Hochkoenig Austria-Family Skiing At Its Best
Choosing a family ski resort is fraught with problems as the needs of the frequently extended family have differing criteria of requirements. The mid-teens can be a difficult age but there are a few resorts where everyone can be happy and have a fulfilling holiday. To explain that qualification, a riotous nightlife with lots of options of night clubs can be a little concerning for the parents. The options vary between night-skiing up to three hours (2016 – on three nights a week) to an in-hotel live music evening, swimming, family friendly bars and restaurants, tobogganing plus sleigh riding are safer bets. Normally sleigh rides are a bit of a posy but this was special; we went to a large traditional farm complex and boarded a converted farm sleigh to which the farmer harnessed two magnificent heavy horses.
Smothered in blankets we set off and enjoyed a ride along untouched tracks through the silent countryside. The sky was clear which added to the romance. Not that we needed warming up, we stopped for a warming homemade schnapps. The trip fitted the style of the area perfectly.
Getting to some resorts can be a real challenge, but if you are within the catchment area of Gatwick then there is a pleasant and relatively quick solution to get to the Hochkönig ski area which lies due south of Salzberg Airport. Our flight was with the low cost airline which behaves much like a national carrier but; on time, new ‘planes and pleasant staff. The transfer involves a section on German Autobahns which takes only about an hour and a half on roads that can generally manage winter weather without missing a beat. There are numerous resorts nearer Salzberg so that the easiest option for salzbergers is closer to home and weekends do not suffer as other resorts close to major towns.
The major village resort in the Hochkönig ski area is Maria Alm with a mix of modern and old houses creating an attractive place in which to stay. The main features are the church in the shadow of which is the Eder hotel and the village square where the hotel is located. With its prime position and its facilities, the Eder an obvious choice as effectively you can find everything you want in and around the hotel. The other villages are Dienten, and Mühlbach, none of the trio is large. In turn, Hochkönig is a small part of the massive “Skiamadé” area in which all resorts are covered by the same ski pass – it is the largest ski area pass in the whole of Austria. They have invested around Euros 450,000,000 since the start of the decade.
The family owned and run 4* Eder hotel has a welcoming atmosphere. A special feature for me is the heated indoor/outdoor swimming pool with a sensor opening and closing the glazed division. There are glazed walls on the inside so that diners can watch the activity in the pool, sounds a bit strange but it works a treat. The best thing in the outside part is the view; look up and you can see the illuminated highest steeple in the whole Salzbergerland region looming right above you. It is a strange experience when the snow is falling to engage in a light hearted snowball fight whilst in very warm water. The bar area has a busy and lively buzz and one evening a week they have live dance music. The restaurant food was fine with an emphasis on local cuisine and service was relaxed but attentive.
If skiing is not enough exercise for you, there is a comprehensive fitness area and spa with saunas, massages, etc. However, relaxation is the key so there are several lounges where you can find peace and quiet in front of an open fire.
There is quite a selection of rooms from small and fairly plain to spacious suites, in addition, the family has separate apartments on the edge of the village. The specifications of these apartments is high with some having the use of an organic swimming pool together with the addition of wood burning stoves.
In addition to the hotel restaurant, there were two other restaurants where I dined; the Jufenalm where I had a struggle with their portion control; they were more than generous and the restaurant/hotel, the Almbar, again are we expected to burn off so many calories? Neither was short on quality and a warm welcome.
Tastes differ in choice of resorts, some people look for an endless choice of runs and at the other end of the scale, smaller ski terrains have as much appeal. In talking with a ski rep. in Switzerland’s fashionable Saas Fee resort (it has about 100 km of pistes; a little shorter than Hochkönig) has enjoyed the continuing support of generations of families. The point of mentioning that comparison is that many skiers simply want to explore the possibilities, then pick out a few favoured runs and mainly ski within those chosen few. It is a much more relaxed approach to the holiday and it does accommodate differing skill levels. The much bigger terrains such as the Trois Vallées put off some skiers as there can be a perceived pressure on the skiers to try as many runs as possible and visit all the resorts within the ski pass’ area.
There are seemingly as many options on the slopes as a much larger resort from the dedicated children’s slopes on the doorstep of Maria Alm complete with its kindergarden, lifts and little ‘toy town’ buildings. There are other ’Snow Parks’ elsewhere for young and old. Perhaps a facility the tots will not yet need is free wi-fi right across the mountains. Thinking of Hi-Tech, the Amadé organisation has been the first to adopt the Smart Ski Googles, as implied, they provide you with so much information from lift information, news to GPS as well as a mass of analysis of your skiing. The full extent of the technology was lost on me (but not my companions) as I concentrate on speed, simple enjoyment rather than style and technology.
The on-piste skiing extends to some 120 km. of runs across and over and around the three villages. The scenery is attractive and unspoilt as it is devoid of ill-considered building; you ski runs that are bordered by trees and the jagged mountains beyond are a dominant backdrop. The mountainsides are much enhanced by the lack of crowds whilst dotted around are rustic huts offering local cuisine – lunches were most enjoyable – and quick stop for a drink has its appeal.
There is a ring route “Konigstour” that can be undertaken by most levels of skills although a little stamina is needed to undertake the full five summits and 6,700 vertical meters as you will be skiing for a total of 32 km.
It is frustrating that you cannot fit everything in; one to try on my next visit is the 1.8 km. Kings Parks runs with more than 50 jumps and jibs. I also missed the experience of the Fun Park with its pipes, rails, boxes and kickers; the snow boarders really get the adrenalin running. However, skiers who also want a rush can their skiing to going off-piste, then there are patrolled and safety checked marked trails to follow, thus avoiding booking expensive ski guides.
The lift system works well, the flow of the terrain means that the runs tend to follow roughly the same route as the lifts but as there are usually no queues to contend with, it is not a problem. However, at both ends of the day, you do need to take the very frequent ski bus to access the lift system. All the positive aspects of the resort and skiing far outweigh your “commuting” which at most is about ten minutes or so.
As we get ever more demanding in our ski requirements, numerous groups of resorts have linked either by new linking lifts or by combining lift passes. Here, Ski Amadé’s lift pass covers a five regions comprising 760km of runs and includes Schladming, an old favourite (apart from the lethal toboggan run) and the Gastein Valley.
The lift system works well, the flow of the terrain means that the runs tend to follow roughly the same route as the lifts but as there are usually no queues to contend with at is not a problem. However, you do need to take the very frequent ski bus to access the lifts at both ends of the day. All the positive aspects of the resort and skiing far outweigh your “commuting” which at most is about ten minutes or so.
Earlier, I alluded to the relatively small size of Hochkönig; you will have gathered that there is as much going on as in some much larger resorts. The accommodation is fairly limited in scale, thus importantly Hochkönig does not attract large numbers of visitors with the queues and frustrations that are brought with them. Combine the relaxation of the hospitality and add the excitement of the snow sports and other diversions, just the right recipe for a family holiday.
Austrian National Tourist Office: www.austria.info/uk/
Hochkönig: www.Hochkoenig.at
Ski Amadé: www.skiamade.com
Hotel Eder: www.hoteleder.com
Restaurant: www.almbarhinterthal.at
Hotel/restaurant: www.jufenalm.at/en/home.html
Airline: www.norwegian.com/uk/
