Austria - hour or so from Innsbruck - at Christmas

[captainbarnacle]

Been given the job to find us somewhere to stay over the Christmas period. In Austria, so OH can drive from work and meet me and the three DC (6, 4, 1) at the airport. OH snowboards, two eldest have had one week of ski school in France last Christmas. Don't need childcare as the main aim if the week is for us all to be together. Looking for self catering, 2 bed chalet/apartment. Have never been to Austria before, so would appreciate some areas to start my search!

Thanks.

Hi I've been to Zell am See in Austria. A bit further away from Innsbruck than you want maybe. It's a lovely quaint wee town, centre of the town is 10 mins walking to the lifts. Ski school good. Friendly hotels, lovely people. I would recommend it.
But I've just booked new year week, and a lot of places booked up already.
Hth.

Only just seen this so maybe a bit late. Try Serfaus a nice small resort with decent size ski area & good children's ski school. Alternatively (but not been there) Obergurgl or Solden. Alpbach also nice small resort with new link to adjacent resort this winter.

lapse mentioned Sölden, in Ötztal - I can really recommend the area, although we went there last year in the summer, not winter. But it's a stunningly beautiful place, with excellent tourist infrastructure and a brilliant network of lifts throughout the mountains. There's a really good 'all included' card you can get for 7 days (or 3 or 10 if you want) which includes all the lifts, plus access to the indoor swimming pools and spas.

www.soelden.com/main/EN/SD/WI/index.html

We thought the tourist information was pretty competent with advice, but I'm not sure how good their English is, as we spoke German.

One thing that might be an issue is that it's really the back of beyond - a whole hour from the Autobahn, down a long valley road.

Oh, and Sölden has a rather incongruous girlie bar on the main street. Doesn't really fit in with the rest of the atmosphere.