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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 820m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[4]
Advanced:		[3]
Snowboarding:		[3]

Ellmau is a traditional Austrian village made up of very attractive Tyrolean chalet style buildings below several churches, one of them with a typical onion dome. The surrounding scenery of the Wilder Kaiser mountains is very beautiful so this is a great setting for a traditional winter holiday in largely unspoilt location.

As an added bonus the resort is located on Austria's largest lift-linked ski circuit, the Skiwelt, which connects it to other resorts including Soll and Hopfgarten, via Austria's fastest funicular railway which rapidly lifts skiers and boarders up on to the slopes.

There is a new link to Westendorf, and two larger area passes are available which open up the possibility of skiing over to Kitzbuhel (via a short bus connection) or, with longer trips, skiing more than 700km (440 miles) of piste in the larger Kitzbuheler Alpen Region (a rental car or public bus service is required to reach all areas with this).

The Skiwelt also boasts Austria's largest snow making system, covering more than 80% percent of the slopes, but the resort is low compared to most other ski areas, with Ellmau at 820m and the highest lifts below 2000m.

The Skiwelt region also has an unusual program to help single skiers get to know each other. Participants can wear stickers announcing they are single 'ski bunnies' and meet at selected mountain restaurants on the circuit, then re-connect via the website. Special events are also organised. The ski bunnies meeting point in Ellmau is at the Hartkaiser mountain restaurant.

Beginners

The Ellmauer Ski und Snowboardschule has a good reputation, with English speaking instructors, and there are nursery slopes right by the village. If snow cover isn't good at village level you can find more snowsure nursery slopes up on the mountain, easily reached via the funicular mountain railway.

A high value package including five day beginners pass, six day equipment and six full days tuition is available, with prices as low as you will find anywhere in Europe, even Bulgaria! If you progress quickly or if snow conditions are such you need to ride the funicular up to nursery slopes you may need to buy a low cost ticket for a few lift rides on the first day.

Intermediates

A good way to make your way around the huge Skiwelt in the first few days of your stay is to follow one of the marked routes. There are half a dozen circuits you can follow spread over the whole area. One commences with the funicular out of Ellmau and then it's possible to ski in two directions for differing experiences.

Following the orange arrows clockwise you cover 19.2km (12 miles) on the piste and 13.4km (nine miles) on lifts and cover about four kilometres (two-and-a-half miles) of vertical. Going anti-clockwise the piste skied is 16.2km (ten miles) with 12.7km (eight miles) of piste and a little over three-and-a-half kilometres (just over two miles) of vertical. In either direction the skiing involves around a dozen runs, virtually all reds, and associated lifts.

Advanced

The Skiwelt has more than 20km (13 miles) of black runs and the area is renowned for its off piste powder skiing after fresh falls. Local runs to check out include the Eiberg and Silleralm pistes whilst the Almbahnm run (number 98) is regarded as the best racing piste at the resort, with a 150m vertical over its 600m length. You can also have fun on the Tanzbodenbahn piste (number 99) which features a 150m long electronic speed check section over a 40 metre vertical.

Snowboarding

Ellmau is home to one of the two terrain parks in the Skiwelt. The Intersport Kaiser-Park located on the Tanzbodenbahn piste (99) has an easy line with three boxes (flat-up and down-flat) and an expert line with five bigger boxes/rails (flat rail-wall ride, spine-rainbow box, flat box, kinked box and picnic table). There's also a second kicker combination and a second roller combination as well as a chill out area.

Other Activities and Facilities

The Kaiserbad indoor swimming pool complex is a major asset to Ellmau. You'll also find saunas, steam baths, indoor tennis, squash and skittles.

Not to be missed is the Astbergbahn Going four-and-a-half kilometre (nearly three mile) long toboggan run from the Treichlhof to the Naschberg Hotel at Ellmau. This descends 490 vertical metres from its start point at 1,267m, is of 'intermediate' difficulty and is open daily from 7.30pm until 9pm, with floodlit tobogganing to 2am on some evenings.

There are also four marked winter hiking trails, both in the resort and on the mountain, of between one and five kilometres in length, with 50km in total in the valley. Cross country skiers will find a five kilometre loop in the area. Other outdoor options include sleigh rides, curling and ice skating.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Ellmau has a dozen bars, about 35 restaurants - many of them in hotels – and a couple of night clubs. The resort centre can get quite lively and is perhaps slightly more sophisticated than some of the smaller neighbouring villages in the region. Popular drinking spots include Pub 66 and the Memory Bar.

The Heldenbar sometimes has live music and the Dorfstuberl Tenne night club is usually busy. Dining options range from pizza to Tyrolean Alpine cuisine. In the former category the Pizzeria Stern is a good choice, in the latter the Buchingerstuberl.

Families

Ellmau is particularly well equipped for childcare, and the other resort facilities such as the swimming pool and toboggan run, plus the lovely village atmosphere, make it a good choice for families.

The ski school runs the excellent 'Bobo's Childrens Club' for kids aged three to 12. This is centred on Bobo's Kinderland, an indoor/outdoor facility with a specially designed learn-to-ski area for young children including magic carpet conveyor lift and special fun routes. Children receive their own Club passport and there are end of week races and prizes.

Half or full day care is available with lunch time cover between 12pm and 2pm optional. A high value package including five day beginners pass, six day equipment and six full days tuition is available with prices as low as you will find anywhere in Europe, children are accepted in regular ski school with this package from age seven to ski and age eight to snowboard.

Accommodation in Ellmau

• Alpenhof - 3 star, catered
• Alpenhof - 3 star, catered
• Alpenhof - 3 star, catered
• Alpenhof - 3 star, catered
• Blatthof Hotel - 3 star, half board
• Hartkaiser - 2 star, half board
• Hartkaiser - 2 star, catered
• Hartkaiser - 2 star, catered
• Hartkaiser - 2 star, catered
• Pension Kaisermann - 2 star, catered
• Pension Kaisermann - 2 star, catered
• Schonblick - 2 star, half board
• Schonblick - 2 star, half board
• Sojer Apartments - 4 star, self catering
• Sojer Aparts - 4 star, self catering
• Sport Hotel - 4 star, half board
• Sport Hotel - 4 star, half board
• Sport Hotel Ellmau - 4 star, half board
• Widschwendt - 2 star, half board

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