 Poster: A snowHead
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This is a feedback thread for nick0861's resort report:
Kronplatz (February 2008)
Feel free to add, comment, or write your own report...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We went Xmas 2007/8 with Neilson and stayed at the Hotel Petrus in Riscone - there are quite a few hotels and pensions at the bottom of the mountain. No snow in the village but snow cannons kept the runs going. I found the lack of English speakers an issue - the ski school for example was hopeless - nice enough guys but no English despite being told we would have an English speaking instructor and I prefer an orderly queue in a mountain resturant rather than a casual free for all but maybe that's Italy?! We usually go to Austria and it just didnt feel as welcoming. Only a few bars for apres ski actually on the slopes. We wouldnt go again although the hotel was fabulous and made it for us. The gondola system was fantastic - even on the nursery slope!
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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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The Resort: Kronplatz
Country: Italy
Domain: Dolomites/South Tyrol
Author: Blastfromthepast
Dates: 1 January 2012
Website: http://www.kronplatz.com/en/
Basics:
We flew to Verona and hired a car. Journey took 2 hrs 20 there but traffic was awful on the way back (a Sunday) both getting from Brunico to the motorway, and on the motorway south to Verona. No obvious reason just weight of traffic. Managed without winter tyres through the hire company’s incompetence.
Lift system:
One slow chair, the rest fast chairs and gondolas. Despite the resort being busy, very few queues
The terrain:
Enough for a week. Long runs of all grades a speciality. New Reid red run 7km a challenge in low cloud, Mostly tree lined and generously wide.
The snow:
Plenty for piste skiing. Area seemed to have done better than the Dolomites generally and we had 25cm of top up whilst we were there. The snow making facilities are impressive and cover 100% of the pistes.
Off-piste:
Not on my agenda –clearly some options though
The resort:
Stayed in St Vigilio, one of the villages surrounding the Dome shaped Kronplatz mountain. Very pretty Tyrolean style buildings. Most practical things you need available. Due to family, did not really sample the après ski
The food:
Food in the hotel sensational. Food on the mountain typical Austrian mountain hut fair augmented with pasta and pizza. Huts we used were largely self service. Found one waitress service place towards the bottom of the Gassl run which was good,
Accommodation:
Stayed at the Almhof Call. Great quality family suite and facilities. Hotel food second to none and service informally impeccable. 10 minute walk to the slopes (Miara) or 3 stops on the ski bus
Costs:
about average on the mountain - €25 for a meal for two on the slopes. Hotel great value if you avoid the peak weeks. Ski pass and equipment prices average. Private lessons for our youngest €44 per hour
Conclusion:
A great holiday. The 2km Miara run was ideal to develop our 5 year old’s confidence. He was zipping around all over the place by the end of the week. If 110km of piste is too restrictive, the Sella Ronda is accessible fairly easily via a gondola, a steep black (or gondola down) and a bus, from the San Vigilio side. We hired a ski locker at the base of Miara (in the ski shop) which was €15 very well spent. Pistes were very busy –the first week of the year is a national holiday in Italy apparently. Slopes much quieter the Saturday and Sunday we left and more pleasant for it –this is the one thing we would change if we returned (choose a quieter week), which we will, probably next year. Very few English around –not sure why the place hasn’t caught on in the UK.
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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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Blastfromthepast, Thanks. It is rather unknown here but is on my radar for some Italian road trip.
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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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Interesting Blastfromthepast, Have often thought of visiting there. From what I've read, German rather than Italian is the main language spoken there. Was that your experience and do they have Austrian style apres?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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In St Vigilio village they seemed to speak mainly Italian. Elsewhere and all over the mountain mainly German. Most outlets seemed happy in either and in English.In fact the native language is Ladin -nothing like either German or Italian. So road signs tended to be in 3 languages....good place to be a sign writer.
With the family in tow, did not do much (any) Apres. Sense that the hut at the bottom of Miara would the place to go in St V.
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CheersBlastfromthepast,
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Blastfromthepast, We are headed to Kronplatz at the end of Feb so thanks for the report. I'd better brush up on some German! Did you get over into the Sella Ronda? If so, how long did it take to get there? Our hotel runs a shuttle into Alta Badia and apparently we can get into the SR from there.
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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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| Kitty wrote: |
| Blastfromthepast, We are headed to Kronplatz at the end of Feb so thanks for the report. I'd better brush up on some German! Did you get over into the Sella Ronda? If so, how long did it take to get there? Our hotel runs a shuttle into Alta Badia and apparently we can get into the SR from there. |
We are staying in San Martino in Badia mid February. The link to the Sella Ronda is via Pedraces ( road transport from our Hotel I am told ) to La Villa by ski lifts. When we get back I will let you know how long it took etc.
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Kitty, Sorry we did not try the Sella Ronda. The few English people we came across in Kronplatz seemed to be staying in the Mountainsun Chalet in San Martino so hopefully if they are reading the forum they will enlighten you !
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There's a fantastic 3D interactive map of the Dolomites ski area, including Kronplatz and the SR, on the dolomiti website which will give you a good idea of connections between the two areas. Id cut and paste the link but it doesn't seem to work on my phone
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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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Just back from a few days at Kronplatz.
We stayed in Bruneck, a lovely town with a castle and medieval centre. Our hotel The Corso was exellent. Bruneck is very much a working town rather than a ski resort. It is almost entirely German speaking and feels more Austria than Italy.
Our hotel supplied a shuttle service to the slopes at Reischach, 3km away from where there are 2 efficient gondolas going up to the Kronplatz summit. A public bus also goes there every 30 mins or so.
The skiing on Kronplatz was pleasant. Nice wide runs and the newish red Reid down to Percha was a highlight. Because many of the runs radiate from the summit you don't though get the sense of travelling around that you do in say the Selva area and gor a change we spent one of our days over in the Badia, a 20 min ride on the free skibus that goes from one side of the resort. Apart from in Corvara we didn't come across any other Brits all the time we were there. Kronplatz should be better known here.
Good Austrian style après ski at Reischach in the Giggeralm and the openair K1. Mojito bar in Bruneck was good for a drink later on. Hardimitzin was a great place for an evening meal.
Some nice huts lower down the mountain and eating out was very good value.
I'd go back but probably for a few days rather than a week.
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FAQ
