40th Birthday Resort

A snowHead

So, next March I hit the big 40 and it seems a reasonable enough excuse to do a long weekend skiing somewhere!!

I'm also hoping to take the family in February for the first time, but here I'm after recommendations for a group of 6-8 guys around 35-40. Last few years I've done long weekends in Verbier (loved), Chamonix (good), Villars (nice but a bit too quiet).

Probably a Thursday to Sunday trip. Unfortunately this seems to rule out Innsbruck region as can't get the daily flights there from the North West.

Easiest flights are into Munich or Geneva. Ideally looking for a short enough transfer to be able to ski the afternoon we arrive (we did this in Verbier earlier in the year).

Standard is early intermediate through to fairly advanced. Off piste not really a requirement - blues and reds ideal.

We want some reasonable nightlife and would love to try one of the Austrian resorts (Ischgl), but the transfers are awkward if we cant get in and out of Innsbruck. Verbier was great this year (good mix of nightlife, short transfer, beautiful scenery), but would ideally try something different. Been thinking Morzine, Kitzbuhel or Soll (from Munich). Otherwise could just do one of Verbier or Chamonix again. Any suggestions much appreciated

A snowHead

@Pippo9,
Courmayeur is quite nice for a short trip , really attractive town with lively bars small area reasonable for a long weekend or La Thuile is within easy distance.

How is Zurich from where you are to fly? Flims/Laax is a pretty decent ski area a short distance from the airport.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Pippo9, Soll would be a good shout, has the apres and the scenery, and the transfer from Munich can be relatively short if you miss the peak periods or go by train to Worgl and then get a taxi. Lots of blues and reds, and the only downside is having to get a bus to the lift in the morning, though they are regular and efficient. We've tended to ski back - you can get as far as the main road on skis, then walk the short distance into town if you are based near the centre. Alternatively, https://gansleit.com/en/index.html gives easy access to the lifts and the town and is highly rated

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Just had a look and Zurich works fine actually. Potentially that opens up some other options.....

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Fly to Zurich and you can be in St Anton in a couple of hours. Transfer by coach (Arlberg Express), train or for a group your size book a private minibus. I think St Anton would be ideal for you, good skiing area and plenty drinking/partying opportunities. Ischgl would be great too but it's at least another hour away.

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St Anton, fly Swiss Air from Manchester then train from Zurich, job done! Best Apres in the Alps???

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@Pippo9, As above; try Zurich. Easy train to Austrian resorts e.g. St. Anton. Fly to Turin and Sauze d'Oulx is good for a lads trip. From Geneva for a weekend try La Clusaz.

After all it is free

Zurich - St Anton. Book a private taxi and you’ll be there in a few hours. Skiing and apres is phenomenal

St Anton did appear to me to have good nightlife in terms of Apres ski on the piste. I suspect it is fairly good in the evenings too, but I was too tired from the skiing and spent a lot of time in the sauna, jacuzzi, pool trying to stay ready for the next day. (I was there for one weekend, while I waited for the bank to re-open so I could get my card back from their cash machine)

It does attract a lot of males, probably for the skiing rather than the apres. So a group of males will fit right in.

Laughing

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@Pippo9, Make it a week and go to Aspen ... because you're worth it. snowHead

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

1. St Anton.
2. Val d'Isere.
3. Meribel.
4. Zermatt.
5. Sauze d'Oulx.

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Val d'Isere on the other hand has a good nightlife and apres ski on the piste. There seems to be a higher ratio of females to males in Val D'Isere, even compared to Tignes. Especially in the lift ticketing, and ticket checking employment and ski reps. This is probably why there are more females there as skiers/snowboarders, as there are more females employed there.

However, the time of year you go can affect what groups of people will be there. There tends to be certain weeks when Universities are taking up cheap rooms in the off periods. In the peak periods like New year and Xmas there will be more families, or party goers.

Not sure it is a great destination for a weekend due to the transfer times.

Just been looking at the St Anton option from Zurich. Accommodation seems relatively slim pickings - I've seen that many Austrian resorts are hard to book for less than a full week. Anyone any tips here?

As a backup, which of the other resorts within easy reach of Zurich do people recommend? Engelberg? Klosters? Laax? Hows the nightlife in these places?

You know it makes sense.

verbier.... stay at the farinet..... as an older person myself.... no brainer

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

@Pippo9, avoid Anton - you’ll not get accommodation for a weekend, no chance - go to Verbier or Ischgl.

A snowHead

@Pippo9, Was in Klosters this year. Enjoyed the skiing but saw very little evidence of nightlife. Maybe Davos next door has some? In general, Switzerland not known for partying, however.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Thanks. I've narrowed it down to one of.

From Geneva:
Verbier (went last year - great).
Chamonix (went 2 years ago - pretty good).
Morzine (never been).

From Munich (never been to any of these):
Soll
Kitzbuhel
Mayrhofen
St Anton (but accommodation looks tricky)

Probably favouring Mayrhofen, Soll, Morzine in that order. Verbier was brilliant, but keen to try somewhere new and sample the famous Austrian apres ski.

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Depending on the time of year, and the time of the week, I am fairly sure that people just turn up at St Anton and try to get accomodation that night from the Tourist information office. The tourist information office holds info on all last minute accomodation vacancies, and you can phone around from there. Most ski resorts do this too.

I can say for sure because I went into the the tourist information office in St Anton and observed this occurring (people turning up and asking for accomodation that night and getting it).

Of course, this method requires you to choose low season, when there might be a few vacancies. Alternatively, you could just phone up tourist information at these resorts.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Surprised nobody has suggested Saalbach Hinterglemm. Great skiing, great apres and nightlife, cheaper than St Anton. Not much further than Kitzbuhel from Munich. Have you looked at flights to Salzburg? If those work, that opens up a world of possibilities, although I would still recommend Saalbach.

Kitzbuhel is an odd choice compared to the rest. Would not be my choice.

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@rg1, sshhhh wink

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@Pippo9, try Haus Bachseite in St Anton. They do less than 7 day stays, as does Angelika and the hotel above Bobo's (sorry can't remember name but a quick Google and you'll find out). You'll need to email each place directly.

After all it is free

Why not go somewhere where there are at least some single women and you don’t need a Black Amex card to buy a beer. The Arlberg is not that place.

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Soll, Saalbach, Verbier, or Ischgl.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I'd recommend changing your days to Wednesday to Saturday. You are really going to struggle otherwise to get accommodation by essentially going over two weeks (Saturday is changeover). Alternatively ski all day Saturday in resort, late train to Zurich or Munich and then fly back Sunday.
Ischgl is superb for the kind of group you describe. Fly to Zurich, train to Landeck and taxi pick-up from there.
If Munich is easier then I'd recommend Saalbach.

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You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I'd go for Kitz as well.
The Apres is just about right.

A snowHead

I'd recommend Sauze d'Oulx as well. Plenty of places to have fun. I spent my 40th there, the day before we flew back - very messy affair!

A snowHead

Zermatt is good,

but for a weekend Verbier is closer to the airport

Sauze d'Oulx is also not that close to the airport for a weekend visit

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Bigtipper, Sauze is only an hour from Turin airport. Doesn't get much closer than that.

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@MorningGory, must be another reason then, probably not many local flights go to Turin.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Found this list (recently updated) which gives decent coverage for most.

You can currently fly directly to Turin from the following UK airports:

London Gatwick
London Heathrow
London Stansted
London Luton
Bristol
Birmingham
Manchester
Newcastle
Edinburgh
Glasgow International

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@MorningGory, still wouldn't be at the top of my list, but I'm not 40 though, and pippo9 is no longer turning 40!

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After all it is free

@halfhand, See the last few posts Very Happy

For Ischgl, Ryanair fly into Memmingen, which is about two hours from ischgl by car. Usually rentals are quite cheap in Memmingen.

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