Best Family-Friendly Ski Hotels in Austria near Salzburg and Munich

With single-day lift tickets topping $300 at major U.S. resorts like Vail, Breckenridge and Heavenly this season, a few hours of skiing with children can rival the cost of a transatlantic flight. In Austria, the same budget stretches further with world-class terrain, full-day passes under $100 and hotels run by the same families who’ve welcomed skiers for generations.

The reason for the price gap is simple. Europe has roughly eight times more ski resorts than North America and most are state-owned rather than controlled by corporate consolidators. “This decentralization leads to lower prices because there’s greater competition,” says Rick Reichsfeld, founder of the global luxury ski tour operator Alpine Adventures. “In the U.S., you’re seeing the opposite—consolidation driving prices up.”

I’ve skied and stayed at luxury properties on both continents and am struck by how far Austria’s mountain hotels have evolved—and in many ways, taken the lead.

Forget checkered bed linens and Alpine kitsch.The new standard in Austrian hospitality is design-forward and detail-oriented, combining luxury and attentive service while staying true to the Alpine culture that makes the region so compelling.

Austria’s family-friendliness adds to the lure of the cheaper ski ticket prices. At properties like Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort in Grossarl, ski school starts and ends directly at the hotel and the kids’ club runs all day, freeing adults to ski off by themselves or retreat to the vast and brand new adults-only spa section.

Here are some of the best family-friendly ski hotels and resorts in Austria. They are close to the airports of Munich and Salzburg, with Vienna also just a train ride away.

Das Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort — Grossarl

The five-year, $90 million transformation is evident the moment you arrive at this luxurious ski-in-ski-out resort. Few Alpine properties attempt such an ambitious investment—but Edelweiss got it right. Mornings here can start with yoga or a workout before hitting the slopes, afternoons with the hotel’s indoor water park that has five towering slides stretching across three floors. Kids get a ninja warrior course, trampolines and even an indoor basketball court, while a new family wellness area invites everyone to relax in multiple saunas and steam rooms.

Adults suddenly find themselves with plenty of downtime—now that their kids are entertained—and can take to the expansive adults-only spa area, with a rooftop infinity pool overlooking the surrounding mountains.

Dining options include an open-kitchen sushi bar and Sirloin, an award-winning steakhouse known for its Wagyu cuts and preparations of local Simmental beef. Meanwhile, five sommeliers curate tastings from a 30,000-bottle cellar featuring 1,500 labels.

That focus on food and wine peaks each January, when Edelweiss co-hosts the Grossarler Genussgipfel—a four-day culinary festival combining winemaker dinners and tastings with early-morning powder skiing and chef-prepared mountain breakfasts.

Ski access: Grossarl–Dorfgastein connects to Ski amadé, Europe’s second-largest ski region with 472 miles of terrain

Lift tickets: €79 ($90) for a single day; €133 ($156) for two days across the full Ski amadé network.

Naturhotel Forsthofgut — Leogang

The fifth-generation, family-run Naturhotel Forsthofgut sits directly on the slopes of the Saalfelden-Leogang ski area. The luxury hotel recently completed a major expansion that added penthouse suites with private outdoor saunas and hot tubs overlooking the surrounding mountains.

Off-piste, children can care for animals in the petting zoo or join workshops in woodcraft and painting. The newly added facilities also include an equestrian barn with a large indoor arena for year-round horseback riding.

Dining at Forsthofgut allows guests a choice between different cuisines beyond the main restaurant. 1617 celebrates Austrian tradition in a cozy farmhouse parlour, serving venison, char and popular local dishes like Salzburger Nockerl (a light and airy soufflé). The chefs at the Japanese Mizūmi restaurant prepare sushi and ramen in an open kitchen in front of guests. And for those looking for fine dining, Silva is an intimate, ten-seat space that can be booked privately for tasting menus that draw entirely from the surrounding landscape, using mushrooms, game and foraged botanicals.

The family wellness area is one of the best in Austria. It includes saunas, steam rooms, multiple indoor and outdoor pools, a natural swimming lake and a 230-foot water slide. The separate adults-only spa is equally impressive. New this winter is an on-demand health concierge offering IV therapy, hypoxia training, body composition analysis and personal training sessions.

Ski access: Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn (168 miles of terrain)

Lift tickets: €72 ($92) per day

Kinderhotel Kesselgrub — Radstadt

Kesselgrub is run by the Thurner family, who built the property with one clear goal: creating a place where kids are genuinely entertained and parents can actually relax.

Three age-specific kids’ clubs—baby club (six months to two years), mini club (two to six years) and kids’ club (six to 12 years)—offer up to 70 hours per week of programming. That means ski lessons, swimming instructions and pony riding sessions are all woven into the daily schedule. This well-thought-through kids programming allows parents to take a break or even enjoy a guilt-free day of solo skiing.

Inside there’s a kids’ cinema and Kesselino’s Kids’ Club with puppet theater, building corners and many toddler play areas. The real convenience for families traveling from abroad: You don’t need to pack cribs, strollers, high chairs, baby monitors or blackout curtains—everything is provided and set up in your room prior to your arrival.

Kesselgrub sits inside Ski amadé (472 miles across 270 lifts) with two nearby ski areas: Radstadt–Altenmarkt for beginners, and Zauchensee–Flachauwinkl for advanced skiers with World Cup-level terrain reaching 7,139 feet. A free shuttle connects hotel guests to both. Some ski packages even waive kids’ gear fees when parents rent.

Ski access: Ski amadé network (472 miles total), with nearby access points in Radstadt–Altenmarkt and Zauchensee–Flachauwinkl.

Lift tickets: €66 ($78) per day

Die Seitenalm — Forstau

Seitenalm is a down-to-earth children’s hotel that is particularly great for families with younger kids. The warm and welcoming owner family is aware that babies (or toddlers for that matter) rarely follow anyone else’s schedules. This is why the all-inclusive offering at Seitenalm really is ALL inclusive and runs around the clock. You need a coffee or a bottle of baby formula at 3 AM? No problem.

In winter the slope behind the hotel turns into a beginner’s ski slope complete with a magic carpet and platter lift. The area is free of charge for hotel guests and ski instructors can be booked starting at age four. More advanced skiers enjoy the full Ski amadé network (472 miles) from access points in nearby Radstadt–Altenmarkt and Zauchensee–Flachauwinkl.

Indoor amenities include an expansive 1,600-square-foot playground, pools and family wellness area, a kids’ club with extensive hours and even teen programs running seven days a week during holidays.

An unexpected additional offering is the option to book serious equestrian lessons in a new indoor arena. A French dressage instructor can teach toddlers on ponies how to trot, but also works with advanced riders interested in perfecting their pirouettes. The stable houses 10 ponies and two horses to accommodate riders of all levels.

Ski access: Hotel guests have complimentary access to a private beginner slope with its own lift. A ski pass gives access to the Ski amadé network (472 miles of slopes) via nearby ski resort Forstau-Fageralm.

Lift tickets: €66 ($77) per day

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