 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok as an AUstrian newby, where is there the largest ski area with minimal walking/bus riding from hotels to lifts.
I know, a conundrum.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ski in ski out accommodation in any of the Ski Amadé or Saalbach-Hinterglemm resorts. Buses are not essential in either area but they do help you save space in your wallet for beer money!
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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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Depends on budget. Just back from a week in Hinterglemm and loads of slopeside accommodation. Have been to Arlberg loads and again masses of skiing with loads of slopeside accommodation. Hinterglemm is probably better linked without the need for bussing between the various resorts. Either area is absolutely fantastic though.
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Thanks. Been spoilt over the years..........
Er, do they still use t bars?
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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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@Maersk, I've never been disappointed by Hinterglemm.
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Roffle. Austria is all about 8 man heated chairs now. Last T-Bar I saw was Tignes.
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| andy wrote: |
| Roffle. Austria is all about 8 man heated chairs now. Last T-Bar I saw was Tignes. |
Deffo at least 2 x t-bars and one button in Ischgl and no heated chairs (or the heating was switched off). what a backward resort I don't know why I bothered going 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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t-bar's ftw. keeps the riff-raff out they work just like buttons but with 2x the throughput and more social, but for some reason people are scared 5h1tless of them. Zillertal have heated 6's and heated 8's to access the most remote run in the resort. Heating bit I thought was standard fitment now.
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Ischgl's a good shout. Good sized ski area and a fairly compact village with 3 gondolas and multiple return run exit points and a travelator to save some walking if you end up on the wrong side of town. I'd say 75% of the hotels are under 5min walk from a gondola.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You can stay at a hotel right next to the lift in Soll or Hopfgarten and have access to the Skiwelt. But in the case of Soll you might feel rather isolated at night.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Quite a few big areas but getting accommodation close to lifts is very specific.
There are few areas in my experience that don't have some a accommodation next to the lifts but equally pretty much everywhere you can end up a long way from the lifts.
It's a matter of checking out that accommodation on a map.
Agree with the above that Ischgl is pretty good for extent of skiing and the general convenience of the hotels, but you can still do quite a bit of walking /busing from some.
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@T Bar, loads of accommodation that can be classified as "ski-in/ski-out" according to the definitions used by French specialists for example, it just does not appear in British TO brochures as a rule because they don't need the trade. Crossing the road is often defined as ski-in ski-out as I recall. Obertauern for example is a purpose built location that is as ski-in/ski-out as places like Flaine, Trois Vallees, PDS, Les Arcs, All the Plagne centres. So are Hoch-/Obergurgl and Alpendorf (above St Johann im Pongau). Many hotels that are quite literally on the mountain are listed under Berghotel/Gasthof.
I can name several without much thought that are quite literally ski-in/ski-out in the areas I visit regularly.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Samerberg Sue,
I totally agree, my point is to look at the map, virtually all resorts have some very convenient accommodation, but equally even the resorts that are said to be most convenient you can still end up a long way away if you don't actually check out the accommodation.
(When I stayed in Obertauern the hotel was perfect for what we wanted,others would have been put off by the distance from the centre.)
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ischgl yes
Hoch Zillertal/Hoch Fugen-no bussing if stay next to the lift in Fugen?
Not sure if there's accommodation close to the lift in Kaltenbach-I'm sure I've walked past a hotel though when walking from the train station so that should only be 2 mins walk to the bottom station from there along the flat.
St Anton has accommodation near to the Galzigbahn (and Nassereinbahn)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mayrhofen-has accommodation next to the lift (eg Strass)
Zell am Ziller-a bus is required if staying in the town but there is accommodation next to the gondola station as well next to the après ski places
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| halfhand wrote: |
| andy wrote: |
| Roffle. Austria is all about 8 man heated chairs now. Last T-Bar I saw was Tignes. |
Deffo at least 2 x t-bars and one button in Ischgl and no heated chairs (or the heating was switched off). what a backward resort I don't know why I bothered going |
Did you find the T bar Blais Grondalift.....the one that is so steep it has to have many safety nets to catch people who fall off? (on the Swiss side)
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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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| T Bar wrote: |
Quite a few big areas but getting accommodation close to lifts is very specific.
There are few areas in my experience that don't have some a accommodation next to the lifts but equally pretty much everywhere you can end up a long way from the lifts.
It's a matter of checking out that accommodation on a map.
Agree with the above that Ischgl is pretty good for extent of skiing and the general convenience of the hotels, but you can still do quite a bit of walking /busing from some. |
Living 4km from Ischgl I walk around 150m to the bus each morning. The bus ride takes 4 minutes and stops at the steps to the gondola. After a 15 minute ride up to Idalp this is all the walking I do all day..... until it's time to go home.
No real hardship.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Obertauern for example is a purpose built location that is as ski-in/ski-out as places like Flaine, Trois Vallees, PDS
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some accommodation in 3V, PdS etc is ski in/ski out but masses isn't/ Meribel, for example, sprawls around with some places a long way from the lifts. Wherever you go you need to look very carefully at location, and beware of some places advertised as ski in/out where you actually need rather good skills AND a decent snow cover.
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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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| mayr wrote: |
Living 4km from Ischgl I walk around 150m to the bus each morning. The bus ride takes 4 minutes and stops at the steps to the gondola. After a 15 minute ride up to Idalp this is all the walking I do all day..... until it's time to go home.
No real hardship. |
It comes down to personal preferences the OP wants v convenient accommodation. Personally I am with you and don't find a short journey in the morning difficult. Most times I have skied Ischgl I have stayed in Kappl.
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@Maersk,
Check out serfaus; decent area ( + 200KM ), high for Austria, excellent infrastructure & amazingly ( even for Austria) friendly/welcoming locals. Lift ticket not cheap but beer & food very reasonable.
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@mayr Saw it but avoided it and most other drags.  . Actually despite spending a week in the resort I don't think we covered all of it.
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Pleased with all of the info but booking is hard as I do not know anything about Austria/Austrian villages etc. I think there is little available for me on my dates this year, sadly..........
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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OP, all you need to know is that Austrian villages are like villages in any other country - except they are usually incredibly pretty, great value for money and have quick, efficient and free buses should you not find yourself within a walk from the next gondola.
When do you wanna go and why assume you won't find any accommodation?
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@Maersk, what are your dates? After this week most Austrian resorts start to quieten down, the UK high season does not match up to that of the Austrians. Deal direct by using some web sites like tiscover.com, booking.com or hotel.com or something similar to find hotels that match your requirements and then contact them directly via their websites. Could not be easier these days! Even google maps has the hotels marked on the maps and links to the web sites as well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lech!
190 km connected, 350 km on same skipas and with short busride
From season 16/17; 350 km connected (and largest in Austria)
Lots of ski-in/out, and a pretty, traditional village
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm thinking of Austria for the 19th March, missed out on a great deal in Zell Am See, would have been £600 all in.
Does anyone know of any other deals that is HB, in a big area for the same amount?
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Sorry guy/gals it is me I know I am am spolied. Spent all of my formative years walking and queueing for interminable bucket lifts in Italy then hit the US and never looked back. Recent years have seen the large French resorts. Advancing years have reduced my inclination to walk or ride a bus..........
March 5 - Cannot be moved as some of our party still work - offshore - and have to be on their steel island.
But thanks again for input.
and Yes, I have never skied |Austria
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You know it makes sense.
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@Maersk, If you have not skied Australis do so , a very different experience than the big French resorts and for many a more enjoyable one though that is obviously down to personal taste.
You can either do as @Samerberg Sue, suggests or email the tourist offices who are usually very good at getting back to you with offers of accommodation.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Maersk,
My group usually book direct with the hotel; sort a flight out & arrange a taxi for the transfer. Works out cheaper than using a TO ( most of the time) .
Would also recommend Saalbach Hinterglem but the snow can suffer if its sunny ( which it always has been when I've been there).
Obertauren is quite good but limited mileage if thats your thing.
Obergurgl again a good one but all above tree line so can be iffy in bad weather ( + limited mileage ). Check out the Edelweiss & Gurgle Hotel if you like the look of the resort. Right next to the lifts + great wellness facilities. They were doing 7 nights 1/2 board inc lift pass ofr approx €500/week per person in a double . You can drive it from Munich in 2.5-3 hours if you want to keep flight costs down.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Maersk,
I Will only ski austria now. I have been to france 3 times and switzerland twice. For me Austria wins hands down and i know i could be missing loads of great resorts in France ,Italy etc but Austria is perfect. Friendly,Reasonable the infrastucture is amazing. New lifts everywhere brilliant mountain huts with great food and great apres.
I know there will be plenty of other places not in austria that have these too but from talking to people and reading plenty about other resorts etc Austria wins me over hands down. Saalbach in particular. (Largest linked area in austria and biggest proportion of fast lifts worldwide apparently)
There will be tonnes of accommodation those dates just look at the resort websites.
If you dont ski Austria you are really missing out. But if you feel like the big french resorts spoil you it saves a few more people being in front of you in the 2 minute morning lift que...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I'd second what Mitchell says about Serfaus. It doesn't have the same party town ambience of neighbouring Ischgl (which is also great), but like Ischgl has absolutely world-class lift infrastructure and I find the skiing in Serfuas area slightly more varied. Both are pretty high in terms of the actual skiing (e.g. most of the skiing is above 2000m in both) with extensive snow cannon coverage so pretty snow-sure from late December to mid April.
I find it strange the misconception that some have about Austria being full of T-bars. The lift infra of places like Saalbach, Iscghl and Serfaus has always seemed far more modern than the 3V, Chamonix or Paradiski.
In summary my three favourite Austrian resorts are in order:
Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis: great area, snow-sure, moderate apres ski, best family-friendly resort, fairly upmarket but not pretentious, few Brits (mainly Germanic)
Ischgl: great area, snow-sure, big party town, fairly upmarket, some Brits
Saalbach-Hinterglemm: great area providing good snow. But links between the different hills are fairly low and several sun-exposed slopes. Big party town. Lots of British & Irish.
Others to consider:
I have also had some fab trips to Solden, Kaprun & Hintertux for late season glacier skiing at weekends in April/May. None of these is big enough for a week in my mind. Obtertauern is also a nice, fun snow-sure resort with a short transfer, but the pistes are relatively short, so high-mileague skiers might get bored.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ok good so, soll?
where to stay either close to lift OR right beside a bus stop (can't believe I said that)
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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 assume anything left is not kosher.................
Looking at Soll
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There's not a lot of accommodation close to the lifts in Soll. This is one of the closest http://www.hexenalm-soell.at (there are a couple of other places next to or nearby this but I can't remember their names!).
Not sure about places near to the bus. We walked the 10 min or so walk from where we stayed every day. Left boots and skis at the lift station overnight and walked to and from in walking boots (from took quite a lot longer than 10 mins due to refreshment stops!).
We never worry about staying too close to a lift any more as resort buses are usually very impressive, regular and efficient. We're usually out early so they're not ram packed and if we end up getting one that is busy you're generally not any for much more than a few mins.
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I went to söll 3 weeks ago. It was OK but probably the place I would e least likely to return.
The postwirt was close to bus stop
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@mattiwilkin, I agree, much better choices for the OP than Soll I think.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yep i had a good time dont get me wrong but the Skiwelt just was not for me. To many bitty runs. we did ski a lot in the day but it was very difficult to navigate and soll is probably the most difficult village in the area to get in and out of. (thats the way it seemed we had some fairly tricky conditions with lots of cloud etc)
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Yes it's bitty and the runs are short in most of the Ski Welt actually I found that I was on and off lifts much more often than usual.
I reckon Ischgl is the best bet as has a lot of vertical comparatively speaking so some good long runs.
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FAQ
