The piste!
minutes. From there, the ski options are many. But the easiest way to see the sights is to follow the orange or green SkiWelt Tour signs at the top of every lift.
These will send you on a magical journey, taking in runs above all eight mountain villages – Söll, Westendorf, Ellmau, Going, Scheffau, Itter, Brixen im Thale and Hopfgarten.
Of all the areas, Westendorf was the prettiest, with its myriad reds a pleasure to navigate. The Bergrestaurant Talkaser is a great spot for lunch, with traditional Tirolean fare.
Try the Käsespätzle, an Austrian mac and cheese; Gröstl, fried potatoes and bacon with a fried egg on top; and Kaspressknödel, Tirolean cheese dumplings.
Diners will be glad to know they do serve salad to cut through all the meat, cheese and carbs.
For dessert, go for Kaiserschmarrn – cut-up sugared pancakes served with hot apple sauce, although the best spot
CRUISE & Maritime Voyages’ fleet of seven ships will star in a Dutch treat next year.
They will assemble in Rotterdam on August 28, 2021, for a parade and regatta to celebrate the debut of new vessels Amy Johnson and Ida Pfeiffer. The event will also for this sweet treat is Aualm in Söll. For the best mountain views, book a fullservice table at the rotating restaurant at the Gipfelalm Hohe Salve, above Hopfgarten, or a table in the KaiserLounge above Ellmau.
The skiing here need not stop when the sun goes down. Söll has a section of floodlit pistes that open again at 6.30pm from Wednesdays to Saturdays.
Ripping up fresh corduroy under a clear, crisp night sky was almost as intoxicating as a shot of the local schnapps. These can be had at the end of the evening at the Moonlight Bar, at the bottom of Söll’s floodlit runs.
It is the place to go in the village, and only a five-minute taxi from my hotel in Hopfgarten, for a spot of Austria’s legendary apres ski. There, they serve schnapps with local pear in the glass.
The schnapps, along with an excellent day and evening of skiing, certainly had me dancing in the moonlight. mark the 25th anniversary of the cruise port and CMV’s ships will sail in convoy up and down the Maas River for 28 nautical miles.
Leading the way will be Marco Polo, CMV’s first vessel, followed by new flagship Amy Johnson, Magellan, Columbus, Astor, Vasco da Gama and Ida Pfeiffer. A CMV spokesman said: “This unique maritime celebration will bring
TAKING up a townhouse just three minutes from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, The Gyle brings a touch of luxury to a stopover.
With St Pancras’ links to France, it’s perfectly placed for travellers, but also feels unique enough for anyone spending a special weekend in London.
Anyone in town for a night out will relish the convenience for the tube network – and the McDonald’s at the end of the road.
The Gyle opened in December, so is still shiny and new.
It offers a slightly bonkers mix of decorative themes: Scotland, because it’s on Argyle Square; coal, because it was once stored nearby; and the supernatural, as it is said the house stands on a ‘spacetime rift’.
All 33 rooms are an experience, as well as a comfy resting place.
Some have hot tubs, while others have their own private outdoor decking.
My bed was comfy and I loved the soft, plush robes left for the guests.
There is no restaurant, but the TOAST lounge offers tasty snacks and a groaning shelf of whiskies. Breakfast is a sleek buffet described as ‘high end’ – I enjoyed smoked salmon, warm rolls and pasties and granola. The bar is another feast for the eyes – with a wall of Scottish bun moss, a swing and a grass ceiling.
This hotel is for you if you’re after a ‘cool’ kip. Every room feels unique and stylish.
Guests are offered complimentary coffee and tea all day in the bar, which is decked out with a row of plugs for those working on laptops.
Each room has a smart TV, high speed wi-fi and air conditioning, while bathrobes and hair dryers are laid on.
Rooms from £150, not including breakfast. See thegyle.co.uk