Ski Trip Austria/Mayrhofen - Advice please

Snow Garden

Howdy

My friend and I are planning a 4-5 day ski trip in February and I would appreciate any and all advice. We have gone skiing once before around 20 years ago in New Zealand.

The rough plan is to fly to Munich and hire a car and driver up to Mayrhofen (or somewhere nearby). We will rent all the equipment there and book a ski school too.

The one issue we have is accommodation. It either looks very expensive or far away from Mayrhofen itself. Has anyone any recommendations?
Could we stay 5-10+ miles from Mayrhofen and drive to ski lifts each morning and use taxis for Apresski in the evenings?

Are there other resorts nearby that might be more suited to eager beginners?

Any advice or recommendations for ski schools, rentals etc would be greatly appreciated.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Have never been to Mayrhofen but I did the driving to and from the mountain 2 years ago in Spain and it worked very well.
However, last year in the Alpe d'Huez we booked a car and were staying at the edge of the village, but there was heavy snow almost every single day/night. We arrived during a snowstorm and the police wouldn't let anyone up the mountain without snow-chains. Snow-chains are a nightmare tbh, they're very hard to put on and even the expensive ones come off easily or are very easily broken. There was literally hundreds of cars pulled over all the way up the mountain with their occupants out looking for their snow-chains. Luckily, we got up no problem, and our chains broke right as we were pulling in to our place. We didn't move the car for the week after that, and getting back down wasn't easy either!

For that reason alone I would be inclined to book accommodation close to the resort (which we have done this year). Failing that book somewhere on a bus route, the buses over there will be prepared for that weather. You are leaving it quite late so maybe the second option is the best.

Rew

You will have hassle booking reasonable accommodation for less then 7 days there as its a popular destination. Mayrhofen is part of a bigger area, you could look at staying in Hochzillertal as an alternative, its laid out better for beginners, its on the same ski pass, has some apres bars but isn't as well known as Mayrhofen. Its on a train/bus/taxi route to Mayrhofen as well.

The Big Gig

Id recommend Soll for easy enough access from Munich. Beginner Friendly and good apres in Umbrella bar up the mountain beside gondola.
For accommodation try the local tourist office, Skiwelt website or even booking.com.
Mayrhofen not very beginner friendly and the biggest pain is not being able to ski back to the resort.

a148pro

All rental cars in austria will have winter tyres as a legal requirement at that time of year. Don't think the french ones do. Winter tyres will probably get you through all but the heaviest snowfall. They'll be very good at ploughing and keeping the road open in austria also.

I've driven to that valley and its very straightforward and actually not hilly. The resorts are in a valley low enough down. You can also get a train there and through the valley.

You will struggle to book less than a weeks accommodation in advance in most popular resorts as the spendthrift austrians will hold out for a full week's booking. However if you just wait till just before you go you'll almost certainly get better accommodation. Alternatively there are several resorts in that valley - kaltenbach, zillertal arena, hintertux, fugen. I've stayed in kaltenbach bit soulless and not as nice as mayrhofen. Don't know about the others.

Soll might be better for beginners but almost certainly better skiing in the zillertal valley - that might not be as big a priority for you though on your second trip.

Snow Garden

a148pro wrote: »

You will struggle to book less than a weeks accommodation in advance in most popular resorts as the spendthrift austrians will hold out for a full week's booking. However if you just wait till just before you go you'll almost certainly get better accommodation.

Why would accommodation become available closer to the date I plan to go (Feb 28th)?

Thanks for all the advice. We have booked flights, a car and a hotel near Mayrhofen.

What would you recommend in terms of ski equipment rental and ski passes and ski schools?
Any common mistakes to watch out for?

a148pro

Snow Garden wrote: »

Why would accommodation become available closer to the date I plan to go (Feb 28th)?

Thanks for all the advice. We have booked flights, a car and a hotel near Mayrhofen.

What would you recommend in terms of ski equipment rental and ski passes and ski schools?
Any common mistakes to watch out for?

You are looking for 4 - 5 nights accommodation. The owners would prefer to fill their hotel for a full week. If they accept your booking they will have a room empty for two or three nights which they will find it hard to fill, so they will hold out for someone else coming for seven nights instead.

However, if you wait until after the changeover day of the week in question, usually Saturday or Sunday, then any place that hasn't succeeded in getting the full weeks' booking will come available online. So if you wait till that last minute you get more choice. Hopefully at least, as long as resort isn't booked out!

I don't know anything about rental or lessons there, or common mistakes, I usually find skiset booked in advance online are slightly cheaper but maybe youre just better off finding somewhere convenient to your accomodation or the slopes. As someone pointed out, you can't ski down to Mayrhofen so they may have places where you can leave your skis and boots on the mountain and collect them next day when you go back up? I only skied 1 day there having based myself elsewhere in the valley so I don't know.

My recollection is the price difference between the overall valley pass and the pass just for one resort was relatively small so you may be as well off getting the full pass, but only if your arsed making the journey to one of the other resorts (probably around 15 mins from Mayrhofen) to ski there. There is a reasonable amount of skiing in Mayr so that might be enough for you?

Rew

a148pro wrote: »

My recollection is the price difference between the overall valley pass and the pass just for one resort was relatively small so you may be as well off getting the full pass, but only if your arsed making the journey to one of the other resorts (probably around 15 mins from Mayrhofen) to ski there. There is a reasonable amount of skiing in Mayr so that might be enough for you?

Anything over a 1 day pass is a valley pass, they don't do multi day for just Mayrhofen

sheesh

I have driven to soll twice and it was no bother.

slightybonkers

Snow Garden wrote: »

Howdy

My friend and I are planning a 4-5 day ski trip in February and I would appreciate any and all advice. We have gone skiing once before around 20 years ago in New Zealand.

The rough plan is to fly to Munich and hire a car and driver up to Mayrhofen (or somewhere nearby). We will rent all the equipment there and book a ski school too.

The one issue we have is accommodation. It either looks very expensive or far away from Mayrhofen itself. Has anyone any recommendations?
Could we stay 5-10+ miles from Mayrhofen and drive to ski lifts each morning and use taxis for Apresski in the evenings?

Are there other resorts nearby that might be more suited to eager beginners?

Any advice or recommendations for ski schools, rentals etc would be greatly appreciated.

We used Mayrhofen3000 good deal on rental and lessons. Easy to book. No problems at all. We were not beginners and found lots to ski in Mayrhofen for a couple of days and then explore the valley and tux.
Enjoy your trip

stevire

You could try the hostel if you're stuck:
http://www.gasthof-zillertal.at/

There are some options on AirBnB too. Aside from that email the tourist board they will give you options, we've done 5 day trips numerous times in March to Mayrhofen. You should have no problem driving.

As mentioned above maybe check out Soll, it's closer, cheaper, more beginner friendly and good food/drink options.

Snow Garden

slightybonkers wrote: »

We used Mayrhofen3000 good deal on rental and lessons. Easy to book. No problems at all. We were not beginners and found lots to ski in Mayrhofen for a couple of days and then explore the valley and tux.
Enjoy your trip

How exactly does it work? Do you book the ski school/lessons first and then arrive to their office in the morning (before the lesson) to rent the ski equipment?

There are a lot of ski schools in Mayrhofen but they don't seem to explain about renting equipment on their websites.

Timmaay

These only go to the French alps, which would probably mean flying into Genena, however the UCPA do very good value all inclusive trips (everything except the flights and transfers), most trips are a week long but plenty cheaper trips 4 or 5days long. https://www.action-outdoors.co.uk

slightybonkers

Snow Garden wrote: »

How exactly does it work? Do you book the ski school/lessons first and then arrive to their office in the morning (before the lesson) to rent the ski equipment?

There are a lot of ski schools in Mayrhofen but they don't seem to explain about renting equipment on their websites.

You pre book online for the best price. Select the equipment and lessons you want. Then print your confirmation email/ voucher and bring it with you. I usually pick up my equipment the evening before my first ski day(if I've arrived early enough)
You can also pop in to the shop to chat to staff or send an email to confirm everything.
Usually meet your instructor at a designated time and place as per the confirmation email.
Hope that helps you.

B Rabbit

Best place to rent gear in mayherhofen? TIA