Our recommendations for the upcoming ski season in Austria and the Dolomites.
Top hotels, directly on the slopes. For easy ski holidays, whoever you are travelling with.
Austria
Krallerhof
Why? A nice combination of wellness and skiing at an owner-operated hotel. Recent upgrades have elevated Hotel Krallerhof to a genuine five-star property, notably the outstanding new alpine spa.
Who? Adults who want a relaxed ski holiday, mixing the slopes with the adults-only spa and scenic 50-metre pool.
Where? In Leogang, one hour by road from Salzburg. Krallerhof is located next to the Steinberg cable car, with direct access to the large Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski area.
Skiing? Easy-going and scenic, with wide summit slopes, smooth runs and long descents. Ideal for intermediate skiers, with night skiing and world cup runs both a possibility too.
Hotel Style? Part traditional mid-20th-century alpine retreat and part contemporary spa destination. The neat juxtaposition of styles is one reason we recommend Hotel Krallerhof.
Best rooms? There’s a huge variety of rooms and suites here, in many colours and styles. The most suitable room or suite is very much a personal choice here.
Good to know. Krallerhof specialises in programs and procedures to help you live healthier for longer, like whole body cryotherapy, IHHT-Altitude training and red light therapy.
Forsthofgut Nature Hotel
Why? Easy family ski holiday that’s close to home, at a family-owned hotel that mixes alpine tradition with contemporary design and style.
Who? Families, including those with very young kids. We like the waldSPA Family & Kids, there’s childcare in Rocky’s Club for children aged two and above, and lots of animals to meet on the surrounding farm.
Where? Next to the Asitz cable car in Leogang, near Salzburg, with a slope passing directly behind the hotel. It’s only 1.5 kilometres from Krallerhof and accesses the same Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski area.
Skiing? Over 100 kilometres of piste to explore, plus the Hochfügen and Kaltenbach ski areas nearby.
Hotel Style? A large alpine hotel that’s surrounded by nature, more modern and sleek than nearby Krallerhof.
Best rooms? Family suites are good with one child, but could be a little too cosy with more. We like the double-floor Garden Loft and Chalet Suite Landleben, which offer more space.
Good to know. The hotel’s CUISINE restaurant focuses on vegan cooking with ingredients from within a 50 kilometre radius, many of which are grown directly on their own farm.
Aurelio Lech
Why? Beautiful, boutique and private chalet-style ski holiday at 1,500 metres in snow-sure Lech. An excellent choice for mid-level skiers.
Who? Couples. This is a small and very modern hotel surrounded by a wide mix of slopes, ideal for a peaceful and varied few days of skiing.
Where? In the Tannberg area of Lech. You can ski-in and ski-out onto the slopes that lead to the main Sesselbahn Schlegelkopf cable car. Gondolas can also take you to linked resorts of Zür and St Anton, Warth and Schröcken.
Skiing? Austria’s chicest ski spot is one of Europe’s best for fresh snowfall. Great for both powder and piste, with fast modern gondolas and heated chairlifts.
Hotel Style? Aurelio Lech looks like a traditional wooden chalet from the outside, while emanating a modern style of luxury on the inside. It still feels new and fresh.
Best Rooms? There are only eight rooms and two suites, all nice options for couples who value privacy and calm above tons of facilities.
Good to know. Rates are half board and include either lunch or dinner. The hotel also operates nearby Chalet Club Aurelio, Chalet Arla, Chalet Falcon and The Barn, private chalet options for families and groups.
Post Lech Arlberg
Why? A beautiful Relais & Chateaux property with Lech’s best spa and restaurant. Post Lech Arlberg has a long history of hosting royal families for their ski holidays.
Who? An all-round good choice for families, with a lot of outstanding facilities and many supervised activities for kids.
Where? In the heart of Lech, next door to the Rüfikopfbahn cable car and barely 100 metres from the main Lech-Oberlech cable car.
Skiing? Good options for all levels, from gentle slopes to long well-groomed runs that criss-cross the mountains. Plus some challenging off-piste skiing and testing black runs.
Hotel Style? Most of Post Lech Arlberg looks like a traditional Austrian alpine hotel, complete with staff in lederhosen and dirndl. This is one of Lech’s oldest hotels after all. But after continual upgrades it feels a lot newer than it is.
Best Rooms? Each room is an individual, although the entry-level options will be too small for most. There are good interconnecting options for families. We like the suites, particularly the old meets new design of the Kaiser Suite.
Good to know. The hotel is now operated by the third generation of the Mosseburger family, who first opened the hotel in 1937. They are very active hosts, greeting and interacting with guests each day.
Schlosshotel Fiss
Why? A large alpine resort that ticks all the boxes for most, notably spacious rooms, a great spa and many facilities for children. This long-standing favourite always receives great feedback from our clients.
Who? Schlosshotel Fiss is great for families. This is a five-star spa hotel with a family spa, kids’ buffets, teenagers’ room, water park and more.
Where? In the picturesque mountain village of Fiss, skiing distance to the area’s main ski lifts.
Skiing? Great variety of slopes. The lower slopes of this family resort are often busy, but the higher slopes are not.
Style? This is a large alpine resort sprawling across the hillside. There’s a lot to do at the resort, plus it’s located directly on the ski slopes. However, it’s not a very intimate or quiet option for couples.
Best Rooms? Rooms are more spacious than the norm for ski properties. We’ll talk you through the many options, including some standalone three-bedroom chalets that still affords access to the slopes.
Good to Know. Find out more about the hotel’s approach in this interview with owner Simone Domenig in Explorer IV magazine.
Elizabeth Arthotel
Why? Cool art hotel with good all-round facilities, where most of the skiing is above 1800 metres and conditions are good all-season long.
Who? Good choice for couples and also groups of friends who want to ski, spa and party, in an upmarket resort town known for its nightlife.
Where? A very central location in Ischgl, overlooking the slopes in the heart of the Silvretta ski area. Around six to seven hours by road from Prague.
Skiing? Modern lifts quickly take you up and around Ischgl, mostly on wide, high-altitude slopes that provide good conditions throughout the season. Ideal for intermediate and advanced skiers, plus boarders, less good for beginners and small kids.
Hotel Style? Self proclaimed as the first art hotel in the Alps, with contemporary art works covering almost every corridor and wall. There’s a nice spa on the top seventh floor and good apres-ski in the Elizabeth Ice Bar.
Best Rooms? Junior Suites are a good choice for couples while Elizabth Suites are the most premium option, with amazing panoramic views over the pistes. There are some large family suites for up to five people, although the resort isn’t the number one for skiing with kids.
Good to Know. All artwork on display at the hotel is available for sale. Many of the pieces are by upcoming Austrian artists.
Dolomites
Forestis Dolomites
Why? Forestis Dolomites is one of the world’s ultimate alpine getaways, an adult-only minimalist marvel in the Dolomites. Tranquil, ultra chic and now very famous too.
Who? Couples who want to escape and enjoy a private ski holiday, mixing skiing with spa and stunning gastronomy.
Where? 1800 metres above sea level in the Plose ski region of the Dolomites. From the ski room there’s a quiet forest path to the valley station chairlift, which leads to the Plose mountain station.
Skiing? Mostly easy and intermediate runs in the Plose ski resort, including the longest valley run in South Tyrol. You’ll find nice restaurants in cosy mountain huts on the slopes.
Hotel Style? Forestis is a real sanctuary. Think floor-to-ceiling windows, jaw-dropping mountain views, an uber minimalist design and lots of natural light.
Best Rooms? Penthouse Suites have private pools and saunas on the rooftop. There’s now a four-bedroom villa that can sleep up to ten people too, an exclusive-use retreat in the forest with concierge, butler and private chef services.
Good to Know. Read our interview with Forestis co-owners Teresa Unterthiner and Stefan Hinteregger in Explorer IV magazine. They discuss the lodge’s origins and their vision of luxury hospitality.
La Perla
Why? One of the few ski-in ski-out properties in the Dolomites, Hotel La Perla is a very intimate family-run property that’s become our favourite place to stay in Corvara.
Who? People of all ages who love to ski and spend long days on the slopes, followed by relaxed evenings. The ski access is brilliant, the atmosphere warm and welcoming.
Where? In Corvara with a quiet location on the slopes. Ski out from the hotel and you have access to the entire Dolomiti Superki Area.
Skiing? Corvara is one of the best connected villages in the Dolomiti Superski Area, with over 1000 kilometres of pistes accessible from the hotel’s ski room. The Alta Badia runs are mostly blue and red, Val di Fassa is more varied and advanced skiers can take on the long Sella Ronda circuit.
Hotel Style? A mountain manor that gives the feeling of a family home. Although it’s definitely old-world in style, recent renovations mean this is a fresh-feeling traditional alpine hotel.
Best Rooms? We prefer the bigger Romantik room category, which also offers a balcony and mountain view.
Good to Know. Originally built by ski instructor Ernesto Costa in 1956, La Perla is now operated by his children Michil and Mathias.
COMO Alpina Dolomites
Why? The new place to be in the Dolomites and the first Dolomites property by a major luxury hotel brand. This is a stylish and remote ski haven with spectacular views and a real feeling of being out in nature.
Who? Couples and families with older children. There’s a kids club and other children’s facilities, but the atmosphere is not like a kindergarten with children running everywhere.
Where? Located on the largest high-altitude alpine plateau in Europe, in the Val Gardena ski area, with access to the rest of the Dolomiti Superski Area. Skiers snake down the gentle slopes directly outside the hotel.
Skiing? There are amazing cross-country pistes leading directly from the hotel, plus plenty of well-groomed beginner and intermediate slopes in the area. Advanced skiers will find adventures on the lifts and slopes that spread further across this mountain region.
Hotel Style? This is a very sleek hotel, with highly contemporary architecture as dramatic as the surrounding mountains. A good choice for lovers of new design styles.
Best Rooms? Rooms are larger than the norm in the Dolomites and even entry-level rooms can accommodate two adults with two children. The Dolomites Chalet Suite is great for two couples.
Good to Know. COMO is a hotel spa brand and the COMO Shambhala spa is an unmissable highlight. Try their Tyrolean-inspired hay bath and enjoy the many saunas.
Your Winter Ski Holiday
Take note of the school holiday dates in Austria, Germany and Italy, as these will impact crowds at resorts all over the Alps.
- Austria’s schools close for a different week in February depending on their location. It’s school holiday week from 10th – 14th February in Tyrol.
- Most schools in northern Germany are on holiday during the first week in February. Regions in the south close later in the month, or at the start of March.
- February 22nd to March 2nd is the busiest time to ski in the Dolomites, as it’s holiday time for school children in South Tyrol and surrounding regions.
In this article you’ve seen a selection of our favourite ski properties in Austria and Dolomites. All have good feedback from our team and clients.
But we know others too! Including some smaller, boutique properties in lesser-known ski resorts.
Everyone has their own preference over the style of ski resort, slopes and hotel. We will advise you personally, depending on the type of ski holiday you want.
Plan Your Winter Ski Holidays
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