Kitzbühel , Austria

Every keen skier has heard of Kitzbuhel and its famous Hahnenkamm downhill run. So what else can we tell you? It has its own 158km of runs, but nearly 700km if you include all the associated 'Kitzbuheler Alpen' resorts. The resort also offers a huge range of attractions - lots of cross-country, reasonable boarder facilities (but lots of draglifts), great intermediate and expert skiing, plenty of off-piste including challenging moguls for better skiers, a wide variety of terrain and slopes, great nightlife, accommodation for all budgets, excellent restaurants on and off the snow, short transfers and attractive buildings.

Of course there are a few disadvantages, some of which can slightly undermine the skiing/boarding. The snow record is poor and low altitude pistes, even with loads of snowmaking, can suffer. Because Kitzbuhel is so well-known, there can be long queues and crowds, even though lifts have been updated. Advanced skiers don't have much tough terrain. Kids don't get a great deal to play with, as non-skiing children have no kindergarten.

Finally, the resort itself is a bit of a sprawler and access to the slopes is inconvenient, even though the bus service is free and efficient. It's worth checking the location of your destination before you book.

Overall, Kitzbuhel still offers plenty of magic and, even if the total ski experience has a few stumbling blocks, there is always the town to play in…

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