 Poster: A snowHead
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We are limited to skiing over Christmas week and husband wants to go somewhere we have never been before (we’ve done three valleys, cervinia/zermatt, alpe d’huez, Tignes Val d’Isere), so Austria springs to mind.
Have no idea what it’s like there and would love some personal recommendations of where to stay resort and accommodation wise. I do love the luxury of having half board/ski in ski out although I do like a good deal as well! 
Family of 4 (10 & 12), been skiing about 10 weeks, so can pretty much handle anything on piste. Might have some friends join us so we could potentially make up a chalet - but is it mainly hotels there rather than chalets anyway?
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@mishmash83, generally speaking, ski in/out is less of a thing in Austria vs France, this is because the larger portion of ski resorts aren't purpose built places, unlike France.
If you wanted ski in/out you could consider:
Obergurgl/Hochgurgl, this would also give you access to the Sölden ski area a short bus ride away on the same lift pass.
Lech would also have ski in/out as part of the Arlberg area linked to St Anton.
Kühtai would have ski in/out, however it's a small area, but Hochoetz is also on the pass, but again another small area.
You may also find some suitable accommodation in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis.
That's a few places to look at, and they are all focussed on the Innsbruck end of things, there's likely to be some suitable places over on the Salzburg side of things others may suggest.
Accommodation is generally more hotel focussed rather than chalets.
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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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Thanks for this, I’ll do a bit more research! I don’t mind a short walk here and there but don’t want to be schlepping on a bus or traipsing ages, I think the ~5 min walk from hotel to the lift at the Birthday Bash would be around my limit  Would definitely prioritise great skiing area over that.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Halfboard+ski-in/out+snow at village level at Christmas+atmosphere+best skiing of Austria=Lech
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 15-03-24 13:12; edited 1 time in total
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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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@mishmash83, Lech is pretty much the only spot to meet your spec pretty snow sure too, if the ski in / out thing is important look at Oberlech. Obergurgl too but fairly small ski area and can be dark, cold and miserable in mid winter as it is so high. If you prefer chalets there are some in St Anton, though few would be ski in / out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lots of ski in/out and near ski in/out in Lech proper too, not just in Oberlech
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Go for reasonable altitude whatever you do at that time.
We lucked out these last two winters, for the week before Xmas, at Rohmoos-Untertal at 1,000m near Schladming. I say lucked out because torrential rain came on the 23rd December 2022 and 2023. I skied on the former, the only time I've ever skied in rain.
Some lovely hotels in Oberlech, Zurs, Warth, Hochgurgl, Obergurgl and Obertauern tick your boxes. Serfaus too?
Book or pre-book soon, the hotels that we love now take bookings 13 months beforehand, setting aside rooms for loyal guests.
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@snow&skifan I am quite overwhelmed looking at all these different hotels, if you have any in particular you’d recommend I’d be very grateful!
Thanks to everyone for giving me lots of food for though. I definitely want to choose somewhere with good altitude and decent sized ski area 
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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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Zell might be worth a shout - they had snow at Xmas this year (as well as the adjacent Kaprun glacier) and my older sister and her family of 5 managed to get a great deal on an 8 bed Airbnb in a central location that was quality. . . .get your flights at a decent price and the transfers direct from Salzburg airport on Bus 260 are pennies!
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| mishmash83 wrote: |
@snow&skifan I am quite overwhelmed looking at all these different hotels, if you have any in particular you’d recommend I’d be very grateful!
Thanks to everyone for giving me lots of food for though. I definitely want to choose somewhere with good altitude and decent sized ski area |
We very much love ski in ski out hotels too. Stick to your instinct about that, when others sell something different.
Obviously an expensive week but not as high as NY, are you prepared for the cost in being particular about that luxury?
Does it need to be a proper, busy village, or would you be fine with a quiet hamlet?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@drporat, ooh useful tip thank you
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You know it makes sense.
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| mishmash83 wrote: |
@Snow&skifan, yeah I am resigned to the fact I have to pay for peak week :/ I am totally not fussed about busy village, we usually cane it on the slopes so too tired for any kind of apres (as a family we skied all day in zermatt and didn’t even stop for lunch a couple of days last time, I know I’m a cruel mummy  ).
I do like luxury, who doesn’t, but as long as it’s clean and ‘good value for what you get’ I am not too worried about cost, although I might start to get a bit  if it goes too much above 1k each for half board accommodation for the week when there’s all the other bits to pay for. |
Far rather hotel cakes then the spa for us, than boozing in the cold at an umbrella bar, when with my family. I’ve done the apres ski thing and had a great time, both types …. by the slopes or late night clubbing …. been there, worn the T-shirt, not for me these days 
Back to hotels, from my own trips or just research, I really like the Oberlech and Warth hotels, in Hochgurgl at high end luxury only the Riml and Top Hotel offer genuine ski to door. With Hochgurgl be aware that it’s mostly above the treeline, should there be a snowy week.
From post pandemic experience as things have really changed, imho contact hotels now for quotes. Some might say already that they’re sold out! TripAdviser’s great when you rank by rating, tick all languages to give a larger sample of views and don’t be overly swayed by a couple of miserablists.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd go Warth or Stuben over Lech as I don't have a baby blue Aston Martin or a pair of his n hers white jeans.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@mishmash83, i cannot give you much advice regarding resorts or accommodation.
we went to Fugen in the Zillertal area for Christmas around 8 years ago, self catering in a large farmhouse, but we also spent a couple of nights in Salzburg on the way there, girls loved doing the sound of music locations.
my two daughters were exactly the same age then as your 2 are now.
we went to the local church in fugen for the carol service on the xmas eve, we are not religious at all, but the owner of the house (attached to their farm) we were staying invited us, as her children were performing. but it was truly memorable, especially when they turned the lights off and the children's choir were singing "silent night" via candle light.
i would thoroughly recommend seeing if your chosen resort has this to offer
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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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@Dave of the Marmottes, you're still just scratching the surface of Lech? You really need to dig a bit deeper than that. Plenty of reasonable options still available. It's a pity to leave Lech to the superficial...(and Stuben and Warth are definitely lacking in daylight end of December...)
Some great traditional and reasonable hotels in Lech: Formarin, Omesberg, Bergheim, Alphorn (in Zug), Fritz, Gotthard, Nenning, Mohnenfluh. And many more....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Langerzug wrote: |
@Dave of the Marmottes, you're still just scratching the surface of Lech? You really need to dig a bit deeper than that. Plenty of reasonable options still available. It's a pity to leave Lech to the superficial...(and Stuben and Warth are definitely lacking in daylight end of December...)
Some great traditional and reasonable hotels in Lech: Formarin, Omesberg, Bergheim, Alphorn (in Zug), Fritz, Gotthard, Nenning, Mohnenfluh. And many more.... |
I love Lech and Oberlech. A proper Alpine town.
On each visit or day trip I somehow missed the rich poseurs. But I have seen that in Courmayeur for example, fur coats and hugging toy dogs.
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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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@mishmash83, Trysil in Norway could be another shout; very friendly family and decent snow / cold. Short days however at that time of year and hotels primarily as well as a plethora of self catering huts
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Courchevel 1850 and to a lesser extent even 1650 felt more extravagant than Lech.
It's a serious place. With serious folks. Some of them really made it but not that keen to show it with their dress-up.
Not a Bogner place.
Still hotels prices (especially in Oberlech) are eye watering.
But I have no idea how Lech is at Christmas regarding Christmas market, masses and amount of open pistes. I only get there inJanuary or March.
I imagine more info on this subject may be obtained in St Anton Arlberg forum
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We have had one fab Christmas holiday in Lech (a bargain booked through Ski Total before they stopped operating) and would definitely go back there one day.
We spent last Christmas at the Hotel Mezdi in Colfosco (Italian Dolomites) which was excellent (booked through Inghams). The area has almost 100% snow canon cover, so snow was guaranteed. We love the whole area, the hotel was excellent and the piste easily accessed from across the road.
We can also highly recommend the Hotel Alpenrose in Arabba, which is ski-in ski-out.
Whilst being in Italy, the Dolomites resorts have a very Austrian vibe to them. If you haven't tried this area before, you would be in for a real treat - gorgeous scenery and a huge amount on skiing on a single lift pass. The food is also great (a mix of Italian and Austrian), and not too expensive compared with many other places (especially France).
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Duplicate post.
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