Damüls Mellau Ski Resort Austria
Damüls in Vorarlberg, Austria is alleged to be one of the world's snowiest villages, so how good must the skiing be? We found Damuls Mellau ski resort to be sensational during a crowd-free, super deep mid-winter visit.
Whilst not the highest, steepest, or largest ski resort in the world, Damuels & Mellau gets a Powderhounds tick of approval because of its lack of crowds, deep snow during a storm & great value.
Pros & Cons for Damüls Mellau Ski Resort
Pros
- Located in the snowiest part of Austria (& Europe!).
- Ultra-modern & efficient lift system.
- No lift lines during the week.
- Wide range of piste trails for all levels on perfectly groomed slopes.
- Interesting variety of freeride terrain & ski routes including tree skiing.
- Long valley trail into Mellau.
- Loads of ski-in ski-out accommodation at Damüls.
- Numerous superb mountain restaurants - many with accommodation.
- Easy public transport access by train & bus plus ample free car parking for day trippers right near the lifts.
Cons
- Short skiable vertical off most lifts (300 to 500m with some notable exemptions).
- The gondola link between Damüls & Mellau is vulnerable to closure in high winds.
- Some long, flat trails may create issues for snowboarder, particularly in Mellau.
- A relatively low elevation ski resort (particularly the Mellau sector) which may suffer in ‘warmer’ winter despite its high annual snowfall.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Villages are generally quiet after hours (don’t expect too many boisterous après ski sessions anywhere).
- Accommodation can be relatively difficult to get in Damuls but is easier lower down in the valleys.
Skiing & Snowboarding Terrain
Damüls ski resort is interlinked with neighbouring Mellau & Faschina to create a sizeable skiing area with 27 lifts & 109km of piste trails. A near even split in terrain provides a perfectly balanced ski resort for all abilities on an average snowfall of 9m+.
Check out the ski trail map for Damuls Mellau below.
For families & novice skiers & snowboarders, Mellau provides the best lifts & terrain. A learn-to-ski area in the valley at Mellau & progression terrain plus great lifts & facilities from the top of the gondola make it perfect for those new to sliding on snow. Aside from some steeper pitches off the upper Suttis chair, the terrain on this side of the ski area is mellow. The 8km long, 1000m vertical descent into the valley is a great way to tire the tribe!
Intermediates & above will be better served being closer to Damuls. The higher elevation base, some steepish terrain plus wider diversity of runs & ski routes makes it the ‘go to’ end of the resort - particularly around the Sunnegg chair. Whilst it is possible to get to Damuels from Mellau reasonable swiftly via two modern gondolas, the upper Gipfelbahn can close in high winds leaving one stranded looking longingly toward Damüls!
Lift Passes
A standard day lift pass is reasonable value & covers the combined Damüls Mellau ski area, but an extra €2 is required to ski the nearby (& intriguing) Faschina zone. All lift passes from 2½ days duration & over are classed as a 3-Täler Pass (3-Valley - wonder what the French think of that!). The 3 Taeler Pass is valid in over 38 regional ski resorts including the nearby Powderhounds gem of Diedamskopf & Ski Arlberg's highly rated Warth-Schroecken and the lesser known Sonnenkopf.
Snow & Weather
Vorarlberg state is the snowiest overall in Austria (& possibly Europe). Damüls village is the epicentre, averaging around 10m/year, providing more than enough reason to visit. Just for contrast, he lower end of the resort, Mellau village (710m above sea level), is reliant on snowmaking for much of the season. Thankfully, the majority of the ski terrain is over 1,400m elevation, providing snow surety.
Where is Damüls Mellau Austria?
The Damuels-Mellau ski resort is in the federal state of Vorarlberg, western Austria. The resort bases of Damüls & Mellau are separated by 7km as the crow flies or 19km by road. The nearest major cities & transport hubs are Bregenz (34-53km north by road) & Bludenz (30-49km south by road). Closest airports are Zurich (ZRH) & Innsbruck (INN)(both 2hr+ away) or Munich (MUC)(3hr+ by road). We recommend Zurich as the best airport & entry point for intercontinental travellers to ski the region.
Mellau is accessible by bus from Dornbirn or Bregenz railway stations via Bezau. The bus from Dornbirn is a straightforward trip from its major railway station, providing convenience from either Zurich or Innsbruck.
Search & book here for train tickets to Dornbirn. Purchase bus tickets to Mellau, Au or Damuels from the bus driver.
For some however, the easiest travel option is probably direct private transfer from an airport, major city or railway station. Search & book here all private transfers to the region.
If coming by car for a day trip, the easiest access is to park at the Mellau gondola base. For the best powder ski access, drive to Damüls & head to the day car park beyond the main Uga base, near the Sunnegg chair. The modern hooded Sunnegg chairlift provides immediate access to the best terrain in Damüls
Damüls-Mellau Accommodation
The villages of Damüls & Mellau represent vastly different ends of the spectrum when it comes to location & surroundings. Damuls is perched on the side of the mountains at 1431m, whereas Mellau is down in the valley at only 710m elevation. Both villages are lift & piste connected to the ski resort, so where you stay is largely dictated by availability.
Damüls has the distinction of the snowiest village in Europe which may or may not appeal to visitors! The village is two parts with both having a range ski-in ski-out accommodation. The original village is set below the distinctive Sankt Nikolaus church. The Oberdamüls chairlift is a short walk of or bus ride up the hill from most lodgings. Less than a kilometre away, the main day visitor ski resort centre is near the Uga chairlift base. An array of ski-in ski-out pensions, hotels & apartments are in the area, all with perfect access to the slopes.
Search & book all Damüls accommodation.
The village of Mellau doesn’t have the number of ski-in accommodations as Damuls, but it still has a quality number of hotels, apartments & guesthouses within 500m of the lift base & valley trail.
Search & book all Mellau accommodation.
This part Austria has a wonderful range of local traditional villages offering alternative locations to stay. The village of Au in Bregenzerwald is in a pivotal location on the road between the villages of Damüls & Mellau. Try a hotel like the central Alpenhotel Post (opposite the main bus stop) or an apartment in a local family’s house (often referred to as a 'ferienwohnungen').
Further away but still convenient by bus (the Powderhounds did the journey with no problems!) is the delightful village of Schoppernau at the base of Diedamskopf ski resort. Schoppernau has a wider selection of services than Au (or Damüls for that matter!). Schoppernau is also central to both Damuels Mellau AND Warth Schroecken ski areas.
If staying in a vibrant city is preferable to being on the ski hill, Damüls -Mellau can be skied as a day trip by car from either Bregenz (to the east of the resort on the Bodensee lakeshore) or Bludenz. Bludenz can be used as a base for a huge number of ski resorts in the iconic Silvretta mountains. Surprisingly, staying in the cities can often be more expensive than village accommodation near the ski resort.
Ski & Snowboard Rental
Our local partners have two ski & snowboard rental locations near the ski lifts in both sectors of Damüls village. Receive a discount when you search & book skiing & snowboarding gear via the listings below.
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Austria Damuls" subcategory="Damuls Rentals"]
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Damüls Mellau in 2019. We found it lived up to its reputation for fun, deep snow. We should head back someday soon, and we will. Click on the review link to see more of our photos & insights.
See how Damuls Mellau Faschina compares to the rest of the Austrian ski resorts on the Austria ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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