 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, we are a beginner and intermediate and are looking to ski for four days in Austria in mid December. We have tentatively booked accommodation in Lech and Obertauern. Are these the best options for that time of year and for our capabilities?
I have done quite a bit of research online, but many places will say they are good for beginners, but then people post comments suggesting they are not.
Happy for any help. Thank you.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome.
Those options will be fine.
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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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@Delfie, Bear in mind that anything pre Christmas is early season, some years perfectly decent conditions other years not good maybe white lines in green fields. If you have the budget would suggest Lech over Obertauern. December is often stormy so places like Obertauern can be bleak & miserable. If the weather is miserable Lech is a nicer place to be. Given it is so early season leave booking accommodation as late as possible ie the week before
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@whitegold thank you.
@munich_irish - thank you so much for the tip re Obertauern. I have tentatively booked something in Lech so will leave it as late as possible to cancel if need be, thank you, appreciated.
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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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@Delfie, Welcome to Snowheads. Lech. Lovely but €€€€€! Obertauren great if the weather's good. But with a beginner and (low?) intermediate, I'd look at value for money. You don't need a big ski area, go for short transfers (from SZG?) and have other options if your beginner bails out. Have a look at basing yourselves in Radstadt/Altenmarkt or Flachau. Might save you a few bob and gives you more flexibility for your 4 days. Depends on your dates as to what will be open though. When in December?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, we are thinking around 17 to 22 December. We have skied previously in New Zealand and I skied years ago in Australia and once in Europe. I agree, we don’t need anything too big but trying to make sure it’s a snowsure as possible and a nice village feel. We were going to fly in Innsbruck or Salzburg. Our daughter won’t bail out, she is keen and will have lessons.
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@Delfie, just before Christmas "should" be OK. As above Flachau is a pretty good option and easy to get to from Salzburg. If you prefer Innsbruck then look at one of the areas in the Zillertal - Mayrhofen perhaps. If you are happy to wait to book then you can see how the weather pans out. With what you want most areas will be fine, no need to be spending out silly money for Lech. Other places near Salzburg might be Saalbach Hinterglemm, the other parts of Ski Amade (Flachau is the largest village) or Schladming. Other places near Innsbruck might be Seefeld (needs good snow) or Sölden/Obergurgl. Probably worth checking with whatever place you chose that they will be running English language ski courses that week (most will be)
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@Delfie, since you are coming from so far, stick to Lech. It's the only authentic village in the Alps that consistently has had a natural 'white Christmas', even in the worst winters like 2014-2016. It was thin those years, but it was white! And that makes all the difference, especially that time of year. (Pistes have thick artificial cover anyway)
Lech is beautiful in the weeks before Christmas.
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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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@Delfie, You should really think about shifting two days right. Saturday 21st December is the start of "Christmas Week". Prices will suddenly go nuts! Sent you a PM.
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@Langerzug, thank you, thinking we might take our chances too. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, we can’t change date’s unfortunately, it’s hard to fit everything in. I did think about Solden and Mayrhofen, but then when I read other reviews they say they actually are not very beginner. I know, it’s all expensive but skiing is an expensive past time. Thank you, I will have a look at your other suggestions.
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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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@Delfie, Your PM are shown top right in the drop down menu. Send/Read messages. Good luck.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Delfie, At this stage I wouldnt worry too much about "reviews". What you need is a beginners slope, a ski school that teaches in English and a couple of easy runs. Pretty much every ski resort can provide that. More important is being snow sure, easy to get to (to maximise your skiing time) and somewhere that will provide a nice pre Christmas atmosphere. Lech is ideal but expensive and also not so easy to get to. I am not a fan of Sölden (because of the village) but the skiing is fine and reliable. Mayrhofen has advantages for beginners as the nursery slopes are at mid mountain so generally have better snow that those places (most) where the nursery slopes are in the village. You wont go far wrong at any of the larger Austrian resorts.
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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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@Munich_irish thank you. It seems like at that time of the year all of the ski resorts are about the same price as what we are paying in Lech. Someone did suggest Zell am See or Saalbach. Would you recommend one of those resorts? From Innsbruck, I didn’t think it seemed too hard as I think you need to jump on the train and then a bus to Lech. I agree with trying to make the trouble easy because we are fitting quite a bit into this trip. When I tried to find some of the larger resorts, I wasn’t having much luck working out where to go so keep coming back to Lech. Skiing in Australia or New Zealand seems so much simpler, we have very limited resorts. The choice in Austria and Italy is 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Delfie, You are right about getting to Lech not being that difficult: train to St.Anton (either from Innsbruck or from Zürich), and from there a bus (or a taxi at 75 euro)
As said: stick to Lech. Lech is simply the best of Austria, and one of the best of the Alps. Villages like Flachau or Zillertal etc. are nice, but can't compete with Lech. No way near.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@Delfie, exactly!
Which hotel are you looking at?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Langerzug, One of the Garni’s I think. Edelweiss or Schneider, nothing too $$$ but expensive enough for 5 nights.
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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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Alright. Both have good location. Don’t know them inside. Schneider is as central as it gets, on the main street.
Edelweiss is close to the nursery slopes behind the church. But other lifts also within easy walking distance. Very quiet location
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Delfie, I assume you are not coming all this way just for 4 days skiing! Agree that Lech is not that difficult to get to but not as easy as some. The train does work well and the buses meet the train though if you are tired it might be worth shelling out for a taxi and some places will collect you. If Lech I think you will find many more flight options into Zürich. Saalbach is perfectly fine, popular with many but Lech probably better. Zell has the advantage of being situated next to a lake, the skiing is a bit limited (though that is not likely to be an issue here), not so snow sure though there is a glacier. An older town so I guess a decent Christmas market. Given the warmer winters not much chance of a frozen lake for skating etc. Both fairly easy from Salzburg (dont bother with the Salzburg Christmas market, it is always completely overrun)
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@Langerzug, thank you, I think they will be fine. Fingers crossed for snow
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@munich_irish, no, it’s a big trip for us and had some time in between so wanted to squeeze in a few days skiing if we could. We are most likely doing too much in too little time but I guess that’s subjective. We will have some quiet days but are keen to enjoy it all whilst we are here. The ski season here is hard to pick too. Sometimes it gets later and later, other times it snows early. Thank you for your time & suggestions.
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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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@Delfie, Those sort of costs for Lech dont surprise me, it is a lovely place but has become crazy expensive. Kitzbühel is fine, it has a nice old town and would be good for "Christmas atmosphere", the skiing is pretty good though the snow record less so. Not sure where you are travelling from. I would say either Flachau as suggested above or Saalbach Hinterglemm would offer somewhat cheaper options than Lech. If you fancy Kitzbühel that is likely to be fine too. All easily reached from Salzburg. If you are coming more from further west then look at the Zillertal (Mayrhofen). Do be aware that skiing never has been a cheap pastime and that has become even more so in recent years
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Delfie, Lech is expensive. But I'm wondering whether you can save a really substantial amount going to another resort...as said, prices in Austria have been on the rise since covid.
An option I forgot, to safe money in Lech: check Pension Kirchblick. Been there and it is a really good, traditional Austrian B&B, and close to a major lift
Other snow-reliable villages in Austria are Obertauern, Obergurgl, Kühtai, Damüls, Warth (other side of Lech)
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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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Another vote for Stubai.
Neustift is 30 minutes by taxi from Innsbruck airport. There is a large selection of good accomodation.
Great for beginners with easy blues @ 2600m+ and blues from the top (3200M). There are also some nice reds and if you are lucky with the weather a good itinerary route down to base - 10km from the summit.
If the weather is wild then there is fulpmes nearby (Schlik 2000) which can be covered on the same pass. Lots of winter walking around too - including at altitude.
It's also pretty affordable as things go both for accomodation and ski passes. I've stayed at and can recommend the Gasteigerhof which has a decent spa / pool etc but is a bit out of town.
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You know it makes sense.
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Imo a glacier is not an attractive place for a beginner.
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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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Imo a glacier is not an attractive place for a beginner
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I agree. I would only ski on a glacier (and have done in Les Deux Alpes and Tignes) with formal coaching. And was always grateful to get to the top of a T-bar without falling off or knocking anyone else off. But perhaps some are more friendly and welcoming!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm not particularly experienced & don't like steep slopes. I thought it was a pretty forgiving place to ski. Wide pistes, most (if not all) of the blues are accessible by comfortable chairlift. Lots of affordable instruction which is at 2600m. Progression opportunities are great.
The instruction is for standard ski instruction - not offpiste guiding or crevace hopping.
For comparison within Austria, I thought it was considerably more beginner friendly than Gastein, which does not have a glacier.
It does get cold though, and of course there is the risk of high winds.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Solden, was rightfully mentioned here.
Cheaper than Lech and enough wide blue pistes.
With Obergurgl on the same free ski pass and bus.
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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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Thank you for your suggestions, much appreciated  I agree, skiing is expensive wherever you go. The prices for private lessons etc are similar to Australia, it's so expensive to ski here. Once our daughter doesn't need lessons anymore than obv it won't be as much. We will be flying into Innsbruck, but it's no problem to change the flight to Salzburg if need be. I will review the above and try and book asap as she is sooo keen to ski! Thanks
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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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Don’t feed the troll about glacier skiing
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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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@ribblevalleyblue, Thanks, no glacier skiing  ️
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FAQ
We are away 5 weeks and I can't spend AUD $5-6k for 4 days skiing, it's so much money. I was thinking Kitzbuhel might be an option? Would you have any other recommendations which aren't as expensive as Lech but still quite nice and good snowmaking facilities just in case there isn't much natural snow? Thank you 
