Austria’s ski scene is difficult to fault: pristine pistes, top-notch resorts and optimal snow conditions, all situated among some of the most beautiful mountains and scenery in Europe. Whether you’re a die-hard powder hound, or it’s your first time on planks, there will be a resort here for you. We’ve helped narrow down the search, though – picking a brace of our favourite areas, alongside two luxury chalets to match.
Kitzbühel
Even the name Kitzbühel sounds onomatopoeic – like a pair of skis carving turns through a freshly combed piste. The luxury ski resort is situated between the mountains Hahnenkamm (1,712m) and Kitzbühler Horn (1,996m). The former is home to the annual World Cup ski races, including the circuit’s most prestigious event, the downhill race – on the famous Streif slope. This is one of the toughest on the circuit – indeed, in the 1969 American film Downhill Racer it was on this iconic slope where lead character Robert Redford crashed out in the final race of the season.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an Olympic downhiller – or even a Hollywood actor pretending to be one – to enjoy it here. There are world-class ski schools – including the prestigious ‘Rote Teufel’ (Red Devils) – as well as family and beginner-friendly areas catering for all ages and levels of ability.
The small medieval town after which the area is now known is as beautiful as the mountains which surround it – with its pastel-painted walls and chocolate-box chalets. Both the town and its ski resort (where professional skiers reach speeds of 140km/h in front of some 60,000 spectators every January) are bywords for gemütlichkeit – that particular brand of Austrian hospitality that guarantees the warmest of welcomes in the Alps.
In addition to great off-piste action you can follow the 35km circuit and take in some of the equally pretty surrounding villages and areas. Take your pick from Kitzbühel’s 50-plus cosy mountain huts to join in with the legendary love of après ski beats long into the night.
Take your pick from Kitzbühel’s 50 mountain huts to join in with the legendary aprés ski
Where to stay: Chalet Weiss Spa
There’s no point partaking in top-of-the-range skiing if you haven’t got accommodation to match it. Enter – Chalet Weiss Spa, one of Kitzbühel’s most exclusive addresses and a suitably opulent place in which to rest weary ski legs and enjoy a post-piste tipple or two.
Situated a short stroll from the town centre, the chalet has an Alpine-meets-contemporary-cool aesthetic, with wood, and lots of it: on the ceilings, under foot and on the walls, a look that’s continued in all seven bedrooms (accommodating up to 14 people). This isn’t just somewhere to sleep though – aching limbs (and weary heads) will appreciate the pool, sauna, hammam and massage room. The chalet has its own chef, is fully serviced, and as you’d expect comes with useful extras such as Apple TV, WiFi and a cinema. Oh, and there’s a dedicated chauffeur, too. For more info, see brambleski.com
Vorarlberg
In the far west of Austria, this region has one of the best snow records not only in the country, but much of the Alps. Take your pick from Brandnertal, Lech Zürs am Arlberg or Bregenzerwald for your winter adventure. A favourite among celebrities, royalty and gourmets alike, Lech Zürs am Arlberg sits on the eastern edge of the region. A new cable car links Zürs and Stuben/Rauz, which makes the Arlberg area now the largest contiguous skiing area in Austria. Brandnertal is prized for its family-friendly vibe and offers 55km of neatly groomed pistes.
After spending the morning on easy cruising blue and red runs you could take the kids on an animal trail through Brand village in the afternoon where they can get up close to goats, sheep, pigs and birds. The Damüls-Mellau resort in the Bregenzerwald is smaller than Lech but bigger than Brand. It boasts a Gipfelbahn gondola linking Mellau with Damüls and ensures that moving between the shadier north-facing slopes and sunny south-facing ones is quick and easy, and this in an area which is world renowned for its innovative architecture, design and craftsmanship.
Where to stay: ÜberHaus
While it’s located close to the lavish restaurants, bars and boutiques in Lech, super-chalet Überhaus’s elevated position on a mountainside in the exclusive village of Oberlech ensures it offers seclusion, breathtaking views over surrounding peaks and ski in/ski out accommodation. Up to ten adults and four children can call Überhaus home, making the most of its luxurious surroundings, outdoor hot-tub and spa area. Decor is second-to-none, with plenty of stripped-wood walls and beamed-ceilings combined with serious doses of decadence – there’s even a chandelier in the wine cellar. For more info, see hautemontagne.com
For more on skiing, go to austria.info/winter
