By Gail Hepburn

Overview
Solden has long been a favourite resort amongst Austrian, Dutch and Scandinavian communities yet is still relatively unknown to the UK market compared to other parts of the infamous Tirol.  Set in the Oeztal region an hour from Innsbruck airport, this resort offers a vast skiing area of over 150km whilst the 2 glacial areas of Rettenbach and Tiefenbach provide excellent year round snow terrain.  Topped up by meticulous day and night piste grooming, warm south facing slopes, an abundance of high tech snow making facilities and 34 modern lifts capable of transporting up to 70 000 passengers per hour, Solden is without doubt a ski destination of choice.   

Orientation
With Airport transfers from Innsbruck starting at 115 euros per person per trip, car rental may make more sense.   The route is fairly straightforward and follows the main Inn valley motorway up to the junction at Haiming before heading south onto the mountain road through the Oetz valley.  Make sure your vehicle has winter tyres/ snow chains and a compulsory motorway toll vignette – Austrian traffic police will happily issue on the spot fines even to non observant tourists! 

Alternatively if you have more time, do make use of the excellent and carbon friendly public transport links.  Bus F direct to the main train station departs every 15 minutes from in front of the arrival hall and costs 1,60 euro.  At the Hauptbahnhof transfer to a train to Oetztal, approximately 40 minutes before finally catching the 4194 bus to Solden (end destination Obergurgl zentrum) from outside the station.   You can buy a combined ticket for both which should cost around 15 euros.  The whole journey usually takes about 2 to 3 hrs and despite several changes is run efficiently and on time – in fact friendly bus drivers wait for incoming and outgoing train passengers to ensure everyone makes their final destination.

The town itself is straightforward and runs along a river valley.  The upper Oeztal valley starts at approximately 1km before you reach Soelden and includes the hamlets of HochSoelden, Zweiselstein and Vent.  Accommodations in the centre are conveniently split into numbered alphabetical zones which make navigation quite straightforward.

The Slopes
The resort is split into 3 main mountain areas and high speed access is from a choice of two cable cars at either end of the town, Gaislachkogl Tal or Giggijoch. The best slopes and snow are up the mountain where an abundance of long, wide but technically easy slopes await.

Beginners and improvers should head to the Giggijoch for immediate access to a large domain of smooth blues and reds and the main meeting point for many of the ski schools.  Choose from the Silberbruennl, Hainbachkar or high speed 8 person Giggijoch chairlifts for access to the excellent blue 13 and 15 which although steep, are splendidly groomed, sunny and incredibly wide, providing the perfect playground for improvers to master their parallels or fall in heap, whatever the case maybe! 

From Rotkoglijoch at the top of the 8 man lift and ideally early in the day, head over to the glacial areas using the Seekogl lift.  It’s a bit of a gondola/chairlift expedition to reach the high altitude peaks of Retten and Tiefenbach but the snow conditions and stunning views en route are worth the effort alone.   The lift queues are quick, on the whole orderly and once in this area, you will have plenty of fun.   Choose from several yet again wide and immaculately bashed pistes including the awesome 11km long no. 38.  Do remember the altitude – always colder and often with regular high cloud and snowfall.  

From the base of blue no. 33 return to Giggijoch using the gondola system or follow directions to Gaislachkogl along the long and shaded no.30 piste around the side of the mountain.  Maintain speed on this fairly flat snowboarder free route and you will eventually meet with a very short section of easy red before reaching the 5 man chairlift back to Rotkogljoch.

When conditions are good there are some excellent slopes accessible from the Gaislachkogl lift.  Good improvers should head directly to the top to encounter the no.1 red piste – a brilliant slope but long enough to create serious leg burn even in seasoned skiers!  Those less confident will find plenty of options around Mittelstation or head east using the three man Wasserkar lift for some great lunch options.  All directions eventually meet with the blue no.8 leading back to town but do expect crowds and slush like conditions on the last stretch.

The town
The town is by no means picture perfect but offers a healthy abundance of accommodation and hospitality options to suit all tastes and budgets.    Most hotels offer half board on request or simply opt for reasonably priced local restaurants –unfortunately no Michelin stars here but in recent years dining options have substantially improved to cater for modern tastes! There are plenty of bars and clubs for renowned Austrian après ski action both on and off the mountain whilst Wednesday offers night skiing in the Gaislachkogl lift area with fantastic formation and firework displays organised by the local ski schools. Most hotel packages include free admittance into the Freizeit Arena leisure centre for swimming, steam and sauna fun – don’t miss the underwater massage jets perfect for weary legs.  Children will love the Haflinger horse carriage rides or why not partake in an organised evening floodlit toboggan run –local shuttle buses run Monday to Friday from Solden.

Our recommendations

On the Mountain
Whilst there are plenty of large, clean and modern self service options at all the major lift areas, head to the alm houses for a more traditional experience.  Loeple Alm and Heide Alm were personal favourites, popular with the locals and Austrian glitteri and offer traditional home cooked Tyrolean fare.   Accessible from the no.2 blue on Gaislachkogl and both lead to the no.8 back to town.

In town
The Salino restaurant on Dorfstrasse, heading out of town away from the Giggijoch lift offers great value traditional food and pizza.  Always very popular so do book in advance.

Returning to the centre, the 4 star Hotel Rosengarten has quality rooms above a great restaurant, La Tavola.   Repeating the Italian theme found in so many of Soelden’s establishments, this place offers great pizza and locally sourced meat dishes within a modern bistro style eatery.

The Grizzly bar, part of the Hotel Tyrolerhof complex on Dorfstrasse is a charming option in which to unwind in front of a traditional open fire and a worthy distraction from the boisterous après ski bars.  Great local brews and simple bar food amid cosy surroundings.

The luxurious 5 star Central Spa Hotel is by far the best hotel in town and offers a wellness experience in their lavish and rather unique ‘Waterworld Venezia’!  Without doubt several great steam and sauna facilities alongside enticing waterbeds in the Asia relaxation room but does one really need a gondola in the indoor pool?