Snowsure: 4.5
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Sölden is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Sölden Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
January 06, 2012
Paul Rivers from
United Kingdom
Paul Rivers from
United Kingdom
Review of Solden & Chalethotel Hermann
The resort
As is well documented, the resort is well spread out between the Giggijoch and Gaislachkogl gondolas. Both are efficient, although we encountered 15 minute queues at the Giggijoch at peak times. The town is lively, and our grown up children enjoyed the late night clubs on offer, with Fire & Ice being the favoured destination.
The skiing is extensive, and in good conditions, the runs back to the town are enjoyable, although the red run 9 crosses busy nursery slopes, 2 T-Bars and bizarrely two roads! The area above Giggijoch has good blue run skiing with plenty of variation on the routes down. As has been commentated elsewhere, there is a strange habit of placing piste markers in the middle of the piste (as on Black 14 from Hainbachjoch), which is a hazardous practice when visibility is poor.
The glacier skiing is excellent, although it takes the best part of an hour to get up to the top lift station from the town, and queues were such a problem on a sunny mid-morning that we baled out – the Einzeiger chairlift is a particular bottleneck, as there is no other route up to the cross-valley Gletscherexpress gondola. Once up on the glacier, the views are outstanding, and we found typically excellent snow conditions, and there is an enjoyable black run (where the World Cup Tour starts every year apparently) on the Rettenbach Glacier. There is an enormous but functional self service restaurant at the bottom of the Tiefenbach Glacier with a large variety of food on offer and sundecks which will no doubt be very popular in sunny conditions. Beware though, that there is only one route back from the larger Tiefenbach Glacier, which is a six-person chairlift, so queues will be common mid to late afternoon.
The lift system, apart from the couple of bottlenecks mentioned, works well, and most key lifts are either gondolas or detachable chairs with hoods. A special mentioned must however go to T-Bar KarlesKogl on the upper part of the Rettenbach Glacier, which is only open in the Autumn, but with the drop off to one side must be a hair-raising experience!
There appeared to be plenty of off-piste opportunities in the right conditions, although the snow base was early-season in nature with rocky terrain close to the surface at the time of our visit.
The restaurants we tried were generally very good and typically good value. A particular favourite was the small Stabele Schirmbar at the base of the Stabele chairlift (accessible via Red 11, Blue 30 or Blue 6) which served enormous burgers, although capacity inside is limited.
For an additional 10 Euros (payable only when buying a 6 day pass) a day in Obergurgl/Hochgurgl can be enjoyed – accessible via a free ski bus service. Despite its reputation, the snow in Obergurgl was less good, and had clearly suffered from wind blown conditions, being on the East side of the valley during a predominantly North Westerly weather pattern. Nevertheless a great time was had with lunch at the Superb Hohe Mut Alm and a live band at the Nederhutte.
For some of its constraints, we enjoyed Solden and it seems to provide enough variety to offer something for everyone.
December 06, 2011
John bird from
United Kingdom
John bird from
United Kingdom
My wife and I visited Solden late March 2011. we stayed in a B&B near the new Gaislachkogel lift. The new lift is a big improvement and in two hits you go from 1300m to over 3000m. The red runs and the off-piste from the top are fantastic. A true leg burner from top to bottom.
There are some great little mountain huts in the Gasilachalm area and in this sunny area well worth a stop for lunch.
Rettenbach gletscher and the Salomon Station is a great stop for coffee up stairs, nice, relaxed and quiet.
For a bit of apres-ski try Philips bar just above the town. There is a new lift that can take you their from town or you can ski their at the end of the day. Although I do miss, after a few beers at Philips Bar trying to to get on the single chair lift with skies off and trying to run off the bottom of the lift in ski boots. More difficult than skiing.
This is a fun resort with some great runs and if you are able to let the skies run. Just point them!
Don't forget to challenge yourself to do the BIG 3 circuit. 3 peaks over 3000m and one of them you have to hike up the last 50 m vertical to the top. Well worth it for the view. Although your lungs will know you are at altitude.
My wife was impressed with the resort and we have booked again for Jan 2012. So make the effort and try it for yourself.
November 21, 2011
Laslo from
France
Laslo from
France
Just came back from Solden (Sölden) – despite that there was no fresh snow we had a blast on the glacier and the terrain park. So I cannot give any solid review of the mountain and terrain itself – but slopes are always nicely groomed, well maintained and always lots of space on the glacier for some killer runs. Nothing new I guess here.
But what I do wish to share is the horrible food been served at the Rettenbach/Tiefenbach Glacier restaurant. Even the schiwasser tastes bad? So forget simple pasta or a bowl of chips. Tasteless, cold and overpriced. We eventually went to the “coffee lounge” at the stadium where they serve an eatable goulash soup or a simple slice op pizza. Nothing fancy but the atmosphere is good, great coffee and nice staff. And we never had a problem getting a good seat.
Oh and if I can give a tip – book your stay at Panoramablick Solden. Brand new accommodation – flat screen tv’s – good beds – nice showers - spick and span and absolutely lovely people/owners. Reasonable priced. An absolute recommendation if you wish stay close to Solden village.
April 21, 2011
Asca
Asca
Went to Sölden in mid-April 2011.
What to say? Great weather, great skiing, great accommodation (self-catered chalet in Bodenegg, Ventertal, 5km from town).
If you are into skiing or boarding until your legs burn, this is the place.
Of course, you don't have the food and atmosphere you'd get in the Italian Dolomites. But you can't beat the skiing and the facilities.
Plus, it's a lot cheaper than Italy or France.
A must, especially for glacier skiing late in the season.
If three skiing areas (Tiefenbach, Rettenbach and Giggijoch) are not enough, you have Obergurgl and Vent within 10km and Pitztal Glacier one hour away.
Will be back for more at the beginning of the season in Nov 2011
Will do it again. And again
April 08, 2011
C Tang from
United Kingdom
C Tang from
United Kingdom
We visited Solden in late Mar-2011 as it provided the high altitude in the late season. Luckily for us, it snowed the week before we arrived and we had gorgeous sunshine for the entire week! We stayed in Hotel Erhart which is just slightly out of the town (6-7 mins casual walk) but it was very close to the spanking new Gaislachkogel gondola (5 mins walk). It was bliss as there are escalators to take you up & down the gondola, and we always walked straight into the gondola without queuing. All the hotels / buses are located at the other end of town so the rush & queue is on the main Giggijoch gondola (avoid this if you can). There is an Intersport underneath the Gaislachkogel gondola for your ski/board/boots storage (Euro 2 for ski/board and Euro 2 for boots per day). Apres ski at the end of the day is best at the Giggijoch end as the bar options are better & much sunnier. The Solden area offers 3 mountains, and the runs are well maintained and VERY WIDE. The pistes are suitable for all levels and perfect for novices who may feel intimidated on narrow crowded runs (the Solden pistes are completely opposite to this!). There are a few black runs which will give the advanced skiers/boarders the extra thrill, but also suitable for novices as they are so wide and so well groomed. Hochgurgl and Obergurgl is a short taxi ride away (or catch the free bus) which is worth a day trip costing an extra Euro10 if you bought a 6 day pass. Restaurants on the mountains was excellent with a huge choice of spacious modern restaurants and a couple of smaller "local" types which was very pleasant. Meal price was decent (Goulash soup + bread ~Euro 5) and drinks was between 3.0-3.5 Euro. Would I recommend this resort? A definite yes, and I would return to this resort (I am already checking the 2012 holidays in Solden!!).
February 25, 2010
Paul
Paul
I went to Sölden at the end of Jan 2009. I have not boarded any French resorts but I have visited other resorts in Austria, Switzerland and Germany and now am getting quite a good look at the Rockies, the surrounding areas and the west coast (Whistler) in Canada.
Japan will get a look one day but on the whole I like Sölden the best!! Yes, I did have some real good luck with the snow while I was there and not so good luck with the Rockies so far. Kicking Horse after a dump would be second (very good terrain). Whistler, while as big as Sölden, (maybe bigger though I do not think so) I like alot but because of the crowds it does not take long before new fallen snow gets shredded to pieces. I have another year left in Canada but I am longing to go back to Sölden. Its huge, has awesome terrain and it's easy to find untracked powder 2 days after snowfall. I hear that helisking in Canada is the best in the world but until I get rich my top 5 resorts (very close between some of them) are
Solden
Kicking Horse
Zermatt
Saalbach
Whistler
April 10, 2006
Wesley De Schepper
Wesley De Schepper
I've been to Solden with my mother for the second time this year from 25/03 till 01/04/06. Enjoyed it as much as the first time. Good snow on the upper slopes (which is about 95% of the slopes.) Very good hotel(Hotel Bellevue, recommended if you like small nice hotels). Glaciers are brilliant, especially the Tiefenbach with its' very, very long and wide blue slope (carving galore!), if you are in Solden and the weather is good you HAVE to go up to the glaciers. One of my top resorts all around and I've been to quite a few already.
January 26, 2006
Peter De Groot from
France
Peter De Groot from
France
Solden is a great ski resort, sometimes a bit crowded during Dutch and German holidays together. This is arbitrary because of the high standard of lifts. We normally go in March (for the previous 3 years.) Most of the days have good weather, with good temperatures. Snow at lower slopes sometimes a bit icy, but enough opportunities at higher parts of the resort, especially on the glacier.
For me this is the number 1 ski resort in Austria, always security of good snow, at least at the glacier which offers about 25 km slopes. Try it out!
December 03, 2005
Vivien Barber from
United Kingdom
Vivien Barber from
United Kingdom
We skied in Solden 1 year in three for the past 20-odd years. It's fun, if you keep out of the town in the evening; January-March it tends to be populated by drunken Dutch. Pistes are well maintained, and with sufficient variability. Work out your late route home - if you are staying at the Giggijoch gondola end, you can stay in Rokogelhutte until the crowd has gone, go LEFT down apast Giggijoch and ski straight down, perhaps having another drink at Eugen's just below Hochsolden. If you are staying at the other end of town near the Gaislachkogelbahn station, go down to the RIGHT from either side of the Hutte, and stop at either of the two Huttes on run 11 for another, but take care when you get on to run 8 because there's ice patches. It's a lovely run down.
We'll be there in January; the snow has started .
November 19, 2005
Liz living in Germany from
USA - California
Liz living in Germany from
USA - California
My husband and I go to Solden all the time. Austrian people are very friendly and the pensions are reasonably priced when compared to Switzerland plus you always get a great breakfast to start the day. Lift lines can get very long if you don't hit the gondolas by 8-9am. Solden is laid out so that you can take gondolas to the very top glacier, then ski your way back down to the bottom. The runs are all wide and well groomed, but tend to get a bit bumpy in the afternoons (another reason to hit the slopes early). The town has an active nightlife, with lots of drinking. Don't miss out on trying the Austrian drink Jager Tea. It isn't made with Jagermeister, it is warm and sweet. Great after a long day of boarding. If you are in Germany, skip the German resorts and head another hour south, Austria is far better.
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