The hotel’s full of old-world elegance, from the plush red carpets to the chandeliers. Over in the spa though, things are more modern – a two-storey wall of glass lets you look out over the town and mountains as you soak in the hot tub or swim in the indoor pool. After that, you can wander over to the saunas or steam baths to savour the warmth and loosen those ski muscles.

Mealtimes are all about choice. You’ll get big buffet spreads for breakfast and evening meals in the Ritz restaurant, but you can also tuck into classics like Wiener schnitzel and strudel in Jagdstube, or fondue and raclette in Hofkeller. Then wrap up your day with cocktails and dancing to live music in the Ritz bar.

There’s 198km of top-notch intermediate terrain in the Gasteinertal area. Explore tree-lined valley runs, head higher up for wide-open pistes and work those thigh muscles on long descents, like the 10.5km red from the Hohe Scharte summit. Here on your first ski trip? Get going on the nursery slopes by the gondola, before tackling the nearby blues.

People came to Bad Gastein for the thermal springs long before the ski lifts were built, and the place is packed with spa town charm. Surrounded by snow-covered pines, a deep gorge runs through the middle of town and elegant, Viennese buildings dot the streets. There’s a bustling atmosphere, with everything from cocktail bars to traditional Tyrolean taverns – and even a casino if you’re feeling lucky later on. And as for accommodation, expect high-quality hotels with spacious bedrooms, rather than chalet-style guesthouses.

If you like to mix slope time with spa time, Bad Gastein’s hard to beat – but there’s more to the place than saunas and steam rooms. Whizz over the gorge on a giant zipline and grab your ice picks to scale a frozen waterfall. Over at the rink, you can try ice stock – Austria’s take on curling.

• Central location
• 4 minutes' walk to the nearest lift

• Ritz bar with regular live music
• Vaulted wine cellar
• À la carte restaurants
• Small library
• Spa with indoor pool, hot tubs, two saunas and two steam rooms
• Extra charge for Fango mud baths and massages
• Playroom with toys
• Games room with Playstations, table football and pool table
• Free WiFi
• Lift to all floors