We arrive at Zurich Airport am Sat 14 Jan 2006. We being a 43 yr old
Australian, his 42 year old wife, a 15 yr old daughter and a 13 year
old son.

We have had about 10 holdidays skiing and ski at intermediate level.
Father, Mother and daughter ski, son wants to learn snowboarding on
this trip.

Our dilema is that the following week from 21 - 28 Jan 2006 we are
based at St Anton with friends skiing and so the question is where do
we go first week.

Previously we have been at Wengen, Courcheval, Les Gets, Lech,
Whistler and various New Zealand/Australian resorts.

The factors influencing our choice are:-
snow reliability - when you come 12,000 kms to ski it is VERY
disappointing if poor snow
sun - north facing shaded resorts would be hard to take
luxury - we enjoy fine food and nice accommodation. we are not "people
who have to be seen / fashion followers" but we like quality and are
prepared to pay for it when required
We also have annual family Swiss rail passes meaning that if we move
by train from Zurich to the resort and on from the resort to St Anton
by train it is good value. (Basically each adult pays 50% of normal
fair and the two kids travel free)
Our preference by country is probably 1) Switzerland 2) Austria or 3)=
France/Italy though they sound a bit far from the Zurich-St Anton
axis(?).

One of the key issues is the transfer. We will go to this place from
Zurich and will then go from this resort to St Anton. A resort like
Zermatt in Switzerland which might rate well on our list of things we
are looking for would be a transfer nightmare. Long trip from Zurich
to Zermatt and horror trip from Zermatt to St Anton (or that is my
assesment from what I can see?)

Given all of this background which resort would you be skiing at for a
week in Jan 2006 if you arrived at Zurich and then had to transfer to
St Anton in Austria??

Many thanks

The advantage of resorts in the Zermatt and Saas Fee area is, that the
mountains are really high, that's why you could ski even in summer in
Zermatt..therefore snow conditions are best there.

But travelling from Zurich to Zermatt is definitly too tiring.
Therefore I would suggest you two destinations:

1. Pontresina (http://www.pontresina.com/011stm_00_en.htm)
From Zurich Airport you can be in Pontresina in 3:44 hours. The
village is a little paradise and the skiing resorts are very good and
Piz Bernina is the highest mountain of the area. Besides this St.
Moritz (where the winter olympics happened once) is very close.

2. Engelberg (http://www.engelberg.ch/en/Winter/index.php)
The village with its very old monastery is dominated by the mountain
Titlis (one of the last James Bond movies started there...). Titlis is
3000 meters high, you will never again forget your first descent from
the peak!
Advantage of Engelberg: by train in 2 and half hour you would be there.

The trip to St. Anton would be 4 hours from Pontresina and 5 hours from Engelberg.

I could send you train timetables in detail if needed. Tell me if you
need further informations.

Let me know if you take this as an answer to your question.

Daniele,

Thank you for your answer. Yes I do take this as an answer. What I was
chasing was a couple of resort names and that is exactly what you have
given me.

Daniele,

Thank you for your answer. Yes I do take this as an answer. What I was
chasing was a couple of well chosen resort names and that is exactly
what you have given me.

Having done a bit of browsing I have not yet concluded which one to go for. 

Though coming from Australia we will have had a couple of days in
London recuperating so whether we travel 2hrs or 3.44hrs from Zurich
to the resort is not so much of a drama. As a result I am indifferent
as to which resort and would be interested in you suggesting which of
the two you would go for.

Pontresina

Review I read at http://www.travel-library.com/skiresorts/europe/switzerland/pontresina/
said

?Pontresina is situated in the highest-altitude valley near the Upper
Engadine, and is protected from the wind with beautiful sunny views
and is surrounded by dense woods. There are a good variety of runs,
with plenty of on-pistes for beginners and intermediates, as well as
some excellent off-pistes and black runs for experts and snow
boarders.

The village itself is a traditional Alpine village that retains much
of its old charm. The Apres Ski Scene is a little on the quiet side,
with most of the nightlife being restaurant; bar; and hotel based.
This is a great place for the whole family to have an unforgettable
ski holiday.

Nearby Attractions: There are a few other attractions in and near
Pontresina that are worth checking out when you're not in the mood to
do some skiing. A good place to start is the Museum of the Alps, which
houses exhibitions on the development of tourism; hunting; wildlife;
the Alps; and the history of the people living in the Alps.

Another sight worth checking out is the small Santa Maria mountain
church, which dates back to the 13th century. Guided tours of
Pontresina are also on offer and are highly recommended for first time
visitors, the tours take you through the villages to see all the
historic buildings and attractions.

Aprés-Ski: Pontresina is a little more laid back than some of the
other Swiss ski resorts, and has a slightly quieter Apres Ski scene

The nightlife is lively, but a bit limited with most of it being based
in the hotels, and only a few bars

There are a wide range of excellent restaurants that serve local and
international cuisine.?



I saw this accommodation recommendation for Pontresina
http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=graubunden@600&cur_section=lod&property_id=96588


Engelberg

?Engelberg is a beautiful and traditional Alpine village, which has
remained largely unspoilt. It is quite isolated and isn't linked to
any other resorts, which is great if you're looking for a skiing
holiday away from all the crowds. Engelberg has 82km of marked pistes
and also has one of the biggest vertical descents in the world at
2000m.

The on piste skiing is main for intermediates, with only limited
choices for beginners. Experts have some of the best off-piste
options, especially the Laub fulfils. The Apres Ski scene is a little
limited, but still lively and a whole lot of fun. There are also a
number of non-skiing activities on offer.

Nearby Attractions: Engelberg has many activities on offer for those
who feel like taking a break from skiing. Some of the cultural
sightseeing highlights include the Valley Museum, which has a range of
exhibits on the history of life in the valley; the Benedictine
Monastery, which dates back to 1120; the Cheese Factory; and the Manor
house.

For those who are looking for an adventure hang gliding and
paragliding are also on offer.

Aprés-Ski: The lively and fun Apres Ski scene in Engelberg offers a
wide range of shopping opportunities, as well as a sports centre and
gym; a swimming pool; an ice rink; and a sauna. The nightlife in
Engelberg is a bit limited, but both lively and fun.

There are a few bars and nightclubs, the pick of which are Birl Alp;
Engel Pub; and Spindle Bar. There are also a number of excellent
restaurants that serve a wide range of local and international
cuisine, some to try out are Rosti Haus; Hotel Engel; and Banklialp.?

I saw this accommodation recommendation for Engelberg
http://www.thisistravel.co.uk/travel/accommodation/hotel.html?in_article_id=28987&in_page_id=101

Your recommendation??

In summary I would be interested in your telling me which resort would
be your choice and which 3 star accommodation hotel in that resort
would be your choice.

Many thanks from Oz

Thanks for your e-mail on most suitable accommodation in Engelberg
with convenience to slopes - which I can answer as follows.
 
The hotel Cathrin is situated near the Titlis cable car station.
The hotel Trübseehof is situated up on 1800 m on Trübsee. There you
have ski in and ski out.
The hotel Waldegg is situated at the end of the downhill from Brunni
to Engelberg. Please note that this downhill run is open only for a
few weeks.
All the other hotels are either situated in the center of Engelberg or
near a bus station. The bus is running from different station to the
Titlis cable car station.
 
More information you can find on our accommodation list, which we send
you by post or on our website.
http://www.engelberg.ch/en/Schlafen___Essen/Hotels/index.php
 
If you have more questions do not hesitate to contact us.
 
Best regards,

Claudia Della Torre
ENGELBERG-TITLIS TOURISMUS AG
Tourist Center
Klosterstrasse 3 - CH-6390 Engelberg
Tel. +41 (0)41 639 77 77
Fax +41 (0)41 639 77 66
welcome@engelberg.ch