Kitzbuhel - the complete alpine resort?

There has been much talk at home over the last weeks about Kitzbuhel. My wife is deserting me and Josh in a week or so for the Tirolean resort for what is a well deserved break from the two of us. It got us talking about what makes a great destination. One thing that you can often take for granted in Alpine resorts is the scenery - Alpbach might not have the Matterhorn or Eiger but in its own way the scenery is as attractive if not as dramatic, making a fairly ‘level’ playing field in terms of natural beauty. For me the two key variables in a resort are its built infrastructure and its atmosphere. From here you can pretty much rule out the ‘Star Destroyer’ of La Plagne or the ‘Polytechnic libraries’ of Tignes on any short-list of the Alps most desirable locations - the skiing and access to the slopes certainly good but the rest pretty diabolical to the eye really. Then there is atmosphere and this is where to my mind purpose built (Austria and Switzerland included) fall down. There is no permanence to these resorts, they offer a real sense of seasonality at the beginning and end of the winter seasons. I remember going for winter surfs in my Cornish stomping grounds some years back and the places out of season had a depressing air to them - closed shops, large empty communal areas etc etc. Majority self-catering resorts are another killer for resort atmosphere to my mind -, the process of lifts closing, slopes emptying and skiers and snowboarders heading back home to eat and drink is such a disappointing way to celebrate a day on snow. And whilst there are many equal and better locations in Austria to ski then for a resort experience I believe few can match Kitzbuhel. With a population that exceeds the tourist bed numbers (a rarity in many big resorts) Kitzbuhel has a superbly rounded feel to it. Out of season doesn’t exist and whilst some periods are quieter than others then these are times to see the locals going about their days, the saw mills run, the school kids amble to school and the shops remain open. Add to all this the superb medieval centre of Kitzbuhel and it is hard to think of too many better ski holiday resorts.