Wikimecum:Skiing in the Alps
By far, the best experience I had while in Venice was traveling to Austria to ski in the Alps. Although many countries, e.g., Italy and Switzerland, have ski resorts, most are not open during the American Thanksgiving break. One of the first places to receive snow, and therefore one of the first to open, is Sölden (Soelden in English), which is located in Austria. This massive resort has 3 peaks higher than 3,000 meters, and most of the skiable area is above the tree line.
Traveling to Sölden from Venice was very easy, if not time-consuming, requiring about a 7-hour train ride to to Innsbruck, a 30-minute commuter train to Ötzal, and a 45-minute bus to Sölden. You must buy the ticket from Innsbruck to Ötzal in Austria, and the train runs every hour. You can only purchase the bus ticket to Sölden at the Ötzal train station. Another option is to fly into Innsbruck. A direct shuttle from the airport to any hotel in Sölden is offered for €40 if you want to save time, and it would make carrying your luggage easier.
The village of Sölden is located at the bottom of the mountain and contains 52 hotels, 55 restaurants, 19 cafes, 13 bars and six clubs. When looking for hotels or inns, make sure you ask for central Sölden, so you can be within walking distance to the gondola. Some inns are located on the actual mountain but you will quickly notice they are significantly more expensive. Thanksgiving is during the "Autumn" ski season, so hotels and tickets are very inexpensive. Because Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Europe, the mountain is virtually empty during the week. On average, a three-star hotel costs €35 a night for a minimum of two people, and a four-star hotel costs €60 during this time of year. This price also includes a complimentary breakfast. A three-day lift pass only costs €105 with a €2 deposit (because the ticket is an RFID card - make sure to return your ticket on the last day).
Sölden is almost better known for its nightlife and après ski (after ski) than for its slopes. Most people start drinking immediately after skiing, sometimes even before they make it completely down the mountain. Bars are located on the slopes down to the bottom, and also throughout the town. Even though we went early in the season, these bars were packed. On weekend nights the clubs open, and also draw a large crowd.
For spa and relaxation facilities, the Freizeit Arena is located within walking distance to most places in Sölden, which contains a large pool and a whirlpool area. However, they did not have a hot tub, which was a little disappointing. Admission was €7, and make sure to bring your hotel towel to save €2. Another option is the Aquadome, a gigantic complex that contains a large indoor pool with direct access to outdoor hot tubs. This place was much larger and nicer and cost €15; again, bring your own towel to save money. Both of these locations had a place to eat in case you wanted dinner right after your swim.
You should take the bus to the Aquadome. However, make sure you leave to return to your hotel on time, as night buses are few and far between. Bus times and other information can be obtained from the tourist information office in the Freizeit Area.
The village had many restaurants, most of which were expensive. Some were reasonably priced, however. Walk around and look at menus until you find one that looks good - I recommend finding an Austrian restaurant and ordering a traditional dish. Food on the mountain was also slightly more expensive, as it is at all ski resorts, but it is traditional Austrian food and tastes really good. We ate on the mountain twice and bought cold cuts and bread once from the local supermarket.
As far as packing goes, bring all your ski gear to Venice including goggles, gloves, hat, etc. I brought my own boots so I only had to rent skis, which saved me about €30. Ski rentals cost about €65 for the 3 days. Make sure you buy insurance! On our last day, one of my friends almost lost his ski in the powder, it would have been very expensive to replace if he did not have insurance.
This ski trip was one of the best of my life. The Rocky Mountains just can't compare with the awesome size of Austria's Alps. We were very lucky to go during a good snow year, and to get two feet of powder our last day. Thanksgiving is early in the season, so make sure the mountain has enough snow before you make any final plans. We didn’t book anything until two weeks before we left, but make sure to call and find out what is the availability. I highly recommend doing your own research to build off what I just told you.
--Alarsen
Recommendations
-For a hotel, stay at the Franz Riml Gaesthaus. It's warm, cozy, inexpensive, has a great breakfast, and is a five-minute walk from the main gondola! The Fire and Ice bar offers a great place to relax and get a drink, and also hosts large events during the weekends. The Partyhaus is a great place for nightlife - they have good music, relatively inexpensive drinks and decent food! Die Alm is a great place to eat, and they are accommodating to dietary needs as well. They even made an excellent out-of-menu vegetarian dish for one of us!
--Akhilk
References:
[1] Official Soelden Website
[2] Sölden Information