 Poster: A snowHead
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We're thinking of going skiing with 4 other people next season, three of whom will be first timers. The other skiier is German so we thought that a German speaking resort might be nice - hence Austria.
What resorts would you recommend where there is enough for beginners to get to grisp with, and also some nice longish runs for intermediate to experienced skiiers?
A pretty open questions, I know, but all suggestions welcomed...
TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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t40ora,
Saalbach is a lovely spot and is pretty tame, but big enough for high milage imtermediates.
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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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t40ora, Schladming might be one option.
Not a huge amount of blue runs, but beginners who were there the week I was were progressing onto some of the reds during their first week.
The Zillertal might be another option, particularly if you stay in either the Kaltenbach area, or in Mayrhofen (with the beginners staring by skiing on the Ahorn rather than Penken). The experienced skier will still find a good amount in that area, but will also have access to the rest of the valley.
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Hi t4ora,
Have you thought about Niederau for your holiday? It is a typical Austrian resort with the advantage that the beginners' area and Ski School are in the heart of the village so no long walks or bus rides to find your starting point. The longer runs all finish in the village, too, and are just a stones throw from the beginners' area, very easy to meet up with your party. There are more blue runs up the mountain along with reds and blacks so everybody will have something to suit, and plenty of mountain hostelries as well. There is a good range of hotels, B and B and self catering apartments. Enjoy your holiday wherever you decide to go!
Carolyn
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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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Have a look at the Zillertal Arena.
Kersh
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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follow Carolyn's advice. Doesn't need to be a large area.
Zauchensee
Saalbach/Hinterglemm
Alpach
Serfaus/Fiss
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Just wrote this in another thread but I could repeat it here:
| espri wrote: |
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| The other resort I've been to which might suit you is Kitzbuhel. |
Thinking of the areas in my "home patch", Kitzbühel would certainly be possible. If you're not desperate for nightlife, you could maybe consider staying at Pass Thurn (a small place on the road from Kitz to Mittersill). The runs up on the Resterhöhe are long pleasant blues. And, if you become more adventurous as the week progresses, you could work your way over to the Badbärenkogel and then Jochberg (with Kitzbühel on beyond).
Another good choice for intermediates is the Steinplatte (Waidring), though the area is more restricted for a whole week. Using the Schneewinkel lift pass, you could combine it with St. Johann and Fieberbrunn but that would mean bus travel on some days. Alternatively, you could perhaps stay on the Winklmoosalm on the German side, which only has easy runs (but linked to the Steinplatte). Staying in Reit im Winkl, the nearest town on the German side, would mean bus travel (although there should be a cable-car up for the last section rather than the bus transfer which has been necessary up till now).
Fieberbrunn itself might be a good choice too (and they are building a big new hotel right next to the lifts which should open next season). |
All the above applies for beginners too, though most of the areas also have dedicated beginners' slopes.
The other suggestions above are all good too, so plenty of choice 
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| Kersh wrote: |
Have a look at the Zillertal Arena.
Kersh |
But not the front side, which is pretty limited for beginners. The area over near Gerlos is much better, but you will need to book accommodation and transfers yourselves, as UK TOs don't seem to have anything up there. (Not that they do much in the Kaltenbach area that I suggested either).
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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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Thanks for all the info guys.
Two resorts were suggested - Gasthof Kroell and Reutte Hahnenkamm.
Does anyone have any info on these?
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| t40ora wrote: |
| Two resorts were suggested - Gasthof Kroell and Reutte Hahnenkamm. |
Those aren't two resorts, I think, but one hotel (Gasthof Kröll) in one resort (Reutte - Hahnenkamm is a local mountain). Reutte is a small town, near the Fernpass, southwest of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany. I've never skied there, so can't comment on the possibilities; I believe, though, that it is a small area. Here's a link I googled http://www.skiinfo.com/Ski-Resort-Info/ReutteHahnenkamm-EATXREUTTENE-103-en.jhtml. I guess the Barefoot Hiking Trail isn't for the winter 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Looking at the piste map that alex_heney linked, Reutte doesn't seem anything like as extensive as the other areas mentioned above. Might be ok for beginners but that would depend on having sufficient snow down in the valley.
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Thanks guys.
It's tiny, and having been to Courchevel earlier this year I think we'd feel somewhat hemmed in.
The other resorts mentioned above look more the ticket, so we'll investigate those.
Cheers.
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You know it makes sense.
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t40ora, if you can afford Courchevel then possibly Oberlech is within your budget? Nice and cruisy doorstep skiing with harder stuff over the hill at St Anton and plentiful off piste and ski routes. Pistes are nice and wide at Oberlech too, so ideal for beginners. If you've got the cash I would highly recommend the Hotel Montana. This is the website www.oberlech.com and if you try to stay as close to the cable car as possible it would be best for the beginners as you'd be really close to ski school meeting point. Not cheap to get there but cheaper than Courchevel once there.
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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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Yes - Oberlech is great resort. Love the floodlit toboggan run!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Bob wrote: |
follow Carolyn's advice. Doesn't need to be a large area.
Zauchensee
Saalbach/Hinterglemm
Alpach
Serfaus/Fiss |
 Saalbach and Serfaus are not small areas!
I would highly recommend Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis. The area is enormous and has something for all levels. The best thing about it (in my view) is that it doesn't go for the mindless apres scene that places like St.Anton and Ischgl have degenerated into. The downside is that it's not cheap.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| The area over near Gerlos is much better, but you will need to book accommodation and transfers yourselves, as UK TOs don't seem to have anything up there. (Not that they do much in the Kaltenbach area that I suggested either). |
Agree, that's where I went in my first year skiing. I was based in Konigsleiten. Really nice place.
As for DIY ski holidays, I think it's a good way to escape the crowds and potentially get a good deal. Choose your town and find the local tourist website to get some accommodation.
Cheers
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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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essexgirl,
| Quote: |
Oberlech is great resort. Love the floodlit toboggan run!
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Few bruised coxicks (spelling?) in my time with that, but a quick Heisse Witwe before each run at the Petersboden umbrella bar helps 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you are looking for somewhere that has got a fair number of slopes with long runs then after skiing in Niederau this year I would suggest that would NOT be the place to go. It has an absolutely tiny and limiting skiing area. although there are other areas that the lift pass covers, they aer linked by a ski bus.
I think you should probably look at a place that is linked with other resorts. we were looking at Leogang in Austria which links up to Saalbach. We still have not made our mind up for our second week of skiing but I think it is probably be going to be Les Saisies in France because of its long cruisy runs (see my post) It also depends if you are looking for nightlife etc too
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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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Soelden, two glaciers (so no snow issues), about 150kms of pistes with a good mix of different slopes (though very advanced skiers are apparently not overly challenged).
Also very easily accessible from Innsbruck airport and the nightlife/apres ski is very lively.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Zell am Zee would be my suggestion though it can get a bit busy in holiday periods
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| schneeflocke wrote: |
Soelden, two glaciers (so no snow issues), about 150kms of pistes with a good mix of different slopes (though very advanced skiers are apparently not overly challenged).
Also very easily accessible from Innsbruck airport and the nightlife/apres ski is very lively. |
Another vote for Sölden. Went there for the first time at Easter and was impressed. Take a look at the report I did, if it's of interest
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewpost.php?p=1223164
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I prefer Saalbach to Solden (although I did enjoy Solden).
I think Saalbach is prettier - that road through Solden really spoils it for me.
And I prefer resorts with more options for getting up the hill in the morning, the queues at the gondola in the morning can be a nightmare in Solden
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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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If it's a German language resort you want then what about the Dolomites ?
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Was looking at Serfaus & Fiss, can anyone recommend which town to book accommodation in- and is there much of a night life, we were thinking of Solden but have heard its pretty crowded!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snow09bride, welcome to snowHeads 
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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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snow09bride, we stayed in Serfaus earlier this year and snowHead Gortonator stayed in Fiss. Serfaus was really nice, underground railway runs the length of the resort so the streets are mainly traffic-free for everyday vehicle use. It is an expensive resort though, but the skiing is really very good and varied. I'd recommend it although I can't really comment on the nightlife as we didn't really partake of more than a few drinks after dinner.
If you want to go with a TO, Inghams go to Serfaus, with B&B at the Komperdell something like £650 and there are loads of restaurants, cheap and expensive, in the resort. Even take-away pizza if that's your thing. Just ask if you have any specific queries on Serfaus.
And welcome to snowHeads
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snow09bride, ah - just seen from your other thread that you're thinking of train to Landeck. A taxi from Zams to Serfaus (about the same distance) cost 70 Euros in March as a rough idea if you're thinking of taxi cost.
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You know it makes sense.
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Saalbach takes a lot of beating - it's an intermediates paradise with good nursery slopes and a few challenges for experts. Feel free to ask away - I like it so much I bought an apartment there... and then another one!
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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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I like Saalbach Hinterwhatsits... it is part of my Salzburger Super Card ski pass. I try to get out there once or twice a season as it gives the taste of a ski holiday (good nightlife and loads of English!)
We chose to come out to the Ski Amade area 'cos there is so much varied skiing.
Fair enough, to access all the areas it is best to have a car but I still haven't managed to ski all the areas, and most certainly not all the pistes!
Zauchensee is not a small area, it is also linked into Flachau Winkl (via the comedy train bus thing). Flachau Winkl is an awseome family area (but with kickass funparks thrown in as well... 'The Stash' is built and sponsored by Burton they have 4 or 5 Stash parks in the world and one is here). The blue runs at The Winks are very wide and sweeping and even in peak weeks there is room on and off piste!
Then there is Reiteralm (Gold Piste Awarded), which links into Schladming, which links into Hauser Kaibling.... I can just about get from Reiteralm to Haus and back in a day - but no breaks for strudel and schnapps! But if you get too knackered you can get the bus back to wherever you started.
Anyhow, I love this area which is why we came here.... laods of skiing, cheap food and drink.... peaceful area.... awesome snow!
www.skiamade.com
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd suggest Saalbach as well. But I would suggest that you stay in the Hinterglemm area. In my opinion it is more chilled out and a little bit more "German".
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There are some really good recommendations to be found in this thread. However, I would like to add a new one: Gastein (be it Badgastein or Hofgastein, does not matter that much). Gastein is very easy to travel to (1h from Salzburg Airport, directly at the main railway link) and has really amazing and varied terrain, both for beginners as well as intermediates. In addition, there are some nice non-skiing attractions (spa etc.). And if the weather is fine, the high alpine resort of Sportgastein (6km away from Bad Gastein) surrounded by a couple of 3000m peaks is really a gem.
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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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Soll
or Ellmau
Westenhof
Feiberbrunn/Steinplatte depends on your transport
Schladming/Armade
Dolomites..Selva possibly.
Don't agree with Kitz for beginners...
Sallbach is fine...
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