Soll 2010

Scarlet Fez wrote:Ahh, sorry to hear that. Thought Rocket Ski was a tag on here!! How little I know. Tony I thought you were an independent traveller. Schladming is easy to get to. Where does that leave you going now. Saalbach!

Nope. I have only once travelled independently for a ski holiday, and that was with free flights and a generous offer of accommodation. Other times, I have always found packages to be MUCH cheaper all round, if you are prepared to find the right one that is....

I have to use Rocket Ski for a holiday next year, its a long story, and they hold money on account. I asked for Schladming, Folgarida, Mayrhofen, but all 3 have been withdrawn from their programme for 2009/10.
I dont fancy Saalbach in March due to its sunny slopes and low altitude.
Therefore it was a toss up between a clubhotel in Le Corbier or a chalet in Serre Che, so I opted to return to SC as the skiing there was nothing short of excellent, and I want to experience the place without feeling like being locked in a prison camp...!!!!

Anyway, I digress.


Soll........

Anyone going to give a quick rundown on the positives and negatives for Soll as a ski area and a resort. Group of mature skiers going 40-52. The minimum standard of which I would say would be very good intermediates.

Heres what I have been able to find:

Positives:
Big ski area linked
Good for intermediates who want to cruise around
Loud and raucous apres ski means there is fun to be had off the slopes
Good ski schools for beginners
North facing local slopes hold the snow
Old traditional village
Good local off piste in fresh snow
Lots of tour ops go here

Negatives
Low down and not the greatest snow record
Long trek to slopes from the village
Too many short runs
Not enough fast lifts
Long queues in peak season
Off piste often not accessible due to poor snow
Lots of chavvy Brits about enjoying the loud and raucous apres ski
Crowded mountain restaurants
Lots of tour ops go here!

Hotel Postwirt is central in town, an attractive and traditional place with a Stube and outdoor pool.
Hotel Eggerwirt is modern and comfortable, a little away from the centre of town.

Village very small indeed

I've been to Soll for long weekends for the past 2 years and would rate it highly. There is an extensive ski area and links are reasonably ok, though the piste map can take a while to get used to. While many of the runs are quite short, there is a great variety of terrain available. I have rarely encountered any particularly long queues or found lift system perfectly adequate.

The apres ski can be quite lively. The pub at the bottom of the slopes is usually heaving with loud Austrian/German music - great fun and, in my experience usually frequented by Germans. In the village, there are a number of nice bars many of which have live music - usually old MOR stuff - perfect for a group like yours :lol:

Downsides: the village is about 1km from the lifts and I think the bus service is not as regular as it should be. It is well worth considering using one of the ski lockers near the lifts so that you can leave your skis and boots there and then you can walk to and from the lifts in comfort (think of it as part of your warm-up, warm-down routine). Snow cover can be a bit hit and miss but there will usually be enough to cover the main runs. The run to the resort can be a bit of a nightmare - chronically icy or slushy depending on conditions :evil:. Unless conditions are pretty good, its hardly worth doing and its often better to take the gondola down.

I think the comment about tour ops and chavs is a bit overdone and/or out of date. While there are certainly a few Brits around, it is not much different that pretty much any other resort in the alps and it probably less noticeable that in some of the French resorts like Meribel.

Overall, I think its a decent resort. However, my experience is based on long weekends. It might become a little boring for big mileage skiers.

Soll's great. Yes its lively and it can be a bit of a hike to get up and down but its great fun. I recommend going abound to the other side of the Hohe Salve mountain and exploring the rest of the Skiwelt. The pistes are much less crowded and there are some great little mountain restaraunts.

I'm hoping to get to Scheffau (the next village along) in Jan. Holding my nerve for some last minute bargains.

Thanks for that we do try and get around and ski as much of an area as we can as long as it does not mean long and numerous coach links. We are staying bang in the centre of Soll.

The only bus you'll need is the ski bus to the bottom of the lift in Soll. The Skiwelt is 300 or so connected kilometres of chocolate box beauty. It will take about a day to get from one end to the other and back.

Having spent my last 3 Autrian Ski hols in Scheffau, the next village down from Soll, I consider the skiwelt area more than adequate for a good ski trip. The Hohe Salve is a fantastic run off the top and skiwelt is an extensive area. Now the runs have been linked to westendorf no need to worry about having to bus it back. True, in Soll you have to travel to the gondola, bus or foot. As already stated, the piste maps leave a lot to be desired. Night skiing is available in Soll I think. As for negatives, are there really any where skiing is concerned, they're simply not as good positives. IMHO, any skiing is good skiing.