 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for this :
Skiing - sure snow, plenty of blacks and reds, good mountain restaurants etc
Accom - cosy, bar with open fire for drinking hot gluhvein with wife while sharing an episode of Spooks on the laptop with 2-from-1 headphones (hey, it's how we roll) after having hot jacuzzi after massage after pool after day's skiing
Room - not too fussed as long as it's a good mattress and ensuite
Food - Savoyarde / Savoie / Walliser / whateveryouwantocallit Alpine stuff made with smelly cheese and ham, maybe the odd sausage and polenta type thing, but mostly cheese, ham and potatoes. And wine.
I guess I'm looking for the Hotel Alex in Zermatt except we've been there too many times now and want to try somewhere else.
Any recommendations ? Please if you know somewhere that ticks all my boxes, let me know !!
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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 would think the vast majority of high Austrian/Swiss/South Tyrolean resorts fit the bill, Ischgl, Lech, St. Anton, Obertauern, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, St. Moritz, Davos-Klosters.... and many many more
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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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Do you know of any specific resorts and hotels that match my wants ?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Andorra?
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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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Scotland sounds ideal for you!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Odd. I had imagined that this forum would actually be helpful.
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Blewyn, depends a bit on what your budget is.
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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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| Blewyn wrote: |
| Odd. I had imagined that this forum would actually be helpful. |
It's also quite friendly, so welcome to snowHeads 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Blewyn, As Stoatsbrother said, the Edelweiss in Obergurgl. I 've been several times. Alternatively in Hochgurgl, the Top Hotel Hochgurgl. These are all large well appointed hotels.
I was also going to suggest the Hotel Deutschmann in Obergurgl but i've just seen some recent poor reports.
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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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stoatsbrother, BMF_Skier, The esteemed establishments of Obergurgl/Hochgurgl meet most of Blewyn's requirements, but I think they probably fall down on the food from what I understand, delivering quite fussy lengthy set piece dinners. This is certainly the impression we get from the people we meet post supper who are always envious of us having tucked into Schnitzel in David's Hutte, or having stayed up at the Nederhutte for pierre chaude.
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Steve Sparks, fair point - although you can cheese-up at lunchtime, and they will do fondues on request. I do like a hot-rock though.
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You know it makes sense.
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| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| depends a bit on what your budget is. |
Hotel Alex is around €330-400pppnt in high season, though they do some 7 night packages in Jan for around €200pppnt including ski pass and spa treatments.
Blewyn, I think you'll struggle to replicate the Zermatt experience elsewhere, at any price.
Lech and Zurs in Austria might just do it, but you might not be able to 'cheese' it up in the same way in the mountain restaurants, not many blacks either, but lots of off-piste itineraries.
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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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Lech or possibly Oberlech was what I was thinking. Rud Alpe for lunch on the mountain?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Blewyn, welcome to snowHeads.
Another vote for Lech, but it's too long since I've been there for me to be able to recommend an hotel. For mountain-top restaurants and your other criteria, I'd second the Jungfrau Region, again don't have current knowledge of an hotel: maybe the Regina in Wengen. Chamonix doesn't score well on mountain-top restaurants, but is wonderful in every other respect - Hotel Albert Premier. But essentially I agree with luigi,
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you'll struggle to replicate the Zermatt experience elsewhere, at any price.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Another vote for the Jungfrau Region. Have a look at the Schoenegg, Belvedere or Schweizerhof in Grindelwald, Hotel Eiger in Murren and Beausite Park or Alpenrose (but no jacuzzi or pool) in Wengen
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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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| luigi wrote: |
| nozawaonsen wrote: |
| depends a bit on what your budget is. |
Hotel Alex is around €330-400pppnt in high season, though they do some 7 night packages in Jan for around €200pppnt including ski pass and spa treatments. |
Not last time we went it wasn't !! Damn that weak pound eh ?? Oh for the days of 2.2chuffs to the quid....
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Blewyn, I think you'll struggle to replicate the Zermatt experience elsewhere, at any price.
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Ain't that the truth. What an awesome place. If I could pull the money together to buy a place there I'd move tomorrow.
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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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Thanks for all the great advice snowheads !!!  Much appreciated
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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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Blewyn, just don't expect to watch Spooks via i-player abroad 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lech-Zurs is in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg - the state is famed for its cheeses and cheese dishes, so i think you could cheese it up pretty well, Käsepätzle etc are well known Vorarlberg dishes. Lech also a pretty "chocolate box" village, nice hotels/wellness and the gluhwein type of apres ski you're asking for. Skiing-wise not many blacks over the Lech side but St. Anton has a few plus the whole Arlberg area is known for its challenging skiing.
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Blewyn, Hotel Hubertushof in Stuben might fit the bill. Stayed there a couple of years back with the family. http://www.hubertushof-arlberg.at/stuben/hotel_index.htm Cracking fire in lounge area, where you get afternoon snacks (best spare ribs I've ever tasted), good food and a lot of the hotel recently done up. Staff and management were all really nice and Stuben very chilled. St Anton is ski-able in around an hour. Zurs 5 mins away, Lech 10-15 mins by taxi/bus.
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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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How difficult is it to travel between Grindelwald, Wengen and Murren at night ? They look close on the map but alpine villages can be short distances but long travel times. Is it practical to have dinner in Murren while staying at Griindelwald or Wengen, for example ?
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| Blewyn wrote: |
| How difficult is it to travel between Grindelwald, Wengen and Murren at night ? They look close on the map but alpine villages can be short distances but long travel times. Is it practical to have dinner in Murren while staying at Griindelwald or Wengen, for example ? |
Blewyn to travel between the 3 resorts you would have to go via Lauterbrunnen (which is in the valley between Wengen and Murren). The trains between Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald run quite late see this site. e.g the last train from Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald is shown as departing at 22:33. The trains from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen run even later, usually past midnight. However getting back from Murren to Lauterbrunnen in the evening may be more difficult. There are basically two routes for getting from Murren down to Lauterbrunnen. One is to take the train from Murren BLM station which takes you to Grutschalp where there is a new connecting cable car (that replaced the old funicular) that takes you down to Lauterbrunnen. However the SBB website seems to indicate that the last train from Murren BLM station departs at 19:06. The other route is to take the cable car in Murren village down to Stechelberg and take a connecting bus back to Lauterbrunnen. It seems that this the latest departure from Murren using this route is 21:55, but I would suggest checking locally on these times when planning any evening journeys.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hmm...so in a nutshell you choose your resort and that's pretty much where you spend your evenings. No dinner in Grindelwald then back to Murren for example...
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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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Zürs, try the Sporthotel Lorünser, the rest of the hotels there are pretty good. Failing that go to Romantik Hotel Krone
Lech or even the Arlberg Hospiz Hotel in St. Christoph. It does not get any better.
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Is it easy to ski between Lech, Zurs and St Anton during the day ?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Blewyn wrote: |
| Is it easy to ski between Lech, Zurs and St Anton during the day ? |
Lech and Zurs are lift-linked, you can follow the Weisse Ring route, but it's a 10-15 min bus ride to link into the St Anton area at Alpe Rauz.
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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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Blewyn, the Arlberg circuit well linked either by lifts of buses. I've based myself in Oberlech a couple of times, Stuben once and St Anton 5/6 times. St Anton has more blacks with Lech/Zurs being more cruisy skiing and slopes definitely quieter. Never had any issues skiing from one end of the circuit to the other, albeit that some form of transport will be required as some point. There is more than enough skiing though for you to stay in one 'section' each day.
If you have a decent budget then I would suggest you stay in Lech/Zurs/Oberlech rather than St Anton - especially if you're just looking to chill out after skiing. We stayed at the Hotel Montana in Oberlech each time we were there - the food really was amazing. http://www.montanaoberlech.at/index.php?id=51&L=1 The Burg http://www.burghotel-lech.com/en/home.aspx or Sonnenburg http://www.sonnenburg.at/ are arguably better located, being slightly closer to the lifts. Any of the 4* Superior hotels will be excellent.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for the suggestions but all those hotels look a bit tired to me......kind of dated. I'm looking for a B&B hotel that makes me feel warm, cosy and good after a day's skiing. One thing that strikes me looking at Alpine skiing is just how many hotels seem to be stuck in a mid-20th century timewarp. For example, how can you seriously have a hotel with no hot-tub and pool, in this day and age ? I'd look at Canada/US but they're a bit if a hike from here...
I guess I'm asking too much for my money.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you want to wander over the Atlantic, Jasper Park Lodge may do you.
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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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Actually, Emerald Lake lodge may suit or Deer Lodge
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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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Will check it out, thanks for the suggestion and congratulations
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Blewyn, Any of the 4-* Superior or 5* hotels in Austria would meet your requirements. Just take a look at some of the resorts you might fancy then look at the hotels. They all have suites, some with their own fires in them (sometimes open but usually traditional tiled "Kachelofens"
Sorry I find this obsession with hot tubs bizarre to say the least and chavvy. They are so unhygienic it is unbelievable; makes my stomach turn to just think about it. What would you do if the hotel asked you to share a bath with all the other clients? At least with a full and properly maintained Wellness area you have all the filters and processes in place to ensure you are not exchanging faecal matter 
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Not just exchange. I think osculation is required.
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| Quote: |
how can you seriously have a hotel with no hot-tub and pool, in this day and age ?
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surely the appeal of a traditional Alpine hotel is that it's traditional and not "made over" every two years in line with the latest fashionable "must have"?
I agree with Samerberg Sue about hot tubs. Yuk, yuk and yuk again.  All sitting there in a warm bacteriologically rich stew, bubbling away together.
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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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Yowzers yes I can see why taking the littles might be off the cards !! How is the food there ? This is the thing that I have difficulty getting past a lot of these places.....food is very important to me (I spend 60% of my time in the Arabian desert, living on chicken and rice) so I hate the idea of being stuck somewhere with mediocre food but surrounded by fondue houses and the like,.......is the food really good ? The picture of the bar is very inviting indeed....
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All this talk of cheese made me have cheese on toast for supper with Reblochon.
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FAQ
(great website so you can see the interior for yourself). It's in a fantastic resort, 
but we will be back!