Mayrhofen, Austria

Near the end of the stunning Ziller Valley, Mayrhofen engenders Austrian charm in a lively, cheerful atmosphere. Dating back to 1511, its architecture creates a traditional ambiance, yet all mod-cons are present and correct. The resort's location is fantastic: Only an hour's drive from Innsbruck airport, parents can minimise the all-too-familiar “are we nearly there yet?” while snow lovers can maximise their time on the piste.

The family friendly nature doesn't stop with its convenient location – restaurants cater for children excellently, kids activities are abundant and the ski schools are well known as some of the best. Not only appealing for those with children in tow, Mayrhofen has long been a popular holiday destination for Brits due to its impressive après ski. From merry chaos to sophisticated cocktail-sipping, the host of Altitude festival and Snowbombing serves up fantastic après for all palates.

Mayrhofen's terrain is another ski holiday clincher. 159km of pistes overall provide for all abilities and piste conditions are insured with snowmaking technology that covers a noteworthy 100% of the Mayrhofen area. The resort sits between the beautiful Ahorn and Penken mountains which together offer a diversity that's hard to match. The south facing Ahorn is known as the 'Leisure Mountain' and offers some lovely sun-drenched, cruisey runs. It also hosts the famous White Lounge Igloo Village, where you can drink at the bar or treat yourself to an overnight igloo stay. Things are a bit more adventurous over on the northerly Penken 'Action Mountain'. Besides the infamous Harakiri (Austria's steepest piste), you'll find freestyling heaven in one of the best snowparks Europe has to offer, as well as some great race tracks. If this isn't enough, get the Zillertaler Superskipass where you'll discover a massive 671km of marked runs including the snow-sure Hintertux glacier, the Zillertal Arena, Hochfügen-Hochzillertal and Spieljoch.

With a famously lively après ski scene, Mayrhofen is a place to eat, drink and party after a day on the snow. You'll find a range of restaurants to suit all budgets serving great food from schnitzel to chow mein. Ahornhuette is one of many family friendly restaurants with a great kids menu, the Thaler family provide a traditional Austrian dining experience at Wirtshaus zum Griena and the Sportsbar & Grill keeps everyone happy with a fantastic range of food including burgers, kebabs and pizza.

With a variety of bars, Mayrhofen has plenty of places to socialise, unwind and enjoy the schnapps. On the Ahorn, the Igloo Bar is a unique location where you can relax with a drink, good music and a spectacular view. For a more traditional après, you'll find table-top dancing at the lively Ice Bar or a great home-from-home atmosphere in British themed Scotland Yard. Later on in the evening, the Speakeasy Arena is a popular nightclub where you can party into the early hours with themed nights, great DJ's and lots of dancing.

Whether you're a non-skier in Mayrhofen or just fancy an alternative activity, you'll find a lot on offer. Experience of the beautiful Ziller Valley is not limited to those on skis - Mayrhofen offers snowshoeing, ice-climbing, paragliding, tobogganing and horse-riding as alternative ways to discover the valley. There's a great outdoor ice rink for skating, curling and ice hockey as well as a Nature Park Exhibition which families will love. In terms of indoor activities, the Erlebnisbad Mayrhofen has a leisure pool, gym and wellness facilities including a sauna, steam room and solarium where you can play, exercise or be pampered to your heart's content.