Ski Hotels: Best hotspots for freerider

Snowy cities and bone-chilling cold for weeks: Now is the peak season for a skiing holiday! And if you look at the fresh snow levels on schneehoehen.de, it would be almost a sin, not to get out the skis this year. The mega-trend for several years has been free riding, which strictly speaking means a return to traditional skiing. Originally discovered by the snowboarders, riding on pristine deep powder snow slopes is a response to overcrowded slopes with artificial snow and long waits at the lifts.

Back to the Roots and back to nature: free riders are looking for the real experience of nature on wooded slopes and in sun glistening glaciers. When confronted with the mountain, however, not only technical skills and good physical condition are required, but also a healthy respect for nature and the prevalent snow conditions. Therefore, before each downhill you should check the avalanche warning level and leave only on sunny days with good visibility. If you are not familiar, you should rather resort to a guide than putting yourself in danger on unmarked downhills. Detailed information on the best downhills beyond the overcrowed slopes has been compiled by the travel community TripsbyTips.

Accommodation and meals in the chalets is rather simple – but who likes to go skiing in the midst of nature, yet looking for stylish hotels with the corresponding après-ski comfort, has a number of great options among the Escapio Skihotels. One of the hotspots for skiers is the Sporthotel Steffisalp in Warth at the Arlberg, which is one of the snowiest ski resorts in Europe. Here you go literally right off the bed onto the slopes, as the cable car Steffisalpexpress takes you directly to the ski area. A successful combination of refreshing colours and light wood in the guest rooms provide a pleasant, trendy atmosphere. There’s just as little Lederhosen romance as rustic style furniture – only during dining the hotel banks with great success on traditional Austrian cuisine.

The Hotel Castell in Zuoz / St. Moritz – Engadin boasts a cosy atmosphere in the midst of nature, with lots of art and an all around attractive offer. The location above Zuoz in close proximity to the ski lift is gorgeous. And after an eventful day on the slopes, in addition to new, modern hotel rooms, an innovative cuisine in the stunning 4 star Hotel Castell, the guest will find a hammam with a variety of massage and treatment services. Furthermore, there is high quality, contemporary art and unique events – the whole thing embedded in the fascinating landscape and tradition of the Engadine.