resorts. The system works and they do not stop for lunches that go on forever (as I experienced years ago in Italy! Laughing

). Your choice will be severely restricted if you want affordable, slope-side accommodation as it has been booked solid for years by returning clients. If you discount the bus link then you are really cutting your own throat as what is left over within walking distance is so for a damned good reason - people don't want to or can't afford to return to it! wink

The vast majority of Germans, Dutch, Danes, etc will drive to the slopes where they have huge free parking areas. All the main lift valley stations have lockers for skis etc, some offered on a deposit basis some charged per day. Ski shops have storage areas for their clients as well as others - those for example at the Achter Jet Intersport shop in Flachau range from cents for paying hire customers up to 8 or 9 Euro a day for heated lockers.

From what you have described of your wife's needs, I would recommend Wagrain as a perfect mix of huge interlinked skiing with easy slopes for all levels. Once you arrive at the slopes, no buses are required unless you choose to take one to avoid the crush in the G-Link cable across the valley. I now use the buses to do the trip as there are no queues and the buses are empty. I don't do crowds and 130 people crammed into a cable car is my idea of hell! Another place perfect for your wife and minime but maybe not so much for you, is Forstau/Fageralm which is my favourite corner of the entire Salzburgerland Super ski area. However you do need a car or bus to get there as there is little or no accommodation at the bottom of the lift up to the slope.

Talk to flangesax as even if they have no room themselves they have loads of contacts. Radstadt is a great little town, really Austrian and not just a ski resort.

Good luck and good hunting, hope to see you in our neck of the woods at Half Term

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

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Ok I'll spell it out, UK tour operators at the moment. Laughing

I know what you mean though I've spent a long time trying to work out abbreviations that get posted.

Thanks for all the replies, I know we've left it a little late but until a couple of weeks ago we couldnt 'find' the spare cash for HT (half term wink

) but its now a little more possible.
I'll check out some of the suggestions ove the next couple of days.

I've been looking at Ellmau/scheffau but plenty more to look at

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@Ray Zorro, Laughing

@Samerberg Sue, thanks some great info, it's the usual first thing in the morning bun fight to get on the bus I didn't really want, if it's not like that then it's not an issue. Lockers I love, nothing worst than lugging you kit up and down a mountain.
How bad would a drive from hook of Holland to Austria be? That may be an option if all else fails

You know it makes sense.

@ricfrench, I did Calais to Radstadt last year at a busyish time (not quite as bad as HT) and it took about 10.5 - 11 hours with plenty of stops (via Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany). I guess the route from Hook of Holland would be a bit quicker, but guess Dutch half term would skew that (no idea when that is).

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

ricfrench, I've never done that trip so I'm not the best to advise (I will be doing it soon though as we are planning to go to Scotland for about 3 weeks next summer). I believe andy uses it and he's from "oop that way" so he is best to ask. I can advise on routes once you are in Bavaria, including giving you some work-arounds for the usual bottle-necks.

I think your options using British TOs will be significantly restricted as well as over-priced, so some real compromises would have to be made. If you can get a good deal for the Ski Welt, then go for it. It will be crowded, but not as bad as some of the popular French resorts will be. Also take a look at the Ski Juwel area (Niederau, Auffach, Alpbach). Don't get sucked into staying in Oberau if you are looking there as although a lovely little village the skiing is extremely limited and a bus ride down to Niederau or up to Auffach is always needed.

I can understand your nervousness of going DIY, but at peak periods it really is the best option as many 3/4* Gasthöfe do not change their room/board rates at peak periods! The one I use is like that, as are several others I have used in the past. If you contact some of the Tourist Offices you can see what options are available to you. They are way more helpful than sites like Booking.com etc.

A snowHead

@ricfrench, Its an easy drive from HOH staright down into Germany and down the Rhine via Koln/ Koblenz etc. Where you go further down depends on roadworks and where you are staying in Austria, ie keeping west via Bregenz or going east via Munchen or straight over Fern Pass. Once you have decided where you are going if you want to let me know via PM and I'll work you out a route. DIY is very easy btw.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Although the cost of taking a vehicle on the ferry to HoH can be really quite eye watering.

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I've done diy several times it's not a problem, just with flights/hire car etc it was looking similar price wise to package deals

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@ricfrench, To my mind the main advantage of DIY is the far wider choice of resort and accommodation - the TOs only go to a handful of resorts and particularly when it comes to self-catering accommodation have very little to choose from. And if you do go to a TO hotel you might get different (inferior) food from the guests who have booked direct.

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2 bedroom apt in Ramsau for week commencing 14 Feb is £1168. Fly to Munich and get train. Sorted.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

A quick trawl of Booking.com and Hotels.com (enetring 2 adults and 1 child) brings up some truly eyewatering prices running into £thousands - but also some more reasonably priced (for half term) possibilities. Hotels and self catering available for £750-850 in locations that I reckon would fit the bill for your Austria debut:

Mayrhofen - Lively big town - big ski area.
Zell am Ziller - In same valley as Mayrhofen. Smaller town but great ski area.
Zell am See - Reasonably attractive town on picturesque frozen lake. Decent ski area.

- Train travel to all of the above from Munich is easy enough - and there are generally cheap family tickets available (unlike rip-off Britain).
- Cashback of 4-10% is available via Quidco on both of the aforementioned booking sites. And most Hotels.com acccommodation offers Rewards pts. One point per night stayed and a free night once you collect 10 pts.

After all it is free

Have a look at the Sportiv Hotel in Obergurgl (I think Crystal Ski go there and possibly others). It's a 3 star but uses the superb facilities of it's sister Hotel (the Crystal). Ski in, Gondola out (10 metres from the Boot Room). Nice, high, reasonably sized ski area, linked with Hochgurgl. Grab a bus and go to Solden for the day if you fancy a change of scenery. The Sportiv was good value when we have been there, but we haven't been at half term.

I think the problem at this stage is getting "reasonable" direct flights for DIYing. I agree with the posters above - Munich (currently London Stanstead - MUC seems to be the way to go).

By train you can then easily do MUC terminal/airport by S-Bahn to Munchen Ost and from there either direct train to Innsbruck or 1 change at Kufstein OR direct train Munchen Ost - Salzburg.

I would have a look at the Zillertal (in particular Zell am Ziller, Gerlos or Kaltenbach), maybe Soelden, Galtuer, Flachau, Schladming, Maria Alm or Wagrain to name but a few.

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