 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello!
I'm Katie, first post here and looking for some advice! Hope this is the right place!
My dad and I have booked flights to Salzburg on the 2nd March, but have yet to finalise our resort. This will be our fourth trip. My dad skis, but is only confident on wide, easy blues. I snowboard and I'm a little more confident than Dad, but still not comfortable on reds at all! We went to St Anton last year and even though we loved it, it set us back a bit as we struggled with most of the runs!
So we want somewhere that's good for beginners, essentially, with a nice centre and we've been looking at Flachau and Saalbach. Flachau looks nice but I've heard that some of the blues are a little awkward to reach, via reds etc, and I don't want that to freak my dad! Also the accommodation seems a bit limited :/ Saalbach is looking good to me, would anyone be able to add any input? I was also looking at Zell am See as our first ever skiing trip was in Kaprun and I remember it being quite beginner-friendly! Any other suggestions are extremely gratefully received!
Thanks in advance!
Katie.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@thekatieloulou, Welcome to show heads.
Saalbach would certainly tick all of your boxes. There are plenty of wide, blue pistes and it is possible to ski the entire ski circus using only blues. At the same time, there are lots of reds if you fancy a challenge and in most of the ski areas, a red run and a blue run meet at the bottom.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@thekatieloulou, As you are not doing a standard Sat-Sat, then the usual UK Tour Operators are ruled out.
For accommodation, look at the Tourist Office website (www.saalbach.com) and use their online enquiry form. Recommended B&Bs/Pensions - Norika, Konig, Alpen Sport, Enzian. Top hotels - AlpinResort (formerly the Reiterhof), Saalbacherhof, Neuhaus, Panther, Hotel Post. All of these are in the centre of the village, so 5-10 mins from all lifts.
Saalbach has slightly easier access to the lifts than Hinterglemm, and après is more Scandinavian/British than Hinterglemm, which has huge numbers of Dutch guests, but either resort is good as the whole area is linked by lifts and easy runs. If you get tired or the weather closes in, there are free ski busses that run along the valley between the two resorts.
For your transfer from Salzburg, use Holiday-Shuttle.at or Vorderegger. (If you choose a different resort, there is a list of transfer companies on the Salzburg Airport website).
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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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@thekatieloulou. My family and I have just spent the last 2 weeks staying in Saalbach, our first trip to Austria having ways skied in France, and we have absolutely loved it. The skiing is great, après is as loud or quiet as you fancy and lot's of charm. The grading of the slopes suits intermediates perfectly and to use my Daughter as an example.....in France I would have to coax her into Red runs and if there was a Blue alternative she would take it!! Here in Saalbach we have just skied, not worrying too much about colours of runs and she has been fine, in fact she has skied the best I have ever seen!! We did a day a Zell am See and enjoyed that, the runs I feel were graded slightly more gently than here in Saalbach. Also skied a day in the Hochkonig ski area, starting in Maria Alm and that was lovely as well. Hope this helps 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We have stayed in Hinterglemm twice, at the Alpine Palace Hotel. It is next door to the Rieterkogel gondola which has easy links to Saalbach as well as sunny skiing above Hinterglemm on south facing slopes). The hotel is about a 150m walk to the UBahn gondola (the other side of the road) which accesses the North facing slopes. We really like the Alpine Palace (we have also been there twice for walking holidays in the summer). It was originally a 3 star hotel and they have built a 5 star hotel around it - but you can still get rooms in the old 3 star (Wolf) wing which are much cheaper. However, everyone gets fantastic food (all you can eat breakfasts, hot apres ski snack, 7 course dinner) as well as a superb gym, spa/wellness area, with indoor and outdoor pools etc).
The only slight issue is that if you are doing the ski circus (and you really must, as you can do it all on blues) there is the need to take a T Bar to get to the top of Bernkogel (the link between Saalbach and Hinterglemm). It is long, rather than difficult, but unavoidable. A chair is going to replace this next season, fortunately. I certainly wouldn't let it stop me visiting this fantastic area, but it is a pain.
The skiing is wonderful. Our son, who has skied all over France fell in love with the area in January and it is now his favourite resort. His wife was on her 4th ski trip and it all came good for her on the wide open and uncrowded pistes we enjoyed.
Might be an idea to check snow conditions at the last possible moment before making a decision. All the skiing in Saalbach/Hinterglemm is between 1000 and 2000 metres and while there is extensive snowmaking, it might not be cold enough in March for this to work.
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Stayed in Hinterglemm last March and it was fantastic-village centre not just as pretty as Saalbach but the accommodation is probably a little less expensive and we found it very convenient for the lifts so no issue there. The slopes are all perfectly prepared, well marked and of an easy-going nature-it is easy ski to Saalbach and do the complete ski circus route on wide open flattering blues-and you will encounter some of the best mountain restaurants in the Alps! Great resort,particularly for your level, your Dad will leave you for it!
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#'love you for it!'
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Another vote for Saalbach. Nicely linked area, plenty of blue and red run options that link up together and most of the lifts are quick and comfy. I'm taking my uncle there this March, as a thank you for all the times he took me skiing when I was younger, he's 77 now and likes easy, wide blues that aren't too challenging. Added to that you'll find good food on the mountain and a village where most accommodation is not too far from the lifts. Enjoy.
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Yep, I've skied in loads of resorts in Austria, and Saalbach remains my favourite. Excellent all round. Wonderful pistes, brilliant apres and the most beautiful mountain restaurants I've ever seen (Alte Schmiede and Asitzbräu to name but two).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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yes
Another vote for Saalbach from me
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FAQ
Do you by any chance have any suggestions of where would be a good area to stay? Also what are the pros/cons of staying in Saalbach versus Hinterglemm?
