 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi snowheads, I’m looking for some advice on a suitable location for a family ski holiday.
I’ve been going on an annual week ski holiday for the 3 years, and I’m well and truly hooked. This year I’m looking to book a family holiday, and I’m looking to please a bunch of fussy people  So here's the deal.
Travelling are ..
My brother 45 , some skiing experience but returning after a break of 10 years
His wife very precious woman, not the active sort at all, NO interest in skiing, and will only go if she can stay in a five star hotel and spa!
Their son , my 14 year old nephew – and the main reason I’m organising the trip. He’s been snowboarding a couple of times and LOVES it. He’s a sports fanatic and I really want him to get to the snow this year.
My sister and her husband are also joining us. She’s 35 and been skiing once before. She is looking to go some where with good nursery slopes and plenty of easy blue runs.
I’m going on my annual boys trip to Austria in two weeks so I’m willing to go to the most suitable place for the rest of the family.
Here are the requirements for the holiday.
- We have to go between the 14 and 21st on Feb because it’s the little fella’s mid-term from school.
- Wherever we go has to be a short transfer trip from the airport (no more than one hour)
- Luxury resort or at least a have a 5 star hotel (to please the sister in-law )
- Plenty of easy blues slopes for sister and brother.
- Family orientated resort, preferably in Austria, but willing to look elsewhere.
- Resort to be high enough to hopefully guarantee snow
- I’m looking for a 5 star hotel which we can book whichever days we like. Say from a Tuesday to Sunday, or ever Thursday to Sunday. I have to be able to accommodate people’s work schedule and we might not be able to go for the full week. Spa would be well received too. 
- For this reason we’ll be going DIY (ie I’m in charge of organising the whole thing) so we will have to be close to a large airport which we can book scheduled flights to.
- Budget is fairly open. We are willing to fork out for quality, its an important trip for my family who have dealt with a lot over the last year.
I know its a ot to ask but any advice, help, or tips you guys have to offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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canada!!
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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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St Moritz.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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markbish,
They have ‘requested’ short flight.. And My brother wont go unless there is a similar time zone , he’s a workaholic will need to be glued to the phone!
So it has to be Europe I’m afraid.
Whitegold, thanks, I'll check out St Moritz on the net now. Do you have any hotel recomendations ?
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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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Lech in Austria would meet everyone's requirements.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Belvedere Hotel in Grindelwald, Switzerland. Family run 4* hotel with Spa, pool, hot tub and superb food.
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the chalet my son is cooking in, in Meribel, would fit many of the criteria but not the short airport transfer. But it'd cost around £75K for that week and I think it's already booked by a gaggle of Russian oligarchs. I'm sure Nick would prefer to cook for the OP and his group.....
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Jack E, Your problem may be more one of availability at this stage as 14/2 is half term for the whole of the UK, chunks of France, Belgium, Holland etc., - unless you are thinking about 2010? I have been taking bookings for 14/2 since last spring (although not for 5 star luxury hotels with spas and any-day-arrivals  ),and this may be the main difficulty
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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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Jack E, I have a sneaky suspicion you may end up compromising on a few of the group's criteria to meet the main one - date. Best of luck though - have you had a look at Zell am See? - TripAdvisor reviews of hotels there on this link http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g608666-Zell_am_See_Austrian_Alps-Hotels.html . I have stayed at two of them but not for nearly 10 years so my review would be worthless!
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Zell am See is great for non-skiers and really pretty. Lots of easy blue runs as well as some more challenging ones as well. And the ski schools are good as well. The Salzburgerhof would be ideal for you - very luxurious and a great spa.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Jack E, Lech or Oberlech. Zurs along the road does have a couple of 5 star hotels but Zurs itself is not pretty and fairly bleak. Would highly recommend Oberlech from personal experience. Problem that you will encounter is trying to get something this late on in the day http://www.oberlech.com/winter_en/index.html is good for finding rooms. Have stayed at Hotel Montana on two occassions and loved every minute of it - not 5 star though, 4 star superior. Sonnenburg and Burg Hotel are beside Montana and better placed - also look more luxurious than Montana - although they are all 4 star superior. Arlberg Hotel in Lech gets rave reviews and is 5 star. http://www.lech-zuers.at/at/guide/137847sy,en,SCH1/objectId,RGN875784at,_area,585622,_lang,en,_season,at2,all,1,curr,EUR,folder,ACCOMMODATION,layoutElementId,LAY4612,letter,-,listLayoutElementId,LAY4650,objSort,2,objlst,true,objlstfp,true,page,1,pageSize,10,searchStr,-,season,at2,selectedEntry,acco,withAZ,1,withCat,1,withList,1,withPages,1,withSearch,1,withSort,1,classification,HOTEL,category,FIVESTAR/acco.html
for the 5 star hotels in area. With the greatest of respect to Zell am See, it's not in the same league as Lech - Lech oozes quality and is expensive to get there but no dearer than France (in fact cheaper in my experience) once there. Only an hour from Innsbruck. Skiing around Lech is cruisy blues/reds. More taxing stuff along the road in St Anton
Good luck
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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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Jack E, Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl - Obergurgl. and the Hotel Sonne in Zermatt - are two that I have been impressed with.
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stoatsbrother,
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Hotel Sonne in Zermatt
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OK, but not 5*.
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You know it makes sense.
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Chateau Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada). Stayed there a couple of times - it's amazing.
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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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Oops, I think we're forgetting short flight and within an hour of an airport. That rules out Canada and I think Zermatt (unless flying into Sion, to which I believe there are no scheduled flights.) If good 4* is acceptable, I'd like to recommend the Hotel Albert I in Chamonix, though availability could be a problem. It's not a beginner's resort, but I would say there were enough easy slopes for a few days (at Le Tour in particular) and perhaps the OP's sister and brother-in-law could take some lessons, and the instructor would take them to suitable slopes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Jack E, if it's Austria you want: Kitzbuhel... Hotel Weisses Rossl, Going... Hotel Stanglwirt, Ischgl... Trofana Royal (a spa and a half there!). Best of luck getting in at that time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Parlor's chalet in Verbier
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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 can recommend Lech for a luxury resort - excellent food/service etc. We've stayed in the Arlberg which is a 5* 'wellness/spa' hotel. Excellent food. The ski school in Lech is first rate - plenty of private instructors too. There are some nice easy blues. There are walking trails, sledging, horse drawn carriage rides etc. Upmarket shop - Strolz. Lech is just over an hour from Innsbruck by taxi. Another good hotel is the Gasthof Post (Relais & Chateaux). www.lech-zuers.at
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ok i normally work for a snowboard school in austria saalbach there is a hotel there owned but the school owner called jacob the rieterhoff hotel it has everything look it up i worked for the snowacademy in the ski circus in the hinter glem there may be a link to it good transfer flying into salzburg, good snow, and foods not bad have a look
regards
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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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erica2004,
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Lech is just over an hour from Innsbruck by taxi.
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Ah, I couldn't remember that, it's a while since I've been. In that case, I would endorse Lech as probably the optimum all-round luxury resort, with all boxes ticked.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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All good ski areas with good non ski activities and quality accommodation
Zermatt - lots to choose from and plenty to do for non skiers in the group
Arlberg Hospitz in St Christoph nr St Anton - lovely hotel - stay here and even the skiers won't want to go on the mountain every day!!!
Lech or Zurs - nice hotels, great people watching for non skiers
Saas Fee - fab resort and some nice hotels
Chamonix - big town with lots to do for a non skiers
Club Med have a hotel in Val d'Isere which has a spa and beauty salon - good for non skiers
But be warned - the type of holiday you are looking for to suit all will cost about the same as buying a small island in the Carribean!!! Have a fab time and will you marry me!!
xx
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Jack E,
Agree that Lech is a good shout.
You could also look at some Swiss resorts as they are usually pretty good hoteliers though I can't say I have personal experience of 5*. They often cater well for the non skier who wants to take the 'mountain air'
Flims is reasonably close to Zurich and has good family skiing being a large resort I imagine it has some decent hotels.
Davos is a little further and has excellent skiing and is a great place for the non skier with some fancy hotels.
Arosa has a decent reputation though I have not been.
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Cheers for all the replies folks. Really appreciate it. I know it’s a bit late in the day to book it but I only suggested it to the family over Christmas, and I was surprised I got a positive response!
I was thinking Lech myself ( I just didn’t was to influence the response here by mentioning it in my opening post.) My trip last year was to St Anton and we went to Lech for a day so I have some experience with the place – hence it was the first place I thought to book. I’m definitely going to enquire with the hotels you recommended.
I just can’t remember how good Lech is for ‘beginners’. I really want to make sure that the resort has excellent beginner facilities and plenty of easy slopes. Both Sister and Sister-in-law are nervous about going and I want to make sure they enjoy themselves. (I’m heading to Ischgl in a couple of weeks to get my fix so I’m willing to compromise)
Another thing -the closest airport I can get non-charter Flights to, is Zurich. (We fly from Ireland!) I think there is a train from the airport so I must check out transfer times. Hopefully it’s not too far.
My major problem is the dates (as most of you anticipated). Another option is to go during Easter. (april this year) Anyone have any idea about the snow record in Lech at that time? I know its late in the season, but there seems to be plenty of availability (probably for that reason!) , and Lech is high enough.
Thanks again for going to the bother of replying, it’s a great help. I’m also going to check out all the other resorts suggested here.
Showheads rocks
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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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Jack E,
Beginners
Lech has some great easy slopes at Oberlech, though the runs to resort at Lech are not as easy as the blue grading may suggest, more for the confident than the nervous. They can be avoided by downloading. If going for a non standard week I would book private lessons in advance for beginners/ near beginners.
Trains
About three hours form memory and you can only get to Langen then have to transfer by bus or taxi. Ifyou can afford going to the expense of a 5* hotel, I would pay a little more and get a private transfer, for a group it is not that much more than the train and a fair bit quicker.
Easter skiing
It has a good reputation for late snow though I have not been late myself. The easy runs at Oberlech are some ofthe sunniest and may suffer a bit but this is guess work rather than personal experience.
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i'd leave sister in law at home - sounds like a moaning minnie!
good luck though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My dear husband to be.........................depite you ignoring my proposal ( and who wouldn't want to marry such a generous and considerate person - my ex husband took me to the top of a glacier on our first trip and left me to find my way down - on my own having never been on skis before!!)
I digress............................Saas Fee is high and great for late season skiing, Obergurgl or Hochgurgl is very high for late season - and has some lovely hotels. Its the highest parish in Austria and is a short transfer from Innsbruck. Zermatt has high skiing as it shares a glacier with Cervinia.
St Anton will be fine - if the season is a long one this year - but there is no way of knowing - for a late holiday, rather than risk it, head for the high resorts
mwah!
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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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You know it makes sense.
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What about the Goldener Berg in Oberlech? It's got a cool underground spa and a great restaurant?
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FAQ
