Latest edition : 11 January 2014
Those looking for a lively resort day and night will ontly spend a day on the slopes.
Everyone else is happy to spend a short week there in order to enjoy not only the excellent snow conditions but also the clean air (the best wellness area there is), the kindness of the Austrians, the good food and the warm atmosphere that reigns in the restaurants and bars.
The “valley of the cows” is also THE tip of Austrians who are keen on skiing, far from the crowds. A dozen lifts provide easy access to the various slopes that are impeccably prepared and never overcrowded. If they are accessible to everyone (except the black slopes), they still require a certain technical mastery. Spread out on both sides of the valley, there are always slopes in the sun and it is a real treat to ski from morning to sunset. Even at night, thanks to the night skiing facilities.
Kühtai is best known for its great off-piste and ski touring possibilities.
There are corridors, a little forest, open slopes. The snow is deep and light, a real treat! Snowboarders and freestylers have a blast in a relatively difficult park, with all kinds of rails and varied big airs. It is also the place where young people can have fun only on the slopes. Because in terms of nightlife, a single discotheque invites you to spend sleepless nights.
All other vacationers appreciate this intimate side of Kühtai, far from the hustle and bustle of other resorts.
In Kühtai, a great toboggan run descends from the Graf-Ferdinand-Haus.
No need to have your own sledge, the managers make them available (for a fee). When you get to the bottom, just leave them under the “toboggan garage” sign, they won't be stolen. Moreover, it is also one of the charms of this small resort: the calm, the absence of stress and the great kindness of the inhabitants and visitors.
The fresh air makes you hungry. Fortunately, there is no shortage of typical inns in Kühtai.
At the Graf-Ferdinand-Haus, for example, you have to taste a fondue before going down on the toboggan. In the afternoon, warm up with a hot rum chocolate.
In Dorfstadl, a soup (in Tyrol, soups are not lacking on any menu), a "Ötztaler Berg- Gröstl" (hash browns with bacon and egg), homemade deer ham, and for dessert a "Kaiserschmarrn" , “Germknödel” or even an “Apfelstrudel”.
You have to do a lot of sport to justify such a menu! As a drink, you have to taste an "Almdudler", a refreshing lemonade with herbs from the Alps.
If you can give up your cozy bed, why not experience an extraordinary night in the igloo village in Kühtai?
After a warm dinner, a night stroll, everyone returns to their bed of ice. So what did the host say in the early evening? Sleep with the hat on (30% of the heat is lost through the head), slip into the down bag, wedge your head in the hood, close the bag from the inside, making sure to fit the collar correctly. Socks, boxer shorts and long-sleeved t-shirt are required. Everything else is stored in a tightly closed bag.
A little advice: pants and a sweater at the bottom of the sleeping bag allow you to put on warm clothes in the morning! Don't drink too much: hard to get out of the bag in the middle of the night, to get dressed to walk the 150 m to the toilet!
Other than that, with friends, it's fun.
www.iglu-village.at
tél. 00.43.5266.88080
Tourismusbüro Kühtai
A-6183 Kühtai 42
tél. 00.43.5239.5222
www.schneegarantie.at
Children: nursery for the little ones from 2 years old from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., ski lessons from 4 years old.
Slopes: 40 km for alpine skiing and snowwboarding.
Luge: 2.5 km track.
Walks: groomed paths.
The most illustrious inhabitant of Kühtai is undoubtedly Count Christian Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg who is none other than the great-great-grandson of Emperor Franz Joseph and "Sissi". Every winter, he opens his centuries-old hunting lodge to holidaymakers. Spending one (or more) nights in this place steeped in history and with such a warm atmosphere, is a little treat. As the perfect host, the Count takes care of the well-being of his customers, shares (excellent) meals and willingly tells the story of this little gem of a hotel. As none of his five children wished to take over the small hotel, the count sold it to the contractor Armin Ennemoser who undertakes some transformations and expansions.
Jagdschloss Kühtai
tél. 00.43.52.39.52.01
www.jagdschloss.at
There are no huge buildings in Kühtai but cozy inns and small 3 and 4 * hotels. Very beautiful, the Alpin Lodges complex with its 40 luxury apartments, spacious and very comfortable. The kitchens are fully equipped and the fireplaces create a beautiful mountain atmosphere. All are south facing with a magnificent panorama.
Alpin Lodges
tél. 00.43.5522.71555.0
www.alpinlodges.com
