Er, where?
Drive 35km south-west from Innsbruck airport and you soon climb to one of Austria’s highest ski villages. At 2,020 metres, little Kühtai sits in a bowl between the Stubain and Ötztal mountains, above the treeline. For three years now, it’s been the modest star of Channel 4’s celebrity challenge The Jump, which returned on 31 January.
Why try it?
Kühtai is very cute, with traditional Alpine-style hotels at the foot of the slopes. High altitude gives it an enviable snow record: it’s more or less guaranteed until late April. The village, used mainly by Austrian and German families, has a relaxed, intimate atmosphere, and the mountains offer space and openness. Lift passes include neighbouring Hochötz, linked by a free bus: its sheltered pistes can be a blessing if the weather turns nasty.
Mountain lowdown
The slopes really are on the doorstep, with many gliding into the snow-covered main street. There are a couple of novice areas with magic carpets and a few blues to work towards, but it’s intermediates who get the most out of Kühtai. Almost half of the pistes are red; the KPark terrain park includes a superpipe and a boardercross. Children have their own snowpark, with jumps and rails to play on. Nervous beginners can take heart from the fact that those plentiful red runs are very wide and well-groomed.
The ski area is served by four quad chairlifts and a cable car. There’s extensive off-piste, and the resort offers good ski touring. There’s night-skiing Wednesdays and Saturdays, popular among Innsbruckers taking advantage of the free ski bus.
And apart from skiing?
Many of the hotels have pools and spas, which is where you’ll find a large portion of visitors in the late afternoon. There’s a 2.5km toboggan run, which is floodlit at night and starts at the Graf Ferdinand Haus hut, which has sledges for hire. If you don’t fancy the hour-long walk uphill, there’s a toboggan taxi available from 4.30pm onwards (minimum eight people, €4 each). Cross-country skiers can try the 11km of trails, and there’s peaceful winter walking and snowshoeing, plus a dinky ice rink by Hotel Jagdschloss.
Après any good?
You’re spoilt for choice – if you want a jolly time howling to cheesy Austrian pop. There’s Zeitlos Schirmbar, run by Hotel Edelweiss, where everyone crams into a little wooden hut when it’s chilly. It’s similarly lively at tented Loisl’s Schirm near the ski jump, and Dorfstadl gets raucous on Wednesdays, when there’s live music. Siglu, the Hotel Tyrol’s Fiasco bar and Eisheisl are convivial, but bear in mind indoor smoking is allowed at all three. There’s a disco, Kaos, from 11pm at Hotel Tyrol.
Where do I eat?
Soak up Habsburg history at Jagdschloss, a 17th-century former hunting lodge. Food in its cosy dining room is classic Austrian, with exotic extras such as Thai curry.
Where do I stay?
Friendly Hotel Konradin (half-board doubles from €121pp) is right by the beginners’ area and ski schools, and has a pool and sauna. Inghams, Erna Low and Crystal all offer holidays in Kühtai.
The nitty gritty
Kühtai (including Hochötz) has 85km of pistes, 24 lifts, highest altitude 2,520 metres
Good for: Families, intermediates, laid-back atmosphere.
Limitations: With no woods for protection, visibility can soon drop to zero
Getting there: Fly to Innsbruck, 45 minutes away
Costs: Lift pass: adult from €141 a week, child from €70.50. Beer €3.50
Blue runs 16
Red runs 23
Black runs 10
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