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Austria

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Also trying to plan our 2006 trip. Will be going week 4th Feb and looking for a resort that will suit a young family and two adults who are improving slowly! We did Saas Fee last year, a great place. We may do again however a number of the Austrian resorts appeal, however this site does have a strong French bias. Is there something particular against Austria, or should I also be looking at France. I am put off slightly by the man made resorts, Saas Fee was ideal but would be limited in extent for the adults in the party next year. My reservation about Austria so far is that hotel and tourist office websites are rarely in English! The Swiss seems slightly better setup so perhaps we should consider Switzerland again. Any views?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
micksup, not all French resorts are purpose built there are some that have evolved naturally. If you're looking for a resort that's good for a young family and improving skiers, then you may want to look at La Rosiere. It was rated one of the top ten family ski destinations by the BBC's Holiday programme. Have a look at our ad in snowShops or go to www.tracksvacations.com where you'll find full details of our package, you'll also find a link to the La Rosiere Tourist Office which has an English version.
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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?
try http://www.tiscover.at/at/guide/5,en,SCH1/objectId,RGN7at,season,at2/home.html the ski club has lots of info too, http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/resorts/gssg/country.asp?intCountryID=2&strName=Austria.
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I'm surprised you couldn't find many english websites. From my (one and only so far...) Austrian experience, everyone in the resort spoke perfect english!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
micksup,

http://www.bergfex.com/austria/

http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Austria/

France has got some of the best ski terrain in the world. You can get very cheap and short flights from Britain.

Austria has .....

Traditional quaint skiing resorts.
It's the Apres Ski capital of the world.
Many family resorts.
A few crazy Krauts wizzing around
Clean toilets that are free of charge
Great beer
Many locals who speak good clear English.


Feb is school holiday time in Europe too. I would stay away from resorts near to the German border (e.g. Kitzbuel, Soll etc)
Obergurgl is probably your best bet as it's location and number of beds in the valley prevent it from getting over-crowded like other resorts. It's ideal for beginners. Do a search on "Obergurgl" to find out more.
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micksup, this site only has a French bias because a few of the top posters either live there of frequent there.

Austria is a great place for skiing - and you shouldn't have a problem regarding people speaking English. What you will find (as compared to Switzerland) is that a far smaller percentage of people speak it. That doesn't mean that you won't be able to enjoy your holiday without being fluent in German.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
micksup, go to Wengen in Switzerland, great family resort with about 55% intermediate skiing and about 35% beginner skiing, lots of English information (the area is where downhill skiing was started by the mad English), not a huge amount of Apres ski bars but there are just about enough, Oh and something like 95% of the locals speek at least some english, some english has even found its way into the local Swiss German language Shocked
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
micksup, Kitzbuhel might suit you. pretty, skiing not too demanding in general, good grub (in a heavy, Germanic sort of way).
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micksup, I'm a huge fan of Austria. I don't ski anywhere else at the moment because it seems to offer the best of everything. I'm not looking at resorts from a 'family' perspective but I think that it is the Austrian half term that week and it could be busy so if you could make it another week it may give you more options on resorts.

Saalbach has lots of wide open blues and reds and is a compact town with excellent lift access. English is widely spoken so I'm sure if you email the hotels it will be fine. Sometimes you just have to hunt around for the English translation on websites. The vast majority of hotels have swimming pools and good facilities.

I'd also recommend Mayrhofen, although the only drawback is lift access and unless you stay near the main gondola, you will have to catch a bus to the lift station. I imagine this would be a bit of a pain with kids in tow. The Hotel Neuhaus would be excellent for families. It has games rooms, skittles, swimming pool etc and it is just 1 min to the train station which will take you to other resorts in the Ziller valley included under your lift pass. Overall, it is the best value for money skiing I've experienced.
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micksup,

My reservation about Austria so far is that hotel and tourist office websites are rarely in English!

Show me one, I have never seen an Austrain resort website which doesnt have an English version .

English is widely spoken in Austrian. IMHO The level & comprehension is better than Germany.

Austria is one big Hotel for all pockets. The atmosphere is fantastic, the prices resonable,Skiing & Skii resorts for all ability's. service excellent. Apres Ski lengendry I could go on and I dont work for the Austrian Tourist Board Very Happy
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Try http://www.kitzbuehel.com/english.asp
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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.
Firstly thanks everyone for the great feedback, please see below for specific responses to many points raised;

David@traxvax

Thanks for your message I will read the review and look at your site.

Greg Capper

Thanks Greg, the second link sounds pretty much what we are after

Paul Holland & Stanton

There is one in particular but I don't want to name names. I think my point was more directed at a 10 or so hotels that have all
ignored my emails. I have even sent in German as I was worried I had offended by sending in English. Still no reply and its been about 2 weeks!

DB and ElizabethB

Thanks for your messages. Some great advice and pointers to where to concentrate my search.

D G Orf

Thanks for the Swiss advice. I will look closely at the guide for Wengen. I planned to go to Grindlewald in March before a late tackle put pay to my skiing season.

Richmond and Hayley T

Again thanks for your advice. I will have had a look at the hotel/resorts you both mention.


I have a couple of final questions - perhaps you guys should charge!



1. Many of the resorts I am look at claim skiing from November right through to April. We went to Saas Fee at the end of Jan and snow cover was limited. A huge dump followed us (just as we left) but many regulars on this site where very concerned about snow until mid-Feb this year. Hence how can resorts claim such a long season, especially low resorts like those in the Montafon/Tirol?

2. If we were to drive to Austria, would I need snow chains?

Thanks for now

Mick
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
micksup wrote:

Paul Holland & Stanton

There is one in particular but I don't want to name names. I think my point was more directed at a 10 or so hotels that have all
ignored my emails. I have even sent in German as I was worried I had offended by sending in English. Still no reply and its been about 2 weeks!


It could be that the hotels are shut in the summer. I ski all over Austria and when I make an enquiry (in English or German & during the ski season) it's normal to get a reply


micksup wrote:

1. Many of the resorts I am look at claim skiing from November right through to April. We went to Saas Fee at the end of Jan and snow cover was limited. A huge dump followed us (just as we left) but many regulars on this site where very concerned about snow until mid-Feb this year. Hence how can resorts claim such a long season, especially low resorts like those in the Montafon/Tirol?

2. If we were to drive to Austria, would I need snow chains?

Thanks for now

Mick



1. This year was a late start for the snow in Austria. I normally ski from Oct onwards but didn't start till Xmas last season as the snow was late. When the snow did come it it dumped. Some resorts had up to 5.5 metres of snow and I think it's fair to say Austria had another year of the best snow in Europe. Normally Feb is pretty snow secure especially high up and west (Tyrol).

2. You should have snow chains but can normally get away without them (if you have winter tyres). If you don't have proper winter tyres then make sure your insurance covers you if you have an accident with summer tyres on snow. Driving in Austria during winter without winter tyres is a bad idea as many spinning Germans, Dutch, Hungarians etc realize.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Try Zauchensee in Ausstria. door step skiing, easy airport transfer, excellent ski school (particularly for kids), high enough to be snow sure, good beginer, and developing skier area.. I've taken my family two years on the trot, and my children now want to go skiing there in the summer instead of the usual beac hol. for more info check out www.hillwood-holidays.co.uk.

Cheers

Bob
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
micksup, backing up and totally agree withDB's posts;

Have a good look at Obergurgl http://homes.tiscover.com/project/obergurgl/index_wi...2.html Even with the late snow last season it was still excellent in January and at Easter, the lift company ran up until 24th April, thats when all the 'lifties' finished work to go back to the farms down the valley and the rest of the community start thier summer work, the upper slopes usually still have plenty of cover.

Saas-Fee where you've been before used to be my favorite resort until I went to Obergurgl. I know its only a marketing phrase but we have the 'Pearl' of the alps and the 'Diamond' of the alps. Last time we were in Saas-Fee (new year 2001) we thought it was being overdeveloped.

re driving, I have been told its 16 hours on the road, i.e. 2 full days driving and an overnight stop, people I know say its not worth it unless you stay for 3+ weeks.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
micksup wrote:
2. If we were to drive to Austria, would I need snow chains?


Yes, although you probably won't need to use them. Have a look at Spikes Spiders; pricey to buy or hire, but very easy to use. http://www.roofbox.co.uk/
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
micksup,

Many of the larger Hotels closed out of season in Austria & Austrians take vacations as well during the summer Very Happy
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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?
Micksup

I have skied in Austria on many occasions and I have actually found the scenery to be the best of all countries for skiing but allot of the resorts are low so they can fall foul of not enough snow in the actual resort. However for yourselves try Neiderau for young families and instruction I have found it to be brilliant and most hotels have virtually ski to door facilities. I still go here for instruction although I find the actual skiing terrain to be limited if you are an internediate skier there is still alot to be had. There are two ski schools and I have used both and there is nothing to choose between them.
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I have driven back from Shladming to Calais in just over 9 hours which I think is a bit quick and probably not a real guide but 10-12 should be easy. That should apply to good conditions and most resorts in the Tyrol. It would probably be illegal to travel up a valley without chains in most alpine countries I would think - they would certainly stop you going up in a storm without them

IMO Austria offers a great all-round holiday experience, France is geared towards skiingand more skiing with its grand domains but of course has real ski villages which shouldn't be overlooked and Switzerland just does it all very well. Italy is Italy with its own brand of skiing and good fun it is too. I am happy to go any alpine country as they all have fine resorts and you should be able to pick one with a few pointers from posters here.

Places in Austria I would put forward are Saalbach, Obergurgl - runs out of apre-ski steam quite early but above average standard of hotels at reasonable prices - and Soll to name just a few.
France, I would say Megeve or the Port du soleil, Italy, Champoluc or Cervinia and Engelberg in Switzerland .

Of course there are many more but these are all places I have been to that could suit your tastes for a family oriented ski hol'
And I have never had any real problem with the English spoken anywhere in the alpes except perhaps Alagne which is in a world of its own. But it isn't their fault we can't communicate in their language in their country..!! A little effort generally goes along way in this repect..!!
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