 Poster: A snowHead
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Back from the 2023 half term trip and already thinking about 2024, and after a few French trips fancy a change and going for Austria - but all my experience of Austria has been adult only trips... Found loads of threads for France in search but not Austria.
So:
1. Austria only.
2. Mostly early intermediates.
3. Children aged 8 to early teens (so need some restaurants but don't have to have rocking apres).
(Or just point me to the 50 "Austrian family resort" threads I failed to find)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Serfaus, perfect for families pretty snow sure too
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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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@Mjit, If you can all ski Reds then Saalbach, Zell am See, Ski Welt or Ski Amade all work. All with well over 200km of Piste and Multiple options for Hotels. Cahlets and Apartments.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Think most of the group will still be hugging blues and not need a huge ski area - part of the reason I want somewhere new so all the runs are new to me as well!
Already a few options to sidetrack me during endless conference calls 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Mjit, despite what some others say about Serfaus on here, I don't think it's a good resort for people wanting mainly blues.
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Rauris.
Small resort where all parts of the mountain are accessible by blues. Some short steep sections on a couple, so keeps things interesting. Some reds for you too, many of which meet at the same point so you could split off and meet at the bottom if you so wished.
2km long toboggan run from Kreuzbodenhütte, which can also be accessed by the Kreuzboden chair. Incredible views from there.
Small climbing frame outside the restaurant at the Middle Station. My 9 yo loved playing on it over lunch everyday.
Every Thursday at 1600, Tilly the Owl heads up the long sledge on the nursery slope. Jump on at the bottom, get pulled to the top by tractor, and then it lets you go. Loved by mine.
On Tuesdays (I think), there's a horse and carriage ride around the town. Pick up outside the bottom of the lift at the nursery slope, a trot up to the top of town and then back again.
I don't know what the toboggan costs, but the sledge and carriage ride are free.
We stayed at Carpe Solem and it was fantastic. Right next to the lift, heated, high-spec boot room, Kids Room (with giant TV, climbing wall and fooseball - 9 yo spent all his free time in there), lovely bar/restaurant, swimming pool, spa.
A mixture of lively and more chilled apres depending on which bar you go to.
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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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@Mjit, we're taking our toddler to St Johann in Tirol again in a few weeks. It has a nice, friendly (but small) local area and Kitzbuhel (9 minutes on the free train), SkiWelt, Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn are all very close and (from memory) on the same pass (if you go for the more expensive one).
You might not like the idea of travelling around with the kids, or might have lessons to attend, so appreciate its not for everyone.
Other plusses - some nice bars and kid-friendly restaurants, it has a great wellness centre which is often included in your accommodation, it's a picturesque town and fairly cheap.
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@Owlette Very interested to hear your thoughts on Rauris, however on looking at the piste map it seems the runs back to the valley are either black or red, is this really the case as my group are basically blue run skiers?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| waitrose wrote: |
| @Owlette Very interested to hear your thoughts on Rauris, however on looking at the piste map it seems the runs back to the valley are either black or red, is this really the case as my group are basically blue run skiers? |
a couple of mates' families both learned there and went back multiple times. You download on the gondola back to the valley floor if you don't want to tackle to black /red. Some of them were quite nervous / cautious skiers and loved the fact you could go to top of mountain and blue run down. also a little beginner area at the base too. But ten also sme red and the one black for the more adventurous to move onto.
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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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My friend was up in Zauchensee yesterday, said it was a lovely place but too many blue runs. Maybe that's an option?
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Exactly as above, you download from the middle station back to the valley. I'm strictly blue, though I did tackle a couple of reds whilst there at Christmas, and I loved being able to go all the way to the top and then ski down from there.
You can also download on the Kreuzboden chair, but that puts you at the ski bus stop. Its only about 2 minutes on the bus, or you can walk into town if that's where your accommodation is. Personally I'd end the day at the Middle Station and download from there. Takes 5 minutes.
It's where we learned to ski a couple of years ago. Beginner friendly but also good for intermediates.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Valluga wrote: |
@Mjit, we're taking our toddler to St Johann in Tirol again in a few weeks. It has a nice, friendly (but small) local area and Kitzbuhel (9 minutes on the free train), SkiWelt, Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn are all very close and (from memory) on the same pass (if you go for the more expensive one).
You might not like the idea of travelling around with the kids, or might have lessons to attend, so appreciate its not for everyone.
Other plusses - some nice bars and kid-friendly restaurants, it has a great wellness centre which is often included in your accommodation, it's a picturesque town and fairly cheap. |
Never really liked the look of St Johann but that's only from driving through - doesn't seem that nice a village and the slopes are a way from the village. Also the skiing is on one face of the mountain so a high proportion are low down - BUT the face of the mountain used is north facing. Well located as you say, and short transfers. A SkiWelt resort may be a better option?
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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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| Jagerbull wrote: |
| @Mjit, despite what some others say about Serfaus on here, I don't think it's a good resort for people wanting mainly blues. |
exactly. The SFL is the perfect resort for kids who started skiing. Meaning ages from 3 to 5 max 6
The kids area are super with magic carpets, shows, this and that...
But for older kids, who want to manage a few km on blue slopes i found it nicht perfect.
I will bring another one in the game : Warth - Schröcken
Relativ small (if you stay there) or big (if you want to expand to the Lech) but almost every lift has at least 2-3 slopes and usually there is always one blue slope pro Lift.
We want with the kids this Saturday (5 and 7) and they love it.
Plust there is not Gondeln to go up, the entry spots are at least three (Warth - Steffisalp - Hochkrumbach), sometimes the same lift serve blacks slopes and blue. So you can take the chairlift together and then split and meet each other again down in the base.
The big minus : expensive
The plus : if the kids are under 8 they skiing free (but in your case i think it is too late)
However i found warth the absolute : ski - eat - sleep / repeat....
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd recommend Westendorf, attractive village, good nursery area, local slopes suit early intermediates and access to Skiwelt if you want to explore more. Rauris is also a good shout. We were in Westendorf last week and Rauris last year, both at half term. After the holiday this year I asked my 11 year old son which he preferred, at first he couldn't decide (as both were so good!) but then went for Westendorf because the ski school class he was in was all English speaking and everyone was within a year of him, with Rauris being smaller the class was more mixed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We stayed here a couple of times http://www.alpenfrieden-kappl.at/ when the kids were younger. They could all ski and did not need lessons. Kappl itself is a nice enough village with decent altitude. You also have Ischgl just up the road and all the great skiing and apres there.
Although the skiing looks limited on the piste map, all the runs link into each other. There's also small jäger huts (???) at the side of one of the pistes which are great fun for skiing around or over (when our kids were better skiers).
Although I've not been Serfaus gets a lot of good feedback for a family resort
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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 suggest to have a look at the Vorarlberg area.
This year we're skiing with our 8 year old in the Golm. Silvretta Montafon also in the area, if you need some variety and more piste kilometers.
The village of Schruns is authentic.
Food on the mountain is reasonably priced.
Damüls is also a nice. As is Brandnertal.
Plus there's usually plenty of snow in that corner of Austria.
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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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Zauchensee, been there 3 times with my family, nice runs and mountain restaurants, Zauchensee hof hotel great for kids, ski Hillwood went there for 20 years until brexit shut them down. Ski in out, mild apres ski
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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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Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis area ticks all the boxes and have various kinder friendly certifications.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Ozboy, it doesn't tick the loads of blue runs box.
It might be good for bringing on fearless kids but it's a very red resort.
One of the only blues on the Serfaus sector is from the Plansegg lift and that usually has the longest queues in the whole SFL area.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 24-02-23 12:13; edited 1 time in total
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Anyone have experience of Ellmau (Skiwelt)?
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yes nice place but relativ low. For December Januar not so bat, but for later (Feb March etc) better something mor high
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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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I don't remember much about Alpbach, and the nursery slope in the village (mid-January) was just a mass of slush. But I recall the higher slopes being pretty mellow. And it's a lovely village if you like cows (which I do).
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| Mjit wrote: |
| Anyone have experience of Ellmau (Skiwelt)? |
Yes I've been 3 times with my two kids who are now 13 and 16. We like it, went again this year. Most hotels in the village will require you getting the bus to the gondola station to get up the mountain. We were stating up on the hill just above the village church so could ski down to the T bar drag, for a short run across to the gondola station.
Very family friendly area.
Used Top Ski school twice, instructors can be very good or ok, pot luck. Classes are mixed, could have kids from all countries. Probably depending on the school holiday week around Europe.
Several easy blues from the top of Ellmau. Great for Intermediates, my kids went there for their 2nd, 3rd and 5th ever weeks of skiing.
Village is nice and cute, small.
A couple of bars to go to - Memory and the Irish Bar at the foot of the T bar/old beginner area. We ate at the hotel so never went to restraunts.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Jagerbull wrote: |
@Ozboy, it doesn't tick the loads of blue runs box.
It might be good for bringing on fearless kids but it's a very red resort.
One of the only blues on the Serfaus sector is from the Plansegg lift and that usually has the longest queues in the whole SFL area. |
I respectfully disagree on aspects of your comment bet do agree the map is full of red runs (not all reds are made the same) - we have been there for 4 years running (3 in Serfaus and 1 in Fiss) during school holidays and its where my kids first learned to ski - they are not fearless but were able to navigate the easier reds as they progressed. We did nit find queing any busier than any other major European ski resort during February half term holidays. The area is recognised as the gold standard in teaching kids to ski and they have great facilities to learn and progress beyond the main easy form the the top of the main gondola at Serfaus. There are also some fun reds in Fiss that could easily be managed by a well taught early intermediate.
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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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@Ozboy, I was only really talking about big queues at the Plansegg. I've been to Serfaus multiple times and the biggest queues have always been on that lift (or for the gondola up first thing in the morning) The rest of the resort is generally OK.
I read a lot of threads on here that talk about nervous intermediates and people who aren't confident. For anyone like that, Serfaus is definitely not for them.
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If it helps the 7 year old in our group managed 3 near death experiences in the PDS last week, so not really a nervous intermediate Made ME nervous, especially the double eject/2 full forward rolls and solid clunk of helmet on rock, but that's a different issue.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Mjit, get to Serfaus then!  it's a great place.
And Ozboy confirms it's ok during half term.
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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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@Mjit, We are now based in Châtel PDS sand can confirm that the quality of skiers in Serfaus is noticeably better than that of the French side of PDS. More variety in PDS and would choose Avoriaz over Serfaus if I had to choose but it’s a close call. Access via Geneva is a big plus over Innsbruck (and sometimes Munich if diverted).
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Poster: A snowHead
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| buchanan101 wrote: |
| Valluga wrote: |
@Mjit, we're taking our toddler to St Johann in Tirol again in a few weeks. It has a nice, friendly (but small) local area and Kitzbuhel (9 minutes on the free train), SkiWelt, Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn are all very close and (from memory) on the same pass (if you go for the more expensive one).
You might not like the idea of travelling around with the kids, or might have lessons to attend, so appreciate its not for everyone.
Other plusses - some nice bars and kid-friendly restaurants, it has a great wellness centre which is often included in your accommodation, it's a picturesque town and fairly cheap. |
Never really liked the look of St Johann but that's only from driving through - doesn't seem that nice a village and the slopes are a way from the village. Also the skiing is on one face of the mountain so a high proportion are low down - BUT the face of the mountain used is north facing. Well located as you say, and short transfers. A SkiWelt resort may be a better option? |
It’s a great place, been 3 times in the last 4 years! 4 years ago we were able to ski very slowly down the pavement right to the hotel door. This year we had a 50m walk instead. Plenty of hotels at the bottom of the slopes without going all the way (500m) into the village centre. Steinplatte is a 25 min bus ride and worth a day out (easy even with kids) and there’s enough for a week without needing to go to kitz, particularly if you want to stay local for family. As someone said the pool is great too - free if you’re staying in a hotel
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fiss has a lovely kiddies area and the hotels are suberb.
I like the Shlosshotel Fiss where you have to remember that that sweetness of high quality remains, long after the bitterness of high price is forgotten
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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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Great thread with lots of ideas.
Can anyone suggest refinements of the above for resorts that might still be good at Easter? Although Easter early enough next year. =
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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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Seconding all the mentions of Serfaus/Fiss above, my kids loved it and still keen to go back even now older. Personally we found it fine from a blues and easier reds perspective. It also has fun stuff like the climbing wall, sledging as well as the metal railed toboggan which is great fun.
@8611, also good for Easter. Been there twice end March/early April and the vast majority of slopes are high so you get pretty good conditions for the time of year.
Another potential for easy slopes,. though smallish, is Galtur. Great for kids and if you do get bored you could pop down to Ischgl. Fairly high so again a good Easter option.
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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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Actually I see it is pretty high alright
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FAQ
