ATOLprotected
Resort — 1,304m
Max — 2,811m
Innsbruck - 1h15;
Friedrichshafen - 1h45;
Salzburg - 3h;
Munich - 3h25;
If you're about quantity AND quality, you can't go wrong with a St Anton ski holiday. Sandwiched between Tyrol and Vorarlberg, it's Austria's biggest ski resort and blessed with some of the best snow conditions in Europe.
St Anton is part of the incredible Ski Arlberg area and linked to a handful of other Austrian ski resorts, glitzy Lech being chief among them, giving you access to over 300km of prime pistes. The resort's ski heritage is pretty impressive, too, with Arlberg-native Hannes Schneider said to have developed the techniques of modern skiing in St Anton over a century ago.
It's not just about the skiing, though. St Anton has had a reputation as a party resort since the 1960s and still offers up some of the best après ski in the Alps, including the legendary Mooserwirt that's rumoured to sell more beer per square metre than anywhere else in Austria. That's a lot of beer.
If you want plenty of variety and miles of off-piste opportunities on your group ski trip, St Anton in Austria is the perfect pick.
The mountains in this corner of the Alps are steeper than those in places like France, making St Anton a better fit for people with previous skiing experience under their belts. That being said, we can hook you up with some amazing English speaking ski schools if you looking to brush up your skills.
St Anton is connected to the neighbouring resorts of Lech and Zurs, Stuben, Warth and St Christoph by a network of fast and efficient ski lifts, so you'll have an unlimited range of slopes and backcountry routes to explore. What's more, there are plenty of places, including Rendl Beach Bar, to quench your thirst or get a delicious bite to eat right on the pistes.
While skiing in St Anton may be more geared towards those with experience, you'll still find a good range of nursery slopes in Nasserein. After you've built up your confidence with an instructor, set yourself the challenge of tackling the Blue 27 run (but be aware it can get narrow and a little steep at some points).
Those with prior ski experience will be in their element in St Anton thanks to numerous blue and reds throughout the ski area. A must-try is the Run of Fame, an epic 85km-long route which starts at the Rendl lift in St Anton and loops you all the way round to Warth. For something a little more cruisey, make sure you check out the long and winding blue runs over in Lech and Zurs.
Advanced skiing is king in St Anton, with a huge proportion of the mapped ski runs being reds or blacks. There are also 200km of marked but ungroomed guided trails to test your mettle on. These are divided up between "normal" and "extreme", although being ungroomed even the normal pistes should be addressed with some caution, and extreme routes are best tackled with the help of a guide. Keen beans will want to hit the slopes early to tackle Kandahar, a black run beginning at the top of the Galzigbahn cable car, while Steep Valluga is another awesome piste to try out.
The whole thing was very smooth and effortless and it was really handy to have Packed on whatsapp meaning you could as a question anytime and it was fairly informal too! I will definitely be recommending Packed to others!
They were so helpful and quick to respond. Provided me with a variety of options that were so nice and everything sorted.
Excellent service, very responsive and knowledgeable. Second time using these guys and all has gone well both times. Definitely recommend, see you again next year!
I approached Packed with a work project, searching for a Ski trip for 50 people. Right from the beginning the customer service was super, within a couple of days I had 2 trips that fitted the criteria perfectly. Due to the nature of my job I was unable to progress quickly and was back & forth with questions and requests, but nevertheless Ed Mellor continued to be professional, extremely helpful and patient. There was never a delay is receiving responses to my many emails.
Excellent response times, nice query too small and just made my life so much easier. Thank you!
Great team, great service. Will definitely use again.
I saw an advert on Instagram and thought it’d be worth a shout as I was having a hard time booking a ski trip for myself and 6 mates. From start to finish it was easy messaging through WhatsApp and they found brilliant deals for us. Would happily recommend to anyone thinking of using them. Ed was fantastic and super fast to reply and keep my up to date
Would absolutely recommend. It made booking a group holiday so much easier and completely removes the hassle. will definitely be using again.
I've booked with My Swft for the last 3 years, 4 holidays in total. This year was even better. The new online booking is really simple to be able to share with the group and get people to choose a location. Then everyone managing their own booking makes it even easier for the group leader!
Fantastic service for all aspects of the holiday. Made our leaves easy.
Very good service from the team at MySwft. Very responsive to messages and would highly recommend using them...I certainly will be again!
If you're after a quintessential Alpine resort that's dotted with idyllic chalets and cosy spots for a pint or three, St Anton doesn't disappoint. It's one of our team's favourite European resorts, and if you fancy escaping the UK over Christmas, you'll struggle to find somewhere that looks and feels more like a real-life Winter Wonderland.
As St Anton is spread out across the valley, its sheer size means there are countless amazing options on offer when it comes to eating, drinking and partying. Yet despite the sprawl, it's still possible to explore mostly on foot. Feeling a little worse for wear after a night out? There's always the option of hopping on a free bus back to your chalet.
St Anton additionally has a bounty of non-skiing activities up for grabs, from an indoor/outdoor swimming pool at the five-star Arlberg WellCom leisure complex to snowshoeing and paragliding in the wilderness. Got kids in tow? Don't skip taking a sleigh ride through the snow.
St Anton's après ski scene is the stuff of legend, making it a must-visit resort for those keen to let their hair down. Despite calling itself the "baddest" bar in the Arlberg, Mooserwirt is probably the most popular drinking hole on the slopes and where you'll see hundreds of pints being poured and plenty of table-top dancing to cheesy tunes.
Krazy Kanguruh (KKs for short) is also a St Anton staple and it's currently run by a former ski champion. The lively bar has kept skiers entertained and hydrated since 1965, plus it has a sun-drenched terrace with unbeatable views of the resort. Next door you'll find Taps, another fantastic après venue featuring a resident DJ and an ace happy hour from 3.30pm til 4.30pm. Expect to be "encouraged" on to the tables here too.
Not just acclaimed for its excellent après, St Anton also offers up a decent range of restaurants where you can tuck into mouth-watering dishes with mountain views.
Get a taste of the good life and some delicious Italian grub at Dolce Vita, a smart pizzeria in the heart of St Anton. Takeout joint Pizza Kebab House is ideal if you need to sober up after a heavy drinking session, if you're after somewhere a little posher, the restaurant at Hotel Raffl's has a decadent menu of gourmet goodies.
If you're searching for somewhere to grab a snack before you hit the resort's main après ski bars, Underground on the Piste opposite the Galzigbahn lift serves up tasty tapas. What's more, they have a happy hour from 3.30pm which includes a free shot of Schnapps with every drink. Nice.
Craving a curry? Skiing Buddha is the place to go for tasty Thai food and it's right next to the arl.rock sports complex if you fancy doing some indoor climbing or beating your mates at bowling. Elsewhere, cosy San Antonio makes delicious wood-fired pizzas.
Not just a buzzing place on the pistes, St Anton really comes alive as soon as the sun goes down.
Bar Cuba on Dorfstrasse is popular with Brits thanks to its great sports coverage and decent drinks deals. If you're missing your local boozer, Tom Dooley's Cafe at the Nasserein end of St Anton is the closest thing you'll find to an Irish pub in the Arlberg.
Like the sound of partying and pizza in the same venue? Head over to the Horny Bull which has DJs spinning sets til late, including nostalgic 90s themed nights on Tuesdays.
You could also show off your best dance moves at the silent discos at local-favourite Murrmel, watch live music and sip on specialty whiskies at Keller Bar, or have a classier night out drinking wine at Anthony's.
Keen to make the most of the powder on your St Anton ski trip? It's worth noting down a few places to grab a quick bite to eat right on the slopes to save yourself some time.
Enjoy the novelty of eating delicious ribs, burgers and pulled pork 2423m above sea level at Trittkop BBQ Station, the highest barbecue restaurant in the Alps. If a bunch of you have decided to make the journey over to Lech, fuel up at Rud Alpe, an idyllic chalet restaurant with epic views and a menu of wholesome and hearty Austrian dishes. Think Wiener schnitzel and apple strudel.
A little closer to St Anton at the top of the Nassereinbahn is where you'll spot Gampenrestaurant, a mountain hut eatery which only opened its doors in 2015. With its huge sun terrace, panoramic vistas, lively music and local cuisine, it's an ideal spot for a lazier lunch.
St Anton accommodation is definitely geared more towards your classic chalet experience. Expect to find plenty of excellent catered picks for all group sizes, with the largest able to sleep around 35 people. Our favourites include the traditional Chalet Rosanna in the centre of town, and the plush Chalet Fritz for top notch service.
Self-catered options are few and far between, but still possible to nab if you book early enough. They don't come much more luxurious than Chalet Bluebird, this beautiful chalet has its own private bar and outdoor hot tub, the perfect setting after a day on the slopes.
There are plenty of St Anton hotels to choose from, including numerous boutique-style chalet hotels. Highlights include the picturesque Hotel Alte Post (lauded for its friendly service and great spa), and the modern Hotel Pete which ticks all the boxes for a cosy boutique hotel. As a general rule, the closer you are to the heart of the resort, the steeper the prices get.
After some advice on the top St Anton chalets to hire? Send us a quick message and we'll sort you out with some solid suggestions.
Here's a slice of what's on offer to give you an idea:
