Chairlifts, Bad Gastein
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Chairlifts, Bad Gastein

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Bad Gastein resort information & après-ski

Après-ski

Bad Gastein has a good selection of après-ski activities, with several bars and nightclubs spread around the resort.

Popular bars include Revolution (tel: +43 6502 600 215), which comes alive each evening and draws in crowds of both locals and tourists, and The Silver Bullet (tel: +43 6434 225 360; www.silverbulletbar.com), which operates under the ethos of the resort’s “wildest and best”. It’s open until 0200 with live music five evenings a week and a nightly DJ set.

Eating out

There are about 50 different places to eat in Bad Gastein. Numerous establishments offer traditional Austrian cuisine, but there’s a growing selection of international flavours within the resort too.

For high calibre Austrian dining, visitors can’t do much better than The Kaiserhof Bistro (tel: +43 643 430 020), which has a reputation for quality traditional cuisine at reasonable prices. The Wegner at Villa Solitude (tel: +43 643 45 101; www.villasolitude.com) is another of the better choices for gourmet Austrian specialities, housed in an atmospheric 19th-century Baron’s estate.

There’s not just good Austrian fare here however; diners can easily find great Chinese, Italian and Mexican options spread throughout the resort. One such eatery worth mention is Ginger 'n' Gin (tel: +43 676 750 2626; www.gingerandgin.at), which has hit success with an Austrian – Asian cuisine fusion that includes tasty sushi specialities.

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

There’s plenty to do beyond skiing and boarding in Bad Gastein, a statement supported by the large chunk of tourists travelling to the resort with little interest in hitting the slopes.

The spa culture, for which the town was originally famous, remains a major tourist draw. Visitors have a choice of 28 indoor swimming pools and wellness facilities fed by the town's numerous springs.

Aside from wellness, indoor attractions at the resort include tennis courts, an indoor riding school, an ice rink, several museums and a shooting range.

Outdoors, about 32km (20 miles) of hiking paths are kept clear of excess snow, while there are also opportunities to take a sleigh ride, go tobogganing, or try paragliding above the slopes. An excursion to the pretty city of Salzburg, with its largely pedestrianised historic centre, is another possibility; the city is easily accessible by rail or bus.

Family fun

Many of the facilities in Bad Gastein are also good family attractions, particularly for those who enjoy swimming – the resort boasts 28 indoor pools.

A good kids-only option at the top station of the Stubnerkogel lift is a sprawling Fun Centre with everything from a ball pool and climbing wall to table football, games consoles and free internet access – all of which is free of charge to lift pass holders.

There’s no non-ski nursery facility in Bad Gastein, but children aged three and older are welcome in the ski school, where there’s a special ski kindergarten and a separate fun area for first lessons.

Retail therapy

The resort of Bad Gastein is popular year round and has consequently acquired a selection of shops more diverse than the typical seasonal ski resort selection.

Alongside the omnipresent souvenir shops, chemists and ski rental outlets you will therefore find elegant boutiques, quirky craft shops and stylish jewellers. The majority of the shops are concentrated in the heart of the resort, making browsing easy.

Splashing out

Relax those aching post-ski muscles by spending some time in one of the resort’s many luxury spas. The Felsentherme (tel: +43 6434 22230; www.felsentherme.com) is the main public spa facility in Bad Gastein, running all manner of relaxing procedures that manages to coax even the more hardcore skiers to indulge in a day off the slopes.

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Hotels

Accommodation in Bad Gastein is largely comprised of 3- and 4-star hotels, including some grand old spa establishments; but there are also plenty of apartments and less highly acclaimed hotel options for those on a budget.

Show hotels in the

following price range

Luxury Moderate Cheap

Haus Hirt

+43 643 427 970

Combining luxurious services and personal attention in a beautiful building with spa, the Haus Hirt is one of the best top-end accommodation options in town.

Kaiserhofstrasse 14, A 5640, Bad Gastein, Austria

Hotel Elisabethpark

+43 64 342 551 118

One of the grand 4-star hotels of Bad Gastein, the elegant Hotel Elisabethpark operates a handy shuttle bus service to the ski slopes. Its high-class facilities include a gourmet restaurant, traditional coffee bar and wellness area.

Kaiser Franz Josef-Strasse 4, A 5640, Bad Gastein, Austria

Hotel Alpenblick

+43 720 817 294

A popular 3-star, with ski-in/ski-out facilities (it’s located on the Graukogel piste), Hotel Alpenblick has a small spa area set in an elevated position overlooking the resort. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the centre.

Koetschachtaler Strasse 17, A 5640, Bad Gastein, Austria

Hotel Münchnerhof

+43 6434 2351

A family-friendly, 2-star hotel close to lifts and the village centre, Hotel Münchnerhof features thermal baths and a car park for use by guests.

Schareckstrasse 2A, A 5640, Bad Gastein, Austria

Villa Excelsior

+43 643 421 350

Villa Excelsior is a traditional 3-star known for its dedicated management team and spa treatments. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the resort centre with a free shuttle service to the slopes.

Reitlstraße 20, A 5640, Bad Gastein, Austria

Euro Youth Hotel & Krone

+43 6434 2330

A very affordable but basic option just 100m (330ft) from the nearest lift, Euro Youth Hotel & Krone offers newly renovated dormitory and private accommodation. Other facilities at this budget hotel include an on-site restaurant and a series of thermal baths next door.

Bahnhofplatz 8, A 5640, Bad Gastein, Austria

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following price range

Luxury Moderate Cheap

Getting there and around

Getting there

Nearest airport: Salzburg Airport (SZG).

Distance to resort: 90km (60 miles).

Driving time: 1 hour 15 minutes.

Nearest railway station: Bad Gastein.

Distance to resort: Within the resort.

Getting around

Due to the relatively large size of Bad Gastein ski resort, a comprehensive ski bus service operates on 10 separate routes around the Gastein Valley. These typically run between 0700 and 1800 daily and are free to ski pass holders.

Visa and passport information is updated regularly and is correct at the time of publishing. You should verify critical travel information independently with the relevant embassy before you travel.