Obergurgl Information

Apres-ski

There's a choice of traditional jolly Austrian après ski or more sophisticated lounge bar soirees at Obergurgl – in either case you're most likely to find yourself in a hotel bar of one sort or another.

Toni's Almhütte in the Hotel Olymp (tel: +43 5256 6491; www.olymphotel.at) is a favourite spot when the lifts close. Located on the slopes, the bar is housed within an atmospheric 400-year-old building.

For something a little different, the Nederhütte (tel: +43 664 400 7149; www.nederhuette.at) provides a spectacular après-ski show where the owner and his family play different instruments and sing.

Other activities include bowling or a trip down the toboggan run from the Hochgurglbahn top station.

Eating out

In the evenings, most of Obergurgl's 20 or so dining options are to be found within hotels. Tyrolean specialities are the norm, but being this close to Italy means that pizza and pasta are also a local forte.

The Restaurant Romantika in the Hotel Madeleine (tel: +43 525 663 550) is a top choice for pizza with its own wood-fired pizza ovens, while Salz & Pfeffer (tel: +43 5256 6454; www.thecrystal.at) in the Crystal hotel is a good choice for Austrian delicacies and international cuisine.

A weekly event that usually draws the crowds is the Wednesday night show at the Hohe Mut Alm (tel: +43 525 663 9632; www.hohemutalm.at) combining live music with fondue.

During the daytime, a visit to the Top Mountain Star restaurant, some 3,000m (9,843ft) above sea level at the top of the Wurmogel lift is a must. Here spectacular views are paired with high calibre cuisine. The restaurant is run by the 5-star Top Hotel in Hochgurgl (www.tophotelhochgurgl.com).

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

Obergurgl's off-slope activities are dominated to some extent by the 4- and 5-star hotels, nearly all of which offer their own swimming pool and often a range of spa facilities. So for many people, it is a case of skiing all day and then relaxing in their hotel in the evening.

Other attractions in the resort include a bowling alley, darts, billiards, indoor golf and a library. Outdoors, there's ice skating, curling, horse riding, snowshoe hikes and 13km (8 miles) of cleared winter paths for rambling. There are also a number of cross-country trails to explore in the area.

One of the resort's quirkier attractions is the Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum, which is the highest motorbike museum in Europe. It's located within the large Top Mountain Crosspoint building which opened in 2015 to serve as both a toll station for the summer road crossing into Italy – popular with bikers – and as the base station for a gondola access lift.

Family fun

As befits a classic ski resort, Obergurgl has a natural, wholesome ambience that is perfect for families. On the slopes, the comfortable and fast lift network minimises stressful situations, while off the slopes most of the hotels are well equipped for families with good facilities, including swimming pools. As an added bonus, the busy high pass road to Italy closes during winter, meaning there's no fast through traffic to worry about.

There's no nursery provision, although those aged three and up are welcome at Bobo's Kinder-Club (tel: +43 5256 6305; www.skischule-obergurgl.com), which is the ski kindergarten organised by the ski school. Children aged five and over can join the main ski school.

Retail therapy

Shopping options are limited at the resort, with only a dozen or so shops in Obergurgl, most of which sell sportswear and equipment.

There are a handful of boutiques, however, as well as a grocery store (tel: +43 5256 6309), a hairdresser, a post office (with ATM) and several souvenir outlets. More serious shoppers will need to make the pilgrimage down the valley to Innsbruck for more extensive options.

Splashing out

Brush up on your golfing at 2,200m (7,217ft) above sea level in the golf park owned by the Hotel Riml in Hochgurgl (tel: +43 5256 6261; www.hotel-riml.com). The high-tech indoor facility caters for all ability levels, from complete beginners to professionals. Golfers can improve their swing in front of screens displaying a choice of 54 of the most beautiful golf courses in the world or test their nerve on the putting green. After a good round or two, relax in the Putt-in rustic golf bar on site.

Hotels

Obergurgl is a traditional-style village where most accommodation options exist in the form of hotels and apartments. The hotels in Obergurgl are of a high quality, most of them being 4-star rated or above.

Luxury

Moderate

Cheap