Clio Wood, founder of And Breathe Wellbeing, travelled to Austrian Tyrol in search of the most family-friendly way to go skiing with your kids…

What’s the best way to go skiing with your kids? If your answer is “don’t” then I salute your strength of character to resist, if your answer is “there is no best way, it’s always exhausting?” then my friend, I have the hotel for you.

Alpenrose, one of five Familux Resort group hotels, is set in the Austrian Tyrol and my goodness it is the answer for a stress-free family winter holiday, and to be fair, at any other time of year too.

We recently visited as a family of four, with our 9 year old and 2 year old daughter.  After only three days, none of us wanted to leave.  Alpenrose has everything that each family member could want or need and for those of us used to the rather stuffy approach to family-friendly offered in the UK, they do it with joy.

We arrive to an efficient and warm welcome – they know exactly who we are – a glass of fizz for the adults and a personalised water bottle and gummy bears for the kids. There’s a step at reception so the little ones can see over the desk and this is just a hint of the thoughtful touches to come.  

Elsewhere, I’m usually apologetically asking for highchairs or a microwave, but Alpenrose has everything geared up for families.  And I mean everything. Changing mats, nappies, wipes, bibs, colouring pencils at the table, rocking horses and games tables in the bar, kids cutlery and crockery, potties, buggies, baby monitor system, toys in the room, built-in bed guards. You name it (or forget it) and they’ve got it.

The room is huge, with a mini sink in the bathroom perfect for kiddy clean-ups, and the girls are exploring for at least 20 minutes before the usual snack demands.  I call that a win.  The room is spacious (the kids have their own room within the room) and has comfiest beds we’ve slept in for a while.

The first afternoon was spent exploring the hotel and it’s worth taking your time over this. As well as the beautifully equipped kids club you might expect (from 6 weeks to 10 years) there are the two pools (one with slides, naturally), gym, spa, a craft room, teen room, climbing wall, softplay, bouncy castle, basketball court, theatre…not to mention the indoor golf, go-karting and much more besides.  In the summer there are incredible outdoor playgrounds too.

Venturing outside, the main ski lift is just over the road; whilst there’s a baby slope in the hotel itself (perfect for our 2 year old) the nursery slope for lessons is about a 10 minute walk away.  Luckily if you’re signed up to ski school (which you can do at the hotel, naturally) they shuttle the kids in hotel minibuses.  The ski shop is just next to the lobby too – so there’s no hassle over getting equipment – or where to keep it.  

And whilst you still might not get a chance to ski alone with your partner, you’re going to have a better chance here than most places. We only had trouble because our youngest (a nursery old-timer) refused kids club. And that’s ok – it is a family holiday after all.

Mealtimes at Alpenrose are a dream – laden buffets for breakfast and lunch, with special kids options (sandwiches with smiley faces and a pancake machine the kids were obsessed with) at all times, plus gourmet dinner for parents in the evenings.  They even provide bags to take snacks away for your daily adventures and a snack and drinks station is available throughout the day.  So as with most ski holidays, you’ll probably leave feeling a touch fuller than when you arrived!

So, yes, I would say this is the best way to ski with kids.  Perhaps this is even the best family hotel we’ve ever been to.  It really is relaxing for everyone, when you’re not running about after the kids or struggling to entertain them.  

When we left, my 9 year old daughter was so in love with Alpenrose that she left a thank you note for the hotel staff.  She even got her sister to sign (scribble on) it. Now that truly is love. 

Travel

Fly to Innsbruck with Easyjet (plenty of flight choice in Winter); transfers with Alp Express alpexpress.at, superb service and excellent vehicles, EU160 each way for up to 8 people.

Stay & Do

Alpenrose prices start from EU650 per night for a family of four, for their all-inclusive (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner – 4-course gourmet menu, and non-alcoholic drinks).  There is a 7-day kids’ club from 8:30 to 21:00 – separate for each age group, with age-specific indoor and outdoor programmes; wellness centre with indoor and outdoor pool, kids pool with slides, pirate ship, toddler pool; all other family activities and equipment; gym with cardio and training equipment, fitness studio.

Book direct: hotelalpenrose.at

Innsbruck is in!

If you haven’t been to Innsbruck yet, tag on a night or two there too – we stayed a night in this fascinating city, small enough to walk around and charming enough to satisfy fairytale fantasies.  In winter, the Christmas markets are magical, despite having to trudge round them in slushy freezing rain!  But the Lumagica lights in the Hofgarten Park were worth the cold & wet and we also squeezed in a visit to the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) the next morning too.

We took advantage of the Innsbruck card which included all our transport and entry to Lumagica and the Hofberg Palace, if we’d had more time we could have entered any of 22 attractions, including the famous ski jump, the Swarovski museum experience, and cable cars getting you right to the peaks in minutes, one of which was designed by Zaha Hadid.  There’s so much more to see – we’ll definitely be back!

Stay

We had an XL Room which had plenty of space for all of us urban-inn.com/

Do

Innsbruck card innsbruck.info