Hotel Crystal, St Johann in Tirol

St Johann is part of the Schneewinkel pass, which offers a total of 182km of runs. Even though Kitzbuhel is only just over the mountain, the two aren't lift-linked due to bureaucratic conflicts. There are only 60km of pistes locally and these are very much for beginners and lower intermediates. This is predominantly a family resort or a place to learn. This is equally true for boarders, with the ski school and childcare facilities further emphasising the beginner/learner element of the resort. Most of the slopes are north facing so snow is pretty well preserved, but the resort has a good record for snow anyway. This does mean that if snow fails in other areas, St Johann can become overrun by day-visitors, with the same holding true for weekends. 'Langlaufers' have an impressive 75km of trails to use.

The village itself is traditional and traffic-free, with lots of good restaurants and reasonably quiet nightlife. It is quite a busy place and most people stay in hotels that are located near to the lifts, although it is still a five minute journey. For those who don't want to ski, there are plenty of other things to do. St Johann has its own railway station, so access from Salzburg or Innsbruck is very easy.

Overall, St Johann in Tirol is a good spot for a family ski holiday in the Austrian Tyrol, with reasonable skiing and a traditional mountain village. This may not be the best if you want tough terrain and challenging skiing/boarding.