Readers' tips ... ski-in bars
Each week we run a section in the Guardian newspaper's travel section, asking for readers to send in tips on a particular subject. The best tip wins a digital camera courtesy of Jessops. Find out more here.
Winning tip
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Ski-in bar Fjallgarden, Are, Sweden
Posted by willydoc
Fjallgarden is an amazing bar just 500m above the main cable car station in Are. It's done out as a hunting lodge, with open fires and a sundeck with reindeer skins on the south terrace. It has amazing apres-ski with live bands from 4pm. Best of all, you can get up to it from town on the little funicular railway, or ski down from the chairlifts. It's only a 500m slide if you have to ski back to the main village well refreshed and wobbly of leg.
Top of the funicular from beside the Are ski shop.
Google map: tinyurl.com/y88sv4k
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Bar at Hotel Laanihovi, Finnish Lapland
Posted by TCarryer
At this bar you can not only ski-in, but here you can also hit the dance floor still wearing your ski-shoes. Hotel Laanihovi, in the Finnish ski resort of Saariselka, lies 160 miles north of the Arctic Circle and is famous for its afternoon ski boot dancing. Most people here are Nordic skiers whose boots are somewhat more flexible than those of the downhill skiers, but I have also seen people sliding across the dance floor in their clunky slalom boots. This rather amusing event takes place every afternoon starting at 2pm and, during peak season from February to April, there is a live band to get everyone into the swing. A couple of encouraging local drinks before dancing might be in order in here though, as by dancing they don’t mean some half hearted disco movements on the dance floor but proper ballroom dancing with waltzes, tangos and fox-trots.
Hotel Laanihovi website:
www.laanihovi.net/english/index.html
Google map: tinyurl.com/y8zmdzk
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Rifugio Guglielmina, Champoluc, Italy
Posted by GeographerBertie
This is a beautiful 'rifugio' located high up in the Italian Alps which has changed little since it was first opened in 1878. It is accessed by a short ski path running just off the piste itself. But this characterful restaurant is a little known gem in the area, favoured by experienced Italian skiers and climbers (situated just beneath Mt.Rosa). The cooking is simple, hearty and traditional and the owners are always friendly, plus their wine cellar is excellent. The Rifugio provides rooms which are traditional and unpretentious with wooden cladding, candles and quilts. A really beautiful little secret.
Rifugio Guglielmina, 2880mts up, between Alagna and Gressoney valleys,
www.rifugioguglielmina.com/en/rifugio
The refuge is located at the foot of the Monte Rosa south wall. We suggest you to use the Monte Rosa sky lifts starting from Alagna Valsesia up to Passo dei Salati at 2900m. From there you reach the refuge following an easy path (or by skiing during the winter season) in about 15 minutes.
Google map: tinyurl.com/yzby4ej
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El Paradies, Findeln, Zermatt, Switzerland
Posted by DaveRoberts
Take the Gornegrat ski train up fom Zermatt (sit on the right for the best views on the way up) and head over to the right towards the village of Findeln. The village is made up of traditionally built huts and has several small restaurants, only accessible on foot or skis which are great for a lunchtime ski bar stop. My favourite is El Paradies which serves excellent, reasonably priced (cheaper than in town) food and drink and has I think the best view of the Matterhorn in the whole of the Zermatt area.
Findeln village, accessible by ski lifts form Zermatt (can get there on foot) The village and restaurant are signposted on the piste.
Google map: tinyurl.com/yjcbk6v
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Refuge l'Espace, Glacier 3000, Les Diablerets, Switzerland
Posted by sketchymatt
Hard to reach but this will be the most earned drink you will find. The Refuge L'Espace is atop the glacier of Les Diablerets, around 3000m. Clad in sheet aluminium to stormproof it, it is equipped with wood burner, well stocked bar, food such as Baked Thom cheese with basil leaves and truffle oil, and barbecues built into tables over which to braise your plates of raw goat and vegetables. Leftovers are fed to a resident Lammergeir - its enormous - a 3m wingspan cruising low over the terrace is truly spectacular. Also known to fly around here, though a little smaller, are humans in wingsuits. Then ski down powder fields to the Combe d'Audon for over a kilometre of vertical drop red run to make any thighs burn. Oh, and it's open already for the winter season!
Between Aigle and Gstaad. Then up the cablecars from Pillon.
www.refuge-espace3000.ch
Google map: tinyurl.com/ycxy2w4
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Hofstadl ApresSki Tempel, Flachau, Austria
Posted by potatoface
If you like to drink, sing and dance on your chairs at the end of a day's skiing, find your way to the bottom of the World Cup Piste to kick start the night. It can get busy so make your way down early to bag a table, hang your coat and get ready for the music to begin. Don't worry if you don't know the tunes, you'll be singing along in no time! There's good food and beer and if you've had a few too many, when you leave take the slide. Great fun all round!
www.hofstadl.at
Google map: tinyurl.com/y9k7zyc
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Check out other great readers' tips here.
Winning tip
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Ski-in bar Fjallgarden, Are, Sweden
Posted by willydoc
Fjallgarden is an amazing bar just 500m above the main cable car station in Are. It's done out as a hunting lodge, with open fires and a sundeck with reindeer skins on the south terrace. It has amazing apres-ski with live bands from 4pm. Best of all, you can get up to it from town on the little funicular railway, or ski down from the chairlifts. It's only a 500m slide if you have to ski back to the main village well refreshed and wobbly of leg.
Top of the funicular from beside the Are ski shop.
Google map: tinyurl.com/y88sv4k
______________________________________________________________
Bar at Hotel Laanihovi, Finnish Lapland
Posted by TCarryer
At this bar you can not only ski-in, but here you can also hit the dance floor still wearing your ski-shoes. Hotel Laanihovi, in the Finnish ski resort of Saariselka, lies 160 miles north of the Arctic Circle and is famous for its afternoon ski boot dancing. Most people here are Nordic skiers whose boots are somewhat more flexible than those of the downhill skiers, but I have also seen people sliding across the dance floor in their clunky slalom boots. This rather amusing event takes place every afternoon starting at 2pm and, during peak season from February to April, there is a live band to get everyone into the swing. A couple of encouraging local drinks before dancing might be in order in here though, as by dancing they don’t mean some half hearted disco movements on the dance floor but proper ballroom dancing with waltzes, tangos and fox-trots.
Hotel Laanihovi website:
www.laanihovi.net/english/index.html
Google map: tinyurl.com/y8zmdzk
______________________________________________________________
Rifugio Guglielmina, Champoluc, Italy
Posted by GeographerBertie
This is a beautiful 'rifugio' located high up in the Italian Alps which has changed little since it was first opened in 1878. It is accessed by a short ski path running just off the piste itself. But this characterful restaurant is a little known gem in the area, favoured by experienced Italian skiers and climbers (situated just beneath Mt.Rosa). The cooking is simple, hearty and traditional and the owners are always friendly, plus their wine cellar is excellent. The Rifugio provides rooms which are traditional and unpretentious with wooden cladding, candles and quilts. A really beautiful little secret.
Rifugio Guglielmina, 2880mts up, between Alagna and Gressoney valleys,
www.rifugioguglielmina.com/en/rifugio
The refuge is located at the foot of the Monte Rosa south wall. We suggest you to use the Monte Rosa sky lifts starting from Alagna Valsesia up to Passo dei Salati at 2900m. From there you reach the refuge following an easy path (or by skiing during the winter season) in about 15 minutes.
Google map: tinyurl.com/yzby4ej
______________________________________________________________
El Paradies, Findeln, Zermatt, Switzerland
Posted by DaveRoberts
Take the Gornegrat ski train up fom Zermatt (sit on the right for the best views on the way up) and head over to the right towards the village of Findeln. The village is made up of traditionally built huts and has several small restaurants, only accessible on foot or skis which are great for a lunchtime ski bar stop. My favourite is El Paradies which serves excellent, reasonably priced (cheaper than in town) food and drink and has I think the best view of the Matterhorn in the whole of the Zermatt area.
Findeln village, accessible by ski lifts form Zermatt (can get there on foot) The village and restaurant are signposted on the piste.
Google map: tinyurl.com/yjcbk6v
______________________________________________________________
Refuge l'Espace, Glacier 3000, Les Diablerets, Switzerland
Posted by sketchymatt
Hard to reach but this will be the most earned drink you will find. The Refuge L'Espace is atop the glacier of Les Diablerets, around 3000m. Clad in sheet aluminium to stormproof it, it is equipped with wood burner, well stocked bar, food such as Baked Thom cheese with basil leaves and truffle oil, and barbecues built into tables over which to braise your plates of raw goat and vegetables. Leftovers are fed to a resident Lammergeir - its enormous - a 3m wingspan cruising low over the terrace is truly spectacular. Also known to fly around here, though a little smaller, are humans in wingsuits. Then ski down powder fields to the Combe d'Audon for over a kilometre of vertical drop red run to make any thighs burn. Oh, and it's open already for the winter season!
Between Aigle and Gstaad. Then up the cablecars from Pillon.
www.refuge-espace3000.ch
Google map: tinyurl.com/ycxy2w4
______________________________________________________________
Hofstadl ApresSki Tempel, Flachau, Austria
Posted by potatoface
If you like to drink, sing and dance on your chairs at the end of a day's skiing, find your way to the bottom of the World Cup Piste to kick start the night. It can get busy so make your way down early to bag a table, hang your coat and get ready for the music to begin. Don't worry if you don't know the tunes, you'll be singing along in no time! There's good food and beer and if you've had a few too many, when you leave take the slide. Great fun all round!
www.hofstadl.at
Google map: tinyurl.com/y9k7zyc
______________________________________________________________
Check out other great readers' tips here.