For corporate ski event planners looking for resort charm then Lech am Arlberg is unrivalled, anywhere in the world. It is jaw-dropping in its refined elegance and natural setting. In terms of skiing, again it pretty much stands alone, located in the heart of the massive and spectacularly good Arlberg ski region.
Situated in the far northwest of Austria, the Arlberg region is historically the snowiest in the Alps, with unimaginable quantities of snow blanketing the slopes and roofs of the resort, creating a corporate ski trip product that attracts the royals and well-heeled of Europe.
Lech is famed for its grand hotels, clustered around the historic church or along the banks of its magical river. Lech hotels are institutions that greet regular clients in refined luxury, offering excellent service and fantastic dining experiences - Lech is as dreamlike as it gets in the mountains.
Corporate ski groups will enjoy the mixed terrain in the Lech / Arlberg ski area – everything from village centre beginner slopes to heli-skiing on the peaks that dot the horizon. For non-skiers on a corporate ski trip, there are wonderful spas, air sports, winter & snowshoe walks, as well as excursions to enjoy.
Lech am Arlberg skiing is part of the world-famous Arlberg ski region, with Warth and Zürs on either side of the resort, & Stuben, St Christoph and St Anton am Arlberg a little further away, connected by lift and piste and covered on the ski pass. The Arlberg offers huge skiing, a great diversity of terrain, modern lifts, wonderful mountain huts, and whopping snow accumulations. Cut through the hype surrounding many ski areas - the Arlberg is unquestionably one of the very best ski regions in the world.
The Lech ski area sits directly between the Arlberg ski sectors of Warth and Zürs am Arlberg, statistically the numbers 1 and 2 for historic snowfall in the Alps. On offer are dreamlike piste conditions or thigh-deep skiing at regular times throughout the winter season in Lech. Lech and Zürs are the only locations in Austria to offer heli-skiing on the nearby peaks offering possibly the ultimate snow-sports experience. Stuben offers some of the best off-piste skiing in the Alps, whilst the steep skiing above St Anton offers amazing piste and off-piste skiing.
Lech am Arlberg is an intermediate skier’s dream, with the famed ‘White Ring’ ski circuit through Zürs and Zug and back to Lech an absolute highlight for groups to complete, whilst the terrain throughout Lech-Zürs is generally ideal for intermediates. The most challenging section of the ‘White Ring’ is the ski route from Zürs into Zug which can range from challenging to a breeze depending on conditions. Lech skiing is characterised by undulating and forgiving pistes, often stacked deep in Arlberg snow.
Dining on the slopes of Lech am Arlberg can be a truly memorable experience with quality gastronomy offered in rustic mountain huts or the slope-side hotels of Zürs and Oberlech. Terraces look over the fairy tale landscape and villages of the Arlberg. There are numerous mountain huts that can be reached by non-skiers on corporate ski trips, allowing inclusive group lunches.
Please provide a little information, and we can begin to develop some initial ideas for you.
In a region of jaw-dropping peaks and to-die-for chalets, Lech am Arlberg stands apart from almost all others in terms of charm. A centuries-old church standing high above the hotel roof-tops and the strictly enforced constraints on development have conjured up a resort with few equals. Added to that is a seriously upmarket clientele and the regular patronage of European Royalty - when all combined you have the near perfect template for an Alpine village.
The river which cuts through Lech is a wonderful focal point and offers a spacious walking promenade whilst heading out toward Zug, the winter walking trails offer a wonderfully serene escape. The main street has shops, some bars, and several hotel restaurants.
Corporate ski event clients will appreciate the proximity to everything within the resort – Lech has a compact centre with no need for in-resort transfers. When walking is necessary, it usually involves a section of the riverside walk and an escape to another world of serenity and beauty. Lech am Arlberg atmosphere is something that hasn’t been replicated anywhere else – the quality, tradition, and history – all deep in Arlberg snow is something quite unique to Lech.
There are numerous group dining options around the resort including hotels, and mountain huts. Oberlech offers a wonderful location for fine dining, a couple of hundred metres above Lech am Arlberg and accessed by cable car. For those lucky enough to visit before Christmas, the advent markets in Lech are absolutely magical and ideal for group socialising during a corporate ski event.
Lech après ski is all about quality. Austria is famed for its après ski but in Lech après ski tends to be a bit more refined with fine food, drink and service. Oberlech offers numerous slope-side hotel terraces and deck chair areas with table service and top-range food & drinks on offer - sunset drinks under a sheepskin rug can be memorable.
The setting is superb with ski pistes running next to the terraces and the views across the valley above Lech are quite exceptional.
Down in the resort of Lech there are a number of outdoor bars in the hotels and there is often a great atmosphere, jovial in nature rather than raucous. At night Oberlech and Lech are connected by cable car that runs till after midnight allowing guests of either location the chance to visit the other for food or drink.
For those planning a meeting or seminar component for their event, there are several venues to meet in. On-mountain it is possible to hire rooms in the ski area as well as Oberlech, whilst a side valley has the wonderful resort of Zug with several locations in the vicinity.
As well as the meeting spaces on offer in Lech am Arlberg, there are some sensational dining opportunities, with exquisite food, impressive wine cellars and marvellous decor. The quality that runs throughout Lech is impossible to overlook and adds a unique feel to everything that happens in the resort.