Skiing in stunning Saalbach
We flew to Munich, Innsbruck would have been closer, but we were just doing 4 nights and didn't have any flight options to support that, so we braved the long transfer (3 hours) which actually provided a welcome snooze following the early flight. The scenery coming into the resort was beautiful and as we entered Saalbach we could see what a traditional alpine village it was, and we were instantly impressed.
The hotel, Eva Village was very central and even from the outside you could see it was somewhere special. In to the lobby and a welcome with a glass of fizz we could see the cosiness of the hotels bar and lounge. We all had a suite and the space and little extras in these rooms really made it worth it.
To hire the ski equipment was super easy due to the central location, Intersport was 20 metres from the hotel and having already given measurements online, the pickup and fitting was fast and super-efficient so much so we could ski that afternoon.
All the lifts in Saalbach are brand new and you can see the recent investment in to resort has really paid off. The lifts were all well maintained, rarely busy and operated with great efficiency. The local area lift pass covers a vast area not possible to cover in 3 days but excellent value for money. Tip: your lift pass is valid from 3pm the day before your duration begins so worth bearing in mind for arrival day if you get to resort early enough and want to hit the slopes. The runs are plentiful and long offering variety for each level of skier. Conditions weren't great but on the last day after a fresh dusting of snow the resort could not have looked more beautiful.
The many après ski bars and restaurants were all beautiful inside and service was great everywhere we went. Whether on the mountain or in resort every meal and beer was memorable. Goathall Apres Ski bar in Hinterglemm was standout for a lively ski to door bar, would definitely recommend.
The après ski can be as lively or as quiet as you wish with options for both. The food in our hotel was excellent with a generous breakfast buffet each morning, unique afternoon tea (offering much more than just the usual cake) and dinner was a real affair with over 5 courses each night, truly great food.
Due to the size of the suites (which would be fantastic for families too) we chose each night to entertain ourselves in each other’s rooms playing games. The rooms really did add to the experience, there was a wireless speaker, TV, mini bar, bathroom with radio and mood lighting and ample storage space.
The spa in the hotel offered another element to the trip especially to any injured members of the party (me!). The indoor pool view offered a stunning view of a black run in to resort and the facilities were top notch. I had a very reasonable €42 massage which was one of the best massages I have had anywhere! The sauna, steam room and pool were all fab and really added to the trip.