 Poster: A snowHead
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I have booked flights to Innsbruck from the 29march -4th April. What resorts are nearby (under 3 hours) that will still have a decent amount of snow and be resonably priced? This is my girlfriends first trip and I really want her to experience how good a ski trip can be.
Any suggestions would be really welcomed as I need to get a move on and book accommodation
Thanks in advance
Ross
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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depends on what you want dude? IMO you've chosen the best airport to fly into in the alps for resort choice. Personally I would head to the Arlberg but depends on what you're after
PS Welcome to Snowheads
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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 would say the Zillertall, with the Kaltenbach area or Zell am Ziller probably being cheaper to stay than Mayrhofen.
The lift pass for anything above two days covers the whole valley, including the train.
And if snow does happen to be poor, you have Hintertux glacier at the top of the valley.
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Obergurgl - nice and high, well-groomed pistes and lots of lovely hotels to impress your girlfriend with. Not much more than an hour from Innsbruck.
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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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Dont worry about where you go
In Austria your get great beds and soft duck feather duvets which your GF will love..
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@G0ldie, "What resorts are nearby (under 3 hours)" nearly all Austrian resorts are within 3 hours of Innsbruck -
tips for a snowy village for those dates as well as mountain would be - Obertauern, Kuhtai, Obergurgl.
If you can wait until late on and have a reasonable idea of the snow conditions plus upcoming weather I would do that - there are so many resorts to choose from. If your girlfriend is a beginner - the above three are good.
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Hero's thanks for the replies. I usually ski with my school in February but was panicking as to weather/ snow conditions at the start of April. Want a nice cruisy area with big pistes so she can practice without being worried of about everyone else. A few round bars wouldn't be good, so she can enjoy the delights of euro pop and umpa music!
Cheers
I will get looking at those resorts
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@boabski,
Hi what is this area like?
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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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Haven't been to all the others, but obergurgl ticks your boxes.
Hotel wise both Austria / Bellevue and Alpenland are very nice.
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@G0ldie, If you're looking for some nice groomed slopes I'd head to Ischgl. Probably an hour from Innsbruck, good piste skiing and certainly enough bars to keep the most alcoholic happy. If you've got loads of dosh, Oberlech in the Arlberg would be nice and romantic.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@G0ldie, Firstly welcome to Snowheads!
i'd like to suggest Alpbach, 45 mins from Innsbruck, very very pretty village, great hotels and perfect for beginners and intermediates. Alpbach is linked to a large ski area if you want to explore further and has great off piste if you want. Although not very high (2,000m at the top) it is north facing on the most part and hangs on very well to the snow.
i'm taking my wife there this week for her first trip
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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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Check out Ischgl - their closing weekend isn't until 30th April and there's usually still plenty of skiing available at that point.
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Agree re Obergurgl or Ischgl. In terms of comparing the two, Obergurgl is smaller, both in terms of skiing and village, and probably quieter in the village and a bit less to do off the snow, although many of the hotels have wellness/spa type facilities. Ischgl is bigger, accesses a bigger variety of skiing and is pretty well known for après ski etc.
We've done both late season and had really great snow and skiing.
D
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You know it makes sense.
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@G0ldie, take a look at Sölden as well as it has quite a few cruisey blues as well as easy reds and is still open. Train from Innsbruck to Öztbahnhof and bus or taxi up to Sölden. You could get some really good deals directly from the hotels at that particular time as it really is end of holiday period with lots of schools already returning straight after Easter.
Before you book anywhere do check the closing dates for the lifts/slopes as many resorts will close at end of play on Easter Monday (March 28th). No matter how good the snow is the Austrians close down on dates agreed with the landowners well in advance. Traditionally these include Easter Monday and White Sunday (Weißersonntag) which this year is April 3rd. I once skied waist-deep powder (badly I hasten to add) and on more or less empty pistes on April 17th, knowing that even more snow was forecast, but they still closed the lifts at the end of play that day because that was the agreement!
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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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Check the forecast before you go, the Zillertal is absolutely worthless at the moment with lack of snow. Arlberg is in it's own bubble and having a decent season.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@G0ldie, when you've settled on a resort, make sure she gets some really good lessons. That'll be a key component in making her first trip enjoyable.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Another vote for Soelden as it also has the added advantage of two glaciers.
Check out booking.com which should give you an idea - though I note that your dates seem to be Tuesday to Monday so that might reduce availability a little bit.
Also with Soelden you will need to decide whether to base yourself near the Gaislachkogl or the Giggijoch liftstations - though I think with it being your girlfriend's first ski holiday the Giggijoch end might be preferable.
Mind you, you wouldn't go much wrong with Obergurgl, Ischgl or Kuehtai either 
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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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@schneeflocke, I suspect the Gaislachkogl area may be closed or closing around those dates, so near the Giggijoch is probably a better option any way. Plus the nursery areas there are better as is the progression up on to the blues and the easier reds
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@Samerberg Sue, thanks for that just double-checked winter area opening on the website as we are there from 26/3 to 9/4 - up to 8/4 is classed as "winter main season", so should be ok (hopefully).
And after that it's classed as "winter mid season" up to 17 April -after that till the season closing it seems to be glacier area only.
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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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@G0ldie, I'd also seriously consider Serfaus. About an hour from Innsbruck, great resort with lots of nice cruisey pistes and pretty high so keeps the snow well for late season. Got a good bit of apres, not in the same league as Ischgl or St Anton, and nice (can be pricey) hotels. One of the best areas in Austria IMHO.
If you search on here there are a good few threads about it. Good luck with whichever you choose, sure you'll have a great holiday in Austria
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@gazzaredcruiser, Hi, I was at Auffach this Feb with school and loved it, but just not sure how much snow will be there at the end of march? There were a few brown patches appearing on the slopes when I was there. Agree though, would be loveley first trip if could guarantee the snow.
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@G0ldie,
Unfortuntely few of the suggestions above would likely be cheap and have good snow. If you were happy with a short bus ride then you may find something not too pricey near some of the higher resorts mentioned.
Perhaps consider Galtur (cheaper than Ischgl), Garmisch (Germany), Pitztal (not really a village), and Mayrhofen (with access to Hintertux as mentioned by alex_heney).
Maybe being after Easter the prices will be more competitive at this time than normal??!
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@G0ldie, dumping like end of December over here right now! I think Winter has got the sequence mixed up this year, ever the gentleman it let Spring in first (Primeavera being female  ) Now winter seems to have remembered to turn up!
Easter is really really early this season, ordinarily people recommend beginners to go skiing for their first time in March due to the longer daylight hours and infrequent bitter cold days!
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