The best ski resorts in Austria

If staying in a picturesque resort with a warm welcome is high priority, Austria will generally come up trumps. Many have grown up around traditional farming villages, often with an onion-domed church as the centrepiece, and the cosy hospitality embodied by the German word Gemütlichkeit  is very much in evidence. 

Think everything from convivial times in rustic mountain huts to clashing Steins and schnapps in lively bars. Austrian resorts are famed for foot-stomping but friendly après that starts on the slopes in the afternoon - traditionally with ski boots on - and continues until the small hours in the most party-orientated resorts. The ubiqitious hotel spa provides a more soothing alternative - though be warned, swimming costumes may not be permitted in sauna and steam rooms.

On the slopes, while Austria may not have the giant linked ski areas of France, its traditional villages are backed up by some heavyweight lift systems. Major lift investment in resorts including St Anton and Saalbach in recent years mean fewer queuing bottlenecks, better linking and easier travel around these good-sized ski areas. 

Many resorts have also invested in snowmaking, and while the low altitude of some villages - 1,000m or less - sounds discouraging for snow-security, in low snow years Austrian pastures become skiable with less of a covering than high crags. Resorts with slopes that go above 3,000m, including with glaciers, also bely the low-altitude reputation.

Here's where to go, by category.

Unless stated otherwise prices are per person for seven nights in the cheapest available week. Prices include flights, transfers, and half-board accommodation and are based on two people sharing a double or twin room. Chalet board means half board plus afternoon tea and wine with dinner.

Best for beginners

Alpbach

Complete beginners really don't need the complexity of a large resort, so a novice’s visit to this Tirolean chocolate-box with oodles of atmosphere – it regularly wins prizes as the prettiest village in Austria – should result in a lifetime of piste enthusiasm. Alpbach’s ski area was linked to that of Auffach in the neighbouring Wildsch?nau valley for the 2012/13 season. But Alpbach itself, only a 40-minute drive from Innsbruck airport, has remained remarkably unchanged down the years. The only difference is that intermediates who might otherwise have moved on to pastures new now have the incentive to return to explore the respectable 109 km of slopes served by 46 lifts in the two valleys that make up Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildsch?nau.

Alpbach has a special relationship with the British that began 60 years ago when a Major Billy Patterson came here on leave from his army base in Germany and enjoyed the pistes and the pubs. He told his army friends in the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and they told others. Thousands of British have since learnt the basics here and many return year after year. British regimental ski teams still train here.

The single nursery slope in the village centre is ideal for practising snowplough turns after lessons, but the main ski area is a five-minute bus ride, then a gondola, away. Of the three ski schools in the resort, Alpbach-Inner Alpbach is the original learning establishment, while Alpbach Aktiv and Skischule Alpbachtal also have fine reputations.

Alpbach is also great value for money – prices are low, even by Austrian standards. Visiting the resort during the dedicated family weeks, when under 15s get a free lift pass, makes it even more so. In 2018 these run from March 24 to April 8.

Where to stay  

Positioned close to the nursery slopes and ski bus stop, the four-star superior Romantik-Hotel B?glerhof is lovingly run by the third generation of the Duftner family. Dating back to the 15th century, it is traditionally decorated and guests can enjoy free wine tasting in the old cellar bar and a weekly fondue night and torchlight walk. From ￡849 per person, Inghams.

Alternatives

Niederau in the neighbouring Wildsch?nau valley has similar small-village appeal along with Kühtai near Innsbruck.

Fast facts

Resort 1,000m
Ski Juwel
Slopes 670m to 2,025m
Lifts 46
Pistes 109km
Snowmaking 70 per cent
Six-day lift pass €228.50

Best for intermediates

Saalbach

Saalbach and neighbouring Hinterglemm are a 90-minute drive from Salzburg airport and share one of the most sophisticated lift systems in Austria. The addition of new lifts in the ski area has now near-abolished slow lifts. A highlight was the 2016/17 replacement of the old Sch?nleitenbahn by a modern 10-seater gondola.

Saalbach is the larger of the two villages and has a charming centre with traditional cafés, bars, designer clothing boutiques and a clutch of smart four-star hotels. Hinterglemm is an altogether more peaceful proposition and better for families.

The two villages are at the centre of a magical ring of 2,000m peaks. These form a natural circuit of pistes that can be navigated in either direction to give adventurous intermediates a sense they are actually going somewhere each day. During the 2015/16 season, Fieberbrunn, to the north, was linked to Saalbach and Hinterglemm – making the combined ski area one of the biggest in Austria, with 270km of slopes, accessed by 70 lifts.

Where to stay

Chalet-hotel Christina sleeps 26 and is a four-minute walk from the nearest lift. It’s also well-positioned for nightlife. Having been extensively renovated a few years back, the Christina boasts the same Yorkshire-made beds as supplied to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Kensington Palace. From ￡399, including ski guiding and transfers, Ski Miquel.

Alternatives

Ellmau is a pleasant little village in the heart of the SkiWelt, Austria’s second largest interconnected ski area. Bad Gastein in Salzburgerland has 208km of linked intermediate runs.

Fast facts

Resort 1,000m
Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Fieberbrunn
Slopes 830m to 2,095m
Lifts 70
Pistes 270km
Snowmaking 90 per cent
Six-day lift pass €255

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Best for experts

St Anton

The ability to handle the slopes like a god and the bar like the devil makes or breaks a stay in what can be regarded as one of the top resorts in Europe for serious skiers and snowboarders.

The core of the village is just one main street – pedestrianised during the day – lined with some fine, old hotels and inns, sports shops and cafés. St Anton used to be bisected by the main trans-European railway, which had to be crossed in order to reach the ski area, but the line was moved to the valley side of town in 2001.

The village is situated at 1,305m and the Valluga cable car, the highest lift, goes up to 2,810m. In between lies an array of runs that vary from the moderately demanding to the just plain wicked – with waist-high moguls to boot. This is not a place for the faint-hearted. A blue slope here might well be classified dark red in a lesser resort. But the kind of person who feels confident on steepish intermediate runs and is game to go black will have an awful lot of fun here.

Snow cover is usually reliable and the main action takes place on the Valluga side of the village, on and above the slopes of the Gampen and Galzig sectors. The Rendl ski area on the other side of the valley is more benign (and sunnier). Less accomplished members in the group can always take the ski bus to the altogether more friendly slopes of Lech and Zürs, included in the regional Arlberg lift pass and linked by lift from winter 2016/17. In all, the pass covers 340km of slopes, including the slopes of Warth-Schr?cken on the far side of Lech.

Four lifts link St Anton across the Flexen pass via Stuben to Zürs and Lech beyond. The main lift is the Flexenbahn 10-seater cable car linking Zürs with Alpe Rauz during a six-minute journey.

The Run of Fame piste circuit starts from Warth in the north and goes via Lech to St Anton’s Rendl sector, covering 65km and 18,000m vertical en route. An annual Hunt of Fame ski race takes place along the route. However, when exploring the outer reaches of this enormous ski area, be sure to return in time for the evening action. St Anton is as serious about its raucous nightlife as it is about its on-slope action.

The off piste offered by the ski area as a whole is one of the major attractions, and an excursion to Zürs off the back of the Valluga is a must for any expert. Its hype is worse than its bite, but what gets the adrenalin flowing is the fact that anyone carrying skis or a board is only allowed up the final cable car to the 2,810m summit if accompanied by a guide. Piste to Powder offers expert guiding and off-piste tuition.

Where to stay

Montjola is a four-star chalet-hotel located in a peaceful position, away from the hoots and howls of the après. It does not have direct access to the slopes, but operator VIP runs an efficient shuttle service from 8am to 8pm. The walk down takes around four minutes and it's double that to climb up from the piste or nightlife. From ￡789, including chalet-board accommodation, VIP.

Alternatives

Zürs on the Flexenpass above Lech has plenty of challenges both on and off-piste as does Ischgl.

Fast facts

Resort 1,305m
Arlberg region
Slopes 1,075m to 2,650m
Lifts 87
Pistes 305km
Snowmaking 56 per cent
Six-day lift pass €275

Best for snow reliability

S?lden

S?lden offers high-altitude, intermediate-friendly slopes in the same ?tz valley as Obergurgl, within an hour's drive of Innsbruck, and historically has fewer British holidaymakers. But that has all changed since S?lden's role as a backdrop in the 2015 Bond film SPECTRE put it on many more people’s radar.

S?lden's record for reliable snow stems from the two glaciers linked into the ski area, the Rettenbach and the Tiefenbach, and its season continues for most of the year. The slopes are much more extensive than the statistics (32 lifts and 144km of piste) suggest. This is largely because the three mountains above are well connected, without any annoying paths between them. Winter 2016/17 saw the opening of the new 10-person Giggijoch gondola capable of uploading 4,500 people an hour. The eight-person Gaislachkogl at the far end of the village ascends to a heady 3,050m. These two are the most powerful feeder gondolas of any resort in the world. Most pistes are intermediate, but there are lots of off-piste opportunities.

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The ski area closes at the beginning of May, but reopens for summer in June. Apart from a few weeks’ closure in September for maintenance, it remains open in the autumn and into winter, provided snow conditions are satisfactory.

S?lden is not the prettiest resort, stretching for 2km with hotels and shops dotted about the main valley road and no real centre. But its nightlife is younger and wilder than that of more conservative Obergurgl.

Where to stay

Four-star Hotel Erhart is a five-minute walk from the main Gaislachkogl gondola. It's a contemporary hotel in a quiet location with its own spa and free entry to the pool at the nearby Freizeit arena. From ￡829, Crystal.

Alternatives

Obertauern is Austria’s best shot at a purpose-built resort with a strong reputation for reliable cover throughout a long season. Hintertux, at the end of the Zillertal, is a high glacier resort that remains open throughout the year.

Fast facts

Resort 1,380m
Slopes 1,350m to 3,250m
Lifts 32
Pistes 144km
Snowmaking 67 per cent
Six-day lift pass €285

Best for charm and romance

Kitzbühel

Watching the annual Hahnenkamm, the toughest of all downhill ski races, held in late January, is breathtaking. At one point, the course plunges away at an angle of 85 degrees.

The funny thing is, the Hahnenkamm isn't really what Kitzbühel is about. This former medieval mining town, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Wilder Kaiser mountains, is actually one of the softies of the Alpine world. Its slopes are, for the most part, flattering rather than frightening. Even the notorious Streif racecourse, the venue for the Hahnenkamm, becomes a Familienabfahrt – a family run – once the World Cup circus has left town.

The local slopes are divided into three areas – the Kitzbüheler Horn, the much more extensive Hahnenkamm and neighbouring Bichlalm, a little area given over to freeride. Bichlalm is now reached by a chairlift introduced in 2015/16, as well as a snowcat for continuing the journey beyond the top of the lift. There’s one blue run and a choice of off-piste itineraries back down to the valley.

Apart from its own 179km and 54 lifts in the local area, Kitzbühel links (by a short bus ride) to the 284km and 90 lifts of the SkiWelt area, which includes Westendorf and S?ll. The distance travelled in a day is limited only by the hours the lifts are open. Kitzbühel has its own lift pass separate from the SkiWelt pass, while a nine-area Kitzbühel Alps AllstarCard covers both.

The medieval town with its heavily buttressed walls and delicate painted frescoes is one of the most beautiful in of Austria. It is also one of those rare resorts that genuinely appeals to non-skiers. Its pretty, pedestrianised streets are lined with luxury hotels, upmarket boutiques and cafes. There is also a wonderful choice of four- and five-star hotels.

Where to stay

The four-star Schwarzer Adler is among the best of the resort's accommodation – it offers state-of-the-art design and superb leisure facilities including a rooftop pool with stunning views. From ￡1,279, Inghams.

Alternatives

Lech is Austria’s smartest ski destination, but it still retains much of the atmosphere of the farming village that it once was. Seefeld, set on a wooded plateau 25 minutes from Innsbruck, has limited downhill slopes but cross-country skiing, curling, and sleigh rides are the popular alternatives for those who holiday in comfort in a range of sophisticated four- and five-star hotels.

Fast facts

Resort 760m
Slopes 800m to 2,000m
Lifts 54
Pistes 179km
Snowmaking 820 guns
Six-day lift pass €266

Best for partying

Ischgl

Ischgl is often overlooked by the British – which is surprising, given its full-throttle nightlife and high-quality intermediate pistes.

It’s famed for its opening and closing parties that host some of the world’s most celebrated artists. Robbie Williams attracted a capacity crowd of 25,000 for a mountain-top gig in May 2014. The concerts started with Elton John in 1994 and have since featured an array of A-list celebrity singers, including Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Sting, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, The Killers, James Blunt, Diana Ross, Mariah Carey and Kylie Minogue.

Ischgl is an old farming village that has developed over the years into a sophisticated tourist centre, with a collection of smart hotels and cavernous bars. It's a paradoxical place. The accommodation is mostly upmarket and more expensive than in many resorts. The clientele tends to be at least 10 years older than the 20-somethings who pack into the Mooserwirt on the slopes above St Anton. But that doesn't stop the Ischgl crowd from climbing on the tables and partying as if it were their last day on earth.

Anyone who’s likes après as much as the pistes, and thinks they might be past it for St Anton should put Ischgl on their hit-list.

From 3.30pm, the atmosphere in the village and at the foot of the pistes is electric. It's also wonderfully good-natured. If all you've ever known is the surly swirl of the average British pub on a Friday night, you are in for a pleasant surprise.

The 238km of pistes in Ischgl – the area is linked to Samnaun in Switzerland – offer something to suit all standards and the lift system is constantly being updated. The Palinkopf quad-chair has been replaced by a six-pack for 2017/18.

2016/17 saw the opening of Skyfly, two parallel zip-wires from Silvretta mid-station to the village. They are 2km long and the exciting ride can be done in ski boots with skis attached behind in a harness.

Where to stay

Four-star ChaletHotel Abendrot is close to the resort centre but tucked away from the noisy main drag. From ￡692, Ski Total.

Alternatives

St Anton and Saalbach. At both the party begins in huts on the slopes long before the lifts close for the day.

Fast facts

Resort 1,400m 
Slopes 1,400m to 2,870m 
Lifts 45 
Pistes 172km 
Snowmaking 1,100 guns 
Six-day lift pass €247.00 

Best for families

Obergurgl

If taking young children to the Alps, the ideal is guaranteed snow cover at village level throughout a long season so that a holiday is possible either pre-Christmas or towards the end of April after Easter. At 1,930m, very high for a resort at the eastern end of the Alps, Obergurgl happily obliges.

A short transfer and a low-risk environment is also preferable. This traditional village is set around a fine church, an easy one-hour drive from Innsbruck. There's no through traffic and the ambience is essentially family-friendly.

The resort attracts a loyal band of regulars, who love its low-key atmosphere and well-run, traditional hotels and scattering of chalets.

The drawback is an undersized ski area, which can irritate those looking for endless action on groomers. It’s linked by lift to higher Hochgurgl, but together they still only offer 110km and 24 lifts. The off-piste in Obergurgl is good and the spring touring opportunities are renowned.

The Top Mountain Crosspoint at the Hochgurgl end of the ski area is a development built for 2015/16 comprised of an excellent table-service restaurant serving authentic local dishes, a motorbike museum and the base station of the 10-person gondola opened the same year.

Obergurgl Ski School has been teaching the basics to children and adults since 1922. Hochgurgl Ski School has less of a pedigree, but a strong reputation. Most instructors speak reasonable English, but, don’t expect to learn cutting-edge technique. There’s no non-ski kindergarten, either, but many of the hotels offer their own child care.

Where to stay

Chalet Verwall sleeps 35 guests in family suites and offers the full range of childcare/instruction. It’s located just off the main village street and you can hit the slopes 30m from the door to a gondola and the ski school meeting place. From ￡820, Ski Esprit.

Alternatives

Alpbach and Westendorf both offer good dedicated nursery slopes and ski schools that have been teaching British visitors for generations.

Fast facts

Resort 1,930m 
Slopes 1,795m to 3,080m 
Lifts 24 
Pistes 110km 
Snowmaking 99 per cent 
Six-day lift pass €285

Best for terrain parks

Mayrhofen

This once-traditional village in the Zillertal was one of the original migration points for British skiers in the Seventies, and its allure has never faded. These days it's equally popular with snowboarders.

Many riders and skiers are drawn to one of Austria's most highly rated terrain parks, as well as wide, open slopes above the tree line that are heaven for powder hounds after a fresh snowfall. The Penken lift from resort was replaced by a state-of-the-art gondola with 24-seat cabins in 2015/16, drastically reducing queues to get up the mountain.

The Vans Penken park is divided into six areas and served by its own quad chairlift, and features include the huge Rainbow Box and the massive, multi-faceted Beastbox multi-jib. The Kids Park also has its own lift.

The local area has 136km of pistes – but that’s just a fraction of what's on offer in the region. The ski area's lift pass, the Zillertaler Superskipass, gives access to a mighty 515km of pistes in the valley, served by 179 lifts.

Après is manic here. The Dutch tend to lead the way at bars on the mountain, long before the lifts close for the day. The action then switches to the Ice Bar next to the bottom gondola station. Between 5pm and 8pm, the place goes completely wild.

Each April Mayrhofen plays host to Snowbombing, a sort of Glastonbury-on-snow, complete with live bands, DJs and ski and snowboard comps. The week-long festival acts as a major boost to accommodation and lift-pass sales.

Where to stay

Hotel Kramerwirt is a traditional inn run for generations by the Kr?ll family. The building dates back to the 17th century and the half-board food here is particularly good. From ￡795, Neilson.

Alternatives

Nordkette on the outskirts of Innsbruck, and Ischgl both have great terrain parks along with the Pitztal glacier.

Fast facts

Resort 630m 
Ziller Valley 
Slopes 630m to 3,250m 
Lifts 179 
Pistes 515km 
Snowmaking 100 per cent
Six-day lift pass €249 

Best for value

S?ll

It's not difficult to find low-cost in Austria, if prepared to compromise on either the quality or quantity of the slopes. There are dozens of small villages with loads of charm, but limited terrain and lift systems. Yet S?ll has so much more to offer: the second largest ski area in Austria, plus plenty of budget accommodation.

It is the unofficial capital of the SkiWelt, a dozen villages with 280km of largely intermediate pistes and 90 lifts. If that's not enough, the region is directly linked (apart from a short bus ride) through Westendorf and Kirchberg to Kitzbühel. This adds another 54 lifts and 179km to the tally, though on a separate lift pass.

A decade ago S?ll was best-known for its raucous laddish nightlife. But with the highest density of hotel beds in the region, it is now trying to appeal to a much wider clientele, including families. Nevertheless, it is best suited to those who want to attack the slopes with gusto or to party – or both.

The traditional Tirolean village with its onion-domed church is set in the middle of a wide valley. The slopes are a kilometre away and best reached by ski bus.

Where to stay

At the Hotel G?nsleit, Austrian Rosi and her English husband Steve combine the familiarity of home with genuine Austrian hospitality and style, and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The hotel has been beautifully decorated and includes a modern spa and wellness suite. From ￡636, Crystal.

Alternatives

St Johann-in-Tirol and Kühtai have a good choice of budget accommodation.

Fast facts

Resort 700m 
SkiWelt
Slopes 620m to 1,955m 
Lifts 90
Pistes 251km 
Snowmaking 82 per cent 
Six-day lift pass €239.50

Best for weekends

Innsbruck

Finding a hotel in the Alps that will take bookings of less than a week is not always easy. Not so in Innsbruck, with its huge choice of city accommodation. This is one of Austria’s most beautiful cities, boasting a medieval old town of narrow cobbled streets and colourful buildings along the banks of the River Inn. The short transfers and daily winter flights with both BA and easyJet make the Tirolean capital one of the most convenient of all hubs for weekends.

Apart from being the capital of the Tirol, Innsbruck is a ski resort in its own right – and one with considerable charm and fine restaurants. It’s possible to be on the slopes within an hour of leaving the airport as the Nordkette ski area is reached by a funicular and a cable car from the city in 20 minutes. The Hungerburg funicular runs from across the river in the centre of Innsbruck to the base station of the Nordkette ski area at Hungerburg (860m) in just eight minutes. The funicular’s four stations were designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid and these striking contemporary buildings have become an integral part of Innsbruck’s cityscape.

After reaching the Hungerburg station, visitors can take a cable car up to Seegruben (1,905m) and then another cable car to the top of the Nordkette area at Hafelekar (2,256m), where novices can admire the city and Alpine views and experts can tackle Karrinne, a truly challenging off-piste run. This is one of the Tirol’s steepest ski areas with plenty of spectacularly gnarly off-piste terrain for experts. There are 5km of marked off-piste runs here and 11km of mostly red pistes, but even these are steep by other resorts’ standards. There’s also a small terrain park, Skylinepark, with kickers, rails, rollers and boxes. 

Nordkette is part of the OlympicWorld lift pass that covers 300km of piste in nine ski areas within reach of Innsbruck, including Axamer Lizum, Kühtai and the Stubai Glacier as well as Muttereralm and the Patscherkofel. These are all easily reached by free ski bus.

The innovative 3S Eisgrat cable-car opened last season on the Stubai Glacier. The sophisticated tri-cable gondola is the longest of its type to be built in the Alps, and at €68 million it is the single biggest lift investment made by any ski resort.

Where to stay

An Olympia SkiWorld package comprised of four nights' half-board accommodation in Innsbruck and a three-day Olympia SkiWorld lift pass costs from €395. Travel not included. Book through the tourist office.

Alternatives

Zell-am-See , Fugen, and St Anton are also suitable for short winter getaways.

Fast facts

Resort 575m 
Olympia SkiWorld
Slopes 800m to 3,210m 
Lifts 90 
Pistes 300km 
Six-day lift pass €222

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