 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
My brother has booked flights to Zurich arriving April 11th for a week (3 kids, 5 to 8 years first timers. He's confident intermediate skier and his wife is gentle blues)
It seems many resorts finish up that weekend but Arlberg region keeps going to end of April.
I've advised him to consider St Anton but I'm not so sure now. Accommodation wise there are some options in near by Pettneu.
Can anyone recommend a location that is:
High up (open until April 17th)
Suitable for beginners
Is family friendly
Size doesn't matter so a Hamlet with small local network would work
Is St Anton and near by Pettneu a good suggestion.
I also mentioned Ischgl but again think there might somewhere in arlberg with small local slopes that might be more suitable.
I've looked at Warth but struggling to find accommodation
He'd consider Swiss resorts 2.5 hours from Zurich but I've no knowledge on these options.
Serfaus season fimishes April 13th I think.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Landers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wengen is open until the 19th this season, including the Manlichen pistes that usually close early (for operational reasons not lack of snow I hasten to add)
Parsenn in Davos also open to the 19th. Could stay in Klosters.
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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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@landers, +1 for Davos. Stay in Davos dorf near the funicular
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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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Thanks Bodeswell. Feeling was that Switzerland may too expensive but maybe relative to Arlberg that may not be the case?
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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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@landers, living in Switzerland I’d say Wengen and Davos are the same as St Anton, if not a little cheaper!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Serfaus is open until the 19th, so are (at least some of) the Montafon areas which are nearer to Zürich.
The Arlberg is a good option but it is not so cheap. Pettneu is fine, it is a seperate village, linked by efficient ski bus, it is generally a bit cheaper than St Anton itself (I often stay there). St Anton is actually a good option for complete beginners as there is a good nursery area at the mid station. There should be decent snow there even late season. The issue is moving on from the nursery slopes as there is not very much "easy" blue skiing especially late in the season.
I suspect the best place would be Ischgl. It is open to the beginning of May. The nursery slopes are situated at over 2000m at the top of the main lifts up from the village. There will still be plenty of skiing available. The runs back to the village are the worst in the area (chopped up, icy, slush moguls, full of idiots etc), no issue at all to take the gondola home.
If piste skiing (so not ski touring etc) is the main point of the trip I would go with Ischgl, mid April is a lottery, some years it can be great, a mixture of fresh snow and sunshine, other years just the sunshine and green fields. Ischgl gives you some security that you can have a decent skiing holiday.
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About 3 hours from Zurich to Saas-Fee on the train / post bus. Good for kids, snow will still be good... but it isn't cheap.
Serfaus is open until the 19th and would also be great, it is probably my kids favourite resort to date. Home runs will be slushy by then most likely but there's lots of skiing high up including a great kids beginner area. I'd definitely have a look and would think it's a much better bet than St Anton for a family trip, especially with kids being first timers.
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@landers, There's not much in it, depends where you stay. Agree with @Nadenoodlee, probably marginally cheaper in Wengen and Davos but they are all the type of resorts where you can spend money like water if you don't plan ahead a little.
I'd say for reasonably priced accommodation with easy access to lifts Wengen will likely be the better option. And it's a lovely village if you're looking to please beginners, family friendly etc. The nursery slope in the village will probably be slushy and maybe closed by mid April (that will likely apply everywhere at resort level by then), but there's good nursery areas for your brother's kids up in Manlichen and Kleine Scheidegg and some really nice long blues for them to progress to. Frankly for a family with 2 young kids where one partner likes gentle blues it's a no brainer.
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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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@Bodeswell, thanks for suggestion however the brother had booked Pettneu when I reverted back to him last night. My understanding is that ski bus outside accommodation will take them to St Anton (perhaps Nasserein mid station) for beginners area / ski school.
I see there is lifts in Pettneu but perhaps not an area to learn.
Pettneu seems like a quiet family friendly type village so with ok conditions St Anton may work out for them. He has an option of switching to an apartment on the edge of St Anton but its a 10 minute + walk to the action.
Dad, as a strong intermediate will enjoy the area anyway, although he'll have to skip the Apres fun 
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Lech.
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