|
|
DiningOur package included half-board (breakfast and diner). This is a common arrangement at European hotels in holiday areas. We sat at the same table for every meal, similar to what you do on a cruise. The breakfast buffet was extensive and always included some sort of hot egg dish. I usually just had yogurt and pastries. After the first morning, the wait staff knew to bring us coffee often. At breakfast you are presented with the evening menu and asked to make your choices so the chef can prepare. The dining room also serves people not staying at the hotel but for the most part, it was the same group of people every night. The diners were quite good. One of the senior waiters was on hand to assist us with wine choices each night. If you do not finish the bottle of wine, they just hold it for you until the next night. They had a couple of theme nights; Italian and a farmer's buffet (a better name would have been the carnivore's feast). One evening we were too stuffed to even eat desert. The wine steward solution - Schnapps! Only in Austria would schnapps be suggested as a digestive. He had a whole cart full of different flavors, most of them fruit based. We ate our lunches on the hill and they were usually light. Lunch was more a chance to rest than fill up. Beer was a very popular lunch time drink. SkiingDespite Saalbach-Hinterglemm's reputation as party central people do come to ski and snowboard. Before I go over some of the skiing highlights, a discussion of European weather is in order. Like the United States, Europe has been experiencing changing weather patterns. For the skier this means uncertain snow conditions.
To combat this snowmaking is now more widespread than in years past. Still January and February are the safest months to travel. Due to difficulties at work, I was not able to go until March. The snow had accumulated late but about 3 weeks before we were to depart conditions looked great. Then not a week before our arrival disaster struck, warm weather. As we drove up the Saalach river valley my heart just sunk. There was virtually no snow on the lower slopes. I consoled myself with the fact that since we had a car we could always drive south to Zell am See and ski on the Kitzhorn glacier. At our first breakfast, the waitress told us that snow was predicted for Tuesday. We modified our plans and decided to visit Salzburg on Monday. Luckily it did snow Monday night and the following nights so the skiing in the morning was good. By the afternoon the snow at lower elevations got wet and heavy. The morale of this story is that if you go skiing in Europe be prepared to live with less than ideal snow conditions and modify your plans if need be. Saalbach-Hinterglemm has been called the best lift linked area in all of Europe. I have to say that I agree. There are numerous intermediate runs from each lift and very little poling or walking. If you would like to read a detailed description of the area go here or continue with a more general description below. I'd like to mention that while the old still seems to have its hold on the area in the form of surface lifts. The new is also alive and well. Lift passes consist of a card imbedded with a microchip. Instead of having to wear you pass on your sleeve or pulling it out of your jacket for a lift attendant you just get the card near the sensor at the turn-style in the lift line. This means you can just put your pass in a chest pocket and forget it. Continued Photos | ||||||||||
|
To book a trip or get more information send an email to
kelly@apostcardhome.com or call (281)334-0427
|