THE New Year brought badly needed snowfall across the ski resorts of Europe after a somewhat barren pre-Christmas period. Not that you would have noticed in Austria, where major investment in snow-making technology is allowing resorts to open early and extend their skiing season into late spring.
While there is no substitute for the real thing, snow-making (and ‘snow farming’) is the big story in the three Austrian resorts we recently visited – St Johann, Kirchberg and Westendorf – where millions is being invested to keep the slopes open in the face of global warming.
A firm favourite with Irish skiers, St Johann is an excellent choice for beginners and families, with wide, gentle blue runs and very manageable reds for intermediates.
It’s advisable to get off the gondola at the middle station until you rediscover your ski legs. Once you find your comfort zone, you can then venture to the highest point at the top station where you can take on more challenging runs.
Despite the fact there had been no fresh snowfall for weeks, the majority of runs in St Johann were open for skiing and the quality of the man-made snow was surprisingly good.
St Johann itself is a picture-postcard Tyrolean village, with quaint, traditional buildings, plenty of shops and quality restaurants (the food at the Post Hotel was exceptional). And just in case you’re interested, the town also has its own brewery with a rooftop bar.
There are various accommodation options to suit families, groups and individual travellers. We stayed in the newly opened Explorer Hotel, just minutes away from the ski school and main lift station. It has a funky yet functional feel to it and is bound to appeal to younger skiers looking for a hotel with a laid-back atmosphere.
Kirchberg is just 20 minutes away, offering 170kms of pistes with a great choice of blue, red and black slopes. It also has easy access to the world-famous Ski Welt area where you can enjoy a further 280kms of linked skiing.
Even though Kirchberg has a reputation for being the quieter sister of neighbouring Kitzbuhel – one of Austria’s most upmarket winter resorts – there is plenty here to keep you busy, both on and off the slopes.
We recommend the Eisbar in Kirchberg if you’re looking for a lively apres ski experience. After a few energetic hours spent here, we were happy to retreat to the more traditional setting of the Adler Hotel, which has its own spa area and swimming pool – ideal for soaking those tired ski legs.
And if you’ve any juice left in the tank, you can head back up the mountain at night and try tobogganing on a floodlit run – a fun, high adrenaline experience that’s not as easy as it looks!
Our final destination was Westendorf, a popular resort in the vast Ski Welt area. If you are travelling with young children, then this is a perfect location for your family ski holiday. The ski school and beginners’ area is conveniently located in the heart of the village, meaning no long walks or crowded bus trips with whining children while laden down with all their skis and poles.
Westendorf, with its wide, gentle beginners’ run, is one of the best places to learn skiing. Before you know it you will quickly progress up the mountain where there are pistes suitable for all proficiency levels. What’s more, the scenery at the top is nothing short of breathtaking.
For more experienced skiiers, a valuable tip is to upgrade to the Kitzbuheler Alpen All Star Card which gives you the flexibility of skiing in other areas close by, regardless of which resort you choose to stay in. That’s an incredible 2,750km of skiing across 25 regions, all covered by a single lift pass.
All of Austria’s top resorts are very accessible for Irish skiers.
We flew to Munich with Aer Lingus, which operates a twice daily flight from Dublin and a weekly service from Cork. One-way fares, including taxes and charges, start from €54.99 (www.aerlingus.com).
It’s an effortless skip across the boarder into Austria from Germany. Tryolean Airport Transfer offers a very reasonably priced service from Munich, getting you to your resort in little under one hour and 30 minutes.
Return prices start from €89 but must be booked 72 hours in advance (www.tirol-taxi.at/en-pricelist).
Austria: get the facts
• Aer Lingus, Ireland’s only four-star airline, flies twice daily from Dublin to Munich and operates a weekly service from Cork. One-way fares, including taxes and charges, start from €54.99. During the winter season Aer Lingus also operates a charter to Salzburg with partners Crystal and Topflight.
For more information visit www.aerlingus.com
• For airport transfer, we used Tyrolean Airport Transfer. You have to book 72 hours in advance; 48 hours for train station transfer. The price for a round ticket starts from €89 per person in economy class. Visit www.tirol-taxi.at/en-pricelist
• We recommend that skiers choose the Kitzbuehler Alpen All Star Card, as it gives you the flexibility of skiing in another area close by, regardless of which resort you choose in the area. Beginners can use local ski passes.
• Kirchberg, with 170 kms of pistes, has a big choice of blue, black and red slopes and is ideal for intermediate to advanced skiers. Kirchberg also has access to the Ski Welt area, which gives another 280km of pistes.
• St Johann’s ski area is great for beginners, intermediates and families. Non-ski activities include tobogganing, snowshoeing, horse sledge riding and shopping.
• Westendorf is located in the Ski Welt area, with 280km of pistes. It’s great for families and beginners as the ski school is located in the village.
• We stayed at the Explorer Hotel in St Johann. (www.explorer-hotels.com/angebote/preise/preise-kitzbuehel.html)
• We also stayed at the Adler Hotel in Kirchberg. Rates per night are €70 per person, including breakfast (www.der-adler.at/en/).
For more information, visit www.kitzbueheler-alpen.com
