Our family has really caught the ski bug having just returned from Alpbach 2 weeks ago. We are thinking of going to Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis next week for a week again. Hubby and I can ski down easy blue slopes comfortably and the 4 year old twins have just started going on the blue slopes after a week in Alpbach. We would love to go Serfaus given it's family friendly reputation but I have read that Serfaus is mainly geared towards Advance Intermediate with 65% of red runs and 25% blue runs. 25% of blue runs doesn't bother us as we stucked to 2 blue runs the whole time we were in Alpbach. My question is, are the blue runs somewhat more difficult than other resorts (read on tripadvisor and someone mentioned that the start or end of some blue runs can be quite challenging)? Hubby enjoys skiing but is a nervous skier so I don't want to scare him and am wondering if Serfaus is right for us. Also the mummy in me wonders if the blues can turn out to be too challenging for the twins who had just left the nursery slopes. Perhaps I am being an over anxious mum. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Also, anyone have any recommendation for family friendly accommodation? Should we stay in Serfaus, Ladis or Fiss? Any ski school recommendations especially for kids would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for reading through my endless questions
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@keai7, SFL is a great ski area and I'm sure you'd find plenty to enjoy. There's pros and cons for all the villages, but if possible I'd recommend you go to Serfaus.
From Serfaus there's a gondola (Alpkopfbahn) that takes you directly to the large Kinderschneealm area, which is really well set up for beginners and kids. The home run from there is a long blue that is mostly very easy. There's a slightly steeper bit near the end but I'm sure you'd manage it fine. The higher pistes beyond the first gondola station might be a bit tricky for you - Blue 131 would be a good run to do but you'd probably want to use the gondola to come back down to the mid-station as the return routes get quite bumpy. Blues back from the Sunliner gondola (85 and 90) would also be good runs to try and on 89 there's a really good mountain restaurant.
Above Fiss there's a beginner's area at the top of the Moseralmbahn gondola. The home run from there is Red 64 but it's not a hard red at all so worth a try if you're feeling ready to step up. The difficulty with Fiss is that most of the other runs from here are Reds so you might be a bit limited in where you can go.
From Ladis you basically need to get a gondola to Fiss before you can get to anywhere else. The mid-station on this gondola gives you a small gentle beginner's area to play in but there's not direct access to anything else.
I've never stayed in Ladis but for both Fiss and Serfaus it's worth renting ski lockers next to the gondolas. Fiss village is built on the side of a hill and has some steep streets. Serfaus is long and narrow but has an underground system that is really handy. Gets you from your accommodation to within about 50m of the gondolas.
I've no kids but used the Fiss ski school once for a private lesson and was very impressed with our instructor.
SFL isn't well known in the UK so there aren't many British people there. Never had a language problem anywhere but if you want to have your kids in a 100% English speaking group you might have a problem.
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?
Serfaus is a very family orientated resort at the main nursery area is at the top of the Alpkopfbahn gondola (don't get off at the half way sttation !). I agree that the home run from Alpkopfbahn is an easy ride back to the village apart from the final 2-300 meters as this is steeper and was pretty chopped up at the end of the day when we were there at New Year.
Blue 131 was very icy at New Year so wasn't much fun at all for the children. I would have no problem taking my children back there. It isn't a cheap resort but you can see where the money has been spent. The snow making and uplift facilities are excellent. It's a nice little village too.
We used Skischule Serfaus for the children and were pretty happy with them.
Here is the blue run from the top of Alpkipfbahn down to the main basin :-
@keai7, I have taken my family to Serfaus for the last 3 half-terms. The skiing is as described by @Valkyrie, especially the biginers blue bowl at Serfaus which is vast and has variuos easier/harder lines to choose from. It is also a very good resort to progress to the next level and you will not be stuck on blues as the reds are varied. The tripadvisor reviewer may be referring to the home blue run whcih is tricky for a short distance at the bottom but our 5 year old got down it every day without falling - many people choose to download as they leave their skis in the excellent locker facilites mid-mountain.
The thing I like the most is the ski school - I am told they are the gold-standard in Europe upon which other ski resorts try to model themselves on. Our 5 year old had now graduated from Level 8 and raced down the red slalom course on the last day, while our almost 3 year old was allowed to join the dedicated ski school for little ones and by the end of the week was able to manage magic carpets on her own and ski down the gentle slope with the aid of the snow snake. Most importantly both kids were happy to stay at teh school whole day and they adapted very well to non-english environment - although all the instructors we have interacted with speak english.
In regards to accommodation we stay at Hotel Bar which is very child freindly and they also have a sister hotel Lowe. PM me if you have any specific questions.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@JoyZipper, we must have at least 15 versions of the same video form the past few years. Good times
@JoyZipper, we must have at least 15 versions of the same video form the past few years. Good times
Good times indeed.
We had an apartment at the Hotel Philipp Garni and it was excellent. It's about a five minute walk from the gondola station and has a boot/ski room but we opted to pay for the ski/boot storage at the bottom of the gondola as it was so handy.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Serfaus booked! Yay Thank u all!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@keai7, as the above have, SFL would be a great place. It is very family friendly and there are loads of runs above Serfaus that should suit you. There are other activities such as tobogganing from Alpkopf and the Schneisenfeger (a toboggan on rails).
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