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
- St. Christoph is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for St. Christoph 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
March 12, 2024
G Worden from
United Kingdom
G Worden from
United Kingdom
A few snaking kilometres by road from the lively village of St Anton, and 400m higher, just beneath the mountain pass that marks the border between The Tyrol and Vorarlberg regions, lies St Christoph, an unpretty cluster of 20-something mismatched buildings, combining the best and worst of architectural eye-appeal. It built-up around the site of 14th century Hospice, Inn and (still visible) St Christoph Chapel, which provided refuge for travellers.
7 or so* establishments now provide hospitality and accommodation for visitors. The visual centre-piece is still the Arlberg Hospiz Hotel, which for some decades enjoyed a reputation for glamourous luxury, hosting the wealthy and famous of the 1960s to early 2000s, but, at time of writing (2024), that has been closed for 3 years and shows no sign of re-opening soon, and so the centre of activity has now shifted to the slope-side Maiensee Hotel, the Arlberg Thaja bar, The Hospiz Alm and Hotel Ski Austria.
The main appeal of St Christoph lies in its proximity to other things, whilst remaining apart from them. Where St Anton is bustling, often busy to the point of being crowded & noisy, Christoph is quiet and peaceful. Stuben and Zug, undoubtedly prettier, are a good deal lower and too out-on-a-limb, especially in early & late seasons. Zurs, with better doorstep skiing, is further out yet and treeless for bad weather, whilst Lech, which may these days enjoy higher society, too often won't sufficiently compensate the keen skier their entry-fee when the price, in late season, is enduring slushy runs.
The Christophbahn lift, directly abutting The Maiensee Hotel, is the key here; its central and higher-up spot than the other villages, allows the skier to get a few valuable minutes ahead of the hordes from St Anton, and to enjoy broader immediate options to boot. The same principle works at day's end: the main run back to St Anton, Steissbachtal (affectionately known as Happy-Valley) is often closed for weeks on end, due to avalanche risk, meaning that large numbers of those who chose to ski around Zurs and the centre-parts of the Arlberg area, now return weary and often fuzzy-minded from their endeavours, and are corralled into the more challenging and, by late-day, often heavily mogulled 52 run- Kandahar, before they can return to the comforts of home. Not so those lodging in Christoph, who have a much easier, shorter, but still fun, blue piste 64 home run to navigate, before getting to loosen their boots and throats.
The star of apres-ski here is the Hospiz Alm; on sunny days, its wide decks attract those looking to improve their tan and wash it down with, by repute, the largest collection of oversized claret available in Europe's Alps. Inside and upstairs is much reassuring Tyrolean coziness, log-fires and wood-panelled kitsch; downstairs (by step or lazy-slide), the impressive vaults & cellars provide something to gawp at; many-litred bottles commanding prices well into 5 figures. Though most will leave merrier and poorer in the afternoon, the drinking action continues, for those with constitution and capacious wallets for it, as the good times roll on, often till the very early hours. Tip - keep a sober eye on your bill there.
A few metres higher on the same slopes, Arlberg Thaja enjoys sun for a little longer and is newly and smartly refurbished.
Hotel Maiensee offers the plum spot for skiers, sitting pretty scarcely 10m from the Christophbahn lift; though without the accompanying annoyance of crowds that a similar situation would see elsewhere. It has its own, quieter bar, and a quality restaurant served by a talented kitchen, but its lift-adjacent new burger bar is the magnet and draws attention from younger crowds. Recent investment in the rooms has seen it scoop-up many of the Hospiz's well-heeled customers.
Further down, Ski Austria Hotel, home of the Ski Austria Academy is a modern, angular eyesore, but it does have the virtue of a bright bar & restaurant, and the accommodation is more affordable than most, and again provides a much needed space for the younger generations of skiers.
Older visitors will remember the yellow block that was the Inghams Sports Hotel, now under different ownership, rebranded Hit-The-Sky and given a more appealingly alpine-striped make-over, which carries on in the funky interior bar. Uniquely in Christoph, it enjoys a sizeable pool and one-size-for-all accommodation is generally priced at the sensible end of the spectrum.
Mention must be made too of the Gasthof Valluga, a few steps closer up to the pass than the others. Like Hotel Maiensee, it's still a family-run affair, and likewise, of trad. and cosy-looking aspect, it also has an excellent kitchen.
I'm not familiar enough with Alpenhotel or Hotel Arlberhohe to offer useful comment.
The only problem St Christoph encounters is when high-winds force its sole outbound lift to close. The practice & baby slopes aren't enough to keep you engaged for much more than 1/2 a day. However, the solution for those rare instances is a 10 or 20 minute bus ride to either St Anton or Zurs respectively, which, with more 3 or more lifts each, are your saviour.
I first came here in 2015 as the starting point for what was intended to be a season's tour of every Austrian resort. In the end, it turned out to be so well placed that I didn't bother leaving.
April 08, 2012
Hayley Purse from
United Kingdom
Hayley Purse from
United Kingdom
Stayed at the Inghams St Christoph Chalet Hotel, ticks all the boxes if you just want to eat, ski, eat, swim, eat, sleep. Very comfortable rooms. This is not a true village, there are no footpaths or shops other than skiwear/ski hire. Ski school is adjacent to ski room, along with T-Bar lift to start your day skiing. The chair lift up to the top has a cover - great for keeping warm first thing in the morning. The skiing and apres-ski on the mountain is amazing but buses back to St Christopher are only hourly so opted for catching the last lift up. Taxis from St Anton are 22 euros before 7pm or 33 euro after. The weather can be a few degrees colder up at St Christopher so head down to St Anton if you prefer it warmer and wrap up if taking the cable car up to Valluga. We were there the first week in April and even in the spring skiing conditions we still were able to ski down to village levels (very heavy going at end of day though). Top ski area will return for sure.
April 05, 2011
Bob from
United Kingdom
Bob from
United Kingdom
St Christoph is a pleasant change from the action at St Anton (it's soooo much quieter), and the glitzy prices of Lech. Being higher than both the snow conditions tend to remain better for longer, and most hotels are within a few dozen metres of the fast chair lift up into the main system. Access from here tends to be much easier than both St Anton/Lech as the one lift takes you to a good spot to get anywhere on the St Anton side, with easy ski/ride to the rest of the mountain, and down to the new Rendl lift that now simplifies getting to that area. As regards accessing the rest of the Arlberg region it is an smooth ski down to Alpe Ruez where the free local ski bus takes you to Lech/Zurs. I'd recommend Zurs for skiing, especially Tritkopf and Madloch on either side of the valley both having better snow at these upper elevations. (Run 33/33A to Zug always good)
In St Christoph do not miss the Hospitz Alm Restaurant, great for food-with-a-view and skier-watching. You just never know which royals/film-stars are around. Nice place, go enjoy.
September 30, 2006
Graham from
United Kingdom
Graham from
United Kingdom
I went to St Christoph while staying in nearby St Anton and found it a lovely little village with a slope-side bar and a selection of large but attractive hotels. It is a very small but beautiful little village and is well worth a lunch time stop off because there is a nice blue run that goes to St Christoph from the Galzig station. It is easy to get to and from St Christoph as there is a chairlift back up to Galzig and you can ski back to St Anton. There are about 3 kiddie slopes with some gates and some slalom sticks. It is very good for children.
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