 Poster: A snowHead
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We have been to Plan Peisey for three years running, staying in a catered chalet.
For 2010 we have decided to go for Austria - partly for a change of scene and partly because it seems to offer more felxible options for children's ski school. Our group size will be between 12 and 16 and a mixed group of families, couples, and singles (!) so needs to cater for a lot!! The adults are generally good intermedates so looking for a reasonably large ski area, but also needs to be good for children.....(which I am guessing would cancel out St Anton??)
Once, we have pin pointed the resort, we would also ideally like chalet accommodation (there doesn't seem to be so many in Austria as there are in France!), so again, any suggestions for chalets would be greatly appreciated (to sleep up to 16) - preferably catered but would consider self catering. Preferred date of travel is 6/7 March 2010, preferred budget is cheap 
We are probably asking the impossible - but nothing ventured, nothing gained!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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As you say, chalets are rather less common in Austria than in France, but they certainly still exist, both catered and self-catering. And they are more common in the larger resorts, which sounds like what you want anyhow
I don't have any suggestions for particular chalets, not having stayed in one for over 10 years, but I would think Mayrhofen might well suit you. Crystal have at least one catered chalet in Ellmau (Ski Welt area), which would be another good option. They also have chalets in Zell am Zee, Kitbuhel, Kaprun & others, but I've never been to those areas so can't comment from experience on whether they would meet your requirements.
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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 went to Saalbach Hinterglemm and had a really good time. Nightlife is still good but not as rowdy as St Anton (well Saalbach is anyway). Skiing was good with lots of easily accessible off piste. Cant offer any advice on Chalets there though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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onaplateau, Don't be put off by St Anton's image - you could base yourselves in Nasserein or as I did this year, Stuben. Don't know exactly what you mean by flexibility of Austrian ski schools - 2.5 hours in morning and same again in afternoon, with no option just to do mornings or afternoons (certainly that is the case in Oberlech and Stuben) and you pay €12 each day for lunch with supervision. Wouldn't exactly say flexibility was one of the main attractions, although we have found the overall experience better than the ESF and Italian ski school - also better value too.
I've taken the family (now aged 5 8 and 11) to the Arlberg the last 2 years - Oberlech in 08 and Stuben in 09. Our kids coped absolutely fine with the terrain - loved it in fact. Stuben is a wee gem and the ski school good because the class numbers are low. www.stuben.com We stayed at the Hubertushof which we found great value given its 4 star status (was c. half the price of our 4 star superior in Oberlech)
There are a few companies that do the Austrian caterd chalet thing but to be honest you would be just as cheap DIYing and finding yourself a hotel - think Ski Solutions have loads, but I DIY and never book through UK operator. Agree with cham08, and think that Saalbach or Hinterglemm could be a good shout. What ages and levels are the kids? If they're pretty young Serfaus and Kappl consistently win awards for being best family resorts in Austria with both having more than enough skiing to keep the adults amused.
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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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onaplateau, I've been to Crystal's Chalet Karlberger in Kitzbuhel. That's certainly plenty big enough (I think it sleeps about 30) and has one precious single room. The location is great, a short downhill walk to the Hahnenkamm bubble lift and in good conditions you can pretty much ski back to within a few metres. The chalet is clean but basic, the food edible and plentiful but not going to win any Michelin stars. For a budget holiday to Kitzbuhel, it does the job.
The resort itself sounds great for your needs. None of the pistes are especially difficult (except 38 Direttisima) and there's over 150km of them. There's also a link to Ski Welt via Westendorf at Aschau for which you would need the Kitzbuhler Alpenpass. It's a sizeable and very pretty town with plenty to do off the slopes.
The only thing I can't advise you on is ski school as my school days are long gone, but I'm sure a thread hunt would turn up some information. The only other potential issue is that Kitzbuhel is a low resort and when I visited in March 2008 there was no snow at resort level (but great snow up on the mountains). They often keep one or two resort runs open with artificial snow. This season just gone it wasn't an issue, the snow was great.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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onaplateau, I will PM you with some detailed details....
but there certainly are some catered chalets out here... somewhere!! 
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I know its chalet catered you are looking for but the acccom we had this year felt like a chalet as we were all in the same building. we had group of 11 sharing 3 apartments in serfaus, austria, all on one floor in a fantastic location in serfaus. probably could push numbers to 15-16. had the building to ourselves with the owners staying in the apartment underneath. building is brand new only completed late 08 and it looks it. its the best accomodation we have syayed in 12 yrs sking 12 different resorts incl 4*hotels, apartments etc. the building overlooks the town on the upper side with beautiful balconies to sit out and enjoy the amazing views. its also possible to ski to the door of the apartment when you finish in the evening. you have to walk to the gondala or take the underground train in the morning which either way is about 5-10 min walk
worked out at about 250-300 euro max per head so should cost less for your group pp.
serfaus also has the best children facilities we have ever seen with its own large closed in chidren ski, skidoo, tubing etc etc park right at the top of the first gondola station from the town. serfaus itself is a very pretty traditional austrian town which is set at the end of a road at 1600 meters which means no traffic and snow sure.
the sking is fantastic with very varied terrain and loads of it. if you are interested let me know and I will send you the apartment details
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Thanks to all for your suggestions!
Serfaus and Saalbach had both been on the list and judging by the recommendations above will definitely stay on the list - along with a few other options!
boabski, - You're right, think I mean the options seem more 'child friendly' rather than 'flexible' (though to be fair we haven't ventured far in France).
flangesax, Thanks for the details - will PM you back with a few questions about the area....
creedgearoid, Would also be interested in the apartment details if you could PM me? Thanks.
Everyone else - Thanks for ideas of other resorts we hadn't thought of (mainly due to concerns Mayrhofen and Kitzbuhel are quite low) - but will definitely look into them.
Any more suggestions still welcome....
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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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| Quote: |
take the underground train in the morning which either way is about 5-10 min walk
worked out at about 250-300 euro max per head
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expensive train, that.
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nice one pam.
onaplateau, beleive it or not iv forgotton how to pm so here is the apartment web site
www.apart-luna.at you can see on the serfaus web site town map where it is.
word of warning if you like a drink or 2. as you move towards the gondala station end of town the drink prices go up,WAY UP.
ie we spent most of our time (night time pam!!) in a bar located underneath the montana hotel on the main street, cant remember the name but its a cafe/pizza style bar and the round of drinks was approx 1/2 the price of some of the bars close to gondala. V cheap and good food also.
any other Q let me know.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| onaplateau wrote: |
Everyone else - Thanks for ideas of other resorts we hadn't thought of (mainly due to concerns Mayrhofen and Kitzbuhel are quite low) - but will definitely look into them.
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While the villages/towns in the Zillertal (Mayrhofen et al) are pretty low, the skiing isn't. From each of the villages, most of the skiing is above the first gondola you take up. But it is often not possible to ski back to the resort at the end of the day. Kaltenbach (same lift pass, a free train ride down the valley from Mayrhofen) was the resort we were being bussed to in Jan 2007 when there was no snow in Neiderau, and almost all the runs in Kaltenbach were open. I assume those in Mayrhofen were too, but Kaltenbach was the first major resort you come to heading up the valley.
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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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alex_heney is right. Although we had no snow at village level in Kitzbuhel in March 2008, the snow was lovely from the Hahnenkamm bubble lift upwards. The other thing to remember about Austria is that it's largely pastoral land and needs far less snow cover to operate. The piste grooming is excellent and they make very good use of the snow they have. We had a couple of days where it had snowed during the night and had fresh snow and sunshine the next day. Apparently this is a very common (and welcome) weather pattern.
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onaplateau, We have been in the same position as you having been to Italy for the past 6 years and stayed in hotels. Thought we should try something different and so decided on a chalet in Austria. After much searching with criteria of accommodation for 16, centre of village and pretty resort we came up with Westendorf. Ticks all those boxes, plus is ski in ski out and opposite the gondola. We are going half term and I think the accommodation came in at well under £500 each. Sorry do not know how to do links but we booked through Skichalets.nl but you will also find it at Chaletfinder.co.uk under reference FMA29527. (Chalet Klausnerhof).
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You know it makes sense.
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Neilson have a catered chalet in Saalbach. I can't comment on the chalet itself but the position is right opposite the lifts !
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