Hi, what is your pick as the best ski resort in Austria which is also close to Switzerland?

Most important factors:

• lots of intermediate (red) slopes.
• doorstep skiing (meaning affordable accommodation reachable on skis)
• closeness to Eastern CH

I think you can't go wrong with Lech/Zürs, 1.5 to 2 hours from Zürich, enough good runs to keep you occupied for a weekend, plenty of affordable guesthouses and restaurants and a good atmosphere - quite well-to-do for an Austrian resort but still more chilled than most Swiss ones I think.

Livigno - good prices, amazing slopes and great grappa.

I am sure Livigno is a very nice resort in AUSTRIA

And a rather time consuming drive from Zurich, even if/when the tunnel is open. Hang on, is that because Livigno is in Italy?

Doorstep skiing is a tricky one in most Austrian resorts. They have evolved from villages. Proper ski-in/ski-out requires purpose-built resorts, or in other words, you'd have to go to France.

What are you talking about? St Anton, Lech and Zurs all have ski in ski out possibilities: especially with the amount of snow that there is at the moment.

The OP wants "affordable" accomodation. St. Anton, Lech and Zurs are nice, but also some of the poshest places to ski in Austria.

St Anton posh?

There are affordable places, it is simply a matter of knowing where they are and them having availability.

For example, there are places in Nasserein, Pettneu and Flirsch, all 5 minutes from St Anton.

And frankly, the way the CHF is, it is much more affordable than Switzerland even when you go mid range.

That was my point.

Thanks for the tips so far. The think with St Anton is that it is very difficult to find a nice place to stay w/o booking a long time in advance.

So any nice alternatives?

Thanks

No it wasn't.

I pointed out that ski-in/ski-out was not "affordable" in St. Anton. In return, you said there was plenty affordable accomodation one village away )ie with a bus ride). So you made my point.

Just returned from Sölden on Sunday and can warmly recommend it. Haven't found anything as nice from Switzerland but that's of course my subjective opinion.

They do have some ski-in ski-out apartments but on both times I've been there I've stayed in cheaper B&B pensions in the valley (but still close to lifts) so can't really say anything about them.

The main run in the Tiefenbach glacier is so enjoyable that I found myself just doing that over and over again.

I really like the atmosphere in the valley and there's also a very nice thermal spa called Aqua Dome close to Sölden in Längenfeld. With these temperatures it was nice to go there to warm up a bit after a day out at the mountain.

Hi EPMike. Just came back from a weekend away in St Anton and had no problem finding accommodation on short notice. We've stayed in Strengen (one of the villages Natasha mentioned), 15 min drive from the ski lifts. Will pm you the details of the family we rented from. They have availability in March.

Montafon region is close and affordable you will not get ski in ski out accom in schruns however in Gargellen this is possible. However the chances of picking up a last minute accomodation at this stage is pretty close to zero most people book this area up in August Sept of the prior year

ok ok ok guys I have to tell u that most of u seem to have no idea ....
I´m from Austria... from Vorarlberg. Thats the region just at the swiss border

I live in a valley where you can choose to go into 5 !!!! different valleys with skiing resorts where you can just live where the lifts are!!!!!!!!

Actually I don't want to make to much advertisement cause we already do have too mucho tourists but anyways for you guys i´ll do it ... as we austrians are very guest-friendly

Lech/Zürs
Damüls, Didamskopf
Montafon (Golm, Silvretta Nova, HochJoch, Gargellen)
Brandnertal (good prices)
Klostertal Sonnenkopf (a small but well affordable one)

Lech/Zürs is more posh but compared to swiss prices it is not too bad!!! honestly!!!
Damüls/Didamskopf high up in the mountains little villages, nice areas!!
Montafon (=valley, very good prices for families and kids!)
Brandnertal and Klostertal are smaller but good prices and very nice too.


well ;D and this is only the closest parts (it takes u 1,5 - 2 h from zurich to get there!) a lot of swiss ppl are coming cause its cheaper but pppppssssst don't tell everyone!!! ;D as if everybody knows there will be no more powder for me ....