Oetz ski resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Oetz
Resort review
Oetz village sits at the base of the Acherkogel mountain around 45 minutes drive from Innsbruck, in the Ötztal valley close to the Italian border.
An authentic and family friendly Austrian ski resort, Oetz occupies the 65km long Ötztal valley with several other villages including the glacial resort of Sölden and Obergurgl, the highest parish in Austria where you can also go skiing.
Après-ski
For a relatively small village, Oetz has a surprising number of bars and restaurants to choose from, many of which are located in the hotels. Schirmbar is a good place to try out straight off the slopes and the Taxi Bar in the Waldhof Hotel is the local nightclub.
| Key information (local area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 820m |
| Top lift | 2222m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 34 |
| Longest run | 3 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 0 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively & Fun |
Oetz ski area guide
The local ski area is called Hochoetz that was linked with Ochsengarten in 1999, and it’s in the Ochsengarten side of the resort where you’ll find the steepest terrain and the best powder trails. As well as being able to ski at Hochoetz, the ski pass also covers Kühtai which is linked to Oetz by a free ski bus - the journey takes just 25 minutes to cover the 18kms. Kühtai is Austria's highest resort sitting at 2020m and has a long ski season running from the end of October until late May.
Children
If you are travelling with a young family, children are extremely well catered for in Oetz. There is a lovely children's restaurant, a children's ski school and a kindergarten (2 years +) in the centre of the ski area that offers everything a young skier could possibly need including a Kids' Ski Trail that follows the tracks of wild animals.
Beginners
First timers will enjoy the nursery slopes at Giggijoch before progressing to the gentle blues high up on the Tiefenbach Glacier. This is what makes Sölden special as it gives beginners the high mountain experience usually reserved for intermediates and advanced skiers.
Intermediate
With plenty of long reds, intermediate skiers and boarders are very well catered for in Hochoetz and throughout the other resorts in the Ötztal valley.
Advanced
For the advanced skier, there are some challenging descents on the Ochsengarten side of the mountain but apart from that, a day trip to Solden is the best place for some adrenaline fueled steep descents.
Snowboard
There is no terrain park at Hochoetz but the natural terrain is a very good substitute with many jumps and "rails" as you wind through the off-piste alongside the forest trails.
Things to See & Do
If you don't fancy skiing or the weather is not that great, then there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied.
| A few suggestions... | |
|---|---|
| Cross-country skiing | ✔ |
| Sledging | ✔ |
| Ice skating on Piburg lake | ✔ |
| Fitness center and bowling | ✔ |
| Acqua-Dome in Langenfeld with indoor & outdoor swimming pools | ✔ |
| Parapenting | ✔ |
| Spend a days skiing in Obergurgl, Austria's highest ski resort at 1930m | ✔ |
| High altitude skiing on the Kühtai glacier | ✔ |
Featured chalets in Oetz
Whilst one of the smallest villages along the Ötztal valley, Oetz has a good stock of holiday rental accommodation including chocolate-box chalets and self catering apartments which are great value and offer the flexibility, freedom and space to do what you want, when you want.
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Our view on Oetz ski resort
Oetz is a good option for family ski holidays where you will find beautiful open and gentle pistes that wind down the mountain through the forest. Some suggestions...
