Feb half term in Austria

[ovariantryst]

Sorry - the ski season has ended so there's tumbleweed blowing around the Ski-ing section and I desperately need advice. Feel like I am going to be asking for the moon on a stick here, but... I'd like something like I imagine Powder Byrne service would be, but at a lower price, please!

I'm planning next year's half term ski holiday. It's a first for our family - I'm a passable skier and have been begging to go for years, but DH went skiing with school yonks ago somewhere nasty in the then-newly-opened-up Eastern Bloc and hated it. So I need to change his mind...

He's not a great flier so we're limited to resorts accessible from Salzburg as our local airport flies to there, and we also need childcare and ski lessons for dcs aged 9, 7 and 3.

My ideal hotel or whatever would be half board, have a hot tub and be next to the slopes. There would also be ice skating nearby and horse/sleigh rides, sledging, with some sort of evening babysitting so we can get time alone.

Does this magical place exist? I had a look at the Kiderhotel Ellmauhof but am concerned the childcare will not be English speaking - 3 yo might not cope? www.ellmauhof.at/en-index.html

All suggestions welcome, with thanks.

Have you checked out Mark Warner?

Would like that sort of thing but they don't fly from Exeter...

I went to a place called Katschberg last year. The hotel Kristallo had most of the things you require, but not all. I really liked it and the only reason we didn't go back this year is that it was fully booked by the time I tried to book. We went with Neilson, if I remember correctly.

Would very much recommend the kinderhotel experience.

We stayed in a different one but they all spoke excellent english at ours and was just brilliant for kids generally. Nothing was too much trouble and food was excellent too. In fact I'm considering the Ellmauhof for next trip.