Lech

The pretty village of Lech portrays an exclusive image and is often frequented by the rich and famous.But despite its international reputation and no shortage of five-star accommodations and restaurants, Lech still maintains a traditional Austrian culture, with affordable options. It’s also easily accessible from Zurich, Innsbruck or Friedrichshafen.

Lech is in the Arlberg Valley at 1,450m and each year Lech receives up to twice as much snow as some of its French rivals. Beginners and Intermediates will get the most out of staying in Lech as it offers more piste friendly terrain than its bigger sister it is linked to….St Anton. But as it is on the same ski pass, it’s a particularly good choice for mixed groups, with more advanced skiers and boarders finding more challenges over in St Anton.

Lech has expanded over the years and its car-free satellite village area, Oberlech above the village, has grown almost into a resort in its own right. Traditional mountain huts used by the farmers, have been replaced by swanky hotels, serviced by an intricate network of tunnels under the piste that allow staff to move supplies and luggage without any weather issues.

Lech shares its local ski area with the smaller village of Zürs and Warth-Schröcken, which lays claim to the title of snowiest ski area in the Alps, with an extraordinary average of 10.6m each winter. Modern lifts make it easy for guests staying in Lech to access the whole Arlberg ski area, which is Austria’s largest interconnected ski area and includes St Anton and its linked villages of Stuben and St Christoph. The Arlberg ski area has 88 lifts and 305 km of pistes, and also boasts 200km of off-piste runs. The slopes around Lech itself are best suited to beginners and intermediates, though there are also some challenges for the more experienced.

In terms of any fun after skiing, après ski, whilst nowhere near as lively as St Anton, Lech still offers enough options for many to choose from, ranging from noisy establishments to classy lounges, but Lech is more perhaps a resort which is better suited to more sophisticated palates of cocktails, whisky and wine at places such as the Schlegelkopf, the Eisbar, Archiv bar and the Fox lounge. Certainly, the champagne ice bars are always worth a look in!

As regards dining out, Lech is home to some first-class dining options, with most restaurants being connected to hotels but there are some notable exceptions – and while the theme is predominantly traditional Austrian, there are also Asian, Mediterranean and more contemporary restaurants to choose from but if on any budget its not a bad idea to consider booking a half board option at your accommodation if you can, unless you intend to self-cater.

In terms of accommodation there is a good choice of hotels, chalets and apartments to suit most budgets, such as the Chalet Hotel Montfort, the Buhlhof Apartments, Hotel Plattenhof and Hotel Berghof and we are happy to help advise.