Well, I've never been to Kitzbühel in the snow. But it seems extremely odd to me that, with the very beautiful natural surrounds of Kitzbühel, with the majestic Wilder Kaiser mountain range in the background and the impressive Hahnenkamm and Kitzbüheler Horn on opposite sides of the valley, ... Read review
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Advantages: Fantastic scenery, good transport links, not too expensive - if you know where to go... Disadvantages: Too tourist-oriented, expensive shops
Well, I've never been to Kitzbühel in the snow. But it seems extremely odd to me that, with the very beautiful natural surrounds of Kitzbühel, with the majestic Wilder Kaiser mountain range in the background and the impressive Hahnenkamm and Kitzbüheler Horn on opposite sides of the valley, the only interest some people have in them is throwing themselves down it on one or two small pieces of carbon fibre (or whatever it is they make snowboards and ... .../>
It took us three hours to climb up the Hahnenkamm, and I'm glad to say that for once we were not overtaken by any old German ladies steaming up there on zimmer frames. (It's happened before… far more frequently than I'd like to admit!!), but every second of it was well spent. Going to the cable-car station at the bottom of the Kitzbüheler and getting a Sommerfriepass is definitely a good idea - for a little over 50 Euros, you can have ... more
Well, I've never been to Kitzbühel in the snow. But it seems extremely odd to me that, with the very beautiful natural surrounds of Kitzbühel, with the majestic Wilder Kaiser mountain range in the background and the impressive Hahnenkamm and Kitzbüheler Horn on opposite sides of the valley, the only interest some people have in them is throwing themselves down it on one or two small pieces of carbon fibre (or whatever it is they make snowboards and skis out of these days). What's all the hurry?
It took us three hours to climb up the Hahnenkamm, and I'm glad to say that for once we were not overtaken by any old German ladies steaming up there on zimmer frames. (It's happened before… far more frequently than I'd like to admit!!), but every second of it was well spent. Going to the cable-car station at the bottom of the Kitzbüheler and getting a Sommerfriepass is definitely a good idea - for a little over 50 Euros, you can have unlimited access to all of the cable cars, gondolas, chairlifts, and buses in the Kitzbühel region (though you can only go on each ride once per day) for a week. And yes, if you get the winter version, it will give you access to the ski lifts too -but I expect it'll cost you a bit more than the summer pass.
In fact, once the skiing season starts, I suspect that everything goes up in price. Shopping-wise Kitzbühel very much caters for the rich and fashionable (i.e. more money than brains), and is quite limited for the rest of us. However, a quick bus ride to the nearby St Johann is all you need for a wider range of shops that are cheaper (this is important). I find that Kitzbühel is a little too tourist-oriented for my liking, though most of my family disagree. However, you get a much better reaction from the locals if you are prepared to at least try and speak a little German - though a lot of them speak English better than you do!
As far as facilities go, there are plenty of restaurants, cable cars, and a nice swimming pool. But a word of warning - until around the middle of June, many things are shut. We went at the end of May, and there were still a number of lifts and restaurants that would not be open for 3 or more weeks. A slight warning about the buses too - while they are very reliable and punctual, there aren't very many of them. Often there's only one per hour to a particular destination, and on bank holidays you can just forget it.
The hotels in the region vary, but we've mostly been very happy with the service, facilities, and food, and on our most recent visit we stayed at the Gasthof Hasslesberger (very close to the cablecar station at the bottom of the Hahnenkamm), which I would give 5 stars any day - it was superb in every way. We normally go for family-run 2/3 star establishments (we tend to go through Inghams, which we have found far better than Thompson, Chrystal, and Enterprise, the other tour operators that we've been to Austria with), and these normally provide just the right level of quality, inexpensiveness, and unobtrusiveness. (Ingham's reps tend to be less pushy than most too, but are there when you need them.)
If you want to go on a hiking / rambling holiday, Kitzbühel is perfect due to the wonderful surroundings and plentiful chair lifts etc if you find yourself suddenly too tired to walk down the mountain you've just climbed up. Obviously a good map is useful!
The weather in Austria is very variable, almost as temperamental at times as in England… This can be a bit of a nuisance as there's not a great deal to do and see in the town itself once you've had a look round a couple of times, but thankfully Kitzbühel has excellent access to transport links - most notably the train station, which can get you to Innsbruck, for instance, in little more than an hour.
Sadly, the evil that is McDonalds has infiltrated even this haven of natural beauty, but I guess that for some people this may even be a plus. (Much worse is that a large casino and even "Americ-style table dancing" has found its way there.) I think Austrian food is fantastic, but then I've got very cosmopolitan taste buds. It's also got rather a reputation for being vegetarian un-friendly, even though they have the most wonderful salads there. (Often the main meal salads - particularly the famous "Baurnsalat" [Farmer's salad] - do have meat with them as well.) There seem to be some attempts being made to introduce more vegetarian food in Kitzbühel, but it's not exactly a priority for them. Food is relatively inexpensive (at least before the main holiday season in July/August!), and you can always get a "Kaiser Brot", "Speck Brot", or "Shinken Brot" (literally "Cheese / Ham / Bacon Bread") cheaply. This might not sound appetising but can be very nice, basically just bread and cheese / meat, probably a bit of salad and gherkin on the side - try it even if the thought of it doesn't particularly inspire you, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised! Just as a side-note, in Austrai the bread tends to be rye bread, which doesn't taste quite like what you're probably used to. Another dish well worth trying is the Tirolean speciality, Tiroller Gröstl, which is a dish of fried ham and potatoes in herbs, typically served with a fried egg on top. As with most areas, if you want to find the best restaurants, look for the places the locals go to.
Another thing to be aware of is that most shops are shut between noon and three in the afternoon, and not many stay open late - none of this 24/7 (or nearly 24/7) opening that's becoming so prevalent in the UK and US!
Wheelchair access to the cable cars etc is amazingly good - certainly they must have improved it over the past few years since I've been there. Unfortunately, due to the fact that you are, after all, in the mountains, you may still find it rather difficult if you are disabled. Some of the mountain tracks are very narrow and can be quite steep, which can be a challenge even for able-bodied people! You know your limits better than anyone else, of course, but a bit of specific research into the area you're going to would be a good idea. You're travel agent / the Austrian tourist board should be able to help.
Well, that just about wraps up my review. I like Kitzbühel very much, my sister loves it to bits. To me there are enough negatives to prevent me from giving it a 5-star rating, but I'd still give anyone a recommendation to go there. It really depends what you want out of your holiday, of course, but I would say that for a hiking holiday without too many people around, your best bet is to go towards the end of May or in June, when most things will be open, and there won't be too many people around.
Advantages: Magnificent scenery. Disadvantages: Not a lot.
...height of the summer! Kitzbuhel is a small Austrian town situated high in the Austrian Alps in the famous Tyrol area of Austria, and probably best known for its famous downhill ski race which takes part here every winter season, and which attracts the cream of the world’s skiers. It’s about an hour and a quarter drive from the nearest main airport in the city of Salzburg. The drive from Salzburg itself is a memorable experience, with ... ...lake. But one thing that Kitzbuhel is not short of is hotels, guesthouses, pensions and hostels, and anyone planning a visit could very easily arrange their own accommodation over the telephone or Internet without having to pay a commission to a travel agent. I had been a bit apprehensive about the holiday because of the terrible rain and flooding in this part of the world just prior to our departure date, and true to form it absolutely chucked it ...
the_mad_cabbie 11.09.2002 (01.10.2002)
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Advantages: The scenary, the mountains, the food, the air - everything! Disadvantages: If you are not a walker, you maybe could get bored - nah! It sometimes rains
...St. Moritz? Aspen? Pah! Kitzbuhel is 'the' mountain destination to be.
The town is situated in the Tyrolean region of Austria midway between Innsbruck and Salzburg. It's 800m above sea level and nestles between the Kitzbuheler Alps and the Wilder Kaiser mountains, which dominate the area. It's the sort of place that is so beautiful it takes your breath away and brings tears to your eyes - and tears of sadness as you leave.
I was fortunate to stay ... ...I will definitely return. Kitzbuhel is famous for skiing, winter sports and the exciting Hahnenkamm downhill event every January, but we were there from the 27th of August. The sun was shining through a blue sky and the only snow to be seen was a sprinkling on the highest mountain tops.
The town itself oozes class and sophistication. It dates back some 700 years and the old walled centre with it's quaint cobbled streets, picturesque buildings and ...
Sexy-Kay 29.09.2003
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Advantages: Great skiing for intermediates, fantastic night life, brilliant resort Disadvantages: Some queuing for lifts, crowded buses
...how much had changed.
Kitzbuhel is a world famous resort situated in the Tirol, Austria. It is a charming place with cobblestone streets and painted buildings. The resort itself is not very high lying at only 2,600 feet above sea level but still has a pretty good snow record, we were really lucky as all the pistes were open and snow conditions were truly excellent.
We booked the holiday with Cristal holidays, flying from Gatwick to Salzburg on ... ...for most people in the Kitzbuhel area.
There are plenty of other things to do in Kitzbuhel if you don't like skiing, you can ride in a horse drawn carriage through the town, swim in the aquarina, shopping or sampling the excellent Austrian cakes and pastries. I would definitely recommend our hotel, the Sonnenhof, a traditional establishment run by Wolfgang and his efficient and friendly staff. The rooms were spacious and comfortable and the food ...
Mikew79 12.03.2006
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Advantages: Good Slopes, Good Bars, Short airport Transfer Disadvantages: Dated Ski Lift System
...march is risky and with Kitzbuhel being at 'low-level' I was worried. The amount of snow seemed to suprise even the locals.
Pistes of varying degrees of difficulty were well kept, but changed in difficultly with every corner, which made it great fun for the more experienced of us, but hard going for begginers.
There were a lot of 'Tracks' which were very flat in places and walking was common, Snowboarders beware! The lift system was also very dated, ... ...early to avoid the queue. Other lifts were very old and badly needed updating , slow 1 and 2 man chairs still operate here , hammering the back of your legs when you try to get on. (it does seem that they are trying to modernise), but this takes time.
The village was lovely and shops and bars were good quality but pricey. The swimming /spa was very good, with slides etc for the kids and a great range of relaxation for those tired muscles.
NOTE-This ...
wompie99 26.06.2005
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Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
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Advantages: one of the best ski resorts in Europe Disadvantages: none that I am aware of
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