Which field to go- first time to Austria

Tony_H wrote:Ridiculous comment about Mayrhofen being like Benidorm.....

Its worth checking out for the skiing and apres is good but not totally in your face.

You might also want to consider Ischgl and Solden for the atmosphere, but not so much tree skiing and chocolate box villages.

Perhaps Switzerland might be a better selection: Saas Fe, Grindelwald, Wengen?

Thanks for the back up on M. I did 2 seasons there and not once thought of it like Benidorm. Saying that I've never been to Benidorm so what do I know?

Chameleon wrote:Avoid Mayrhofen like the plague. Its the Benidorm of Ski Resorts in Austria.

Salbach & Hinterglem has much more to offer 1st timers and you wont be queing for lifts for half the day. :D

UNBELIEVABLE!

Mayrhofen has changed over the years, that I can confirm. It is now much bigger, more popular and of course busier than ever before.

However, speaking as someone who has just booked something like their 16th holiday there, I can also confirm that it is NOT like Benidorm. There are noisy, lively apres venues, such as the Ice Bar by the Penken gondola station, but even that closes at around 8 o'clock. The clubs, Speakeasy and Schlussel are popular but not obtrusive in any way. Add to that the multitude of charming traditional Austrian eateries with fantastic local hospitality and music. There really are dozens of these to enjoy, along with a good selection of more contempory places - Coupe and More, Mo's, Ciao, Rundalm etc.

Regarding queuing, yes they do exist and the gondola up the Penken can be a bit of a pain if you're not there before 8.30ish. The answer is to therefore make sure you are. What Mayrhofen does have though, is a very modern and quick lift system. There are several 8 man chairs and some of the biggest cable cars one could imagine.

For beginners there are 4 ski schools to choose from and a vast area to explore once the basic skills and confidence have been gained.

The resort has everything, in my opinion.

Except for donkeys, sand and kiss-me-quick hats.

LondonRaoulDuke wrote:Hiya,

New to this forum. I'm planning a surprise 10th wedding anniversary skiing early March next year. Any suggestions on where to go? Preferences are skiing through tree zone Germanic beauty, good apres action [doesn't have to be Animal House fraternity style or anywhere where Californian voices reference 'rad' or 'air' loudly in bars] ,and cutsey postcard village scenic to max out on the nice guy husband points.

Thanks in advance!

If your Misses of ten years deserves a nice break take her to Paris, Venice or even a nice Swiss village have you ever thought about the Dolomites, sun dancing on the mountains and all that, think of some where really, really romantic place. 8) 8)

Thanks for the responses!

Skiing style is middle aged cruiser, so beer-gut blue groomed is just fine thanks.

Skidaddle- been to all of the above, loads, and we went skiing for the honeymoon, so it kinda ties in :)

LondonRaoulDuke wrote:Thanks for the responses!

Skiing style is middle aged cruiser, so beer-gut blue groomed is just fine thanks.

Skidaddle- been to all of the above, loads, and we went skiing for the honeymoon, so it kinda ties in :)

I reckon you'd like Mykonos

I'd have to side with the Mayrhofen idea. Appreciate people noting the fact it is gonna be busy in March, but we stayed in Finkenberg a couple of years ago on the 2nd week of March and of an evening, it was noticeably quiet, yet had the picturesque qualities you might be looking for.

...sayin that, I'd prob stay away from the Finken Nest on a Wednesday night if things haven't changed recently. Lol.

skidaddle wrote:...kiss-me-quick hats.

Moe's on a Friday?
:lol:

[EDIT] Actually, subject to you not minding staying at the top of a mountain, the Crystalhutte is known for being a quality stay. Imagine an art gallery with sheepskin sun-lounger's, a huge sun-trap balcony and hot tubs. I'll see if I can dig out the website.

Though I take several trips to various places each season - I always take at least 1 or 2 to to Zell am See eavery year. I love the charm, the people and the skiing.

Dave

Can't comment on any other places but daresay Lech-Zurs hard to beat, our TR here. For a couple for sure...
http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/6071.page
Note folks here are quite knowledgeable and I read about Mayrhofen all the time, though other places suggest Lech-Zurs is hard to beat. If you want a more night-life sort of place, St Anton is next door - 20 min drive.