St. Anton

From World travel guide

St. Anton is an Austrian ski restort. See Skiing in Austria

“World class” is a term that is often used just a bit to loosely. It is bandied about willy-nilly to cover a wide range of things, some deserving, many not. Well let me tell you that St. Anton in the Austrian province of Tirlol, is indeed, deserving. It, along with its smaller sister resorts, Stuben and St. Christoph, have for years attracted fiercely loyal skiers of all abilities, all ages, all budgets and every concept of what constitutes a good ski holiday. They are indeed, world class. World class need not mean snobbish, nor by argument, need it mean expensive. But dear reader, please remember, you get what you pay for. There are very few bargain basement accommodation choices in St. Anton but there is very good value.

Why do we term St. Anton world class? Well we’ve skied around. In about all of the Alps and much of North America and few resorts are better; either in value or skiing choice. Check the facts if you will. The area has a consistent snow record, offers great skiing for all abilities, and in the face of galloping expenses - not only in the Austrian Alps - but throughout all of Europe's major ski countries - has pretty well managed to remain good value for money. Well, that answers our question doesn’t it? But does that tell the whole story? Surely many resorts can make the same claims and draw the same audience. Well, yes and no. Lots have the same or similar physical attributes. After all a mountain ski resort is a mountain ski resort is it not?

Well probably not. You see there is a little thing called character that goes along with good looks and a high altitude. In that way, a ski resort can be almost like a person. Without character, no degree of make-up or good location can make one a star, and make no mistake, St. Anton and cousins are definitely high in star quality.

Nevertheless, supporting casts make stars, and it is here that St. Anton has great depth, and not in skiing alone we hasten to add. Look too to the guest list, the folks who visit the village on an almost annual pilgrimage. These pilgrims come from all lifestyles, all ages and the entire social scale spectrum, therein lays the uniqueness.

By attracting this stunning variety, St. Anton defies pigeonholing on a social and perhaps marketing scale. Plenty of first class hotels offer world-class accommodations and service; scores of dynamite restaurants can blow you away with taste and value. There are still lots of superb family run pensions and chalets and lots to do for non-skiers too.

Nightlife too reflects the diversified social and financial status of the clientele.

From sophisticated bars and discos, to hotel tea dances and quiet off lobby meeting points, to the "get down and do it" little beer meeting points where the young, broke, and those they attract (yep, even backpackers have groupies) hang out. St. Anton attracts the lot, and in our opinion, is better for it. In winter, There is really no “low season” in the St. Anton winter calendar. Hotels and accommodations normally ask for and get Saturday to Saturday stays from skiers and winter holiday folks. However accommodation is abundant, so you probably will find something to your liking in less than absolutely peak seasons.

St. Anton has been a ski resort almost - no make that ever since man, and woman for that matter, first started sliding down hills with pieces of board strapped to their feet, and a pole between their legs (that’s how they did it in the old days). St. Anton is indeed the “cradle of Alpine skiing” and that’s where it makes its comfortable living.

However in order to grow and prosper, as well as make a living from the sport, St. Anton had to progressively offer ever improving amenities and comforts to those who came to conquer the slopes. Clearly, they have succeeded on that score.

This skiers’ resort has attained a position of world-wide respect based on the quality of its skiable terrain as well as the comforts and services listed above. St. Anton’s winter visitors come to ski. True, with different sized bundles of cash in their pockets, and different degrees of energy and talent, but baby, this is still a skiers’ resort. It should come as no surprise then, that the resort attracts and holds an incredibly loyal following. It surely is nothing new to this writer, as countless trips to St. Anton and it's satellite stations of St. Christoph and Stuben turn up many of the same satisfied faces year after year.

And before you think that a skier has to be a wunderkind on the boards to enjoy the skiing here, let me quickly assure you that recreational skiers from all over the globe are flocking to the Arlberg too.

Already boasting one of the longest ski seasons in Austria, as we said, St. Anton is now attracting summer visitors as well. I cannot imagine what attracts them, unless it is the fresh clean mountain air, beautiful surroundings, or quiet streets. If skiing is not your game, but mountain life is, may I suggest St. Anton in summer? There are unheard of bargains to be had, especially in 4-star hotels. What a great opportunity to enjoy the spirit of mountain life with dare we say it-“world class bargains”.

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