Holy hell Innsbruck is expensive. lodging advice please

**maskinut** · 10-13-2009, 10:55 PM

I just booked a great deal on a flight from Bos to Zurich. $640 direct on 12.26.

But, the hotels are super expensive in Innsbruck and Mayrhofen. Does anyone know any cheap places to stay? Hostels? It seems everything is booked already and what is left is huge money.

We will be in Austria from 12/27 to 1/4. Prime Euro vacation season.

Thanks,
Sean

**Tectonically_Neglected** · 10-14-2009, 01:59 AM

Help me out here... you are flying to Zurich and then carry on to Innsbruck, passing a bunch of great skiing to finally end up in Mayrhofen? During Xmas?

Are you doing this at your own free will or do you have some kind of appointment there with someone?

**Ville** · 10-14-2009, 02:17 AM

http://www.youth-hostel-innsbruck.at/

**Marius** · 10-14-2009, 02:20 AM

depends on where you want to stay. there are several little towns around ibk, that are quite cheap. lets say 20-25.- in this period is manageable for acc in a normale level. hotels start in that period at about 40-50 and higer. in ibk it's like in every town, quite expensive. and in addition: the new years fireworks are called to be very nice, because they shoot from the surrounding mountains.

mayerhofen is an other skiarea, 1h drive away from ibk. if you want to go cheap, try to find something thats not in mayerhofen directly. e.g. "lanersbach" or "vorder-lanersbach" or the towns at the valley-entrance.
and notice: every hotel/hostel/acc that is noticed in the internet, is more expensive then those who aren't.

just write a email or phone to the tourist office. tell them you price limit (5.- under you "real" limit) and see what they offer. ask for "Privatunterkünfte" (-private lodging). with a bit of luck you can find something under 20.-/night incl breakfast.

but notice: you're there in the main season. so at every lift there will be queues and drunken germans are all around. and in ibk there are millions of rich italians conquering the city-center...

(prices in euro)

**maskinut** · 10-14-2009, 06:30 AM

It is of free will. I recognize that's a tough time to travel. (I may not realize how tough until I try to get a train or get in a lift line.) We dont get to Zurich until Dec 27 in the AM.

On the plus side, two of us flew direct from Boston to Zurich for $650 total (points+dollars).

Plan is to meet up with some people in Mayrhofen for New years. What is the verdict on Mayrhofen for skiing? Good?

I'm open to skiing other places prior. It just seemed Innsbruck was the logical choice when coming from Zurich.

If you were arriving the am of the 27th and need to be in Mayrhofen on New years Eve where would you ski/stay?

How bad will life lines be? Where will they be less bad?

Originally Posted by Tectonically_Neglected

Help me out here... you are flying to Zurich and then carry on to Innsbruck, passing a bunch of great skiing to finally end up in Mayrhofen? During Xmas?

Are you doing this at your own free will or do you have some kind of appointment there with someone?

**The Dude** · 10-14-2009, 08:55 AM

I was in Innsbruck the same time frame this past year, do yourself a favor and go somewhere else, the conditions were horrible at the time.

If you are intent on going there, we stayed at Hotel Binders, which was the cheapest that we could find. It is 2 blocks from a trolley stop which will get you to the train station where all the free buses were at to go to different resorts.

**maskinut** · 10-14-2009, 09:29 AM

The general perspective seems to be that this is pretty early in the Euro's snow season.
Fingers crossed, If the snow sucks a big new years eve and lazy new years day might be in order.

How about Chamonix, Zermatt that time of year? Same snow?

**horizon** · 10-14-2009, 09:51 AM

Well Austria is having some really early snow right now but who knows if this round will last and/or a lot more snow will arrive. Last two seasons have been GREAT for early snow in most of the Alps but I think the one before was bad in Austria (too warm). I'm open to be corrected on that last statement.

Still, I think you should be really unlucky to have very poor snow. Whether you will be able to do huge offpiste is another matter (but many lower Austrian resorts need less snow than high French ones, as more terrain is meadows vs boulders).

You could try registering on the snowheads forum and asking the question there.

Sorry, haven't been to Mayrhofen, can't comment. I'd go to St Anton if I wanted an interesting contrast with the North American "quieter" apres-ski scene. And if the snow comes, that's one of the best areas in Europe for offpiste, touring, etc. Based on nothing more than my intuition, I'd pick St Anton over Zermatt or Chamonix for early season snow.

What's your accommodation budget?

St Anton accommodation search (pretty exhaustive) here.
http://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/home/2.html

Prices seem to start at 700-800 Euros/ double room/ week for St Anton proper but it's worth checking that listed availabilities are up to date as rooms go fast for that period.

**Choucas** · 10-14-2009, 10:08 AM

Agree with above comments regarding travel past Arlburg to go to Mayrhofen. If your committed to this route and need to get to the Zillertal, I'd skip Innsbruck and try to find a place in Lanersbach which is up the valley towards Hintertux from Mayrhofen. Good access to skiing, via lift and bus, and less expensive than Mayrhofen. Look at www.tux.at for accommodations. I stayed at the Hotel Jager in Lanersbach. Pretty reasonable but that was in April not Christmas week. There are tons of great off piste routes (snow and weather permitting) in that valley and there are very few euros venturing off piste.

**horizon** · 10-14-2009, 10:20 AM

More on early Austrian snow:

Austria reported its biggest October snowfall this week for 25 years:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...t_12233940.htm

Some huge snowfalls up high in the Eastern Alps over the past few days, caused by an Arctic front. Although, some of it may melt lower down:

Stubai glacier = 135cm of fresh snow;
Hintertux glacier = 100cm;
Kaprun glacier = 75cm;
Molltal glacier = 40cm;
St Anton = 20cm;
Obergurgl village = 10cm;
Tignes, France = 5cm.

**Tectonically_Neglected** · 10-14-2009, 12:06 PM

Mayrhofen has the name to be more of a 'apres ski' area. Lots of bars and gapers getting loaded.

But there are others here far more at home in this part of the alps. PM klar for example.

Snow wise things could go either way. Just wait and see. If conditions do allow you to head off piste, remember that no control work has been done as soon as you are 2m beside the piste ie your own responsibility.

Have fun. That should not be a problem.

**PuderLuder** · 10-14-2009, 12:12 PM

Go to Flims-Laxx or Davos from Zurich, 1.5 and 2.5 hrs by train.

**maskinut** · 10-14-2009, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by PuderLuder

Go to Flims-Laxx or Davos from Zurich, 1.5 and 2.5 hrs by train.

Davos is a good call.

Also, I should mention my travel companion is my girlfriend who is a very good snowboarder. I'll be on skis. So I'll need to factor some element of alps style apres, snowboarder access into the mix. Are boarders banned from any of the major places in Mayrhofen and Innsbruck?

Hotels are booked solid it seems around Innsbruck and Mayrhofen.

So, lets cut to it: I feel like a few people aren't fans of the skiing at Mayrhofen? Assuming the snow is decent how is the terrain? How long should we expect the lines to be during this week of the hollidays.

For New Years Eve where is the best place to be? I heard about some fireworks in Innsbruck. Any other big events?

**keksie** · 10-14-2009, 03:48 PM

fireworks in ibk are nice. for something special new years eve take the lift to nordpark have a night snack or dinner there and then watch the fireworks. the whole ibk is below you, great place where you'll see everything, they'll also shoot some big rockets from nordpark itself. last year they had a big fire in a heart form on the slope. the lift alone won't cost much, the food is probably pretty expensive. www.nordpark.at won't have details yet but maybe in december. your girl will love it.

no restrictions on snowboarders anywhere. skiing on glaciers will probably be clusterfuck during that time. everywhere else the snow can be hit or miss. for general idea about resorts in ibk check http://homeboyski.com/2008/10/18/ski...ruck-ski-area/ . i have no idea about mayrhofen. keep in mind innsbruck is not ski-in ski-out, you will spend time in buses (there are free skibuses that take you to slopes directly from hotel/hostel) but it might get tiring because you're not staying for a long time in europe and gonna do a lot of traveling anyway. for lodging check villes link, its the cheapest in the innsbruck city area. have fun.

**Marius** · 10-14-2009, 04:08 PM

if you want to see apres-ski you won't find it in switzerland. go to arlberg or mayerhofen. the bigger the area the more crowded the place. e.g. ther are several skiareas (most of them bigger the the big in the us) in the tuxer valley before hitting mayerhofen.

arlberg is pretty much the most expensive place in the eastern alps.

snow can be an issue, but then it doesnt matter if you are in innsbruck, mayerhofen or arlberg. pistes are normally 100% with unnatural snow (if there is no real snow), so skiing is possible. if not (which we had 1 the last 10 years) you either can go on the glaciers (solden, hintertux, pitztal .....). but if the other resorts are closed i suggest to take a gun with you

lift lines are not that big, because of modern lifts everywhere, but you will see a difference between how to behave in line

the problem are the filled groomers. it's so fucking dangerous at this time, because of all the drunk people.

in the alps there are (in %) more people dying on-piste the offpist!! offpist is not controlled. its your own risk.

@horizon: the datas are not all valid. we have in the northern alps ~50cm, several mountains might have a bit more, but not the 1m in kaprun or 1,5m at allgau (nebelhorn). but it should be skiable

@serfaus:

**comish** · 10-14-2009, 06:14 PM

I have skied that same week in St. Anton something like 5 or 6 times in the last 9 years. Only once was it a disaster and at least 3 or 4 times we had waist deep pow. You need a place that is highish in elevation and gets a pretty good amount of snow. If you are flying into Zurich I would look at the Arlberg (st. anton), Davos, Engleberg, and Andermatt. 3 of those 4 (not Davos) arguably get the most snow in the Alps every year. Its still a crap shoot based on temps, which direction the storms come, if they come, etc. but with those choices you would most likely get some good skiing, all within a short train ride from Zurich.

For New Years, just buy a bunch of booze and party in the central square where ever you end up. Yurp doesn't have the US silly law regarding open containers, people are friendly, and its a cheap fun way to party. Every Yurp ski town I have been to for New Years has had fireworks.

Just to reiterate what others have said above. DO NOT go off the groomer if you don't have a clue about Avi's and have the gear. I have seen 5 people get killed 10 yards to the side of the piste.

To find a place, send an email to the tourist office for what ever resort you decide. You can definitely find something, it might be down valley a bit, especially if you are Euro conscious, but there will be a few rooms around. I have sometimes had to resort to sending individual emails to every cheapish hostel/Pension/gastehaus/etc listed on the resorts website as sometimes the tourist office doesn't have the most up to date info. Tedious, but it works.

I'm jealous, this year we are in the states, but I can't wait to return next year...

**powslut** · 10-14-2009, 07:07 PM

If you're itching to ski in the Arlberg try looking at hotels and pensions in Pettneu, Shnann or Flirsch. They are all a little bit down the valley towards Innsbruck but there is a (free?) shuttle bus running frequently to the lifts in St Anton. Another option for the Arlberg is staying in Klosterle on the Zurich side of the pass and taking the bus up to Stuben every morning. Stuben tends get the most snow of anywhere in the Arlberg. If the road to Stuben is closed you can always ski at Sonnenkopf which is really not a bad thing.

edit - or, if the connections work, take the bus from Klosterle to Langen and hop on a train through the Arlberg Tunnel directly to St Anton

**Hank Rearden** · 10-14-2009, 07:22 PM

I am associated with the mountain house lodge. We are located on East Hopkins and a classic no frills ski lodge. www.mountainhouselodge.com. Very reasonably prices, walk to the lifts, continental breakfast. Please check us out.

**maskinut** · 10-14-2009, 07:33 PM

Hank,
I am a big fan of Aspen. I used to live there, but I think you might be on the wrong thread. I'm talking about a little place call Austria, not Aspen.

"Throw another shrimp on the barbie mate"

-Lloyd

**Hank Rearden** · 10-14-2009, 08:09 PM

I see that now

- We have an Innsbruck Lodge in Aspen now days. After a few beers, thats all I saw. Well if you ever come to Aspen again, you are welcome at our place.

Cheers.

**A-Skier** · 10-14-2009, 09:00 PM

Great deal on the flight. No matter which resort you choose to go in Austria it will be busy. A lot of people decide to book a private accommodation. Most private accommoadions have a kitchen you can use. Not only the rooms are expensive the food is high priced as well...but good. Here are a couple of links. Just call them and if they're booked I'm sure they can refer you to somebody else in town.

http://www.dwellan.at/at/ferienunter...-umgebung.html
http://www.regionhall.at/de/vermiete...VAT_ROOMS&Ort=

Apres ski in Austria is awesome.

**maskinut** · 12-25-2009, 10:50 PM

Thanks for all the info. I am off to Austria tomottow. The trip is planned. 3 days in IBK, 3 in Mayrhofen and then. 3 days in I dont know where. We will follow the weather and cheap places to stay.