 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello!
We're a group of about 7 or 8 friends in our mid-to-late 20s. Mixture of abilities from first-timers to experienced snowheads. Some prefer skiing, others boarding. We don't get a lot of snow in our lives though, being from South Africa..
We're planning a ski trip at the end of the year, dates around 27 Dec 2014 to 5 Jan 2015.
Two resorts have been recommended to us: Zell Am See and Risoul. Risoul is much cheaper.
Does anyone have any opinion on these two resorts? Which would you choose?
What kind of accommodation do you recommend in these resorts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They're very different places - almost nothing in common, really! What else is important to you?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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That's great, we should then be able to easily decide between the two when we know the differences. Could you maybe describe the two? So that I can report back the the group and we can see which we prefer. We don't know much about them, these are just the resorts that were recommended to us by two different parties. Thanks
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angeladub, been to both, Risoul has the better skiing in my opinion, but it is predominantly self-catering accommodation. The places we stayed in were very generous in terms of space, but there was not much in the way of supermarket provision, so we drove down to the nearest town for supplies. Apart from a couple of restaurants and pizza type places there was not much in the way of variety choice or liveliness in terms of evening entertainment. so apart from a couple of beers after a day's skiing we usually stayed in and made our own entertainment.
Zell am See has all types of accommodation from 5*+ to self-catering flats. You pays your money and makes your choice. The skiing is good but not as extensive as Risoul. The steeps are more challenging though. If you are flying in from South Africa, I presume you only really have a wide choice of flights going onto Geneva or Vienna/Munich, so fairly long transfers will be involved for both centres. The transfers from Munich and Vienna would be easier in terms of way less mountain twists and turns by road, plus easier choices in terms of what transport you use. South African Airways have daily flights to Jo'burg/Cape Town coming in at about 07.00am and night flights out leaving at about 21.00. That could give you good transfer option, either by road or by train. ZaMs is about 3 hours from Munich, probably about 5 hours from Vienna. Risoul - Geneva is probably at least 4 hours and not much of it on motorway according to Google maps.
Zell has a small but beautiful old medieval pedestrianised centre with lots of family owned 3 and 4 star hotels offering incredible value for money. The skiing is not on the doorstep, but neither is it a long bus ride away. You do have the option of skiing in Kaprun (Maiskogel) as well as up on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. The après is probably livelier in ZaMs than Risoul as well as more varied.
Depends a lot on what it is you are really looking for and what is important to your group in the end. Price is influential of course, but if you are coming that far, you also want to make the whole experience fairly memorable don't you? 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I guess if I were wanting to ski all the hours possible, and keep the cost down, I'd choose Risoul. But if the budget was more generous and I was looking for more of a "destination" experience, Zell am See - especially if some of your party might not be that keen on skiing.
If you look at google images of the two places you'll get a clear idea of the difference. Risoul is a purpose built ski station, convenient but its best friend wouldn't call it picturesque.
If you set out your requirements we might be able to find somewhere better suited than either destination Risoul is not that easy to get at. Closer to Turin than Geneva but I've never driven it and there might be difficulties in winter. Lots of people on SHs drive quite regularly from Turin to those southern resorts so you could easily get detailed advice.
WHEN are you going? That makes a big difference, as it's best to avoid the busy weeks, which vary according to local holidays and those in countries such as Belgium, the UK, Holland, Germany, where the big tourist influx comes from. If you are flexible, late January would be a good choice.
Personally, if I were doing a "once in a lifetime" European ski trip I'd go to neither of those places. I'd go to the Italian Dolomites (probably somewhere on the Sella Ronda) and combine that with a visit to Venice. Easy and inexpensive bus transport from Venice (the nearest big airport, though Innsbruck is also convenient)to the Sella Ronda.
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pam w, she says when - New Year
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i think risoul late december is quite risky, you'll be probably be ok for pistes but dont expect much from the off piste. also quite a big risk the link to vars wont be open which cuts the skiiing down dramatically.
i'm saying this having skiied there in december last 3 years, 1 time was loads of snow another it was quite limited, no link open.
if you do go there i would reccomend vars over risoul, much more lively at night and its got by far the better skiiing in proximity to the station, in my opinion
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pam w, she says when
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ah yes, so she does, silly me.  Well that's simple then. Every where will be very busy and very expensive!
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FAQ
