Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I'm organising a ski holiday to Austria over Christmas for my UK-based family of three. We are all new-ish snowboarders who relish long, gentle slopes. We're not particularly interested in nightlife (too knackered after a day on the slopes) nor do we want to pay for somewhere fashionable. We are after:
1. value for money
2. self-catering accomdations that are clean and comfortable, but not grand
3. ease of parking, as we'll be hiring a car
4. good proximity to a choice of slopes
5. reliable X-mas time snow
My initial review of postings on this site have identified these places as possible candidates:
Saalbach
Hinterglemm
Badgastein
Lech
Hochfugen
Obergurgl
Soelden
Obergurgl
This is already a fairly long list, but am I missing any that would likely fit the bill? Also, given what I've said above, how do I rate one verses another?
Many, many thanks for any help you can give.
JEK
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Of that list, Solden is the only one that will give you a cast iron guarantee of snow at Christmas, because it has an extensive glacial ski area. But if you have a car, you could also stay somewhere within easy driving distance of the Stubai glacier (Neustift is a good local resort, but Innsbruck would be fine), Hintertux glacier (Lanersbach is good for accommodation), Kitzsteinhorn glacier (Zell am See or Kaprun are the resorts).
Otherwise, maybe wait for the snow to be sure in early December, because the other resorts you've listed would be excellent. There's Bad Hofgastein as well as Badgastein.
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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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Hi David,
Thanks for the detailed reply, but a quick follow-up. Of the ones you mentioned, or the ones I listed, which are best for 'wobbly' snowboarders like ourselves? Reading between the lines of what you wrote, it seems that if we make guaranteed snow our priority, we may be missing out on other good resorts. Is this right?
BTW, I've got a line on some very good airfares, so I'd like to sort this out in the next week or so, so waiting till December isn't an option.
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OK, I'd go for Solden. A glacier offers you the most gentle gradients, as well as guaranteed snow. The other ones I've mentioned are a bit more hassle with the car in the morning.
Keep posting if you need further guidance - good luck!
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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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I've not been to Orbergurgl or Soelden, but as a 1-season boarder too (and 21-season skier), from the others on your list, all would be suitable in terms of terrain, with Lech > Badgastein > Saalbach/Hinterglem for snow reliability.
Trouble is, Lech over Christmas will probably cost the same as 2 normal holidays! If you go for the Gasteins, BadHofgastein is nice, but BadGastein itself is a bit of a sunless place with big spa buildings and not the typical pretty Austrian village you might hope for...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Welcome to snowHeads, JEK
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Dan, there's certainly permanent snow above Obergurgl, but it's not operated as a glacier resort. The top heights of the lifts don't go quite high enough. For resort-level snow, though, it's very reliable because of the high base elevation.
You're right that the advice was cautious, but the stipulation was 'reliable snow'. I wouldn't take a gamble on Saalbach for Christmas this far ahead. I'd want to see plenty of snow on the ground as winter starts. There have been slow-starting winters.
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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 can't help you for this Christmas, but if you are looking for something similar next year, we're buying a house with self catering apartments in Wagrain on the side of the ski slope. But we don't get it until May, I can't guarantee snow reliability at Christmas either, but it ticks all the other boxes on your list. Great parking, value for money, ski in ski out, a huge ski area, 40 mins drive from Salzburg airport and a Snowhead as mein host. Web site should be up and running in a few weeks, so bear us in mind for next year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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glaciers aren't really always ideal for novice boarders, drags and novices don't mix too well
Obergurgl's a good suggestion though and Lech isn't actually too expensive although I can believe the UK operators charge a packet, direct booking will be a good deal cheaper.
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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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Lech may well be a great suggestion but I wouldnt leave it too late. the tourist officelaughed at me when I asked about New Year availability in October a few years ago. Everything had been booked up months before. Austria also has a lot less self catering than other parts of the alps. Iwould be contacting tourist offices to look for it as it does not appear in many brochures.
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Alll the resorts listed in the first question will be fine I reckon, with the exception of
Hochfugen, I wouldn't go on holiday there. If you want to go to Zillertal without the Apres try Zell am Ziller, well located for all the ski areas, and relatively cheap.
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You know it makes sense.
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I would also not get too hung up on the snow thing, it tends to skew the list of resorts worth skiing in. I've had great times skiing on not much snow in resorts all over the Alps. High up resorts tend to have good snow (high up), but they also tend to be in rocky areas. Somewhere like Saalbach can be skiied with 10cm of snow because its grass underneath most of the time. I spent a season in Saalbach in a very poor snow winter (97) and still had great skiing for all but 1 week of the season. The first powder of the year revealed green tracks behind as you skied it - but was still good fun.
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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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T Bar, if you were asking for SC for any peak time anywhere in Austria then I'd laugh at you as well
My mistake, I'd not read the requirement for SC...............
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ise
I should have paragraphed my reply better. I was looking for a hotel honest!
Ended up in Flims which was pretty good in what was apparently a poor snow year we still had great skiing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Oh, I see, in that case, I'm surprised, the last few years we've been going to Lech for Xmass and had no trouble booking in December, there's always something on Tiscover, I guess we could have picking up cancellations at that point though.
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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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Dan, web address is www.austria-apartments.com but we've only a front page at the mo. Got to find time to sit and compose the rest of it. JEK you're being very quiet, have you found anywhere yet? Everyone is right that there is very little self catering in Austria so hopefully we're fitting a gap in the market.
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Thanks, i've added it to my list
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