Ski Chalets in Saalbach, Austria
Austria

Resort Saalbach Resort Saalbach Resort Saalbach Resort Saalbach Resort Saalbach Resort Saalbach

Description

The attractive, traditional towns of Saalbach and Hinterglemm are 4km apart and, along with Fieberbrunn, form the Ski Circus. Both villages benefit from traffic-free centres, lively atmospheres and beautiful scenery. Together, they offer quite an extensive amount of terrain, which is best suited to beginner and intermediate skiers. Other resorts are also within convenient reach via bus. 


The après-ski scene in both resorts is very good, with an abundance of bars and vibrant venues. Saalbach is the more rowdy base, while Hinterglemm is slightly more peaceful and well-suited to families. That said, resorts like Obergurgl are usually better for tranquil family getaways. 


Getting There

Holidaymakers interested in Saalbach-Hinterglemm can fly into Innsbruck or Salzburg, from which the ski area is roughly 2.5 hours and 1.5 hours away, respectively. Within the resorts, a free bus service helps visitors get around. A payable night service also runs until around 2am.


When to Go

Early-season
Saalbach is a very charming and traditional Alpine ski resort, with groomed pistes running from eight hundred and thirty metres above sea level to just under three thousand. At this altitude, visitors coming in the early season are well-advised to check on the prevailing snow conditions – this isn’t a particularly high resort compared to many others in Austria. 

The festive early-season Christmas and New Year period in Saalbach is wonderful. The resort authorities lay on a seasonal programme of events and entertainments for visitors to enjoy, and the lively après ski scene sets the stage for plenty of festive revelry. 

Mid-season
January and February – the middle months of Saalbach’s winter ski season – are typically very cold, with typically plenty of fresh snow to enjoy up on the higher slopes. On the lower slopes, there are plenty of well-located snow cannons to bump up the natural snow fall on the runs back down into resort. 

Late-season
In March and especially April, Saalbach’s comparatively low altitude can become problematic. Many of the groomed slopes are south-facing, and the snowmelt at this 1000 metre altitude means skiers in search of the best conditions are better off in higher-altitude resorts. Skiers here in March and April can expect beautifully groomed corduroy pistes in the mornings, and as the afternoon ticks by, the snow becomes softer and slushier. 


Where to Stay



Getting around


Apres

Saalbach-Hinterglemm is famed for its après-ski, with umbrella bars, pubs and late-night/early-morning discos. The après style in resort follows Austrian fashion, starting early on the slopes. Whether you’re just looking to sample the action and some glühwein or you’re after hardcore table dancing, you’ll find something to like here.


Among the most popular spots are Hinterhag Alm and Otzi Bar. The former is known for a great atmosphere: live music is played daily with the fun-loving crowd spread over two levels. Be sure to catch the famous Herzerltanz (heart dance) where Evi throws hearts into the crowd – this first happened in 1976 and is now a daily tradition from 5pm. Otzi Bar, meanwhile, offers cheap beer, friendly staff and fantastic table dancing.

Another great value option is Berger Alm with their happy hour that runs until 3:30pm, and Bobby’s Pub is great fun with bowling, games machines and sport on the telly.

For a lively Austrian afternoon in rustic surrounds, the Goasstall is a great bet right on the piste.

If you plan on partying into the early hours, there are plenty of places to go. Arena Disco has weekly promotion nights, while Castello's boasts a vibrant atmosphere when the live music starts. As the night closes in, Castello’s becomes more of a night club and entrance fees apply.


Eating out

The Saalbach-Hinterglemm ski area is home to a spectacular range of mountain dining options, with hearty lunches at great value prices. In town, the best places to eat are often hotel restaurants – they tend to specialise in local cuisine made from quality regional produce.

In the heart of the Hinterglemm on the south-facing slopes, the Wieser Alm is a timber chalet with table service and tasty dishes.


At the top of the gondola from Leogang, you have two superb dining spots: Alte Schmeide serves up mouth-watering ribs and pizzas, while Asitzbrau has great food and excellent beer – it was once a brewery, after all.

In town, the restaurant in the hotel Alpenblick is very family-friendly and offers great value food. For a delicious five course dinner in traditional surrounds, the Heurigenstube restaurant is the place to go.

If you’re looking for a delightful spot to take someone special, La Trattoria in the Alpenhotel plates up wonderful pizzas fresh from a beech wood oven – and the decor is charming.

The Eva Alm, meanwhile, is perfect for a gang of hungry mates: they serve great ribs and burgers, and it’s nestled right in the centre of town.

Just at the top of the main street, the Hotel Peter’s restaurant has a great mountain atmosphere and mouth-watering meat dishes all cooked on hot stones.

Below, you’ll find just a few of the fantastic restaurants in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, as voted by our ski holiday experts.



Activities

Cross-country skiing, sledding, snow shoeing, ice skating and tobogganing are just some of the wonderful non-skiing activities on offer in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

If you are new to paragliding, you can book a tandem flight to take advantage of the stunning mountain scenery whilst strapped to an experienced instructor. For those with a need for speed, ice karting is a blast in Saalbach and snowmobile tracks are also open during the winter season.


Similarly, at the Glemmy Offroad Park you can speed around their massive outdoor quad bike tracks, while more experienced drivers can test their mettle on the cross country track with 500ccm bikes.

As if that weren’t enough, visitors can also enjoy traditional horse drawn sleigh rides – a spectacular way to take in the marvellous natural surrounds – as well as archery, bowling at Bobby’s Pub and an exhilarating flying fox – purportedly the largest and fastest of its kind.

A trip to the tourist office will offer lots of useful information on resort activities, but here are some details to get you started.



Ski School


Getting around


Family ski

Families in search of learner-friendly terrain in Saalbach have a wide range of pistes to choose from, with the nursery slopes located right in the heart of the village and around 140 kilometers of blue-level pistes to explore. For parents with slightly older or more experienced children, you’ll find a broad range of slightly more challenging terrain around the Bernkogel, Kohlmais and Reiterkogel sectors. 

Saalbach is a warm and inviting resort which welcomes families and youngsters. The ski schools here are also well-reputed, offering a high standard of tuition to learners of all ages. There are special areas dedicated to children’s kindergarten activities, where parents can watch the kids master the basics on the snow. Instructors are well-qualifies, with plenty of experience dealing with nervous learners. 

Away from the groomed slopes, you’ll find two toboggan runs which are floodlit in the evenings – the Speilberg toboggan run and the Reiterkogel run – the perfect places to burn off the last of the kids’ energy when it’s time to come off the slopes. The Speilberg run allows participants to arrive in style by piste-basher, with snacks available at the nearby cafes. The Reiterkogel run is slightly steeper and more challenging, and you can rent sledges with breaks to tackle the winding twists and turns. On top of this, there’s curling, snow-tubing, and horse-drawn sleigh rides to enjoy – which all combine to make Saalbach a great family-friendly alpine destination. 


Group Ski

Saalbach and Hinterglemm combine to offer wonderful facilities for adventurous group skiing, with modern and swift lifts for easy, comfortable exploration of the ski area, and a broad range of terrain perhaps most suited to intermediate level skiers and boarders. Groups with beginners and families with children have access to excellent ski schools in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, though groups of experts tend to find a limited range of more challenging terrain.

The après-ski offerings across Saalbach-Hinterglemm as a whole are great, with a wide range of bars and restaurants to suit visitors hoping to enjoy fine food and drink after long days on the slopes. Saalbach in particular is the livelier of the two neighbouring resorts, and Hinterglemm is a little more low-key. 
Groups in search of tuition have a great range of courses, classes and clinics across Saalbach and Hinterglemm, with lessons available for groups of learners and intermediates, plus specialised courses for advanced skiers and boarders keen to refine their technique on the snow. 

On the accommodation front, groups in search of a ski property with a wide range of room options they can book into can turn to chalet-hotels like the Bergers Sporthotel or the Saalbacher Hof. The Saalbacher Hof in particular offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a central location in the pedestrian area of the town.  

The only slight issue with choosing Saalbach and Hinterglemm as your group ski holiday destination is the altitude. Saalbach’s base level is around a thousand metres, which is low compared to many other Austrian skiing destinations, and although you’ll find groomed slopes running up to a respectable three thousand metres above sea level, the fact remains that these villages are very reliant ofn their artificial snow-making capabilities. 


Childcare

There isn’t much in the way of independent childcare facilities here, although a number of the hotels do offer a good kindergarten service to non-residents. If childcare is a top priority for your ski holiday, resorts like St Anton and Obergurgl offer more options.

The wonderful ski schools in Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Leogang and Fieberbrunn have their own children's areas where the little ones can learn in a safe and supportive environment.


Of the two main ski areas, Hinterglemm is better suited to beginners.

The Snow & Fun Skischule offers full daycare for children as young as 3-years-old. Their children’s ski area in Hinterglemm includes magic carpets, junior lifts and a ski carousel.

The Snow Academy Kindergarten in Saalbach takes kids from 3 months to 3-years-old. Their dedicated staff keep the little ones entertained with toys, videos and fun games.


The Piste

Most of the pistes are wide and cruisy: a dream for eager intermediates. Saalbach has decent nursery slopes, however Hinterglemm is really the place for beginners. Experts, meanwhile, won’t find much of a challenge here. With both resorts positioned quite low, skiers should note that the snow coverage can suffer early and late in the season. Saalbach-Hinterglemm really is best suited for delightful mid-winter breaks, while resorts like St Anton and Ischgl are superior bets for sunny spring skiing – and for seasoned skiers seeking steeper gradients. 

One of the crowning jewels of the Saalbach-Hinterglemm domain is the fast, modern lift system – most visitors can avoid drag lifts if they want to and stick to gondolas and fast chairs. The snow making is also quite good, and there are some excellent mountain restaurants to enjoy. Better still, freestyle skiers and boarders can take advantage of four snow parks, the main one being the Nightpark – which has its own gondola and is floodlit.  


Ski School


Equipment Hire


Lift Passes





Resorts statistics

  • ALTITUDE

    1003m

  • LONGEST PISTE

    7km

  • HIGHEST SKI LIFT

    2096m

  • TOTAL LIFTS

    56

  • TOTAL PISTE

    200km






Ski chalets in Saalbach

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