 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking of going to St Anton for the New Year but I'm worried it will be too busy. I have read reports that the pistes are like busy motorways and lift queues are long. I don't want to spend my holiday queuing as it's not very relaxing and my girlfriend doesn't like very busy slopes (who does) so will it be too much stress or are all resorts like this for New Year anyway? I heard Lech/Zurs is far more calm but is it very expensive there? Also what time are the last buses out from St Anton to the outskirts villages?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There was a thread here a week or two in which someone completely failed to find accom in Lech for NY, so I'd expect StA to be pretty busy.
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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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richmond, I say that thread, but I think that's the case with most places over New Year. But St Anton seems to have a reputation for being mega busy.
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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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Lech / Zurs seems to be always booked up by 'Stammgaeste' (returning guests) who book for the following year when they leave after the new year celebrations, so unless you have been to Lech at another time and have been able to butter up a hotel owner, then it's extremely rare that you will get accommodation there for new year.
We skied at new year a couple of times and didn't find it any more busy than February.
Never been to St Anton though but would like to and have had the same concerns so will be watching this thread with interest...
D
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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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Deliaskis, this thread is very quiet, maybe that means it isn't that busy in St Anton over New Year!
Anyway I have booked flights now so plan to head there regardless of what the thread says. I have to now work on getting accommodation somewhere in the area. Have got an offer in Lech from 29th to 2nd Jan but want something from 28th to 4th although guesthouses reluctant to offer mid week to mid week. Does anyone know anything about Warth, it seems to be near Lech but is it accessible by road in winter?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It says here http://www.warth-schroecken.com/ that the road between Lech and Warth is closed in winter, so no  ! Sorry!
I do however feel your pain - mid week to mid week is really tricky in a lot of resorts. I even struggled to get Sunday to Sunday last year.
Good luck with your quest.
D
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It is extremely difficult to book anything except Saturday to Saturday. Hotels hold out until the last moment in the hope of booking the whole week.
It may be worse at new year but I have previously wanted to go out on the Friday on a busy week and found a room for the extra day by applying to the Tourist Bureau 3 or 4 days before going (which was what they had told me 3 months before, when I booked the rest of the stay, I would have to do). I am doing the same this year (though it is a less busy week). I assume you are already using the website to book St Anton Hotels ( http://www.stantonamarlberg.com/ ). If you ask about something other than a Sat - Sat week it will usually say nothing available, even if they are not full.
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snowball, I got that reply already, I suppose I'll have to wait but I don't do waiting that well 
Deliaskis, Thanks for that, it's so near Lech yet so far!
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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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It is always busy over Christmas to New Year in almost every resort across Western Europe and North America. Some stations take up to a third of total-season revenues in those precious 2 weeks. High demand explains why hotel prices double or triple. Wherever you go, you're going to see crowds. Given the high popularity of St Anton, I would say you are going to experience above-average liftlines and congested pistes.
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I did manage to get to stay in Lech one New Year and whereas it wasn't exactly quiet on piste it was a lot quieter than St A.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In the late 50s I used to stay in Lech with my parents. The resort was much smaller and less flashy than now, but also full of aristos and celebrities who were generally very understated in the old manner. Our hotel, which was similarly understated, used to wait till it had had a large number of booking requests and then choose who they wanted!!!! (I don't know how we got in at first, but later we had a couple of au pairs from the family). I remember my parents playing charades with Robert Graves and family while Peter Finch (who had just lost out to Richard Burton to play in Cleopatra) very graciously chatted to me, a 12 year old boy. The Dutch royal family were also there without obvious security and everyone understood they should just be left alone and not stared at. The other big hotel was the flashy one with a big dance floor etc.
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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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New Years Day is acually the best day to ski (morning) . No one on the slopes. The rest of the NY period is very busy (busiest week of the season) . Expect long Q,s.
Christmas Eve is full but very quiet, No restaurant bars are open after 6pm (only Hotel Restuarants with set dinner). Most Germans go home but come back straight after Xmas.
If your only interested ing etting as much ski time as possible IMHO I would avoid skiing anywhere in Austria at New Year.
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Not skied St Anton at peak season. In fact the first time was the week after the Galtur avalanche - and we were told that 40% of visitors had cancelled their skiing in St Anton that week. So can't say about New Year. The main problems will be getting out of the resort in the morning, as uplift is congested and that the runs home are bottlenecks. We found the Rendl area much quieter - and also Lech/Zurs. There are buses from St Anton to Lech - but we found that for four of us a taxi was much the same price and much more convenient. Also the higher itinerary areas in St Anton (basically off piste, but, I think, avalanche checked) are likely to be quiet - and offer superb skiing if the snow is OK.
Enjoy!
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You know it makes sense.
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Anyway I have booked four days accommodation in Lech from the 29th Dec to the 2nd Jan now I just need to fill in the other days around that (probably the last beds in the village). I'd prefer St Anton for the atmosphere but with all this talk of mayhem on the slopes Lech sounds more civilised.
stanton, you seem to be very knowledgeable on this subject, do you know are there any rental shops in the Arlberg where you can hire in one shop and change/leave back in another? As we will probably be spliting our stay between Lech and somewhere in St Anton or further down the valley this would be useful. When I was in the Gastein valley in March some of the rental shops had this arrangement.
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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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stanton, Thanks for that
I had a look at them and they have multiple locations so I'd say it is possible, sent sport alber an email so I'll wait and see.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I got a reply from Sport Adler
hi,
sport alber has 7 different branches in st. anton and st. christoph - it is possible to rent skis in one shop and return them in any other one. but we do not have a shop in lech.
kind regards,
alber sport gmbh
i.a. katja schwazer
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