Best Austrian Resorts for Groups

Forget Glastonbury or Edinburgh Fringe - Mayrhofen brings the best in music and comedy to the mountains for its Snowbombing and Altitude festivals. Each make for an awesome week with friends and family, but that’s not to say the rest of the season’s a write off. From the uber-cool ice lounge on the Ahorn to the Scotland Yard pub in town, the resort is buzzing every day of the week. Even if you didn’t set foot in a bar you’d have a cracking time, with 133km to ski across the two local mountains alone. Those who prefer cruisey, easy-going skiing will love the Ahorn, while the Penken’s all about upping the ante on the Harakiri race piste and enormous Vans Snow Park. It doesn’t end here: there are many more ski areas within an easy drive – not least the ever-snowy Hintertux glacier.

Reigning supreme in the worlds of après AND freeriding, Anton’s a no-brainer for groups of experienced skiers who like to let their hair down. The main question is which to dedicate more time to: the Mooserwirt’s table tops or Valluga’s north face… the former’s an all-time mountain bar legend, and together with neighbouring Krazy Kanguruh, it sees more beer-swinging and boot-stomping than anywhere else. The latter is a fearsome off-piste drop into Zurs featuring tight turns, traversing and shedloads of powder. In fact the whole Arlberg region is blessed with an unholy amount of the white stuff, and there’s a fabulous mix of terrain over 5 massive mountains. Confident skiers get the best out of it all – most of the reds would be classed as black anywhere else, and blacks, itineraries and epic backcountry cover the bulk of the landscape.

If the group’s up for serious skiing and down for legendry après, Iscghl’s a winner. There’s 238km of snow sure terrain to play on here. It starts with the Idalp beginner area at the top of the Silvrettabahn, then a sea of blues and reds roll over the Swiss border, with powder pockets and steep blacks keeping experts on their toes. The PlayStation Vita Park is one of the Alps’ best, with masses of kickers and a huge halfpipe to shred until the cows come home. It’s well worth skiing into Swiss Samnaun, for duty free shopping and Michelin starred dining. But you’ll find plenty to do in Ischgl alone: The Silveretta Centre has an indoor adventure pool and bowling alley, and restaurants range from the highly acclaimed Paznauer Stube to good old Burger King. For those looking to boogie, the nightlife is terrific. Try the ever-packed Trofana Alm for Europop and dancing on tables, or don your finest for the swanky Pascha nightclub.

Kitz is only an hour or so from Innsbruck and Salzburg airports – so the journey alone should keep the masses happy. The ski area isn’t likely to disappoint either, with 170km of local slopes from friendly to fearsome, and the KitzAlps Allstar pass extending the cover to 10 different ski areas including Zell am See and Alpbach. A town oozing history, non-skiers have just as much to explore: amble along the pedestrianised streets and winter walking paths, peruse the designer shops and cafes or answer the siren calls of the Aquarena health club... Even the fussiest eaters will find a restaurant that suits, with everything from Michelin-stars to McDonalds among the 70 eateries here. Après ski is as equally varied, from the bars (The Londoner is a long-time favourite) to the evening activities (a group skating session on the frozen Schwarzee’s pretty magical).

The SkiWelt crams in more lift-linked runs than anywhere else in Austria - 280km in all – and Söll’s positioned just so for access to the best of them. Whether practicing snowploughs at Hochsöll or venturing off from the Hohe Salve, everyone has a weeks’ worth of slope-time suited to their level. And when it comes to re-grouping later on, Austrian après gets a fine representation in the form of the Salvenstadl and Whisky-Mühle, which tend to stay open well into the night if you fancy continuing the party. Save an evening or two for the floodlit pistes and toboggan runs here (this is Tyrol’s biggest flood-lit ski area after all…).

The best thing about staying in Zell is the sheer number of ski areas: The main lift pass alone covers the local Schmitten Mountain (intermediate heaven), neighbouring Kaprun’s Maiskogel Mountain (quiet, beginner friendly) and the Kitzsteinhorn (a snow sure glacier with awesome powder and steeps). Upgrade to the Ski Alpin card and you’ve added the Saalbach-Hinterglemm Skicircus into the mix, or go the whole hog with the Salzburg Super Ski which unlocks more than 2500km of slopes over TWENTY TWO resorts. So whether you’re a group of utter beginners, seasoned pro’s, cross-country skiers or a mix of abilities, you’ll have a ball here. Zell am See’s a fabulous base for exploring the lot. First off it has a lively, olde-worlde town centre, with spas, shops and cafes for daytimes and pubs and clubs for evenings - check out the Ginhouse and Shakers for drinks and dancing. You’ve also got gorgeous lake and forest views to wake up to, and the whole town has a terrific transport system including its own train station.

It doesn’t really get more snow-sure than this, with slopes streaming down from 3000m+ onto two socking great glaciers. We love the mix of runs up top – blues, reds, powder trails – meaning all levels get to enjoy the best snow conditions and views (you can see the Dolomites on a good day). It rarely gets livelier than Sölden either – especially on Fridays at the Giggijoch Fun Zone where they throw massive parties with big DJ’s (the Electric Mountain Festival on last weekend of the season is phenomenal). The Freizeit Arena’s a one-stop-shop for evenings and non-ski days - with pools, bowling, indoor tennis and an Italian restaurant to keep the whole group grinning. Another big draw is the Aqua Dome, a palatial indoor-outdoor wellness centre where non-skiers won’t feel an ounce of envy for those on the slopes, and any tired ski legs can be restored for the next day…

270km of slopes and a hefty dose of Austrian après give Saalbach (and neighbour Hinterglemm) the necessaries for a smashing week on the snow. Beginners have gentle nursery slopes near the village, while intermediates can head up to the main Skicircus for miles of blue and reds. You’ll find steep blacks and natural freeride parks for those after a challenge, and there’s also the option of a group trip to nearby resorts like Zell am See (20 minutes’ drive) for a change of scene. Anyone not skiing will find more than enough to do, from visiting art galleries and museums to exploring the surroundings on sleigh or snowshoe. If you all like a post-ski drink or three, Bauer’s and Zum Turm are often filled to the rafters from four – both handy meeting points near the base station. There’s also a big choice of restaurants, with favourites including La Trattoria (crowd-pleasing pizzas) and Vida (fondues, barbies & veggie options). We love the tubing and nightpark over by the U-Bahn for after-supper fun, and other activities include quad biking, ice karting, snowmobiling AND piste-basher experiences (and that’s just from the driving category...).

Whether you’re going all-out in Lech’s famously fine hotels, restaurants, boutiques and spas, or cosying up in a catered chalet, this little town has big options for groups. The local pistes cover more than a third of the Arlberg ski region, and hoard some of the deepest snow in the Alps. They also trump neighbouring St Anton if you’re travelling with beginners and early intermediates, with a fabulous collection of long, wide blue runs. But that’s not to say experts’ll be bored here: the off piste is incredible (especially around Zug and the Kreigerhorn) and the legendary White Ring circuit is a bucket-list ski if ever there was one. At suppertime, Hagen’s plates up scrummy Austrian classics and Fux does super steaks. Lech’s not too posh to party – we love ending the day with a catch up at Eisbar – but for the ultimate group après experience, get the bus over to St Anton for the most wild and wonderful parties in the Alps.

Westendorf’s a hive of activity for groups – whether you’re roaming the mighty SkiWelt or drinking in the sights and sounds of the old market town. The ski area stretches all the way over to Ellmau in a glorious web of blues and reds, but boarders mightn’t even leave the local slopes with the awesome Boarder’s Playground waiting to be shred... Any non-skiers coming along will have oodles to do: the winter walking paths are spectacular and there are some lovely cafes around the village church (the strudels at Elizabeth’s are to die for). There are a number of spots for après: Gerry’s Inn by the nursery slope makes a good meeting point with a DJ and indoor / outdoor seating, the Village Pub is a favourite for beer and watching sport and Wunderbar keeps things going well into the night. One of the coolest group activities has to be a trip to Alpeniglu over by Hochbrixen, a village of igloos where they host campfires, suppers and parties throughout the season.