Good resort with good hotel location

5starpool

It's been a few years since I've been skiing, and I am planning to go with a few people this winter. I've been to a few countries skiing before, but Austria seems to be the best all things considered, so that would be the preference for this trip.

As most of us going will be able to spend a few quid extra on decent accommodation, what we are looking for is something that is close to a town centre and close to the ski-lifts, very short walking distance easy. I know places have ski buses, but we'd like to at least look at the option of staying somewhere that you don't need any buses. We aren't necessarily looking for somewhere expensive, and if there was somewhere that fit the bill and was only a 2 star place, that definitely is no problem, so I am looking for recommendations. Obviously the main priority on the holiday is good slopes, but if we can get excellently located accommodation that would be a huge bonus, and what we are looking for.

I'm looking at resorts like Kitzbuhel, Zell am See, Westendorf, but it is a bit of a minefield looking for accommodation online, so I thought I'd see if there were any first hand recommendations for places near ski lifts, not near ski bus stops just.

Thanks.

olaola

Hotel Panther in Saalbach. It says 4 stars, prob a very good 3 star - the pool is great (it's outdoors) one slope ends at the hotel (with gondola & chairlifts) and there is another new chairlift opening this year directly opposite the hotel.

Fattes

Second for the Panther in Sallbach have stayed there and it is super. Food is the reason it is a 4 star.

Sport Hotel Strass in Mayrhofen is another great choice.

Rew

We stayed in Mottaret in the 3 Valleys last year in the Hotel Mottaret. Every morning we would come out the front door of the hotel, down some steps to the ski lockup room to collect boots and skis. We weould then walk across the road (about 25 feet) and onto the piste :-)

A lot of accommodation in Mottaret was directly on the piste, very handy.

anymore

5starpool wrote: »

It's been a few years since I've been skiing, and I am planning to go with a few people this winter. I've been to a few countries skiing before, but Austria seems to be the best all things considered, so that would be the preference for this trip.

As most of us going will be able to spend a few quid extra on decent accommodation, what we are looking for is something that is close to a town centre and close to the ski-lifts, very short walking distance easy. I know places have ski buses, but we'd like to at least look at the option of staying somewhere that you don't need any buses. We aren't necessarily looking for somewhere expensive, and if there was somewhere that fit the bill and was only a 2 star place, that definitely is no problem, so I am looking for recommendations. Obviously the main priority on the holiday is good slopes, but if we can get excellently located accommodation that would be a huge bonus, and what we are looking for.

I'm looking at resorts like Kitzbuhel, Zell am See, Westendorf, but it is a bit of a minefield looking for accommodation online, so I thought I'd see if there were any first hand recommendations for places near ski lifts, not near ski bus stops just.

Thanks.

Must say I have used Booking.com a lot booking hotels in Austria and have never experienced problems.

a148pro

Tignes is prob the best all round resort I've been to, but its not cheap. I stayed in two places there, both were effectively on the slopes, the cheaper one was better situated - http://www.refuge-tignes.com/uk.php

That said there's nothing cheap if you're staying in Tignes.

There's a full trip review I wrote on it in the resort report thread. The second place I stayed in I think was a Pierre et Vacances joint, nicer Hotel, and would be better for groups of non-couples as there were two and three bed apartments in it. Slightly less ski in but still ski in in theory.

Main prob with Tignes is its a 3 hour transfer. Not a huge amount of nightlife but that doesn't bother me. The skiing is brilliant, you will not run out of pistes or off piste if you can afford a guide. Prob not the best place for beginners thats all.

opinion guy

a148pro wrote: »

Tignes is prob the best all round resort I've been to, but its not cheap. I stayed in two places there, both were effectively on the slopes, the cheaper one was better situated - http://www.refuge-tignes.com/uk.php

That said there's nothing cheap if you're staying in Tignes.

There's a full trip review I wrote on it in the resort report thread. The second place I stayed in I think was a Pierre et Vacances joint, nicer Hotel, and would be better for groups of non-couples as there were two and three bed apartments in it. Slightly less ski in but still ski in in theory.

Main prob with Tignes is its a 3 hour transfer. Not a huge amount of nightlife but that doesn't bother me. The skiing is brilliant, you will not run out of pistes or off piste if you can afford a guide. Prob not the best place for beginners thats all.

Agree with all of this. Tignes is a truly fantastic resort....if a little pricey. Oh you are talking 200 for a 6 day ski pass also.

I would say though the best place I've been for true ski in ski out access was Val Thorens. Literally the town itself is in the middle of the slope and the hotel ski room door was directly onto said slope.

This was the hotel I think:
http://www.valthorens.com/winter-en/val-thorens/lodging/tourist-hotels/le-val-thorens.13.h30.html

But be warned - Val Thorens is one of the coldest resorts I've been to (along with Tignes) being the highest in Europe (I think). This means you are more likely to get good snow but you really need high quality skiwear if you go there.

a148pro

opinion guy wrote: »

But be warned - Val Thorens is one of the coldest resorts I've been to (along with Tignes) being the highest in Europe (I think). This means you are more likely to get good snow but you really need high quality skiwear if you go there.

Yes good advice, I have never been colder than on one of the open chairlifts at the top of Tignes / Val d'Isere, where the runs aren't really long enough to warm up. I actually had to go down of the mountain one afternoon.

Think OP has his heart set on Austria though. Would be interested in hearing more recommendations myself as ski in is so convenient it makes a massive difference to your hoilday and I want to expand my menu of resorts to include more Austrian ones. My main concern is that they're too low.

opinion guy

a148pro wrote: »

Yes good advice, I have never been colder than on one of the open chairlifts at the top of Tignes / Val d'Isere, where the runs aren't really long enough to warm up. I actually had to go down of the mountain one afternoon.

The really really long one at the back Tignes Le Lavachet with no bubble on it ? Yes I know your pain if so!!

micko123

Hotel edelweiss in Kitzbuhel. Have not stayed there personally but a group of friends have been here many times and have raved about the place. Apparently has great food and it ticks the box for ski in and out.

Spook_ie

Here's my recommendation..................
Obertauern - www.obertauern.com
Going early January, staying in the Steinadler Aparthotel, 50 metres to the Grunwaldkopf lift - other friends are staying in the Schneider Hotel, 50 metres to the Gamsleiten lift.

opinion guy

Spook_ie wrote: »

Here's my recommendation..................
Obertauern - www.obertauern.com
Going early January, staying in the Steinadler Aparthotel, 50 metres to the Grunwaldkopf lift - other friends are staying in the Schneider Hotel, 50 metres to the Gamsleiten lift.

Ah yes another good suggestion. Great spot is obertaurn. They have awesome night skiing there!

5starpool

Thanks guys, that Obertaun link looks good. I've been to Val d'Isere before, and it was horrendously expensive (prefer to spend extra on the accommodation, not necessarily everything), as well as the weather being so bad for the week that I only got two half days out of it, so bad memories there. Went to Tignes for a day where we got one of the half days in. Getting off one of the gondolas at the top of the mountain when it opened for a while reminded me of nothing so much as that Guinness ad where Tom Crean is in the cave looking out at the horrible swirling snow in the wind.

I know there is always a risk everywhere and have had very different ski conditions from perfect, to icy, to freezing, to stormy, to t-shirt warm, and even horrible rain, so that's not a reason to not go somewhere again obviously.

I'll be chatting with my mates anyhow about this soon so hopefully we can get something booked. I'll definitely be doing more research on that Obertaurn place as I had never previously heard of it.

Cheers for all the replies.

opinion guy

5starpool wrote: »

I'll be chatting with my mates anyhow about this soon so hopefully we can get something booked. I'll definitely be doing more research on that Obertaurn place as I had never previously heard of it.

Yeah for some reason its not well known here. But AFAIK the Austrian ski team have a training centre there

a148pro

Tignes / Val would prob top the list in terms of expense and difficulty getting to the resort. Tignes would also be bottom of the list in terms of quaintness of the town and there wouldn't be a huge apres ski scene or alternative things to do other than ski. Its really a place just for people who want to ski and aren't watching the pennies. You can't really watch the pennies skiing because its such a cash haemorage.

That German place looks great, except its very low. On at least half of the last ten ski trips I've been on the snow under 2000m has been crap, in fact, at times its rained below that level. If the snow season is bad this year you might be punished for going that low. That said, if its fine the skiing would be just as good as elsewhere.

I'd just suggest that if you're going somewhere that low go in Jan or Feb when you'll have the best chance of snow and won't have to worry about altitude. Don't risk March. Generally the first week after New Years is one of the cheapest weeks to go also as all the continentals are back in work.

opinion guy

a148pro wrote: »

Tignes / Val would prob top the list in terms of expense and difficulty getting to the resort. Tignes would also be bottom of the list in terms of quaintness of the town and there wouldn't be a huge apres ski scene or alternative things to do other than ski. Its really a place just for people who want to ski and aren't watching the pennies. You can't really watch the pennies skiing because its such a cash haemorage.

I have to disagree with this - I was first in Tignes around 2000 and have been back in the last two years. The change is huge. For one thing they've gone to huge efforts to make if prettier. Remember the old communist style tower blocks - all have been remodelled with nice alpine roofs. Its by no means beautiful, but it might qualify as pretty now compared to horrific as it was in 2000. On the nightlife front Tignes Le Lavachet is where the party is generally at - few clubs there. Ok its not Ibiza or anything - but its alot better than it was.

On the expense front you can get accommodation for a week for 200EUR there......but to be honest you wouldn't put a dog in those places. But the point is you can do it cheaper if you look hard. No getting away from the expensive lift pass however