SkiWelt is relatively low, but its snow record is excellent. Being so much further east in the Alps, means Austrian resorts do not need to be situated at 2000m like those ugly French purpose built villages. Austrian ski resorts are generally traditional villages with charm and character. SkiWelt has 250km of piste (huge by any standard) and 190km are served by snow canons. For the majority of the season you can ski back to the bottom station at 750m. For the past 3 years the snow record at SkiWelt has been fantastic, with 1metre of snow in the valley for most of 2005/2006. There are ski routes down to the valley (for those more advanced skiers) which remain open most of the time and after a fresh dump become fresh powder routes back!
Scheffau is approximately 1 hour from Salzburg and Innsbruck and 1 1/2 hours from Munich. Transfers cost around 260euro (£190) return from Salzburg and Innsbruch. From Munich it costs about 484Euro. Sounds expensive, but the taxis will carry up to 8 people. We have a link to DIY Holidays on our Extras and Essentials page. DIY holidays provided most of our guests' transfers for winter 2006/7 and were generally considered excellent. For those travelling alone or couples, you may prefer to talk to Ski Haus Holidays and we will try to arrange transfers with other guests to keep everyone's costs down.
Children in Scheffau, and at Ski Haus Holidays, are particularly well catered for. The local ski school has programmes geared to children and has won awards for its kinderschule. Chalet Heidi is family friendly and welcomes those with children of all ages. Children are welcome in our bar or may prefer to occupy themselves in the games rooms or watch a film in the TV room. There are activities for all to take part in including: Evening tobogganing; Candlelit tour of Scheffau; Snow shoeing; Sleigh rides; Ten pin bowling; Ski School presentation afternoon; Floodlit Ski School demonstration. Alternatively, families may prefer to use Chalet Heidi's facilities in the games/TV room, guest lounge or the bar!
There are several bar/restaurants at the gondola station that provide the loud music Apres-Ski that so many of us enjoy after a hard day's skiing. Stay drinking too long and miss the last shuttle bus back to Scheffau is no problem, the walk is only 1km or a taxi is just 6 euro! Scheffau has several bar/restaurants which provide entertainment in the evening and the "Biker Bar" in the centre of Scheffau is a lively bar later in the evening. For those who have the energy left, Soll (about 5km away) has night clubs as does Ellmau (about 3km away) Taxi fares to & from these other villages are very reasonable.
Most of the Ski Instructors speak very good English, indeed some of them are English. Gerhard, the owner of Ski School speaks perfect English and Chris is from Middlesborough, so he speaks English of a sort! Generally, most Austrians speak English.
From Scheffau to Kitzbuhl is a long ski but any intermediate skier could get there. Getting back again might be more of a problem! If a group of skiers wished to ski in Kitzbuhl, as one of the days ski guiding, Ski Haus Holidays would show the way over and arrange for transport back, thus enabling some time in Kitzbuhl for a look around or a drink or two in one of Kitzbuhl apres ski bars. For groups of up to 6 good intermediate skiers, we could be persuaded to drive around to Kitzbuhl for a days skiing. SkiWelt, however, is bigger and prettier than Kitzbuhl!
There are a wealth of activities available other than skiing. Activities available in the winter include: Bowling, Cycling, Curling, Swimming, Rifle shooting, Nordic Walking, Tobogganing, Winter Walking, Sleigh rides and Snow Shoeing. Non skiing guests can buy a non-skiing lift pass for 45 Euro (1 week, 2006/7) and join their skiing friends in the Brandstadl, Tanzboden or Hartkaiser restaurants for lunch.
Absolutely NOT true!! Indeed, Austria is probably far cheaper than France and Switzerland. The mountain restaurants are very reasonably priced and you can buy a good lunch and a drink for less than £5. A pint of beer (lager) is around 3 Euro (£2.05) Chalet Heidi has its own bar, with a pint of beer, a glass of wine, or a spirit costing 2.50 Euro (£1.70). Our soft drinks are 1.50 Euro (£1) for a 35cl coke or otherwise. Please note that as we are a licensed premises, guests should not consume their own drinks in the chalet's public areas. Guests are more than welcome to drink their own drinks in their rooms and balconies.