Family Skiing Fun
Our accommodation, the Chalet Pepi Gabl, was situated right next door to the Nasserein gondola and the kids' ski schools, could not be more perfectly located. The hotel itself offered recently refurbished rooms, we had a 2-bedroom suite with modern bathroom. A buffet breakfast and 5-course meal with wine provided every day, except Thursdays where you go out for your evening meal. Kids' evening meals are catered for separately with children sat in different age groups, normally who they are in ski school or nursery with, so some great bonding.
The nursery facilities were excellent; we were allocated 2 key workers so we always had full feedback of the day’s events. Every day the children spent some time outside, either up the gondola, to the little park or into town for a hot chocolate. The staff really were excellent and we had great confidence leaving the 2 smaller children. In the evenings a baby listening service is on offer, each floor provided a member of staff who sit quietly listening and regularly checking the children.
For the older children there was ski school for 5 days. Dropping them off with Esprit staff from 0830 they were kitted out and taken to their lessons. The children really do pick it up quicker than us and have no fear of black runs in such a short period of time. In fact they get more out of ski school than they do with us! They are then collected by the Esprit staff who put on games etc until you are back, quite often they want to stay with them than come back with us.
St Anton itself is a fantastic resort (this was the 3rd visit), there are a number of different ski areas to choose from so you never run out of slopes. Although it may be quite a challenge for beginners and some of the blue runs can be tough. The choices of places to eat and drink on the mountains is plentiful. My favourite place to go though is Rendl Beach, a great bar overlooking the ski park so you can watch the experts at it. This area only has a few runs but the sun always seems to shine here and I was even brave enough to do a black run here.
Our final day was spent with all the older kids skiing together with us, this is really the highlight of the week. We get to see how good they are, they get to take the mickey out of how cautious we are and we all have a great laugh. Maybe next year we’ll let them ski with us more? If skiing is not something you’ve done before, or if you did it before having children and are unsure how it would work, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Why not get in touch and I can tell you even more!