Saturday 26th Feb to 5th March 2010
Brilliant week in Flachau with 'The Pratts'. Sam and Effy's apartment is second to none !!.
Thank you very much for allowing us to stay there with our friends ! Couldn't ask for a better place to stay. It is very homely and just what you need when you have had a day out skiing, especially when you have done the home run late on in the day !!! Just when I thought I had taken my little legs to their skiing limit, I was off down the home run which later on became a tad tricky on the muscles !!! However, a quick little apres ski beer at the bottom and a short wander down the road and you are back home ...........ahhhh that sofa did the trick.
It was good to go with friends as we could demand that the kids carried the boots up to the room and then ran a bath !! Only joking !!!
We had a great laugh and are really grateful for being let into the wonderful world of Flachau ..... it is absolutely beautiful ! We are going back again in February 2011 as it is the nicest place we have skied in.
Best of all for 'Mrs Smith' ............... chair lifts with heated seats and .................. I didn't have to go on a drag lift !!!! My worst nightmare, but apparently it's all in my head (according to hubby)
Anyhow, enough waffling - once again thanks for allowing us to stop in your abode - you have a little treasure !!
Shirley and Andy Smith (45 and 46 at time of skiing !! ) I know ..... we were late starters !! x
Sat 26th Feb - Sat 5th March 2010
What a fabulous week in flachau, the sun shone, the snow was fabulous and the apres ski was superb! Apartment is well positioned just a very short walk to the achter jet station, which is great when you have children in tow! Spacious apartment, plenty of space...and a great supply of DVD's...Jason Manford Live got a few giggles.
We became regulars at the Jagdof( hope i spelt that right, we went there 5 times! firm friends now with Felix the owner!), great food, good prices and only a 2 min walk away. lots more restaurants (italian, steak etc) up in the village only a 10 walk away
ski school 'sport am jet' recommended, the instructors are great (we've skiied twice in flachau and the kids have really enjoyed it, esp BoBO the penguin.)
Great skiing, lots of wide open reds with quite a few km's before you reach the next lift! (and the lifts are something else...many with heated seats and hoods! - prob not technical term!), We love the rote 8 run and the flying mozart run down towards wagrain for clocking up the miles.
definitely returning to flachau and definitely would love to return to Sam and Effy's apartment without hesitation.
Thankyou to Sam and Effy for renting us the apt we had Great holiday, with great friends, bring on 2011!! Dave, Lesley, Mac and lily (age 6 and 3 at time of skiing) aka The Pratts (Barnoldswick, Lancs)
Hi
Just back from a fabulous week in Flachau and after reading all the grim snow reports accross europe we had resolved ourselves to chill and do some walking.
When we arrived at the apartment the views from Effie's & Sam's apartment were fantastic, but no snow, glorious sunshine and gorgeous views from the apartment lounge window, Sound of Music scene's, green fields, mountains, twittering birds and very warm (Effie, Sam we can see why you chose the apartment!). So when we woke up and opened the curtains wow!! the view was a pure white winter wonderland and for 4 days it snowed, we had fantastic skiing in powder snow, the area was great, wide open, quiet slopes and the mountain bars were as the 'Ski Safari' reviews had said.
We tried most of the recommended restaurants and bars in the village and found them all excellent, and just about got away with my limited German vocabulary.
There was all we needed and more in the apartment, and the information packs were excellent. Perfect location for the lifts and buses, and only a short 10 min. walk to the village centre.
We can honestly say that we had a very relaxing holiday in Flachau and would definitely like to go again.
Mike and Gillian, (17th - 24th March 2007)
Hi
Sam & Effy Here we are again in Flachau. What a trip, Flying Hirsch and all. Sking second to none, finally found my skiing legs thanks to Herbart and a two hour lesson along with Ruth, now actually skiing down the piste in the right direction, mine hosts miles in front and playing catch up. The highlight of the trip, the head torches and the last run down never thought I would be part of it. The Hoaghascht and the noodles second to none. Pub crawls on the slope with Sam, beat any apres ski. Beers and shots in the helicoper bar as the sun goes down are a must. Watch out for the pistees driving the piste bashers pissed in the dark. Nose bag in the Berghof alm to die for and clap your hands and listen to the witch dance. Call in at the train bar at the top of the town and whistle for your drinks, but don't spill your red bull on the tracks! Finish the day off with girls in the milk parlour - ooooooohhhhhh yes!!!!!! isn't milk brilliant.
Edgar & Ang (24th Feb 2007) Better late than never!
I'm writing this thinking of where to go for my summer holidays and remembering the great holiday I had in Flachau during the winter Season. Myself, Brother, Niece and Son all went there for a week in the February half term and what a week we had!
We arrived late evening and it was raining with hardly any snow in the village. We couldn't see the mountains so we felt a little disappointed and thought we may not be doing much skiing. To drown our sorrows we headed out for a Pizza and a little bit of wine sampling. On returning to the marvellous apartment which immediately feels like home we bedded down and waited to see what the next day would hold.
After a hearty breakfast we togged up and headed out, as we turned the corner what a great site.the mountain covered in snow! (Courtesy of the snow machines on the lower levels) It looked huge and I remember making the remark that "there's no way on earth that I'd be making that descent". Guess where I ended up on the first day.you guessed it, doing some form of Circus acrobatics either on my head, bum or just plain spread eagled down the same run I'd only commented on a few hours earlier, (closely followed by my son William aged 7). Georgia skied down perfectly! and as for Mick we lost him within 2 minutes of setting off!
The following day myself and William decided to survive the holidays in one piece we'd better go into ski school. All the ski schools are very well run and by the end of the week Williams ski-ing had improved immensely, mine was less impressive but still had the wow factor as far as the acrobatics went!
The restaurant which became our favourite had to be The Hoagascht but we didn't have a bad meal anywhere and the prices were all very reasonable.
All in all the holiday was a great success and I'd recommend it to anyone. Thanks very much Sam and Effy you've got yourself a little gem of a place.
Gill, Will, Mick and Georgia (Feb 12th - Feb 19th 2007)
We had the good fortune to visit Flachau three times during the winter of 2006/07 and even as early as mid December we were able to ski on the top half of the mountain thanks to Flachau's impressive snow making capabilities. During our subsequent visits at New Year and mid January there was much more snow which opened up the entire network and allowed us to experience the vast interconnected and semi-interconnected ski area of the Amade. Flachau is ideally situated at the heart of this winter wonderland and a day out in Schladming was only a twenty minute drive away. For the most part we skied in and around Flachau, Wagrain, Flachauwinkl, Zauchensee and Alpendorf. The runs are well groomed and impressively long from top to bottom which is ideal for those who enjoy fast cruising and a sense of journey.
During the week an intense survey was made of mountain huts and restaurants with scant regard for the well being of our livers but we felt the sacrifice had to be made for the benefit of future trips and other visitors - missionary work of the highest importance. (See separate report).
Away from the slopes, it was great to stay in such a nice village with good facilities and an excellent choice of shops, bars and restaurants. Once again, we were impressed by the quality of food and service at Hoagascht, Schusterhausl and Jagdhof to name but a few in Flachau itself. Local bars including Hoo Ruck and Alteneuwirt were always welcoming and friendly.
Sam and Effy were great hosts and our stay in their apartment was really appreciated. We must thank them also for introducing us to neighbours Johann and Brigitte who are good fun and very hospitable. They epitomise the spirit of this magical corner of Salzburgerland and we look forward to going back with great anticipation.
Andrena & Bill (16-18 December '06; 30 Dec - 03 January '07; 13-21 January '07)
I had the pleasure of visiting Flachau and the apartment in October 2006. It really is impossible to put into words how beautiful Flachau and the surrounding area is. My friends will tell you I am not often lost for words! The apartment is lovely, it has everything you need with stunning views of Flachau. It is in a quiet loaction but only a few minutes walk will get you to the bars and restaurants which are of a superb standard and not over priced. The locals are very hospitable and do speak a little english but it would be advisable to brush up on your german. The bikes are a must as you can explore safely on the cycle routes which are clearly marked. I had the pleasure of an 80Km bike ride courtesy of my friend Effy, which I must admit was most enjoyable as most of the surrounding area is flat! The scenery was stunning. I am going back to Flachau in January 2007 for a skiing hol and can't wait to explore the slopes. Flachau really does have everything!
Tina (13th-15th October 2006)
I visited Flachau in October 2006 for a weekend with three friends. The apartment is spacious and a perfect base to explore this beautiful part of Austria. It has great views and is in a quiet location (not that anywhere in Flachau was noisy) but still within easy walking distance of the town, bars and restaurants. Restaurants and bars will not disappoint either. They are traditional serving excellent food and of course the alcohol goes down a treat as well. Effy and Sam have four bikes out there which are a perfect way of having a look around. Everywhere is so clean and the locals take great pride in their villages and homes. You will probably need a phrase book to assist in ordering food etc. but it's fun and the greatest part of all is getting what you ordered. I don't think it is possible to describe how beautiful Flachau is....you will just have to see for yourself!
Ruth (13-15 October 2006)
We have just had a long weekend at Sam & Effy's apartment. We had a fantastic time and could not stop saying this place is fantastic, what an experience. The whole convenience of Flachau and the surrounding villages of the Salzburger region just remind me why Austria is one of our favourite places. Loads to do at any time of the day or night, whether it's from catching the lifts up the mountain and then hold on tight, biking all the way back down again or just a gentle walk along the river. The place is beautiful and you will not tire of what to do, where to eat and constantly saying, it's fantastic.
Ian, Ruth & Ruby (11-13 August 2006)
We had a fantastic weekend in this beautiful and friendly part of Austria. Everywhere is clean and well looked after and the locals are courteous and hospitable. We found that a basic command of German is essential and visitors should be prepared to make a reasonable effort with the host language because little or no English is spoken. Having said that local people are really helpful once they grasp what you are seeking.
Friday evening was spent in the village and we had a great meal at Hoagascht just next to the Spar supermarket. This is a charming place, very original and the traditional Austrian food was first class. We washed this down with a few nightcaps at Hoo-Ruck and Alter Neuwirt (host Gabbie and his assistant Micky are great people).
We spent our two days biking around the local valleys (the apartment is well equipped with brand new mountain bikes) and went to Kleinarl and Wagrain the first morning. It's a bit of a push up to Kleinarl but certainly nothing over strenuous. At lunchtime we hopped onto the Flying Mozart gondola at Wagrain (cost about €9 one way to the summit station) and had some lunch at the top. Following this we picked up the well sign posted trails back down to Flachau and enjoyed our first red run without snow! Pretty exciting on a bike. There are countless rustic mountain bars and restaurants serving good food and the local beer goes down a treat. Before dinner we jumped in a taxi to Radstadt where a local festival was being held and enjoyed a couple of beers and oompah! Back in Flachau we had booked a table at Schusterhausl, the steak house opposite Spar. Again the food was excellent and local wines very drinkable. In fact, there are few, if any, foreign wines on any of the wine lists which is quite common across Europe and generally this keeps the prices reasonable.
On Sunday we had time to cycle up to Flachauwinkl and back to Flachau in just a couple of hours. The cycle paths are well maintained and of course traffic free so the countryside can be enjoyed in safety, not that the traffic is heavy. We had some lunch at Seestuberl next to the Badesee which is a water based fun park. The food was very good and a few more pounds were added to be taken back home as undeclared excess baggage.
The apartment is very comfortable and convenient for all activities - it's within a few minutes walk to the nearest ski-lift. The views are wonderful looking down the valley so the top floor location is a real bonus.
Our short stay was really enjoyable and we cannot wait to go back and visit in the winter season. Flachau and its neighbouring villages are truly delightful and hopefully won't be overrun by too many visitors!
Andrena & Bill Backhouse (4-6 August 2006)
Congratulations on finding a superb location. Flachau is located with 1 hours drive of a vast area of walking (and in winter skiing). Walking caters for all levels, from gentle mountain paths or riverside walkways, which were great with a young child, to some serious hiking which we didn't do. Unfortunatlety a lot of the lifts were closed at the end of June, but we got the impression that things start to come to life a little more in July and August which would enable you to access more of the mountains and sample the wears of the mountain chalets. One gondola was open at Schladming but unfortunatley as we reached the top the weather closed in and we ended up going down the same way we came. This gondola however went directly over the mountain bike course that ran down the mountain - a route I would not like to walk never mind cycle! The World Mountain Bike Championships are being held here in September 2007. There were also some spectacular views over the valley as we descended below the clouds.
Driving on the other side of the road took a short while to get used to but the roads are well signed and getting to grips with it didn't take long. There is some spectacular scenery to be found driving through the mountains and up into the several areas of National Park where again there are plenty of places to find refreshment and to park up and walk. Many areas were extremely well set up with not only a large map showing walks but also details of the level and expected length of time of the walk.
For those who wish to stroll around and take in the Austrian towns and villages there are many different museums, castles and even breweries! - although as the weather was so warm we preferred to stay outside this time, but some would definately be of interest later when we visit again.
The village of Flachau itself was very pretty. There are lots of bars and restaurants with good food being served everywhere and all extremely child friendly. For a special night out I would recommend the Steak House which is opposite the Spar, but you will probably find it necessary to book. It may not be the cheapest night but you will enjoy good wine and taste the best steaks in the world, and the garlic soup can be highly recommended too.
Spar is definately the cheapest place to shop for food, drink etc. But be warned it does shut at 5.00pm on a Saturday and is not open on Sunday so for those of you arriving on a Saturday flight you may find it better to catch the big Spar at Altenmark (5 mins down road by car) which is open until 6.00pm or stop off at one of the towns of the way. The services on the A10 do sell food/milk/beer but are extremely expensive as we found out! Fresh milk can be bought from the Automatic milk machine half way up the village - striaght from the cow.
It really was a fantastic holiday, good weather, good food, good beer and above all else extremely relaxing. Thank you.
Michele Carver (24 June 2006)
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