Ski Resort Recommendations for Early February

SmashingPilot · 19-12-2014 10:51pm #1

My girlfriend and myself are planning a ski trip, heading the weekend of February 7th/8th but are flexible for that month.
Finding it hard to decide on a resort. I'd consider myself an intermediate skiier but she's a beginner.
So somewhere with good mix of slopes would be ideal; good blues so I could ski with herself after some lessons and nice red/blacks for while she's at lessons.
Obviously looking for best value but happy to spend more for quality.
Have only looked on the likes of DirectSki/CrystalSki for packages. Prices seem around 650 or so for flights, accommodation and transfers. What's a good price for this time of the year?

mahoney_j · 19-12-2014 11:47pm

SmashingPilot wrote: »

My girlfriend and myself are planning a ski trip, heading the weekend of February 7th/8th but are flexible for that month.
Finding it hard to decide on a resort. I'd consider myself an intermediate skiier but she's a beginner.
So somewhere with good mix of slopes would be ideal; good blues so I could ski with herself after some lessons and nice red/blacks for while she's at lessons.
Obviously looking for best value but happy to spend more for quality.
Have only looked on the likes of DirectSki/CrystalSki for packages. Prices seem around 650 or so for flights, accommodation and transfers. What's a good price for this time of the year?

Ever think of going Diy???? RYanair or aer lingus flight to Munich or Salzburg and most of Austria is open to you.resorts like mayrhofen,sallbach or soll(if it ever gets snow!!)are where I'd recommend .short flight and short transfer and beautifull Austrian villages with really good varied ski terrain

SmashingPilot · 20-12-2014 12:02pm

Thanks for the suggestions.
I'd consider DIYing it but is it much cheaper than getting a package?

darka78 · 20-12-2014 4:39pm

SmashingPilot wrote: »

My girlfriend and myself are planning a ski trip, heading the weekend of February 7th/8th but are flexible for that month.
Finding it hard to decide on a resort. I'd consider myself an intermediate skiier but she's a beginner.
So somewhere with good mix of slopes would be ideal; good blues so I could ski with herself after some lessons and nice red/blacks for while she's at lessons.
Obviously looking for best value but happy to spend more for quality.
Have only looked on the likes of DirectSki/CrystalSki for packages. Prices seem around 650 or so for flights, accommodation and transfers. What's a good price for this time of the year?

I would recommend Kronplatz in Brunico, Ryanair or Aerlingus flight to Milan or Munich. Then around 3 hours drive with rental car. Ski resort is great and modern for beginners and intermediates.

Fattes · 20-12-2014 5:36pm

At this stage aim high a resort with skiing above 1,500 or 2,000 meters. The earlier in Feb the better as peak season kicks in around the 2nd week with mid term

The current conditions are leading to some great deals with TO's but don't rule out organising yourself.

Tignes in France

Hintertux/ Mayrhofen in Austria

corvus4906 · 22-12-2014 4:56pm

Was in the same situation as SmashingPilot although i'd be an intermediate Snowboarder.

Bringing the girlfriend (never been on snow) to Mayrhofen for Feb 7th.

..already in utter panic about the possibility for bad snow.

Contemplating a career break i need some snow so bad haha. Pipe dreams of doing a season in states now. Need my fix.

smeal · 22-12-2014 5:12pm

Mayrhofen is definitely a 10/10 for slopes, conditions and apres ski!

If you're lucky enough to get accommodation in the town centre then you're in for a treat! We stayed in the Sports Hotel (can't remember the first name) but it was on the main street and about a 100m walk to the cable car.

There is no shortage of slopes that your ski pass works on and if you're going for only a week you'll probably not get around most of them! Think they have Europe's highest piste or something too if you're a pro? And apparently at some point during winter there's a snow music festival? We went mid January 3 years ago and the snow was just perfect. There are great bars, restaurants and coffee shops up the slopes although they can be a little pricey for food but there's no surprise there. The town itself is great fun in the evenings with great bars and restaurants and there are plenty of quirky little shops too

If you're staying in your own self catering apartment, Eurospar on the main street is great for food and drink

They have slopes for absolutely everyone. I remember they had a conveyor belt type of thing in the snow for absolute learners as my mum used it! Never seen one of them before in any other slopes I had been in

I remember my mum booked it on like a Wednesday and we went on the Saturday. She got pretty much a half price deal through cancellations so be sure to keep an eye out

We got ours through Topflight I think it was- flew from Belfast (although they flew us to some airport miles away with like a 3 hour coach journey but its easy driving considering how beautiful Austria is and driving through other resorts gets you really excited! Some people had a few beers on the bus too to pass the time), got all our ski passes, gear, a great four star hotel with swimming pool and sauna located 100m away from the main cable car, breakfast and a meal every night. There are some great deals out there if you look hard enough!

Fattes · 22-12-2014 5:25pm

corvus4906 wrote: »

Was in the same situation as SmashingPilot although i'd be an intermediate Snowboarder.

Bringing the girlfriend (never been on snow) to Mayrhofen for Feb 7th.

..already in utter panic about the possibility for bad snow.

Contemplating a career break i need some snow so bad haha. Pipe dreams of doing a season in states now. Need my fix.

Dont be Hintertux has some of the best conditions in the alps right now and a large % of Mayrhofen in above 1,500 for skiing!

cameramonkey · 22-12-2014 5:27pm

http://www.cervinia.it/pages/Home_i_en/211

Very high and lots of snow this year.

Road-Hog · 22-12-2014 9:32pm

corvus4906 wrote: »

Was in the same situation as SmashingPilot although i'd be an intermediate Snowboarder.

Bringing the girlfriend (never been on snow) to Mayrhofen for Feb 7th.
I
..already in utter panic about the possibility for bad snow.

S
Contemplating a career break i need some snow so bad haha. Pipe dreams of doing a season in states now. Need my fix.

Should look into sauze d'oulx in Italy close to turin (1hr or so) lively village and plenty of terrain and fairly cheap compared to France and Austria.

SmashingPilot · 27-12-2014 2:24am

Thanks all for the further suggestions and input. I will take some time to look into places mentioned and see what kind of deal I can manage to find.
I'll no doubt have more questions later.
Merry Christmas.

SmashingPilot · 29-12-2014 12:19am

I've been looking into booking everything myself now.
Currently looking at Mayrhofen, skiing there should be good early February.
Have found flights for about 250 to Munich and transfer to the resort for 90 return (shared bus).
Is there public buses available to get to the resort instead?
I'm having trouble finding accommodation for here mainly because I don't know the best places to look. Any recommendations?

Fattes · 29-12-2014 9:31am

SmashingPilot wrote: »

I've been looking into booking everything myself now.
Currently looking at Mayrhofen, skiing there should be good early February.
Have found flights for about 250 to Munich and transfer to the resort for 90 return (shared bus).
Is there public buses available to get to the resort instead?
I'm having trouble finding accommodation for here mainly because I don't know the best places to look. Any recommendations?

There is a train with one change from Munich to the resort also some accommodation will offer free transfers

Normally good accommodation options available here

https://www.mayrhofen.at/en/101031/101218/101250/search-accommodation.html

SmashingPilot · 10-01-2015 9:05pm

Just want to say thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up getting a good package deal to Mayrhofen, so took that. Flights to Innsbruck and transfers from there.
Now all I have to do is sort ski hire/lessons. Really looking forward to it now. Four weeks from today.

Anyone have recommendations on bars/fun places to check out while there?

Fattes · 10-01-2015 11:08pm

Main après is in the Ice Bar, right at the bottom of the lift back to the village! You can't miss it, it will be the one jammed with drunk people dancing in tables.

Across the road is an excellent Deli for a quick bite before going in!

Moe's for later drinks and Scotland Yard and if you are really pushing it the speak easy under the ice bar.

On the hill the pizza place at the bottom of the freestyle park is amazing!

Ski rental either Luigis or Hubert Kröll he is the best and up at top so you don't have to lug skis up and down every day.
http://www.skiverleih-zillertal.at/

Best ski school in town is SMT, but all the others are really good too.

It's a cracking spot enjoy it

G2DG · 10-01-2015 11:41pm

Great choice. Myself and herself only back and we loved it. We used Mannis for the Hire but it wasn't great. We were beginners so weren't too sure about the gear but she ended up with skis 10cm longer than mine despite me being taller. Had to go back after first day to change them.

For Ski school we had SMT also. They were super. Our instructor was Harry and he was top class!! He said normally he does private lessons rather than the group ones so not sure if you'll be lucky to get him!

Grub in Pilzbar at the penken is 100% we ate there at least 4 of the days. Ice Bar is good and another good one over the river at the top of town. Name escapes me now.

Mo's has nice drinks and good grub. Really good menu. If you want to spend a little more for one of the nights there's an Italian place Ciao.

Mikes Sportsbar at the bottom of the town for any of the rugby / soccer that needs to be viewed.

Also Fattes you might not know or you might but they changed all the run numbers over the Summer. I only say it cause you had very kindly recommended some for me. It wasn't a big job to know which were what by looking at the old and new maps. For example Blue 2 is now blue 28!!

Fattes · 10-01-2015 11:56pm

G2DG wrote: »

Also Fattes you might not know or you might but they changed all the run numbers over the Summer. I only say it cause you had very kindly recommended some for me. It wasn't a big job to know which were what by looking at the old and new maps. For example Blue 2 is now blue 28!!

Cheers, mate actually have a digital piste map on the phone with the new run numbers on it remembered all the previous from memory but good to know they have updated them for future advice

karl83 · 11-01-2015 5:29am

The bruck n stadl near the ahorn is also quite good. Harakiri bar in the center of town is cool, bit classier but good.
Rent for fun shop across from the penkenbahn does beginner rental for €60 for boots and ski/board for the week. Worth it if your a beginner and a lot cheaper than hire with the tour op.
As fattes said for ski school, I'd recommend private lessons with them if you can.
Make sure to checkout the white lounge on the top of ahorn too.
Enjoy

corvus4906 · 16-01-2015 11:20am

Is it bad that i'm panicing about the snow already... lookin at the webcams it only looks OK...
need some dumps

Fattes · 16-01-2015 10:12pm

corvus4906 wrote: »

Is it bad that i'm panicing about the snow already... lookin at the webcams it only looks OK...
need some dumps

Look again in 48 hours it's on the way

Seifer · 22-01-2015 1:21pm

Looking to get away to Mayrhofen at the end of February and have a couple of questions for those in the know:

It will be my third time skiing; took group lessons for the week on both the first two trips. I want to keep improving so looking to do lessons of some sort would I be best off sticking with group or maybe a private? Felt like I was progressing well at the end of the last week; getting a feel for basic carving.

Just on the group lessons the times seem to be odd on the SMT site in that it's two hours before lunch and then two after; would prefer just to do the lesson in the morning and then have after lunch free to meet up with friends. All the other school sites I found say the group lessons are four hours but don't say the specific times; do they all get split up by lunch?

In the ski rental places at the top do you just go up in your snow boots in the morning and you have like a locker to store them while you ski and then you dump your rental gear in there at the end of the day or how does it work?

G2DG · 23-01-2015 10:39am

Seifer, I think I would be about the same ability as yourself and if I was going back to Mayrhofen again I would get private lessons with SMT. It is the same cost for a few people as it is just for one so maybe you could get someone to go in with you. Same reasons as you have outlined you can get a private lesson in the morning and then head off and practice / meet friends / drink beer in the afternoon.

I have said it already but we had Harry and he was super. The last day there was only 4 of us left in the group and I could see we were getting through exercises and progressing so much quicker. He said if he was 1 or 2 on one for a day maybe day and half he would get as much done as you would in a full week of group lessons.

It just seems to depend on the size of the group and if there is a big difference in ability and rate of progression of each person.

Ski Resort Recommendations for Early February

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