Skicircus Saalbach Restaurants

It is always difficult to summarise a place like Skicircus Saalbach when it comes to restaurants, simply because there are too many. Every Saalbach hotel has a decent restaurant serving generally contemporary or traditional fare, and the majority offer guests half or full board options that include dinner and, sometimes, alcoholic drinks. Stand-alone restaurants are relatively few. Diversity is generally restricted to Italian (Del Rossi) and Mexican (PipaMex).

If you have had enough of formal dining, simple take away food options include the café in the MPreis supermarket on the town square, and at the sausage stand stall along the walkway beside the Schattberg Stube.

Saalbach Hinterglemm Fieberbrunn Bars, Après & Nightlife

There are around 60 mountain huts at the Skicircus Saalbach ski resort and every one of them has the potential for après fun and naughtiness. Added to that, every hotel has its own bar. To try every one of them would be a great ski challenge and truly test your liver and kidneys. A few good ones are listed below, but as they say ‘when in Rome, drink & dance like the Romans’………… or something like that!

Lounging outside with a beverage at the Luis Alm near the top of Bernkogel gondola is a fine way to end the ski day. It is a relatively new facility which soaks up the sun longer than a lot of other places above Saalbach. Next to it is the older Barnalm, which has way more character. Either way, when the sun finally dips behind the ridge, venture inside or head down to Saalbach. Download on the gondola or show some courage (read stupidity) and ski the 563m vert as fast as you can. Head across Saalbach via the lovely and more sophisticated Eva Alm in the main street. You will now be fully ready for the fun and frivolity of Bauers Schi-Alm.

Bauers Schi-Alm, at the base of the Turm 6er orange hooded chair in Saalbach, is the place for extended after ski action within its outdoor areas, pavilions, and pub. Who could possibly say no to servers wearing leather shorts - always gets us going. Bands, ridiculous euro disco tunes, light shows, DJs and a few drinks. What’s not too like! Well there is one thing. Unless well-fortified, the outdoor areas aren’t very well heated, and if the crowd is a bit thin, it does get a tad cold after a long day on the hill.

At all costs avoid the ghastly Schwips Bar near the Schattberg Xpress base terminal. If you are without a conscience, wander into the Alpinresort Sporthotel bar and see if you can get a free drink or two. They are on the house to ‘guests’ until midnight.

In Hinterglemm, the Goat Stall (just above town under the Reiterkogel gondola) is a great location until about 3pm when the sun disappears below the ridge. A short ski down into town gives more options to continue or retire. Tanzhimmel on the way to the bus stop in Hinterglemm is one such place. Pull up a sheepskin under a heater. There will be another bus soon………

In Fieberbrunn, The Enzian Hutte is the better place for a convivial on the Doischberg gondola side. On the opposite side of the very odd Streuboden gondola, if the sun is out, pull up a lounge seat at the small BiWak hut. At the Streuboden mid station, the excellent Pauli Alm is another Fieberbrunn gem.

At Vorderglemm, before you get back on the bus, in the car or to your lodgings, stop at the Jausernalm for a brew. If on the opposite side of the hill near the Magic 6er chair, the old Thurneralm (with the nearby Monkey Bar has been allegedly pouring drinks since the 1800s).

For later in the night, in Saalbach, Castello under the Hotel Saalbacher Hof (swank place to stay), appears to be the town’s hot spot for nightlife. Check it out for bands, dancing and general shenanigans. Sadly, the Powderhounds were a spent force by the time this establishment really fired up. Perhaps someone can give us a full report, or we will check it out properly when we return. And we shall return.