I’ll be honest, part of me doesn’t want you discovering Lech, an idyllic Austrian ski resort tucked along the Western edge of Tyrol and to that end, I’m going to start with the harsh realities. This isn’t the best skiing in the world (that would be here in Japan), this isn’t the best food you’ll find on the slopes (that would be here in Italy), this isn’t even the fanciest or most elegant resort (that would be in neighboring Switzerland). Oh, and the best hotel in town? You can’t reserve a room there, they’ll call you.

So feel free to stop reading. Feel free to not come here.

For those of you who trust me, let’s dive in.

The secret 173 slope that chases through snow-dusted pines to drop you off right in the center of Lech

THE RESORT

Lech is the central village of the Arlberg Mountain Range, one of five resorts that are all interconnected via slopes and chairlifts, and by far the nicest to stay in. Half way up the main peak is the tiny hamlet of Oberlech which consists of little more than a couple hotels and restaurants inaccessible by car. Neighboring Zurs and St. Christoph are a bit bigger but too remote to stay in, while the farthest, St. Anton, is a little more “busy” to put it kindly. Basically, stay in Lech.

One ski pass buys you access to all these mountains and each have their pluses which I’ll get into later. One of the most fun challenges is tackling The White Ring, a 22 kilometer circuit that will take you through most of the mountains with over 5,000 meters in elevation change over the course of one exceptional day of skiing.

Unlike other resorts that boast great shopping, Michelin-starred restaurants, or a myriad of other winter pastimes, I gotta say, if you don’t downhill ski, you may want to skip this trip as the area doesn’t offer much else in the way of activities.

The perfect table at the Almhof Schneider to settle down for a drink and a round of gin rummy

HOTELS

Despite what it may look like when scrolling through hotel booking sites, there’s only one hotel you want to book, and that’s the Almhof Schneider. But here’s the tricky thing: just because you want to stay there doesn't mean they want you staying there. Booking a room over the holidays at one of my favorite hotels in the world requires a little more work than lazily clicking on Tablet or calling up Amex Travel.

It all starts by submitting a request on their discrete website. You’ll be put on a waitlist that may extend a couple years though if you’re hoping to go during an off-peak week, you may be in luck. And the good news is once you’re in, you’re in. At the end of your stay you will be asked if you want to book your room again for the same dates the following year, and seeing as 97% of people rabidly say yes, you can understand why booking a room here gets tricky.

With the logistics out of the way, I can now wax poetic about just how special a place this is. Family run for several generations, it also happens to be the only hotel to be ski-in/out in town (along with the only one to arrange for the ski school to come to pick up your kids each day and then drop them off). The property was renovated a few years ago by the owner who happens to be an architect and every detail is meticulously thought out. There is a perfect blend of Tyrolean charm and modern elegance, the contrast of intricately-moulded pine wood ceilings and sober grey flannel headboards. A garage designed by the renowned architect behind Ogata in Paris, a steam room and cold plunge that looks like it belongs at Apple HQ, and a dining room whose maitre d’ recognizes you and remembers each family members’ name the very first time you set foot in there!

Which brings me to an interesting point: breakfast and dinner are both included in the astronomical price tag, and while I first bristled at the idea of staying in every night, within three days I was thrilled to ignore hunting down interesting local meals (there aren’t many) and instead relaxing in this oasis of calm after a full day on the slopes without having to put on a coat after 4p and while figuring out taxi logistics. Each night is a new five course meal that alternates proteins and highlights local specialties. Each night is better than the next, with the dinners only being surpassed by the perfection of the breakfast in the morning and the afternoon tea offered fire-side or out on the terrace overlooking the mountains.

And it is during this teatime that you should order perhaps the greatest culinary treat in all of Austria, because this hotel nails it better than any other place: my favorite dish ever (no exaggeration here), Kaiserschmarrn, an indescribable mix of pancake and soufflé, scrambled together, caramelized with sugar, studded with plump raisins, and generously topped with plum jam. THE BEST THING YOU WILL EVER EAT IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, HONEST TO GOD.

At this point I’ll stop fawning over this hotel and mention one other that is pretty solid if you have young children: the Burg Vital. This one is located in that little town halfway up the slopes, Oberlech, and the great thing about it is that without any car access, kids can run around and play in the snow after ski school without a worry in the world. Your only worry however is that if you want to leave the hotel for a night on the town, you have to take a gondola down and back, and after the slopes shut down, it only runs every half hour, so…yeah. Pros and cons…Then again, this place also does full-board, so you may be happy hunkering down come nightfall.

THE SKIING

Now, for the skiing…Before you even hit the slopes, you should know that some of the most coveted—and comfortable—custom ski boots in the world can be found right in the heart of town at Strölz. Despite being made-to-measure, it’s only a 24 hour turn-around and the store also happens to be the best place to rent equipment, so they can lend you a pair while yours are built.

The Lech/Oberlech runs—which happen to be the most convenient—are also the least interesting of the region. After a day or two you’ll tire of them and want to go searching farther afield. Your second stop will be across the street, the Rüfikopfbahnen gondola (I’m telling you, skiing in Austria is a lot less sexy than Italy) that takes you to a peak from which you glide poetically atop a mountain range down into Zurs where the fun begins.

Another option is to jump into a taxi and race towards St. Christoph (or Zurs) and avoid the masses trying to take the Rüfikopfbahnen, eventually winding your way back to Lech by day’s end.

Beyond the legendary White Ring circuit, below are a few of my favorite slopes to hit…

Just note: the slopes are all numbered rather than named, which will come as a relief to all of you who don’t speak German. Also, diamond-shaped numbers signify the slopes are off-piste and ungroomed, but still recognized. All main slopes are displayed within circles, with blue being the easiest, followed by red and the incredibly infrequent black.

In Zurs, get to the Seekopf restaurant, fill up on a beer, pretzel, and a beef consommé with sliced pancake. There’s little else worth eating here but the view is great when the sun is pounding down.

From here, jump on the Matloch lift just below which leads to one of the best series of runs in the area, starting with 165. You can choose one of two adventures half way down this run:

173 back to Lech is un-groomed, marked off-piste, and an absolute joy but you can only do it if there’s sufficient snow covering. You’ll also be the only one weaving through the forests and glades, and it doesn’t get better than this. You really have to be on the lookout for this trailhead though.

170 will drop you off at the Zugerbergbahn gondola that takes you right to the heart of the Lech range where you can ski back down to town.

From the Lech side, another fun off-piste run that ends at the Zugerberbahn is 177 which is slightly hidden, just below the entrance to the Zuger Horn chairlift.

And now, I’ve saved the best for last, rewarding you for reading this far. Are you ready? Perhaps the best reason to ski Lech is that—as far as I know—it is the only ski resort with multiple site-specific works of contemporary art set into the mountain. And while Antony Gormley’s 100 life-sized human statues are fun to catch on your way up the Kreighorn lift (or as you ski off-piste down the challenging 203), the most transcendental experience on a slope anywhere in the world is the James Turrell Skyspace that is tucked out of view off of the 210 in Oberlech. On sunny days the roof is left open and the small chapel-like room is open for all to enter and reflect within. At night the roof is covered and the space is accessed by gondola and foot, and you can witness the most mind-blowing non-acid light show of your life.

DINING

With the caveat that this is not a food paradise coupled with the fact that you will have exceptional breakfasts and dinners at your hotel, you still need fuel on the slopes. Below are my favorites.

Verwall Stubbe - It takes quite a few series of gondolas and chairlifts to reach what is by far the nicest of all the restaurants on the slopes here in St. Anton, but it will be worth every minute of the journey. You may feel guilty stepping into the sleek yet understated space with your ski boots and multiple layers of wool and Gor-tex but the ever-so gracious staff expect nothing less from you. And within minutes of unclasping those Strolz boots, the noise of the wind whipping across your face during your schusses will melt away and you will be transported to a heavenly respite from the nearby masses gorging on bratwursts.

When reserving insist on a table by the panoramic windows that look out onto the entire range and then tuck into fine slabs of foil gras or an impeccable dover sole. High-altitude dining does not get any finer. And once you’re done, you will be in the same building (different entrance) as the highest gondola in the entire region which will take you to the top of the Valluga peak, where the best snow and most challenging slopes await you. The perfect day.

Hospiz Alm -This is probably the most fun spot to hit on the slopes. At the bottom of the St. Cristoph runs, this iconic venue’s massive terrace fills up fast on sunny days and it is tricky to reserve ahead so get here early (around 11:30 at the latest) to secure a prime spot. The food is classic schnitzels and bologneses, but you’re here for the people watching, a frosty stein of beer, and the best trip to the bathroom you’ll ever take at a ski resort. Knowing full well that we all hate trudging down slippery flights of stairs to access restrooms, they’ve built a slide down to the basement where not only will you be greeted with lavatories but also the largest wine cellar in Austria, kept in full view behind bullet-proof glass and a bank vault door.

Burg Vital - The Lech side of the mountain offers few culinary options (Der Wolf is beautifully designed but only worthy of a drink), so if you find yourself skiing near the Turrell installation, take a turn into Oberlech and enjoy a lovely meal on the terrace here. Just make sure to book well in advance! PS. Their kaiserschmarn is a pretty good runner-up to the one at the Almhof.

Schneggerei - At the base of the Lech mountain sits this lively pizzeria operated by the Almhof family. It’s not going to win any James Beard awards but if your kids are in ski school they will likely be eating here at least three times during the week and think it is the apex of the culinary world. The atmosphere is fun and it’s worth at least one meal.

LECH’S GO BABY!!!

HK MY WAY

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