The Anton Files... Life's a Beach

Other ski resorts have gone into meltdown, but not St Anton. Here we keep rolling until the end of April.

 

Admittedly, the snow isn’t at its best, but with temperatures hitting 20 degrees – the sun is bloody lovely.  I’ve never experienced Austria in the springtime and it’s a sight to behold. 

 

What’s more, all of the bars and clubs are having their closing parties over the next couple of weeks, so there’s still plenty of night-time carnage to be had. 

 

The weapon of choice for any sun-worshipping rider is Rendl Beach. 

 

Rendl is the village’s little mountain, with far fewer runs than the extensive area accessed by the other lifts in town. But it’s less crowded (meaning the snow stays fresher for longer) and the number one place to get a tan. 

 

Rendl has undergone a makeover this season. It’s home to a swanky new gondola that gets you up the mountain in seven minutes and it’s got a fancy pants new restaurant and bar overlooking the snow park. 

 

Last weekend, Rendl’s delights were showcased with the Intersport Spring Festival, which – along with demos, DJs and live music – featured sofas in the snow as part of the ‘Kumm Oba’ lounge. 

 

With the season drawing to a close, there are loads of bargains to be had. 

 

Shops are offering up to 50 percent discounts and hotel and lift pass prices have plummeted.

 

This week, seven nights B&B with a six-day lift pass is available from €357 per person.

Saturday (April 17) marks the start of Snow Crystal week, when lift passes drop a further 25 per cent and it’s possible to get accommodation thrown in as well for around €300 a week. 

 

With budget flight operators servicing Innsbruck, Friedrichshafen and Zurich (all within easy reach), it’s not too late for a last blast on the white stuff. 

 

The staff are in pretty buoyant spirits too. 

 

Going out used to be limited to a few nights a week, but now it’s every bloody night with boozing like it’s going out of fashion. 

 

The fancy dress stakes have been upped too. 

 

Having already been a zebra and a geisha, I spent last Thursday taking part in a ‘valley rally’ dressed as a cowboy with a bunch of boys in skirts, the Pope and a Smurf.

 

And this week, in honour of the scorching weather, there’s a beach party. 

 

So make some space for silly attire in your suitcase – and don’t forget your sun cream plus any hangover cures you can muster.

 

www.stantonamarlberg.com