 Poster: A snowHead
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I have been tasked with finding a chalet over the New Year period for our family of 11.
I know, I know - New years is very busy, over priced and sketchy snow - However it is the only chance the whole family can get together, so dates are non-negotiable.
The families preference is Austria, for some reason a few family members are Franco-phobic (not me, I might add - I have had many wonderful ski holidays to France). Normally i look on 'Owners Direct' to find a Chalet but Austria seem to have very little representation on this site. Most properties are in France.
So i am hoping that SnowHeads can help with a recommended website with the broadest listings of Austrian Chalets and their owners.
Hope you can help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have used the www.tiscover.com website. Not quite the same but there is an English version and you can search by ski resort area
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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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@Penzanceopinion, why a chalet? That is a very Franglais concept to be honest, in Austria it is more hotel based or self-catering apartments.
I'm not sure if they are booked out but our very own flangesax has a great small Pension that can be booked entirely by one group. I believe they have a maximum of 14 beds depending on the rooming combination, and Ben does a great New Year package. A quick PM to them will get you a rapid answer. http://www.austrian-adventures.com/
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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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Homeaway is similar to owners direct but has many more European offerings. We have booked somewhere in France through there. Also bellvilla.
There does seem less choice of self catering in Austria but they have a few on there. You can do a map search too.
Watch out for the seating in the living area! So any sleep 6 an have a tiny couch for 2 to sit on. I don't even know how that works in the evenings.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another option is the Tourist Office website for each resort, which usually has an accommodation service. E.g Saalbach.com for Saalbach-hinterglemm, zellamsee-kaprun.com for Zell am See and so on.
As others have pointed out, chalets are not as common in Austria as in France, although there are many small Pensions that offer half board or just b&b.
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But does the OP want catered or self-catering? Not clear.
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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 the replies so far everyone
When I say Chalet - I suppose what i really mean is a any type of holiday apartment, house, chalet. (would prefer not a hotel as we would prefer having our own space - especially as we have 3 young children.
The criteria I have been given by my Sister-in-law is as follows:-
'it has to be 6 bedrooms
Lots of facilities, ideally indoor pool
Guaranteed snow
Nice town with activities for non skiers
I would go to about 10k for something stunning'
Originally I thought St Anton as Clarky999 says - seems to have more this type of accommodation, but honestly my Austrian Knowledge is limited and although I thought £10k would get us something stunning, I am not so sure
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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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We have also used homeaway,
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@Penzanceopinion, Try Sunweb, who appear to have availability at Residence Saalbach in the centre of Saalbach village, for 11 guests. You'll need 2 apartments and their website is pants to navigate, so you will be better off ringing them. They are quoting about £900 p.p but that includes £200 p.p for the lift pass. The apartments are stunning and are ski in- ski out.
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You know it makes sense.
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It's certainly very late to be looking for something special for new year. But we still don't know what the OP is after; catered or not?
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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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@Samerberg Sue, The 10K does not include the travel budget and @pam w, we have no preference whether catered or not.
To be perfectly honest I knew that her expectations are difficult to meet, however she is paying for us all to go on holiday, so I have to try my hardest to see what's out there.
Maybe a better option would be to find 2 x 3 bed apartments or a 4 bed and a 2 bed apartment in the same complex.
I had an honest conversation with them yesterday about the difficulty of the task in hand, and it seems the overriding priority is 'Guaranteed snow'. However they are also keen to find a nice town, with Spa facilities etc as Mother-in-Law is a non-skier!
Owing to the particular predicament, France has now come back into the equation, I have had offers from a property in Megeve, and however Sister-in-Law will not risk the low elevation. I explained that in France the guaranteed snow is often located high in the mountain where those lovely charming towns simply do not exist; You are staying in purpose built ski stations.
So now it looks like the charming town has slipped a little down the list. Oh, but of course it has to be within two hours of an airport!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Penzanceopinion, It'd be a very strange year to have poor snow at New Year in Austria, particularly if you go Arlberg or Vorarlberg, i.e. west of Austria, it has a fantastic snow record, villages are typically 1400m but skiing available to 2800m, and has a better snow record than higher purpose built French resorts. If you're after a snow sure resort with plenty going on in the town for non-skier(s) you're probably looking at St Anton or Ischgl I'd suggest, albeit Innsbruck will suit you too but is less resort more city with logistic issues morning and night if you're not organised. St Anton in particular is not for the faint-hearted by the way, if you are looking for pistes in a fixed ability group i'd suggest Ischgl. You've left it very late but suggest you look at VIP, Scott Dunn and the like.
I've personally never been a fan of chalets, like above have suggested its pretty much a French/ Swiss concept, Austria is more geared up around Pensions, apart hotels and hotels, and chalets in St Anton tend to be top-end money-wise, and rather "British", we have friends that stay in then and its all a bit pampered for my liking. Kitzbuhel would also meet your criteria but is a bit low for that time of year I suggest.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Penzanceopinion, I've been skiing for over 50 years and have only encountered green fields at New Year once and that was in the Haute Savoie in France!
Austria is skiing now on at least 5, if not more of the many glaciers available - I would have been skiing myself today had it not been clagged in so badly at my nearest glacier (and the next closest). Since switching from France to Austria I've never been disappointed at New Year, be that in the central areas made up of Salzburgerland and Steiermark or in the more Western reaches of Tirol Arlberg and Vorarlberg regions. Being a continental climate it is colder sooner (we are currently under the influence of a Russian Blocking high for example and it is brass monkey weather). A simple guide to compare "snow guarantee" is to add 300m to the heights for Austrian resorts to raise the snow line to that of the so-called safe resorts in France. The further east you go into the continental mass of Europe, the lower the frost line and with it the snow level. This is due to the declining moderating influence of the Atlantic systems and their warm air masses. I live on the Austrian border in Bavaria and we regularly have snow lying at our piddly 800m from the end of November right through to mid April, that's 5 months of snow clearing for me and my landlady! 
I would like to suggest a chalet in Maria Alm that may meet your sister's requirements, Chalet Panorama (http://www.chalet-panorama.com/ ) There is an in-house spa as well. You need to contact them directly for a sole occupancy quote but as it is owned by an Englishman, that means no language difficulties. The skiing is fabulous (Hochkönig ski area) although not quite doorstep and the village is gorgeous and only a hop, skip and a jump from Saalfelden which has a regular bus link to both the village and the slopes.
Another place could be the Dienten Cabin (http://www.dientencabin.com/ ), but there are no spa facilities and it would be entirely self-catering. It's in the same ski area as Chalet Panorama but more easterly along the system. The owners are snowHeads as well, Gnarbeque, so you could contact them via PM over this web site.
All the Hochkönig ski areas are well within 2 hours driving of Salzburg airport by the way.
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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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@Penzanceopinion, have a search for appartment hotels or apparthotels. Something like this in Serfaus or this in Obertauern.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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FAQ
- thanks sue - 
