Early snow as ski resorts open for business
[November 24th 2008]
Early snow means a number of ski resorts in the Tirol are now open, with more flights from the UK and new hotels to entice people looking for ski and snowboarding holidays.
More than one metre of snow is reported to have fallen in ski resorts and villages across the Austrian Tirol. The five glacier resorts in the Tirol are already open for skiing holidays, as is Obergurgl-Hochgurgl. Next weekend St. Anton, Ischgl and Seefeld will also open to welcome the early snow.
Holidaymakers looking for a ski break in the Tirol now have a choice of more flights to Innsbruck, the gateway to the region. Low cost airline easyJet has increased its number of flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck to 14 a week. The budget airline is also operating three direct flights a week to Innsbruck from both Bristol and Liverpool airports. And British Airways has weekly flights on Saturdays from London City airport to Innsbruck.
Several new hotels have also opened in the Tirol region to increase the choice of accommodation on offer. In the world-famous resort of Kitzbuhel, home of the legendary Hahnenkamm downhill ski race, the 5 star Hotel Schloss Lebenberg has just been completed.
The Schloss Lebenberg castle was originally the seat of a local aristocrat. An enormous glazed extension has been added to the castle to create a distinctive modern hotel with 150 minimalist rooms, spa and swimming pool with panoramic views over Kitzbuhel.
The resort of St Anton, claimed to be the birthplace of skiing, has no less than three new 4 star hotels. Pepis Skihotel is owned by local double downhill world skiing champion, Pepi Jennewein, and is described as a comfortable, homely hotel. Both the Hotel Rundeck and Banyan Hotel are contemporary 4 star hotels with clean lines, wood and leather.
The largest ski area in the eastern Tirol will be opened in December when the ski areas of Kals and Matrei are joined to form a region which will be known as Grossglockner Resort Kals-Matrei.
The new ski area will have 100km of piste, Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner, and no less than sixty 3,000m peaks within sight. Snow is also guaranteed, as 90% of the network is covered by snow making equipment.
Written by: Nick Purdom
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