The Inghams Ski Vacation Expertise

fifteenth March 2026 | Jane Peel, St Anton. Austria

We’re additionally followers of chalet holidays and we opted for an ‘Inghams Alternative’ chalet within the Austrian resort of St Anton.

Chalet Albona is certainly one of 4 10-person chalets within the Mountain Lodge constructing.

The chalets share a spa with a small pool, sauna, steam room and leisure space.

The lodging is simply over half a mile up the hill from the centre of the city.

Far sufficient from get together central on this legendary après ski resort if you happen to’re after a little bit of peace and quiet.

Shut sufficient to stroll or hop on the free bus to the various bars, eating places and ski lifts.

Trying down the hill to the Rendl ski space of St Anton. Picture © PlanetSKI

St Anton is within the west of Austria and a part of Arlberg, the most important lift-linked ski space within the nation.

Ski Arlberg contains:

St AntonSt ChristophLechStubenZürs Warth -Schröcken

It’s additionally certainly one of Austria’s most snowsure areas.

St Anton, Austria. Picture © PlanetSKI

With winters turning into more and more unpredictable, snow reliability is among the key standards I take into account once I’m reserving a visit effectively prematurely of my journey date.

But when the white stuff is severely missing, Inghams supply a snow assure.

If lower than 25% of a resort’s deliberate runs are open, they’ll take their visitors to a close-by resort to ski.

No want for that on my March vacation, I’m glad to say.

Just a few weeks earlier, there’d been an enormous dump of snow right here and throughout the Alps.

Whereas the temperatures had shot up since – and it stayed heat and largely sunny throughout our week’s keep – the protection on the pistes in the entire space was greater than satisfactory.

Zürs, Austria. Picture © PlanetSKI

Sure, a few of the decrease runs may very well be heavy, mogully and porridge-like…

Bumpy, heavy snow in St Anton. Picture © PlanetSKI

…..however there was loads of wonderful snowboarding to be discovered.

On piste, at the least.

Not tough for a ski space with 300km of marked runs.

We lined an enormous quantity of terrain in six days.

From one finish of the piste map to the opposite.

The highest of the Kriegerhorn carry, at one finish of the piste map. Picture © PlanetSKI

One of many many wonderful black runs in Warth, on the different finish of the piste map. Picture © PlanetSKI

Selecting the place to go – and when – was made tremendous simple, due to the Inghams ‘Vacation spot Consultants’.

The one who’s taking care of visitors within the Mountain Lodge chalets this season is Aaron Carloss, a pleasant and educated Aussie.

Jane with Aaron Carloss, Inghams Vacation spot Professional in St Anton. Picture © PlanetSKI

Each morning, earlier than breakfast, Aaron or one of many different Vacation spot Consultants, sends an in depth message by way of WhatsApp to all Inghams visitors in resort.

It provides the climate forecast, recommendation on the place to go for the perfect snowboarding or snowboarding of the day and the best way to get there.

Proper all the way down to which lifts and runs you’ll must take and proposals for routes, relying in your chosen problem of slopes.

Favorite lunch spots.

And a lot extra.

Even strolling routes and concepts for different actions for non-skiers.

Recommendation from Inghams Vacation spot Consultants by way of WhatsApp. Picture © PlanetSKI

“I’d say my key position is to be sure to guys get probably the most of your vacation and also you don’t miss out on something,” Aaron tells me.

“We go exhausting on studying as a lot of the piste map and all the data as we will.

“We all know it may be slightly bit overwhelming, particularly with such an enormous ski space.

“Folks spend heaps of cash getting right here and we don’t need them simply snowboarding the native space as a result of they don’t know their method round.”

Lech, Austria. Picture © PlanetSKI

I’ve by no means come throughout something just like the Inghams WhatsApp Group earlier than.

Over our bacon and eggs, we avidly devoured the Vacation spot Consultants’ newest ideas.

We adopted them day by day and weren’t as soon as upset.

Following the Inghams suggestions, St Anton. Picture © PlanetSKI

Following the Inghams suggestions, Stuben. Picture © PlanetSKI

Following the Inghams suggestions.  Picture © PlanetSKI

It’s not a shock to listen to from the Inghams’ Resort Supervisor, Neil Murphy, that the WhatsApp Group is an enormous hit with clients.

Neil has been based mostly in St Anton for 10 years and takes care of Inghams visitors in resort in each winter and summer time.

“We’ve been doing it right here for at the least 4 years,” he tells me.

“The suggestions has been excellent. It does take up a little bit of time but it surely’s time effectively spent.”

Neil Murphy, Inghams Resort Supervisor. Picture c/o Neil Murphy

Subsequent season, the Mountain Lodge chalets will not be supplied by Inghams because the house owners have offered the constructing.

Particulars on any new properties aren’t but out there.

However Inghams have two different chalets in St Anton (in addition to locations in 4 accommodations within the city).

Their chalets have all the time been standard.

“Our hosts get quite a lot of credit score for that, they’re certainly one of our huge wins,” Neil says.

“Most are aged 18 to 26 and, since Brexit, we’ve had quite a bit from Australia, New Zealand and Eire.”

Like Ashlee, a Kiwi who takes care of us in Chalet Albona, with assist from one of many Inghams ‘flexi-hosts’ who transfer from chalet to chalet.

Ashlee (proper) & flexi-host Cecily. Picture © PlanetSKI

The hosts present cooked breakfast (continental on their time without work), do-it-yourself cake for afternoon tea and four-course dinners six days per week.

To not point out pre-dinner apéritifs and a choice of good high quality wines or beer on demand all through your meal.

These with wholesome appetites is not going to go wanting.

Set for dinner at Chalet Albona. Picture © PlanetSKI

I significantly loved the starters……

Thai-style soup. Picture © PlanetSKI

And the cheese course….

Cheese course. Picture © PlanetSKI

Being fed within the casual and relaxed setting of a chalet, relatively than a lodge, is among the causes I like this sort of vacation.

One other is assembly individuals from all walks of life.

Among the many Chalet Albona visitors have been a wildlife TV collection producer, a former NHS commissioner, a software program engineer, a former headteacher, a fly-fishing teacher and a person hoping to get his first novel revealed.

Three had been to St Anton with Inghams earlier than – one as not too long ago as December.

Returning visitors are a positive signal that they’re doing one thing proper.

We’ve had quite a lot of nice chalet holidays over time however the individuals we shared this one with have been exceptionally good firm.

Group Chalet Albona. Picture © PlanetSKI

Dominic, Jo & Simon, Chalet Albona visitors. Picture © PlanetSKI

Lastly, I can’t finish this text with out mentioning ski rent.

You possibly can order your rental skis by way of Inghams however I booked mine on-line straight with Intersport which gives huge reductions to PlanetSKI readers.

There are a number of Intersport shops in St Anton.

I used Intersport at Galzigbahn, conveniently positioned proper subsequent to the Galzig carry on the foot of blue run 50.

Intersport Galzigbahn, St Anton. Picture © PlanetSKI

I booked top-end ‘superior’ skis.

I selected Nordica Santa Ana 92 all-mountain skis, figuring out I may change them as typically as I needed in the event that they didn’t go well with the circumstances.

Establishing my skis at Intersport Arlberg in St Anton. Picture © PlanetSKI

I took benefit of the ski and boot storage on the store so I didn’t must haul the whole lot again to the chalet on the finish of the ski day.

Ski & boot storage at Intersport Galzigbahn. Picture © PlanetSKI

Because it turned out, I didn’t want to alter my skis.

The Nordicas have been excellent on grippy, groomed pistes, on heavy, bumpy snow and on moist slush.

Jane together with her Intersport rental skis. Picture © PlanetSKI

Thanks Inghams, thanks Intersport and because of all the brand new buddies James and I made in Chalet Albona.

MORE INFORMATION

Inghams has been offering ski and out of doors holidays since 1934.

Inghams Ski runs winter holidays in additional than 80 resorts throughout 8 nations.Inghams Strolling has stay-and-walk holidays in 75 resorts in 8 nations.Inghams Lapland gives journeys to discover Finnish Lapland.

Journey with Inghams to St Anton is from quite a lot of UK airports with coach transfers from Innsbruck airport included (apx 1hr 30 minutes).  You may as well decide to journey by prepare from London St Pancras to St Anton (with switch to your lodging included) or organize a self-drive bundle inclusive of ferry crossings.

Intersport rental gear:

PlanetSKI: Number one for digital ski information

Your digital platform for ski information, resort data, journey, gear rental, sport, cash saving offers and the whole lot linked with snowsports – website online, social media & extra.