Lizum 1600 | Kompetenzzentrum Snowsport Tirol

My husband and I stayed at Lizum 1600 for five nights during February half term. Axamer Lizum is a small ski resort with just a few hotels; most people drive in for the day each morning. There are a couple of bars for food and drinks but this isn’t a big “apres ski” resort. Once the cars and coaches have left it is pretty quiet in the evening (which was fine by us!). I was surprised that there were no shops to pick up supplies (snacks, pharmacy) but this just shows how small the place is. Axamer Lizum is a half hour drive from Innsbruck airport which makes it a very convenient ski destination for tourists and locals alike. It wasn’t until after our transfer dropped us off at the main area that we realised the hotel is set quite a bit higher than everything else. With our suitcases, we had a 15 minute walk up to the hotel which wasn’t ideal. The implication of the hotel being set higher than the rest of the resort is that the ‘ski on/off’ part is on a red route, which I hadn’t realised when I booked. We are not confident skiers and although we could get down to the main gondola each down, we couldn’t ski directly back to the hotel as it involved a very long and very steep red route. As such, we had two choices: walk our ski gear up the road which would have taken 25 minutes, or walk up the red route which was steeper but more direct. We chose the latter. This was a shame as we booked ski on/ off for convenience and this was not convenient at all. The hotel itself was very well presented and immaculately clean. The room and bathroom were both warm and well equipped. The only thing we weren’t keen on was the bed which consisted of two singles and single duvets, but this wasn’t the end of the world. The pillows were far too soft for us and you only get one. Also, I would really have liked a kettle in our bedroom as I love a hot drink. We were really pleased with the food, especially dinner. Food was varied and plentiful, with lots of salads, cheese, fish, meats and vegetarian options. Breakfast had a variety of cold and some cooked options. Next to the restaurant area was a bar where skiers and hotel guests could come for lunch or a drink in the afternoon/ evening. The wellness area was well presented and clean. We chose to wear swimming gear, however most people opted not to in the sauna and steam room. The relaxation room had sun beds and extra towels. I would have liked for it to be extra warm in there. We also had access to ski lockers. The boot stands were heated which meant our boots were nice and toasty in the morning. Overall, the hotel was clean, comfortable and the food was excellent. We would recommend Lizum 1600 to confident skiers who want to be close to the skiing action and aren’t so fussed about the nightlife.

Honestly? It's very good for Basic. I think single duvets are for kids, and one pillow is never enough. The dining room is kind of gloomy, although the view of the Alps is fabulous from that side of the building. I find buffet food invariably slightly cold, and apple strudel served direct from the fridge is probably a criminal offence somewhere. There was no fireplace, nowhere that felt like the heart of the hotel where you could sit and read or chat. But the sauna is really nice. I couldn't figure out if there was a changing area - and evidently nor could the male guests, who much less cared and just...cracked on. To ski in and out you need to be a solid intermediate - the run into the hotel is more like a black than a red. In fact all the pistes are graded lower than they are: the big blue is more like a red, making Lizum not so good for beginners. But apart from these pernickety details, the hotel is good value for money - spotlessly clean, plenty to eat, lovely staff, and a fantastic locker room with heated sticks to pop your boots on. Be careful where you hire your gear: if it doesn't have Intersport in the name, avoid it. Intersport is the best but it's tucked away under the Hotel Olympia and easy to miss unless you're already in the piste (!). And don't try to get food or drink from the Lizumerhof; they only serve their hotel guests. But do visit the Alm Bar after 4pm for a few rounds of Nails. And say hi to Charlotte :0)