 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
I am a regular visitor to the large French ski resorts but next year fancy trying Austria. It would be with a group of friends who enjoy apres and later and like a large ski area. Can anyone recommend any good Austrian resorts for this? My concern with Austria after never visiting there before is a lot of hotels etc. mention the use of a ski bus and I’m worried this would be a pain. If anyone has any advice or tips please let me know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Ischgl will tick those boxes, famous nightlife. 90% males!
I haven’t come across having to use ski buses in Austria, but we’re fussy.
Solden will likely get mentioned, but to me it’s ugly and strung out along a busy through road.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@Dannyh101, As long as we have a good snowy winter, Austria works.
My first thought would be to go to Kitzbuhel, actually its my last thought as well.
Ellmau to Pass Thurn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I'd second Ischgl. It's not the cheapest as it's very tightly owned by one extended family - but on the flip side that means no rampant sprawl and most accomodation a 5 to 10 minute walk from the nearest gondola. They also own the lift company, specifically set up to not make a profit, with all lift pass income having to be spent on lift/piste infrastructure - so you get fast, bubbled, sometime heated seated chairs.
If you want you can apres hard core from 3pm till 3am - or just a quite drink in a posh hotel bar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I’d second Ischgl as a resort that meets all your requirements. St Anton would be the other obvious choice, closely followed by Saalbach.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would definitely say St Anton, it ticks all your boxes, lots of ski in ski out accommodation, and I think layout most similar to a major French resort of any in Austria
I don't like Ischgl. Good skiing but it is a major PITA getting up mountain in morning, you will probably have 10 minute walk to one of gondolas then up to 30 minutes queue to get up. Some slopes extremely crowded including the slope back off mountain in afternoon. And you get the feeling you are being squeezed everywhere right down to paying for tapwater.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Dannyh101, I never understand the concern about buses when my experience of France was staying in ugly rabbit hutches perched in the middle of nowhere even if there are lots of lifts. Matched up with unfriendly overpriced bars.
Saalbach is probably closest to a French style large resort though the accommodation is pretty much all in the valley (so some ski in practically no ski out). Good on the apres front too. Not so much challenging skiing. I prefer Kitzbühel / SkiWelt though snow conditions can be iffy and a lot of the accommodation is a little way from a lift (as always an efficient bus network!). As mentioned Ischgl might appeal, great ski area, long season (end November to early May), I dislike the "village" but lots love it. My personal preference is the Arlberg, currently Austria's largest and by most most metrics best ski area. It isnt for everyone though. It has become very expensive, some find it too spread out, no dense French style network of lifts and pistes, it gets crowded (more on the pistes than big queues) however it has the best skiing and the best apres (St Anton).
Wherever you choose to go there will be lots of hotels offering half board (usually a good option), plenty of apartments (more spacious than France), few catered chalets (if keen then St Anton probably has most choice for this). Generally best option for looking for accommodation is the local tourist office website eg https://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/accommodation/accommodations
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@peanuthead, I've never found the gondola queue at Ischgl to be an issue if you go to the lifts soon after they open. The queues only seem to get busy after 9am. Even then the Pardatschgratbahn gets big queues but it's a couple of minutes walk to the Fimbabahn which has much shorter queues. Staying in a hotel near one of the underground walkways to the Fimbabahn makes getting up the hill in the morning much easier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Valkyrie, you're probably right, I was with family in Ischgl and by the time we were all good to go each morning we were surely hitting peak time, but it's possible a motivated party could beat the queue. But it was definitely stressful and unpleasant i the mornings That coupled with 20 euro extra to dinner bills for tap water meant my OH will never go back, though I acknowledge skiing is good.
But to me the comparison with St Anton is stark. St Anton has loads of nearly ski in/out (or within 50m of same), better skiing, more friendly, no charges for tapwater, easier to get to if travelling independently, more international, etc
If you've always skied in France and liked it, and want to try Austria, then for me no brainer St Anton should be first place you try!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
@munich_irish, trotting out this "rabbit hutch" refrain gets very boring. You presumably stayed in ugly rabbit-hutches because they were cheap and convenient, or perhaps you did not get good local advice and knew no better. There is a huge choice of accommodation in France, even for the most discerning and demanding customers!
But it's good to go to different places. I'm glad I've experienced five different European ski countries, and if time hadn't run out, there are others I'd like to have tried.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Have to say I've never once been charged for tap water in any restaurant I've visited in Ischgl and our whole group prefer it over St Anton - mainly for the rather ironic reason considering we're all Brits reason of "Too many Brits" in StA. Then again horses for courses. All resorts would be identical if evwry skier wanted exactly the same thing and resorts are different because skiers are different.
To be honest I doubt @Dannyh101 would be disappointed with either Ischgl/St Anton/Saalbach.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Dannyh101, Don't come to Ski Amade. The 60 min transfer from Salzburg Airport can be daunting and the three minute Ski Bus will put you off (even if you use one of the many lockers at the foot of the lift system). It could be as much as a 10 min walk home from one of the Legendary Apres Bars. Your apartment will only have one Sauna/Wellness suite and having all en-suite bathrooms will be a challenge. Food on the mountain might force you spend €20 per person and the beer is as expensive as uhm Birmingham! None of our Ski Instructors speak English and only rarely do we hear English voices.
I'd recommend Mayrhofen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
.
I'd recommend Mayrhofen. |
Fortunately for the OP, we can offer them the luxury of trains to travel to some ski areas in our valley, thus removing the hatred of busses! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
I was wondering why no-one had mentioned Mayrhofen or the Zillertal in general...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Have previously done 3 valleys, tignes, la plagne etc, all OK but soul less, a lot of wasted time getting to an area, and in many cases pistes not very varied. Did Mayhrofen last year stated at the elisabeth. Gr8 hotel, spa, pool, food, 5min bus to penken, area not as big as French resorts but skiing much better, more varied, tree lined. Going again tomorrow, will try zell am ziller, kaltenbach and tux for some variety. Apres good.. food cheap up the hill, far better value than France..
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
don't stress just go to Ischgl> Its got the altitude to be a good snow sure resort, and enough Apres for anyone.
But remember no ski boots in the village after 8pm as the is a 2000 euro fine waiting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Ischgl all the way IMHO. After years of skiing Tignes, La Plagne and The 3 valleys, I ended up in Kitzbuhel one year on a last minute deal. I've never been back to France since. Yes, its a change of mindset having to (maybe) get a bus on a morning, Choose your hotel wisely and you can have only a short walk to a lift, a hotel I used in Kitz was only a five minute walk to the Hahnenkamm Gondola.
The last three holidays gave been staying in Galtur, with a 10/15 minute bus to Ischgl. A choice of three main lifts out of the town, avoid the Silvretta (IMHO), a short walk to the Pardatsch gondola if that is "busy", (Ive only had one 10 minute long queue in two weeks) then a two minute walk to the Fimba gondola. A great ski area with not many lift queues.
Austria also has shorter transfer times, is a lot cleaner and far more efficient services.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
How about Schladming? It's not a giant setup but you've got four mountains to play on, you can ski between the four, there's a good apres scene on and off the mountain, and it's a proper town. No ski in ski out, but the bus and lift systems work well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
