 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Went to Scheffau back in 2007 - the year of the awful snow - sadly popped my acl on day 2 so can't comment too much on the skiing but plenty on the village.
Stayed at the Alpin with Esprit. Was very pleased with the hotel, staff were lovely and very helpful to me in my predicament. Free drinks with dinner, early dinner for the children but not compulsory - they can eat with you if you prefer. Swimming pool is fun but a bit cool for English tastes. Rooms were a decent size and well maintained. Food was fine, not fabulous, but more than ok. Plenty of it and lots of choices.
Ski school is at the top of the gondola and there is a large self service/canteen type cafe that is easy for pedestrians (there's also a much nicer restaurant slightly down hill which I think is still walkable if your parents are reasonably fit - wasn't doable on crutches though).
The gondola is a short bus ride from the main village....but there are ski deposits there if you don't want the agro of carrying gear every morning. If the snow's really good you can apparently ski from the hotel, but in reality I don't know how feasible that really is.
There really isn't much in the village. One gift shop (under the hotel) one sports/hire shop (again under the hotel) a couple of banks, a mini spar and the tourist office. It's a very pretty village but not sure it would last 2 non-skiers a week. There is an easy bus ride to a few of the other villages in the ski-welt and there might be more to do there. Remember I wasn't very mobile at the time so that may be colouring my memory of the place but I don't think it's ideal for non-skiers, although it does fulfil your requirement of 'really quiet'.
Ski school is all day- although you can pick just am or pm if you prefer. They'll even keep the children over lunch for a small fee which at least gives the good skiers chance to explore the wider area.
There is a great place for lunch on one of the runs back to the village - but in 2007 we had to get a cab there cos there was absolutely no snow - can't remember the name of it now but I can find it for you if you are interested. The children would love it, as it's a farm and they've opened up their sitting room as a restaurant in the winter. It's very Austrian (they don't speak English) but are happy to take you down the hall to the animal barn (which opens up off the main house hall) so that you can stroke the cows.
Hope that helps.
Sharon
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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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This is why this site is awesome - thank you very much!
Sorry to hear about that injury though - ouch
Many thanks
matt
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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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I was there in 2007 as well!
Echo everything that's been said so far.
Hotel is about 1 mile from the lifts - but there'll probably be a blue run open from opposite the hotel that allows you to ski nearly to the base of the gondola.
If skiing not possible buses are every 15-30 minutes I think.
Even with lack of snow, they managed to keep nearly everything open when I was there- incredible job the ski guns did.
And then it rained  .
Lots.
We ended up having a day in Worgl ,I think it was , because they closed the mountain due to rain storm.
Like snowlamb says - it's easy to get about to other villages if grandparents want to see something else.
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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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| Hamish wrote: |
I was there in 2007 as well!
Echo everything that's been said so far.
We ended up having a day in Worgl ,I think it was , because they closed the mountain due to rain storm.
Like snowlamb says - it's easy to get about to other villages if grandparents want to see something else. |
Hamish
Hi
When were you there? They closed the mountain for a rainstorm on our last Friday too. Just wondered if it was the same week.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm going there in January for an early season short break. Glad to hear that even in a poor snow year they manage to keep everything going.
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| snowlamb wrote: |
| Hamish wrote: |
I was there in 2007 as well!
Echo everything that's been said so far.
We ended up having a day in Worgl ,I think it was , because they closed the mountain due to rain storm.
Like snowlamb says - it's easy to get about to other villages if grandparents want to see something else. |
Hamish
Hi
When were you there? They closed the mountain for a rainstorm on our last Friday too. Just wondered if it was the same week. |
Hi Snowlamb,
probably same week - can't remember if it was 2nd or 3rd week of January.
I do remember it was due to be the Kitzbuhel downhill at the end of the week, but the same rainstorm destroyed the course.
I do remember we had 1 more day skiing after the rain, and that they managed to reopen most of the mountain, but it was a case of skiing through puddles of slush - still better thana day in the office though 
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Glad to hear that even in a poor snow year they manage to keep everything going.
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queen bodecia, I think that's probably a rather optimistic interpretation of what's said above!
Sharon said
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There is a great place for lunch on one of the runs back to the village - but in 2007 we had to get a cab there cos there was absolutely no snow
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But 2007 was particularly poor at that point (after everyone got absurdly excited about heavy early snow which disappeared, IIRC). At one point in January there was a huge amount closed in places like Courchevel, too.
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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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pam w, 2007 was the season I missed due to being poorly. I considered it some sort of bizarre karma that conditions were almost universally bad whilst I was stuck in hospital. 
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queen bodecia, that's what I call positive thinking. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, 
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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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As has been said, the one possible disadvantage in Scheffau (if it is that) is that it isn't ski-in, ski-out. However, there is a bus to the lift every 15 minutes. The ski school is generally up the mountain (on the other side of the valley) but I could imagine that there might be beginners' classes nearer the village if there is enough snow (don't know about that for sure). The skiing on the Hohe Salve range is extensive and enjoyable, with runs to suit most tastes.
For non-skiers, I expect it is probably possible to organise day trips to places like Kitzbühel or, further away, Salzburg. For the active, I think that the walk along the north side of the Hintersteiner See (a few kms outside Scheffau) would be enjoyable on a fine winter day (you would need a bus or taxi to get there).
Fasching (carnival) when the slopes are pretty busy (school holidays in Austria and Bavaria) is around 6th-14th March in 2011, so February shouldn't be too bad.
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Mattmulkeen, take a look at http://www.kinderkaiserland.com/ we put Little Avago in this ski school and he had a wonderful time. The ski school is situated opposite the top gondala station. Unlike the majority of Austrian Ski Schools, there was the option of half days. All the staff spoke fantastic English and they were happy for childrens skis etc. to be left there at the end of each day.
If you need anymore info, I'd be please to help
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You know it makes sense.
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But 2007 was particularly poor at that point (after everyone got absurdly excited about heavy early snow which disappeared, IIRC). At one point in January there was a huge amount closed in places like Courchevel, too.
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Not sure I can remember much early snow in 2006/2007 at least in Austria... November and December had very slim pickings...  it got a bit better in March...
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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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Thanks for all the replies. We have booked now and really looking forward to returning to Austria for the first time in 5 years.
Avago,
I booked with Crystal - they advertise that ski school as their school in resort. Looks really cool and should be a nice change from the ESF schools which weren't really suiting my little lad (although he did finally complete a week in Plagne Bellecote at the third attempt with ESF).
espri,
You are quite right with that - i used to think ski in, ski out was essential where in reality (when you are a parent at least) there are far more important boxes to check.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We're going for a return visit to Scheffau half term week this winter. We first went, with kids aged 5, 7 and 12, half term week a few years ago. The ski school as others have mentioned is at the top of the gondola and for what my opinion is worth it's one of the best kids ski schools we've used. (Can't comment on what it's like for adults as we didn't use it).
Scheffau itself is in my opinion a very beautiful "picture postcard" village with fantastic scenery, but as others have said there is very little for non skiers to do in the village. It is however easy to get to places like Kitzbuhel for a day trip.
The blue run from the village to the gondola was open when we were there. It's a very gentle run across some fields which even the most timid beginner could manage easily. The down side is that it doesn't take you all the way to the lift, you're left with a walk of a couple of hundred yards at the end.
Can't say about the Alpin as we didn't stay there, although we did use the hire shop right underneath it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi there, I have got a steal of a deal at the Scheffauer hoff apartments, just wondering if anyone knows of them, they look and sound ok but wondering if any other bars restaurants within walking - short taxi away?
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