Traveling to Hintertux

We will be traveling to HIntertux, staying at the Bergland Hotel over Christmas. We have not been to this area before. Does anyone know this Hotel? What is around it? Is this a small town? What is in the area to do besides the skiing?

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Hintertux is a very small village - exists really only due to the glacier and skiing.

The Zillertal ( Ziller Valley) becomes very narrow after the town of Mayrhofen.

The road after Mayrhofen often need chains to reach Hintertux. It often becomes very crowded with traffic especially during vacation exchange days Saturday and Sunday.

If the winter lacks snow Hintertux gets extra day skiiers from lower areas in the valley.

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Hintertux is hotels and sport shops and not much else. Life will center around your hotel and skiing.

Skiing and touring are the sports.

Hotels have bars but not big nightlife.

Many hotels have pools - Bergland does too - a 4 star hotel as you probably know already.

All places have a good standard but be prepared for many people during this Holiday.

The weather on the glacier can also be much, much colder and more windy than found at the base stations. Dress extra warmly

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Thanks, Vertical. I hoped you would reply after seeing some of your posts. I am traveling with my husband while he is in Germany on business. Someone recommended this hotel as a nice place to spend the Christmas holiday. Do you know if it will be difficult to find a place for Christmas dinner? It seems Mayrhofen has the most variety of things to do? How difficult will it be to go back and forth from our hotel to there? By bus? Any other towns we should see? We will be there for 5 days, from the 22nd through the 26th. We do ski but don%26#39;t live to ski as some do. We are looking forward to the beauty of the area, doing a little exploring, enjoying the %26quot;winter%26quot; and maybe some holiday spirit.

This is referred to as a glacier?

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Usually these hotels are booked on a half board basis-

breakfast and dinner included in room price per person- thus no worry about meals- in 4 or 5 star hotels the food is normally very good - thus no worry about Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas Day.

However if you are not a ski fanatic Hintertux may not be the place for you. This is really a ski only place as mentioned before.

The drive from Mayrhofen can be a little hard in snowy weather. In fact, a place along the road outside of Mayrhofen where drivers MUST put chains on if bad weather. This is just before the first steep climb.

Bus transfers are ok during the day but limited at night and I would not plan on staying in Hintertux and eating in Mayrhofen.

This is at minimum 30-40 minute transfer.

Most skiing is done on the Glacier or in an area at the mid station of the lifts above Hintertux.

You may wish to look at accomodations in Lanersbach or Finkenberg Just above Mayrhofen.

I have been to the Sport Hotel Stock many times.

This is a family run place that has grown over the years to include spa and pool and many activities. Josef Stock is a brother of Leonard Stock, olympic downhill champion from some years ago.

look on

www.sporthotel-stock.com

the photos accurately reflect the hotel.

Mayrhofen is nice but tends to have many young visitors that want to party all night -

Hotel Elisabeth is the best in town.( Mayrhofen)

Neuhaus also nice.

Good skiing in Finkenberg connected to Lanersbach and Mayrhofen

Whereever you plan to book do it quickly as this Holiday is important and many hotels have many returning guests.

You may find that many hotels want only extended stays for the entire Holiday.

If you have more questions please post

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question for vertical - we are staying in mayrhofen for a week through december 30, but need to figure out what to do for 2 day (new years), any suggestions if we should try to stay there or any other fun place to go near by. we are flying back to us from munich on january 2nd and having hard time planning last 2 days of our vacation. it seems that all of the hotels in the alps rent by the week. any ideas would be greatly appreciated! thank you in advance!

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Sorry to reply so late, but I have been away on vacation.

Why not continue your stay in or near Mayrhofen.

If you do not mind a pension look for one in the nearby towns of Hippach, Ramsau, Brandberg

go to the mayrhofen website- click on accomodations and search under rooms.

The smaller places will rent for just a few days

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dear vertical, thank you so much for your info. i have couple more questions for you. i decided to rent a car , since it doesn%26#39;t look like there is much snow and i have to go back to munich airport couple of days after i get to mayrhofen to pick up a friend. so, first question - is it usuall that there is no snow at this time of the year? question two- what do you think would be good places to drive to in austria(or beyond) if we have the car?

thank you!

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Many ski resorts in Austria would be opening about now for the season under normal circumstances.

Some snow at higher elevations perhaps 1200 meters or more. Usually cold temperatures allow the snow cannons to work-

This year neither cold or real snow yet.

This is not usual weather.

Munich Airport to Mayrhofen takes about 2 1/2 hours.

Be certain to have a car with snow tires.

A word of caution-

the autobahn Munich to Austria - then the Inntal autobahn gets very crowded on weekends. Often very long stalls especially to the ski resorts on Saturday and back north on Sunday.

Try to avoid travel on the weekend if possible.

Salzberg is about 2 1/2 hours by car from Mayrhofen- a nice day trip

Innsbruck about 40 minutes also OK.

Achensee is also a nice place. Nice lake and mountain views- 45 minutes perhps

Rattenberg an old village in the Inn Valley is known for many good glass shops- fun to shop if you like cut or painted glass.- 40 minutes

I would avoid the Swarowski Glass World - not worth the time to visit in my opinion.

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Thank you so much for your advice. is it easy to go to Italy? Any stickers for the car I need to get?

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You need a vignette to travel on Austrian major roads.

You will see signs to buy one at several locations( gas stations rest stops) before the border Germany- Austria. You can buy a short term one for little money .

But be certain to get one - police like to give tickets.. But check the rental car- they often already have one- ask rental agent.

Also be certain to drive with lights on day and night a requirement for Austria for safety reasons.

Italy- Inntal Autobahn to Innsbruck then to the Brenner autobahn through Brenner pass into Italy.

Brenner road has a toll as do the Italian autostradas,

Bozen ( Bolzano ) and Sterzing ( Vipitano -sp.)are nice towns in Italynot too far from the border.

perhaps 3 hours.

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A bit late I know, but I%26#39;ve just been reading these posts. Can I offer this.... we stay at the Stock hotel - the food last year was fantastic. It%26#39;s a small family run place and you are made very, very welcome. The rooms are not pristine (decoration wise) but very comfy.

The point I wanted to make is that we hired a car from Munich with National - and it seems that all returning hired cars go through the same intimate inspection. A chip was discovered in our windscreen, which bearing in mind the stop start traffic on the road and that we did not use the car once we%26#39;d arrived, we disputed. We returned to the office and got a document signed to say that we were not responsible for the chip - but a couple of months later, we were charged via our credit card for this damage. Just a word of warning. Get documentation to say you were not responsible for damages.

Finkenberg is lovely, but tiny.