 Poster: A snowHead
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Planing family holiday 5 year olds first time on snow can anybody recommend Hotel and ski school[/list]
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Much as I like Oberau, it is difficult to think of it as ideal for 5 year olds, although, clearly, the Austrians don't have a problem with age!
Oberau first. The most famous and outstanding place is the Kellerwirt, a wonderful labrinth of stone and wood. The Kellerwirt dates as a 12th century priory, but for most of it's life as a wirt, (inn) and hotel. Rooms old, generally spacious, food modern, good and traditional. Very friendly staff, headed by Hans Keller. All speak very good English. Oberau skiing is limited for the free skiers.
Alternatives in the Wildshoenau valley include Auffach, lots of wide open skiing. Auffach village slightly lacking in atmosphere c/w rest of valley, but excellent wood museum, operated by Hubert Salcher.
At the centre of the valley is my spiritual home, Niederau, lots of character. Beginner slopes are at valley level. You can stay in the village centre, Hotels include Austria, Simmelwirt, Vicki. the first two are close to beginners slope and main gondola, also ski hire shops. At the top end of the village the Harfenwirt is serviced by a beginners slope/poma across the road, plus a another lift, both of which allow you to ski to the village centre.
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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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ready, Niederau is your best bet short ride from oberau on a ski bus.My son learnt to ski there at five year old. The ski school is absolutely fantastic Sepp Schellhorn (the reds) they have taught all of my family to ski. Hotels in Niederau Vicki is very basic but great for kids thomson run and they can pick up kids from ski school short walk to slopes Hotel Sonnschein is Luxury but expensive and a longer walk slopes. Hotel Harfenwirt is extremely basic and not great for kids food is not great especially breakfast. Hotel Austria is good and is very near to slopes and has good ski shop and storage underneath. My favourite although completely english run is the vicky as i say its basic but good food and fun for kids and has a good apres ski bar in the hotel. Also at the bottom of the nursery slopes is a great little apres ski hut Bobo's where your son can play while you watch him whilst downing a gluwine 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We spent our first four skiing holidays in Niederau. On our first one our son was also five years old. We always stayed in the Hotel Alpenland and found it great for our family. It was right on the slope, so we literally could walk out of the bar and onto the slopes which was great for the kids (and me as I hate having to walk anywhere in ski boots, carrying skis!). It also meant that we could go back to our room at lunch time, which the kids always wanted to do. We found the staff very friendly and accommodating and the food was great. They were also happy to do something different for the kids (like nuggets and chips) if they didn't fancy anything on that night's menu. I would say the only disadvantage for some people was that it was very quiet in the evening, though this wasn't a problem for us as we were happy to just sit in the bar, and it wasn't too far to go if you did want to go further afield in the evening.
My husband and I also had Sepp one year - I agree, he was great!
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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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Thata an interesting and accurate cross section of accomodation given by sk8girl and joshua. I would add the Simmelwirt hotel, purely by location in village centre. I always stay at the top end of the village, access to the Harfenwirt for meals, and the Bichlwirt for drinks/music, lowre cost, quieter, and access to mountain skiing via Tenladen T bar.
I disagree with Joshua on the Harfenwirt food, but I suppose we are all guided by our experiences. I ski Niederau abot five weeks a year, and eat at the harfenwirt for about 2/3rds of that.
When I worked in the ski school there, (long time ago), Sepp Schellhorn was the second in command to Franz Jochum. Sepp was the fastest racer, and is still very fast ~ won the wildscoenau race last year. A very nice guy who has been particularly helpful on occasion.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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One hotel which has not yet been mentioned is the Schneeberger in Neiderau.
I stayed there last year, and found that although the facilities were fairly basic, the staff were superb and friendly, and the food was some of the best I have ever eaten in a ski hotel.
It was a real family run hotel, with most of the staff being members of the one family, including the chef.
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Spent our first two years learning to ski at Oberau, staying at the Tirolerhof, son was 9/10 and had a fantastic time.
The nursery slope is just outside the hotel, we stayed there for most of our first week but the kids went with the instructor on the bus to Auffach/Niederau to play on the fun park and to buy just chips for lunch! I suspect that they might not do that with a 5 year old.
It felt a really secure environment for him to learn to ski in as the locals were all so child friendly, the hotel was great and really made the children feel welcomed.
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Neiderau is a great place to start the nursery slopes at the bottom will be perfect for young children. Getting down from the top blues might be a problem it is a bit steep in places and is not the place for a child to give up and take their skis of; they will plummet. Hotel Austria is good - owned by Erdingers. By the by the first lifts were powered by tank engines. The slopes are limited and you will soon want more, Auffach is a short bus ride away but the queues to get up can take an hour. At least this was the case in 2002.
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Hotel Tirolerhof in Oberau is a family run hotel which most seem to be in Austria.Martin and his family make everybody welcome and food is excellent.We are due there on the 19th Jan.Oberau is only very small and apre ski is really limited,not that you would want anything too lively with a 5 year old i'm thinking.Hotel has a small pool and spa area with a boot room below and access to and from the slopes.As Janette says it is right on the nursery slopes so very safe for children.There is a seperate area for young children for ski school which has a travelator.There are 3 or 4 small blue runs covered by 1 pommer and 1 tbar plus a black (or red depending on which piste map you view).It is ideal for beginners and there is always Auffach/Neiderau which is accessed by the ski bus which is free for those who require better skiing.Ski school have always seemed to be good but last January they did not seem to be as friendly, perhaps it was the lack of snow that was getting them down!!!!!!!!Like it was us.
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Am on the verge of booking for Soll or Neiderau for Feb Half term - and trying to predict which will be busier or have more snow?
Neiderau - is is quieter by virtue of fact smaller and less popular for advanced skiers?
Can't decide whether to go for less pistes but quieter or more pistes and busier.
My son and husband can do reds and I am still gritting my teeth on blues- advice?
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