 Poster: A snowHead
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Any info on this resort? , thinking of making a booking for another family trip the week after half term. How is it for beginners and young children...and nervous 3 weekers!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ollski, I spent a few days there a long time ago and my memory's a bit dimmed about runs and gradients. It's a sizeable village on a flat-bottomed valley, with the main skiing halfway up the mountain as I recall. Nearby is Bad Gastein, and other Gasteins! I think the skiing would be OK for you and it would be fun to scout around the other ski areas, but you could find more suitable comprehensive family resorts. I'd take a good look at 'Where to Ski' or the other ski guides for more detailed info, as it's not that widely known in the UK, and you need to make objective comparisons with alternatives.
Bad Hofgastein has got a great public spa. I certainly wouldn't rule it out. You tend to have a good holiday in any Austrian resort like that.
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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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I spent a few days there some years back, maybe March 1998 (huge snowfalls and avalanches just after we got back?). Stayed in a decent hotel in the town centre not far from the square and all I remember was always having to take a bus to get anywhere near a ski lift. I remember also that Bad H was a gentile place compared to Dorf & Sport where one of our group kept sneaking off to at night bringing back the stories of his encounters with 'exotic' dancers.
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Hi
went there a couple of years ago - if i remember the gondola was the other side of the train station ?
was OK, skiing quite high up but plenty to suit your group
there was a fantastic natural spa / pool hanging on the side of the mountain ( other side to the skiing) that you could see accross the valey when sing - and its well worth a visit, very relaxing and a surreal experience.
the ski school was OK, I would suggest getting around a bit on the mountain as it gets better as you go further
out (mre variety on the slopes )
have fun
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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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Not great for beginners. The main nursery is at Angertal which is a bus ride away. There is a funicular up to the main area but other areas are bus-linked. It is a good valley but go when a bit more experienced.
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Hi there,
Bad Hofgastein has a funicular railway running up the mountain from the outskirts of the village. From the top of the funicular there is a choice of lifts leading to the main Schlossalm area above Hofgastein. This area is quite good for beginners and children as there are lots of gentle blues for practising on. Progression is a bit more difficult though as there is a bit of a leap (in my opinion) from the gentle Schlossalm sector, to the other main pistes for e.g. skiing back to the valley etc. So I would bank on downloading in the funicular for a few days at least. The links to Bad Gastein are very convenient and well-served in terms of lifts, but again not really beginner territory. The Stubnerkogel above Bad Gastein itself has some great skiing but it's not as gentle as the Schlossalm. I think you three weekers would probably enjoy the place and would progress quite well, but it might be more difficult for the beginners in your party.
In terms of family activities, the spa is always popular, and there is a fab toboganning run with twinkly lights through the forest etc. They run the funicular two evenings a week and you can have dinner and drinks up the mountain if you want (although maybe too late for your kids??).
I wouldn't advise against BHG for your hol, but there may be more suitable beginner/family resorts. Nearby Rauris for example is very popular with families (with a much smaller ski area, although you may not mind that!), as is Alpbach.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Gastein valley and all its resorts, and have been there several times, but was just thinking about the things you might like/not like for your particular group.
Have fun, whatever you decide!
D
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| ollski wrote: |
| Any info on this resort? , thinking of making a booking for another family trip the week after half term. How is it for beginners and young children...and nervous 3 weekers!! |
Do you mean the 22nd to the 28th February?- If you do you will find it very hard to book anything in Austria. This is fasching week- which is the half-term holiday for a lot of German schools and is the carnival week. Adults and children dress up in fancy dresss and shops give out beer and food. After new-year this is the next busiest week- we have been booked for over a year for that week. If you come in march that will be less busy.
Have you looked at our valley-Maria Alm is a nice village at the end or Muelhbach? There are nice gentle slopes and a mixture of reds and blacks. the area is very good for families.
Hope that helps
Nigel
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ollski, i'd go along with Deliaskis good advice. Generally speaking, the Gastein Valley is not great for beginners but the Schlossalm area above Bad Hofgastein is the most suitable.
I say it's not great for beginners .... 4 years ago when I went there for the first time, I had just over a week under my belt and we went with folk who'd never skied before and we had a great time. For more info about the ski area, visit http://en.skigastein.com/.
I really like the valley, so much so that I bought an apartment there!  Send me a PM if you want some advice about where to stay in Bad Hofgastein.
Cheers
Kersh
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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'll be honest we are looking at the 21st on the crystal website and this holiday came up very cheap as it was advertising kids for 56 quid each, however it was just a leader and doesn't actually exsist and was impossible to actually book the offer so back to the drawing board I guess.
Wife and kids have 4 weeks each but my wife is a nervous skier although technically very good, I've got about 20 weeks under my belt and can cope with most. I was attracted to the covered walk from the hotel to spa...sounded nice. 
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Hof Gastein is Ok for family - has the flat terrain and big thermal spa with kids section.
Bad Gastein is more spectacular with it`s waterfall and architecture but situated on quite steep terain, so you have to climb up or down to get everywhere - shops, bars, ski lifts etc.
Badgastein and Hofgastein ski areas are conected with lifts. And there is graukogel, sportgastain and dorfgastain areas as well - a lot of skiing!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ollski, with the skiing ability of your family, Bad Hofgastein should be fine for you all. If you and your wife fancy something more challenging then it's there. The spa in Bad Hofgastein is great for kids and adults. They have a cinema in there and you just sit in the pool watching it - quite odd.
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