What comes to mind when you picture the Austrian Alps? Quaint wooden chalets with gingham curtains adorning the windows, fairy lights twinkling overhead in the streets, roaring log fires in every room, and fresh strudel on the table? When it comes to St. Anton Am Arlberg this depiction wouldn’t be far wrong, but as part of Austria’s largest ski area the resort has far more to offer than just cosy ambience.

Renowned for its après ski scene and famed for introducing us to heartthrob Ed Westwick in the British cult classic film Chalet Girl, St. Anton has become a must-ski resort, popular with British tourists in particular but catering to visitors from across the globe keen to explore the Arlberg region in the lap of luxury.

History

Known in the ski community as the cradle of alpine skiing, the Arlberg region was where ski pioneers such as Anton-born Hannes Schneider formulated the Arlberg Technique at the beginning of the 20th century. Providing the foundations for modern alpine skiing, this  ‘stem’ teaching technique revolutionised the sport, opening the door for group teaching methods that were adopted globally.

Since its founding in 1901, Ski Arlberg has won a variety of awards including 2017 World’s Best Ski Resort (), 2017 Number 1 European ski area (ADAC Skiguide), and 5 Star Ski-Resortaccolades every year from 2014 through 2019. As such, St. Anton prides itself on being able to offer a first-class skiing experience and boasts five star ratings for resort size, slope offering, ski lifts, snow reliability, restaurants, après ski, accommodation and more. Rooted in skiing history, boasting a box office backdrop, and flaunting the largest ski area in Austria, the Arlberg region has a wealth of attractions for discerning visitors looking for something extra special.

Ski Area

Comprised of eight separate resorts now linked, the Arlberg region is the largest ski area in Austria. The resorts of St. Anton, Lech, Zürs, St. Christoph, Stuben, Oberlech, Warth, and Schröcken were merged and connected by lifts for the winter season 2016/17. Visitors can now ski 305km of groomed piste and 200km of off-piste and deep snow ski runs with (skill permitting!) ease.

Home to Der Weiße Ring and The Run of Fame, 22km and 80km sporting challenges, St. Anton is the perfect location for wintersports enthusiasts to get their competitive fill. Renowned for providing a more challenging ski area, St. Anton is the advanced skiers’ playground. With a plethora of off piste areas, waist-high mogul fields, and a snow park that will fill even the most acrobatic of skiers with glee, there’s more than enough to keep visitors busy for the week. Head up Valluga II — accessible only with a guide — to try your hand at Valluga Nord or Valluga Bridge Couloir to get that adrenaline pumping as you chase those powder fields.

Après Ski

The world famous Mooserwirt – internationally nicknamed ‘The Mother of All Après Ski Bars’ – has consistently drawn crowds looking to stomp on tables to the beat of Euro-pop anthems since 1987. Rivalled by the Krazy Kanguruh and Taps bars, Mooserwirt lays claim to the highest beer sales per square metre of floor space in all of Austria. Its sound track has been defined by legendary DJ Gerhard Schmiderer who has played the après ski session every day (bar 12 days of illness) since 1994.

Austrian après ski is taken seriously, and the bars of St. Anton certainly don’t do things by halves. With an outdoor terrace suitably equipped to hold up to 3,000 stein-toting customers, Mooserwirt’s bountiful tap lines are said to reach an impressive six miles in length if linked up. Alongside Mooserwirt’s buzzing party scene the bar also offers a spectacular menu with dishes such as ‘The Big Moooooooosi’ burger at the top of their price range. With balthasars of Laurent Perrier on the drinks’ menu, there’s decadence in abundance at Mooserwirt and guests with the grandest of expectations will find a suitable celebratory tipple.

Skiers are spoilt for choice with après bars in St. Anton,  but if you’re looking for a pint-chugging, table-dancing, jäger-fuelled afternoon, peppered with heartfelt renditions of Take Me Home, Country Roads then head to Krazy Kanguruh’s— fondly known as KK’s — for seasonnaire-dubbed ‘Topless Tuesdays’.

KK’s is home to arguably the best chicken wings in the Arlberg whilst next door at Taps you can bag yourself some pretty awesome chilli cheese nachos before heading upstairs to the secret rave cave, unique in Anton for its wavy neon wall art and trance music.

A Place to Stay

After a long day’s skiing and a magnum at Mooserwirt, visitors can head back to accommodation  designed to treat guests like royalty. With the average number of overnight stays in St. Anton reaching 1,022,718 in the Winter 18/19 season, the resort is well equipped for tourists: accommodation choices are plentiful and there are chalets and hotels to suit the highest of standards.

Raffl’s St. Antoner Hof is a five-star luxury hotel self-dubbed the ‘Bird of Paradise’. Yielding to the traditional Tirolean imagery of roaring fireplaces, Raffl’s motto is to ‘Let it burn – as often as possible’, visitors can ‘Eat Art’ in one of the Arlberg’s culinary hotspots all the while warming themselves by the open fireplace. Alternatively guests can choose to sample sushi in Raffl’s Seven Sky restaurant or gorge their fondue fantasies away in Sticky Fingers, the restaurant that claims to have reinvented Alpine specialities: raclette and fondue.

If the extravagance of Raffl’s isn’t quite right for you, try the five-star Hotel Tannenhof: ‘luxury with a view’. Situated on the East side of St. Anton in the Nasserein area Hotel Tannenhof boasts a vibrant vista of the slopes and guests can while away the hours watching the elegance of a sport that only experts make look easy.  Soft wooden furnishings compliment the luxuriously designed suites complete with custom-made beds — and not a gingham curtain in sight! The Tannenhof’s gourmet restaurant promises guests the ‘finest alpine delicacies’ with modern twists on the classic weiner schnitzel and kaiserschmarren dishes made by their Executive Chef James Baron and perfectly paired with wines from their own wine cellar. With a private helicopter shuttle service, Maserati driving personal chauffeur, pillow menu, welcome present, and even a personal assistant included, the Tannenhof knows how to treat their guests to an unforgettable experience.

Other Activities

For those not content with just skiing and snowboarding, don’t fear — there are plenty of other things to do in resort to keep you occupied. Hop on the train and head over to Innsbruck (1 hour 10 minutes) to explore the ancient city, travel further afield to capital city Vienna (6 hours, 20 minutes) or cross the border into Munich (4 hours). Back in St Anton, why not give paragliding a go and soar through the skies taking in the magic of the mountains below? With options to include a photoshoot in your booking this is the perfect opportunity to make magical holiday memories of this must-ski resort. Filming your flight high above the Arlberg massifs, your tandem pilot will help you grab that Insta perfect picture.

If heights aren’t your thing, try your hand at snowshoeing, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, horse-drawn sleigh riding, winter climbing, yoga, an escape room, and the indoor trampoline park — or just while away the hours in the Wellness Centre in town: ‘a true haven of rest and relaxation’ with massages and beauty treatments available to soothe aching muscles.

A stroll through the pretty town centre admiring that magnificent view is the perfect way to spend an afternoon, stop mid-way and perch on sheepskin rugs soaking up that glorious sunshine with a hot chocolate at the Hannes Schneider cafe to indulge even more. Looking to splash some cash on new ski gear? Jennewein Sporthaus is a family-owned rental store with a variety of equipment and fashion items on sale – look out for the bouncing helmets in their window display and head inside for uniquely patterned ski-gear that will have even the most glam of slope-goers green with envy. Intersport and Alber Sport give Jennewein a run for its money, also offering high quality ski and board apparel and equipment. Alber Fashion Boutique offers shoppers high quality, exclusive items, and cult favourites Napapijri, Superdry, SUPA, and S’No Control sell clothes with a steezy guarantee.

Steeped in hedonistic history and authentic Alpine attitude, St. Anton doesn’t deserve the reputation it has in some circles as a resort for partygoers. It would be much more accurate to say that in Anton you ski hard and après harder. And the enticing Arlberg area has oodles more to offer every type of winter enthusiast — so long as you aren’t too fuzzy-headed the morning after!