 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
After three successive years of going to Arabba my wife feels we should perhaps experience a different resort this season, although I'd be more than happy to go back again  . Therefore I'm looking for suggestions of other areas/resorts that offer something comparable to the Dolomites. I realise if we want everything the same we should just go back to the Dolomites but I've included the following key points to help people make recommendations:
Extensive and varied area with nice scenery
Tree lines slopes in preference to moonscapes.
Nice hotels with good food and wellness centre a bonus
Good private tuition at a reasonable price as we still like to have private lessons
Budget up to £750 HB
Prefer not to go to France as we have been to most of the big French areas in the past and they are not as nice as the Dolomites, although we did enjoy the skiing. Italy and Austria will probably fit the bill more.
btw, we are both fairly good intermediates but do not go off piste unless as part of a lesson.
If we find something cheap enough that fits, then we may go back to Arabba later in the season anyway for a few days.
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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pokemon, Sportwelt Amade would fit your bill - flights direct to Salzburg and then easy transfers to any of several good resorts fitting your description.
My favourite is St Johann-Alpendorf but that is because I have so many friends in the area. The other main resorts in the system are Wagrain, Flachau and Zauchensee.
Many of the hotels offer all-inclusive deals - half board and ski passes included. All the 3+ star hotels seem to have Wellness areas of varying sizes. The hotel I use most frequently has 1200 sq.m and is superb. However it is above your price limit, I think (not sure if you are including flights in that total, nor what the current and future Euro/Sterling exchange rate is like.)
I can thoroughly recommend the Rot-Weiß-Rot Ski school in Alpendorf and Wagrain, I've used them personally for both private and group lessons, as well as working for them at times as well. I've booked both relatives and friends with them for private lessons and all of the students came back enthusing as well as improved.
Let me know if you are possibly interested and I'll send you some links.
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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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Probably all Alpine resorts have "nice scenery" but the Dolomites isn't just nice, is it? World class, that's what it is. Few places will compare; some will just be pretty. The Jungfrau springs to mind as another exceptional area for scenery. Chamonix is another, though it doesn't fit all your criteria. Zermatt?
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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.
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Having skied a few resorts in France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland I don't think there is any place with "Extensive and varied area with nice scenery " as Dolomites.
If you go only for a week then many other Italian and Austrian resorts will fit the bill.
Austria has extensive skiing but the scenery is no match to Dolomites. Each of the Ski Wekt, Aki Amade, Zillertal Valley, Bas Gastein Valley, St Anton/Zurs/Lech, Ischgl/Samnaun is bigger than a week can explode.
Some Swiss resorts are very scenic with imposing views. You can try the highest cable lift to Zermatt, ride the train to the highest point in the Alps to Jungfrau, sample the old and traditional places like St Moritz or .Davos if the budget can be stretched
Italian Milky Way is not very well linked but skiing is extensive.
Having skied Dolomites you will have to accept a lower standard and pay a bit more to ski elsewhere in the Alps.
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pokemon, of course the snowHeads Birthday Bash will be in Arabba again in February... 
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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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pokemon, Your wish is my command!
http://www.hotel-berghof.com/en/winter/health-spa-sport-active-alpendorf-stjohann-pongau-salzburg.html
This is my favourite hotel and my main base when I am in the region for a stay longer than a couple of nights. You just have to cross the road and you are at the Gondola bottom station ready to link into the system. There is only one drag lift on the St Jo/Alpendorf side now (miserable farmer would not allow access across his land for the construction of yet another over-the-top-and-down-the-other-side chair lift!)
They will pick you up from the railway station if you advise them of your arrival time! By road, depending on the time of day about an hour and it is autobahn all the way except the last 10km.
This is another excellent hotel at the foot of the Graffenberg lift in Wagrain: http://www.sporthotel.at/english/index_e.htm
This is at the foot of the Flying Mozart lift on the other side of Wagrain is: http://www.hotelalpina.at/en/winter/hotel-und-ambiente/hotel-alpina/
They both offer a shuttle bus pick up service from the train station: either St Johann im Pongau or Altenmarkt would be your stations I suppose. I always use my car so I'm not sure.
Onnem,
| Quote: |
| The beauty of the area is: unlike many resorts in for instance Austria, they don't plaster the mountain with lifts and slopes. |
I'm sorry but I think you are confusing Austria with that temple to Mammon, France!
Austria's environmental protection rules for protecting the Alpine environment are every bit as stringent as those in Switzerland. Whilst I agree that the Monte Rosa area is magnificent, it is hardly Intermediate cruising country is it
I actually disagree about labelling one area as being scenically superior to any other. Yes, the Dolomites are fantastic, magical even in the right light and weather. They can also be bloody awful when clagged in like anyother mountain area with horizontal rain/sleet/ice filling any and every orifice open to the elements or not.
In my experience the sheer grandeur of the peaks in the Mont Blanc massif are hard to beat, or the Dents du Midi as the last of the suns rays are reflected in the ice on a clear winter's day, or the Matterhorn at sunrise. It is the moment that makes a place special, not a title! The colours in my high alpine valley right now make it one of the most beautiful places I could imagine. I've also experienced magical light and scenery in the Strath Nevis at the end of a very long summer's day that turned the waters of the river into liquid gold. Somewhere I have the photos to prove it (pre-digital days unfortunately).
Sue 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi,
A quick update. We ended booking for Arabba again late Feb after considering all things. Current thinking is that this will be our main ski trip but will try to go either before or after and probably to the Ski Amade area but this would be booked nearer the time.
Must make a note to break this habit/guilty pleasure for the 2011/2012 season 
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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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Check out the Montafon in Austria, its lovely.
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You know it makes sense.
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luigi, That looks really nice and thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into that. We went to Cortina for a day with sueski last year who lives in Arabba and want to go back back and explore further. Had really good fun skiing through the woods and across streams down from the Rio Gere rifugio back into the town. Lovely food at Rio Gere as well.
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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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jbob, Thanks as well. I'll also look at that
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FAQ
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