LAST OF THE WINTER WINE

(Glyn-Foggy, Paul-Compo and Scott-Clegg)

A ski trip to the Haus Salzburg, Austria.

The boys had decided on an end-of-season ski trip to Austria and a friend had recommended the relatively unknown resort of Hinterthal in the Hochk nig (High King Mountain region). We decided to drive, as Hinterthal is situated in the easily accessible northern region of the Austrian Alps (12 hours from Calais), about an hour drive from Salzburg. The journey was a breeze, thanks to Vera (Sat Nav) and a very enjoyable Wayne's Worldesque sing-a-long to 'Bat Out of Hell'.

THE HAUS SALZBURG EXPERIENCE
Now, without wanting to sound like a travel brochure, staying at the Haus Salzburg is not just a ski holiday, but a total experience and from the very start we were hooked. Carl and Sandra, the English couple who run the hotel, are perfect hosts and made us feel very welcome. The hotel itself is the typical chocolate-box Austrian style chalet, nestling in the centre of the pretty village. The interior is warm and cosy in the traditional wooden chalet style, with a very smart restaurant facing the road. It has its own charming bar, used by the guests, but also attracts the locals alike. The bedrooms are spotless and well appointed and most have balconies with spectacular views of the mountains (look out for the Virgin of Hinterthal!). The food is something that really deserves a special mention. Five courses of gourmet food is served beautifully presented every time. Compliments must go to the chef, Craig (despite being a Man Utd fan) for his and his teams efforts, it really is a five star menu.

NIGHT-LIFE
Hinterthal is small and only has three to four bars, but it does have the Alm bar. By day this is a tranquil mountain-side restaurant, but by night it transforms into a table-top dancing hot-spot. There are often live bands and the place is packed with all nationalities. Carl and Sandra took us up there and proceeded to educate us in the large selection of Austrian drinks. The Alm bar is only four minutes walk, but the return at 3.30 a.m. took considerably longer, with the boys demonstrating their ski turns (sans skis) on the nursery slope. The hotel bar is also a very pleasant place to spend an evening. Thursday night was music night where guests are encouraged to perform (I have vowed never to pick up the guitar again after seeing some of Carl's slick finger work!). Equally, you can sit and enjoy a quiet game of cards.

THE SKIING - See our Youtube video
The Hochk nig is covered by the lift pass and includes the villages of M hlbach, Hinterthal, Dienton, Hintermoos and Maria Alm (sounding like a ski brochure again). This is more than you can cover in a week, but for the more adventurous, the ski pass also covers 35 other Austrian resorts. We absolutely loved this ski area. All the runs are tree-lined, mostly wide reds and blues, with stunning views at every turn. Great fun skiing from village to village with ample restaurants and an efficient lift system. The off-piste is apparently excellent (we are not up to it yet) and there are three snow parks for the kids. To top it all, the ski hire shop is literally eight seconds away (I know because sadly, I timed it) and is located opposite the hotel. You even get a 20% discount if you are staying in the hotel.

SUMMARY
We can thoroughly recommend the Haus Salzburg experience, Carl and Sandra have really created something special. All the right ingredients are there for a terrific winter break. There is nothing negative I can write and I feel certain that just like the series, Compo, Foggy and Clegg will be back for many seasons.

We had a great family holiday in Hinterthal; great food, nice bar, huge skiing area. Haus Salzburg is a fantastic hotel with excellent hosts. Would fully recommend.

We would recommend Haus Salzburg Hotel to anyone wanting a relaxing holiday in a charming small hotel, who's service and standards would befit a larger establishment charging far more for its services.

Don't hesitate - just book it - you won't regret it!

Haus Salzburg is an beautiful traditional chalet type hotel nestled in the small mountain town of Hinterthal near Maria Alm; it has a rustic bar, restaurant, and a selection of guest rooms some containing antique furniture. Most rooms have a mountain view of the surrounding Hochk nig mountain range with several 3000m peaks.
Facilities available are skiing in the winter with the ski lifts only 200m away, and walking and mountain biking in the summer.