Recommend me a resort please!

A snowHead

Hi everyone, my first post here!

We are looking at booking a weeks ski holiday in february 2007 (yay!) and we would appreciate some resort help.

We will probably book it all separtely unless we can get a decent package. There are 7 of us going:

Me = 4th time skier, confident with little fear - enjoy cruising down reds and trying the odd blacks
My mum = also a 4th time skier, but she hasnt skiid for 20 years. She would probably appreciate the wide blues and easy reds.
2 brothers = both have skiid once (they are 6 and 8 years of age) and by the end of the week were cruising down the reds.
sister = 5 years old and will be skiing for the first time.
uncle = second time timid skiier.
auntie = non skiier.

As you can see, we need a resort which caters for a variety of skills (mainly beginner and intermediate), and also which is interesting for a non skiier. Also, because we are tied down to half term, the resorts will all be very full so a resort with a decent liftsystem is a must so that quees are minimized. We want to stay in an apartment for the week and it cant really be very pricey as we have quite a tight budget. It must also be quite a family frienldy resort and we are definetely wanting to go to Austria.

We have narrowed it down to 3 resorts:
Alpbach - I like the look of this town however the skiing doesnt look very extensive at all and there are many old lifts. I can imagine me getting bored here after 3 or 4 days skiing
Ellmau - Looks very nice and the ski-welt looks great but my friend told me that the pistes were short, crowded and that the lifts were old. Also, i can imagine getting a lift pass for 250km a waste for the beginners.
Saalbach/Hinterglemm - I really like the look of this resort - the town looks nice and the skiing looks great also. However, this seems to be the most expensive of the resorts. Also, although i would really enjoy the vast ski area, i think it could be wasted on the beginners?

Please help me choose! Im open to other suggestions also Smile

Also, any hints for accomadation is appreciated.

A snowHead

oasis13, welcome to snowHeads

I haven't stayed at any of those resorts, but I have skied on Ski-Welt - I wouldn't say it had an elderly lift system. I guess the runs are a bit short if you compare to the 3 Vallees. Fantastic mountain eateries in the area though. I wouldn't worry about wasting piste km's on beginners - you've got to have fun too!

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oasis13, welcome to snowHeads!

Can't help you much with Austria having never skiied there, but you might want to consider Val Thorens. There's plenty of terrain for all levels and you and your brothers might extend your passes to the whole Three Valleys system - a trip to Courchevel is well worth it, but don't buy anything there! There's stuff for non-skiing Auntie as well (though I didn't look at that much, too busy skiing

) maybe someone else can help there. The only downer might be the cost - I stayed at the last snowHeads bash where we got a great deal on an appartment (effectively £130 pp) but that was at the very end of the season. Half-term is not going to be cheap, to put it mildly.

Good luck!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I should have mentioned that the uncle and auntie live in southern Germany and are driving - this is why Austria is ideal!

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oasis13,

Saalbach fits your bill and the hotels are of a good standard IME so you get what you pay for in this respect.

The only reservation I have is for the non-skier, I'm not sure any resort really caters for that very well, tho'.

Maybe consider Kitzbuhel as the shops and town are better for a non-skier

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oasis13, Skied Ellmau twice now during the peak periods staying at the Hotel Christoph www.hotel-christoph.com. Family run hotel between the main village and access to the main slopes via the Hartkaiserbahn funicular (walking distance). Great hotel with larger than average rooms, super food, nice bar and indoor swimming pool. Very popular with most European nationalities. Unfortunately probably already booked up for February but worth a try before it is definitely too late. I believe Crystal feature the hotel, but if not DIY is easy to organise - fly to Munich, catch a train to Kufstein then taxi or bus.

Of all the Ski-Welt villages Ellmau is the most conveniently positioned to the slopes. Both Scheffau and Soll require short bus rides (included in the pass) to their main access points.
Also check out http://www.wilderkaiser.info/sommer/start/start_so_en.asp

I am back at the Hotel Christoph next February - happy hunting!![/url]

After all it is free

oasis13, I'd recommend Ellmau wholeheartedly. I went there this January with eleven families all with children. We encountered no queues but it may, of course, be busier at other times of the year. I'm an advanced skier but nonetheless found the Ski Welt area good news. For your Mum, brothers and sister it would be great news. I can also thoroughly recommend the Hartkaiser Ski School. I organise holidays for deaf children with cochlear implants (like my own five year old) and the Hartkaiser ski school won unanimous praise from all the families for their tuition for both the adult and the children's groups. The lift system throughout the Ski Welt is up to date and modern. You don't say what time of year you are planning to go but I would say that Ellmaus is a good bet snow-cover wise in January, February and early March but its low altitude means I would caution you if you are thinking any later than mid March. I note that JT, mentions Kitzbuhel. We went there the previous year and, while a great town, it is a town and it is not necessarily very ski convenient for trekking around with young children. We'd go back to Ellmau for this type of family holiday without hesitation. As for your non skier, Ellmau and the surrounding area is picturesque. It is not so small as to be too quiet and there is a good heated outdoor swimming pool which I am told is fantastic. I'd agree with JT, that Kitz is better for the non-skier but then you need to decide who gets the priority - the non-skier or the skiers.

Stupid me - you did say February 2007. Sorry. Then snow cover is no problem in any half-decent year. I guess you might encounter more queues in Ellmau than we did because of half term hols - a key route up the mountain (although not the only one especially for the children who will be learning) is the funicular railway and I can imagine this being a potential bottleneck. Having said that, other resorts may possibly have similar snags. I'd still recommend Ellmau but have not been to Alpbach.

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I'd agree with JT regarding Kitzbuhel, plenty of terrain and sounds like a perfect stop for a non-skier. Having not yet been there (sadly) I say that based on what seems to be a virtually unanimous opinion. What I would say though is that (from what I've heard), the ski schools aren't too well organised, especially when it's busy (February...).

Anyway, to throw my own suggestion into the equation, I would suggets Morzine. Admittidly it is a bit further to drive for those in southern Germany (as it's in France), but the resort is fantastic. The skiing is perfect for intermediates with excellent scope for both beginners and advanced skiers too (especially if you head up to Avoriaz - conditions permitting Mad

). The resort town itself is perfect for a non-skier too, not too big, but there is plenty to be doing - as they state quite proudly in their literature, they are a working town, so there are all the usual (non-skiing) amenities available. Oh yes, I went at half-term this year, and despite there being a fairly large number of older lifts, there were no queues to speak of at all.

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Agree thats it will always be a compromise for this group. Convenient sking or non-skier bias.
Saalback is small but a trip to Salzburg is possible but thats only one day out of a week.

Never had to contend with a non-skier but I would expect this group make-up will always suit one set of peeps or another. I'd go for skiing convenience and hope the non-skier is a good reader. If they are a walker then they might be able to ride the lift and use walking paths to meet up with those on the hill

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oasis13, Westendorf - which is linked by a short (but very crowded) bus ride to Brixen-im-Thale. I really like Westendorf, it's a bit separate from the rest of Ski Welt (there is a lift pass for the Westendorf only area, which is a bit cheaper than the full Ski Welt area) and you can also get over to Kitzbuhel if you're more adventurous. My feeling is that it's a bit quieter than the rest of Ski Welt or Kitzbuhel. I've written a Resort Report - see the index at the top of this section... snowHead

We went with my mum this January, she's a non-skier, and she found things to do (langlaufing, snow shoeing, toboganning and walking) through the tourist office. Although to be fair she has been visiting Westendorf for years in the summer.

Hey,

thanks for all the suggestions. So far, it is definetely looking like Ellmau or Saalbach - unfortunately, they simple dont want to drive all the way to France when Austria is only a couple of hours away. We are looking to stay in an apartment for the 7 of us - will these be booked out soon and does anyone have any recommendations?

Also, i did have a thought of us going to Alpbach as it is relatively cheap and the "beginners" will have a great time skiing in Alpbach and i could get the Kitbzuhler Alps ski pass and try Kitbuhel, Ellmau etc. What are the buses like between resorts?

You know it makes sense.

oasis13, Is there any reason why you don't want to come to France? We have everything you mention, and all the mountain restaurants are accessible on foot, so your auntie and Dad could meet for lunch even with skiing there. Only thing I'd say though, is that many of our blues are red, so don't be put off by the lack of red on the piste map. You may not want to try too many of our blacks (serious), but other than that I'd say LDA fits the bill perfectly!!!

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

oasis13, I've been to both the Ski Welt (although based in Soll) twice and Saalbach also twice and loved them both. If given a choice to go back to one though I'd pick Saalbach.

Ellmau looked like a pretty village from the slopes above and the skiing area is good - wide slopes etc, although not necessarily that long. The village looked quite small for non-skiers and if it's like Soll it could be really quiet in the daytime.

Saalbach is a bit bigger with Zell am Zee down the road for a few more activities, e.g. shopping for the non-skier. Virtually all the hotels have swimming pools, wellness areas etc. so I would go for that over an apartment. The general standard and food is excellent. In terms of skiing, you can access both sides of the valley from three different lifts all within 5 mins walk of eachother. Non-skiers can observe the nursery slopes from the bar and restaurant at the bottom and the other one at the top (you can walk up). On the whole the resort is very compact with lots of choice of runs for different types of skiers and the lift network is modern (with the exception of the odd few) and includes a few heated chairs! The resort is more expensive than others but worth every penny. If you do decide to go self-catering, then the hotel restaurants are open to non-residents. If you want some recommendations just ask.

Kitzbuhel is a great resort and has a massive sports/swimming centre. If you stay near the Hahnenhamm lift then the issue of getting the family around a larger resort won't be a problem. The Hotel Montana is next to the lift and a few mins from the town centre. It is right opposite the nursery slopes also. It has a small pool and decent food. It's also reasonably priced. Skiing wise Kitz meets your criteria but I will say that the slopes were a bit more crowded than Saalbach when we've visted in February.

To be honest, I'd shortlist Kitz and Saalbach rather than Ellmau.

A snowHead

If driving down from Germany, I can see why you are choosing Austria. The only one of the resorts you mention I know is Saalbach. I think it would be perfect for you ski-wise and beginners in our chalet last year got about well by the end of the week. It is a resort that allows for all levels of adventure!

As for non-skiers, the Neilsens rep told me that they run trips to Venice, Saltzburg, Innsbruck and Munich. There is also a rail link not too far distant in Leogang, so you can get around. Saalbach has a good social scene too. It has a great atmosphere for skiers and non-skiers and I'm sure you would enjoy it.

If you are tied to half-term week then book now. Austria is cheaper than France on the whole and Saalbach is a gem, but don't tell everybody!

snowHead

A snowHead

Just one point for skiing with kids. A very efficient lift sytem just deposits more people at the top of the piste in a shorter time. IMHO crowded pistes are what you really want to avoid with kids.

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I learned to ski in Saalbach, so I'd say it was OK for beginners.

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Ok,
thanks everybody! Saalbach does look great and we are leaning towards there but before we decide too quickly, has anyone been to Alpbach? My Uncle has set his heart on Alpbach - mainly because the skiing is cheaper! He doesnt seem to realise that one can get bored at a small resort - the first time he went skiing he went to Maurach (Austria) which has 12km of pistes! The reason why he didnt get very good while he was there is because there was no blue piste longer than 1km apart from the piste into the village which was too icy for a beginner when we were there.

Do you think that 50km of pistes is enough for a week for an intermediate?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

oasis13, Well, I worked on Cairngorm for 7 winters and they have about 56 Kms pistes. I wasn't bored, but then I do enjoy trying to improve my skiing and so on. If you don't automatically find skiing the same piste more than once boring, I should say 50 would be fine. I've heard that Alpbach is one of the prettiest resorts int he alpes. Very Happy

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

After all it is free

oasis13, Don't agree with the comments for Ellmau, it would be the resort I would suggest for you piste are less crowded than France the lift system is not all old, like any resort there is the odd slow lift or old lift but the lifts in the skiwelt are very efficient but may not have the same uplift as the big French resorts. However Ellmau is good if the snow is good and February should be a safe bet. I would say that for non skiers Ellmau is probably not the best and a bigger town may be better. However I cant talk from experience as I have never been in the town during the day. snowHead

Just one more question - is the funicular in Ellmau a big bottleneck in the morning?

Also, the resort doesnt have to be that good for a non skier as my auntie is an artist and wants to paint and get some time alone when she's there - she just doesnt want to go to a hamlet Neh Neh

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oasis13, remind your aunt to take lots of white paint wink

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oasis13, If you get the funicular you need to be on it before 9.45am especially to wards the ends of the week. the reason for this is it is used as a meeting point for the ski schools not using the nursery slopes. The funicular is quick but can be packed the longest I have had to wait to get up the mountain was about 15 mins. After 10.30 if your starting late there are few queues. From the top of the funicular there are several ways to go and crowds thin out quickly although the main links lifts are busier until the morning rush dies down.

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There's also 2 gondolas up from Scheffau, they run the older one when it's busy so there's never a big queue. We stayed in Soll but often skied across to the bowl at Scheffau, some of the group used to taxi round as it was only a few euros.

You know it makes sense.

oasis13, There is some fantasticly quiet and good skiing above Going accessed by the chair you mention. However, you don't need to worry about a car. You can easily ski across to Going from the t-bars that go up from the Ellmau nursery slopes. You can have a good time on the pistes above Going but you will eventually want to take the funicular since this is necessary to access the rest of the SkiWelt. You are right to worry about the funicular being a potential bottleneck in half term week. I can't say if it is or isn't since I wasn't there at haf term week but, with good timing (either early or later in the morning), it should be manageable enough. But since you have the car, as FenlandSkier says, you also have the option of by-passing any queues at the funicular by driving along to Scheffau. Certainly, Ellmau and the surrounding Ski Welt area will score well on many of the things that will be important to your holiday.

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

Ellmau is looking good and we are currently looking at accommadation - unfortunately it is quite hard to find an apartment for 7 people which is not booked out! Anyone have any tips?

A snowHead

oasis13, When I was there, I got the contact details of an apartment from one of the ski teachers - a lovely lady called Alex. I don't know what the size of the apartment is or the location but it is Appartmenthaus Berger in Auwald. I have her e-mail but I am reluctant to post it publicly. Is there a way of just passing it direct to you on here without posting it on the board?

A snowHead

oasis13, p.s. It is in Ellmau. I think Auwald is the district.

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StanBowles, click here to open a Private Message pre-labeled for oasis13. wink

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Ok, we've been looking at apartments in Ellmau and not one has been available! Sad

We've now decided to look at Scheffau and Soll aswell but it looks like we might end up in a hotel rather than an apartment.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Kitzbuhel is a beautiful, partly mediaeval, small town with good shops. The skiing isn't challenging enough for expert skiers but fine for everyone else and very extensive when you consider the linked Pass Thurn/Jochberg area. It is many years since I was last there so perhaps the bad queues to get up the hill in the morning may be a bit better now(?)
Of course Wengen would be almost perfect (wonderful for non-skiers) if you were prepared to go to Switzerland.

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Wengen does look great but its not the best place if you want a budget holiday! We have found a nice apartment in Alpbach - its pretty and the skiing will be good for everybody too. I may even get the Kitzbuhler Alpen Ski Pass and then i can visit a few other resorts - it works well because we will have a car Smile

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We stayed in Ellmau this March at the Altepost hotel which was very comfortable and extremely convenient for the skibus to the funicular. This can be a bottleneck in the mornings but if you are a late riser like us (out at 10) then it shouldn't be a problem!

I would second the opinions of others in that Ellmau should fit the bill very well for all but the non-skier, unless they're a good reader. It's a very quiet village but has a couple of nice restaurants for lunch and a very good swimming pool. Also can get to Salzburg and Kitzbuehl for a day's sightseeing. You'll enjoy the variety of skiing which is enormous, and although the runs are not particularly long in the Ellmau section (apart from the runs down to resort) it's all very enjoyable with plenty of nice watering holes along the way. For beginners I imagine it would be wonderful with good wide easy slopes to start on.

After all it is free

Hi,
just to update everyone, we have booked an apartment in Soll! Now i just have one more question - ryan air fly to Salzburg but does anybody know when Ryanair announce their flights for Februaury 07? Thanks!

Help!!

Recommend me a resort please!

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