Bad Hofgastein Ski Holidays
Bad Hofgastein along with Bad Gastein and Dorfgastein form part of the serene and peaceful Gastein valley. The Gastein valley takes its pride in being a self-styled “winter sports paradise” that offers a ton of skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing possibilities. The Gastein Valley and all the ski areas within it are part of the massive Ski amadé region in Austria which has up to 760 kilometres of slopes across 356 pistes which are all interconnected via a 270 lift network. The local Gastien ski area has an impressive 198 kilometres of pistes; most of which are wide open long runs. Beginners and intermediate skiers get a large share of the slopes but advanced people need not worry as there are a number of challenging blacks and several off-piste opportunities. The connection to the Ski amadé ski area also opens up an insurmountable number of possibilities for more advanced pistes across the ski area.
Bad Hofgastein was the first settlement in the area and is where the ski areas in the valley originally spread out. It is now a lovely charming community with snowsports valued at its core. Perfect for a family holiday, it has a wealth of activities both on and off the slopes and is also reputed for its numerous spas and wellness centres. Its reputation as a spa resort is well-deserved thanks to the Alpentherme wellness centre as well as the Thermal Hotels located in Bad Hofgastein.
Bad Hofgastein was the first settlement in the area and is where the ski areas in the valley originally spread out. It is now a lovely charming community with snowsports valued at its core. Perfect for a family holiday, it has a wealth of activities both on and off the slopes and is also reputed for its numerous spas and wellness centres. Its reputation as a spa resort is well-deserved thanks to the Alpentherme wellness centre as well as the Thermal Hotels located in Bad Hofgastein.
It is also surrounded by stunning mountain views and is very popular for the hiking trails that lead all through the region. With most of the hiking taking place in the warmer months, the area still boasts an exciting selection of winter trails through the winter wonderland of the Gasteinertal, some of which are great for families as well.
The resort has a calm and relaxed feel to it. It is filled with an authentic Austrian charm which is accentuated by its old traditional buildings and cobbled streets within the resort centre. In comparison to other resorts in Austria, the Apres ski is a lowkey affair made up of bars, restaurants and cafes but there is still a lot of merrymaking in the village.
The main ski mountain at Bad Hofgastein is the Schlossalm which peaks at just over 2,000 metres. The Ski Centre Angerta sits lower at 1,175 metres. A significant amount of the slopes are north west facing allowing for great conditions on the pistes. The terrain on the Schlossalm is a mix of wide open slopes and forest runs.
The ski area in the Bad Hofgastein area is on the Schlossalm which also has lift connections with Bad Gastein. The ski area within the Gastein area is also linked by an efficient bus service that can transport skiers to Bad Gastein, Dorfgastein and the Grosarl ski area. The Sport Gastein is an additional ski area within the Gasteinertal ski area, and it has the highest slopes in the area peaking at 2,686 metres altitude.
Beginners are best off starting on the gentle nursery slopes at Angertal ( They can access the Angertal via shuttle bus) which is designated for new learners and skiers still trying to improve and gain confidence. If they are feeling up for the test, they can head over to the Schlossalm or Stubnerkogel and try out the easy long blues.
Intermediate skiers have a ton of fun at Bad Hofgastein and the Gastein Valley in general. Home to the longest ski run in the Central Eastern Alps, the Hohe Scharte North is a long red that stretches 10.5 kilometres with a starting point at 2,300 metres. It’s a sharp descent and curve just below Sclossalm’s Kleine Scharte before leading all the way back to the resort; an inviting challenge to any intermediate skiers visiting the region. Try the long reds on the Stubnerkogel or even head over to Kreuzkogel on your Ski amade ski pass for high altitude fun at 2,686 metres.
Advanced skiers will naturally gravitate towards the Graukogel for its challenging black runs. There are also a number of challenging steep reds on Kreuzkogel as well as fantastic off-piste opportunities; but please remember to take a guide on off-piste routes.
The Gastein Valley is a haven for snowboarding with the FIS Snowboard World Cup Race taking place annually in Bad Gastein with up 100 pro snowboarders taking part. Terrain speaking, it's great! Freestylers should take the mountain lifts to the Funpark ``Boarder's Paradise" on the Dorfgastein - Grossarl link, you will find it on the Grossarl-side, near to piste number 9. The terrain here is also perfect with wide blues and reds some of which cut through forests or other on open slopes. Conditions are usually stellar with fantastic powder. It's perfect for beginners and intermediates with long runs to practise some wide carves.
The area has so much to offer as there is a good amount of variety for snowboarders from Sportgasteins high altitude Schareck run from the Molltal glacier, open pistes on the Stubnerkogel.
With a modest resort height of 857 metres altitude, Bad Hofgastein and the Gasteinertal ski area have a fantastic snow record thanks to their high altitude slopes and excellent snow making capabilities which can cover up to 85% of the slopes; although rarely called upon. The slopes at the Sportgastein in particular are well known for their snow reliability.
Bad Hofgastein is generally laid back and its apres-ski is rather relaxed; however, there are still a number of bars and restaurants that offer a great evening of fun and excitement. With a pedestrianised resort centre, Bad Hofgastiens bars, restaurants and cafe’s lay within proximity of each other, which makes it an easy and fun evening of visiting a number of bars and restaurants close to each other. We have selected a few places in Bad Hofgastein where you can enjoy a lively and vibrant apres-ski evening.
Girardi Piano Bar
Located in the Grand Park Hotel in Bad Hofgastein, the Girardi Piano bar has a lovely, calm atmosphere. Its wood themed interior and leather bar and sofas give it an up-market, high-brow ambience of a plush whisky oak room. It may not particularly be the place for a loud, party-fuelled apres ski evening, however, it's perfect for a mellow, cosy evening drink.
Ice Cube Cocktail Bar
The lounge is located on the roof of The Alpentherme Gastein hotel and is an ideal place for an evening apres-ski with music, exotic cocktails and a fantastic view. Surrounded by large floor to ceiling glass panels that allow panoramic 360-degree views of the village, you can watch the sun go down as the lights in the resort illuminate below. The music here is chilled out lounge music giving the Ice Cube Cocktail Bar a rather chic, cosmopolitan feel. Certainly the ideal place for an evening cocktail and conversation.
Piccolo
Open every day from 9 am, Piccolo is your traditional Alpine bar and lounge located in the heart of the resort and sits over 2 floors high. It's a great spot to meet for a mid-day coffee and some snacks but an even better meeting spot after a long day on the slopes with a few beers and some nibbles. It has traditional pub games such as billiards and darts and the drinks menu features an impressive selection of beers, wine and spirits. The overall atmosphere here is friendly, Alpine ski pub, helped on by great music and loud chatter.
Gastein Alm Bar
A very traditional Austrian pub and restaurant located in the heart of the resort. It is favoured by both locals and holidaymakers at Bad Hofgastein. It has a very authentic Alpine interior made up of wood and stone and very well blended with modern designs of high ceilings and large glass window panels and a very stylish looking bar. The stones and wood beams are very impressive and the stone is very impressive giving the bar a cosy yet elegant ambience. It seats 100 people and also has a separate event venue in the Alm im Tal which is reserved for private parties and celebrations.
Bad Hofgastein has an adequate selection of facilities across the resort to ensure that all needs are catered to both on and off the pistes. From modern and upgraded lifts to quality shops, cafes, wellness centres and more, there are more than enough facilities to ensure that holidaymakers in the ski season are very well taken care of.
Bad Hofgastein is a family-friendly resort with plenty of activities for kids of all ages – see details below
