We have operated this excellent programme for 13 years and it's brilliant for schools. The hotel, niclely placed on its own slope, is luxurious but friendly, and the skiing on the Gerlitzen is perfect for beginners. Villach is a handsome town surrounded by several small ski areas which are all on the one pass. It's ideal for coach groups but our hotel also has the added bonus of doorstep skiing, which is very rare in Austria.

The Hotel Ebner has its own drag lift and ski run right outside and the gentle slope here is ideal for novices and beginners.
The main ski area is the Gerlitzen, which is 20mins by coach and has a good variety of runs, mostly at almost 2000m, where the snow conditions are excellent. Most school groups are happy here all week but Bad Kleinkirchenheim (BKK) is also close by and the lift pass is included. Please see page 50. Whilst the Gerlitzen is great for beginners, we have no hesitation in recommending it for early intermediates as well, because there's a good range and some interesting, scenic runs. Experts will be hard pushed to find much to challenge them on the Gerlitzen but BKK is available if required. A fast gondola and chair take you up to a mountain plateau, with gorgeous views over the lakes, and numerous blues and red runs radiating down on every side. 95% of the skiing is above the tree line on wide, open terrain. There are fast runs but also plenty of spacious, easy slopes, often in the sunshine, which are ideal for practising snow plough turns away from the crowds and intimidating speedsters. There are a few easy tree runs for variety and shelter if the visibility is poor.For a change of scene, you can also ski at Verditz, a pleasant and undemanding area where there are a couple of long reds and some easy blues, also at altitude, usually in good snow. Villach, 15mins by coach, has been an important town since Roman times and still has ancient thermal baths. It's full of character, especially in the winter and there's plenty to offer school groups away from the slopes.