Oetz Ski Resort Guide & Reviews Ski Area, Apres-Ski, Things to See & Do in Oetz

Resort Review

Oetz village sits at the base of the Acherkogel mountain around 45 minutes drive from Innsbruck, in the Ötztal valley close to the Italian border.

An authentic and family friendly Austrian ski resort, Oetz occupies the 65km long Ötztal valley with several other villages including the glacial resort of Sölden and Obergurgl, the highest parish in Austria where you can also go skiing.

oetz ski holiday festivals, Otztal valley

Après-ski

For a relatively small village, Oetz has a surprising number of bars and restaurants to choose from, many of which are located in the hotels. Schirmbar is a good place to try out straight off the slopes and the Taxi Bar in the Waldhof Hotel is the local nightclub.

Key information (local area)
Altitude 820m
Top lift 2222m
Family
Beginner
Intermediate
Expert
Piste (km) 34
Longest run 3 km
Off piste
Cross country km
Season Dec - April
Snowboard parks 0
Heli Skiing ✘
Summer skiing ✘
Glacier skiing ✘
Babysitting ✘
Creche ✔
Apres ski Lively & Fun

Oetz Ski Area Guide

The local ski area is called Hochoetz that was linked with Ochsengarten in 1999, and it’s in the Ochsengarten side of the resort where you’ll find the steepest terrain and the best powder trails.

As well as being able to ski at Hochoetz, the ski pass also covers Kühtai which is linked to Oetz by a free ski bus - the journey takes just 25 minutes to cover the 18kms. Kühtai is Austria's highest resort sitting at 2020m and has a long ski season running from the end of October until late May.

oetz ski area guide

Beginners

First timers will enjoy the nursery slopes at Giggijoch before progressing to the gentle blues high up on the Tiefenbach Glacier. This is what makes Sölden special as it gives beginners the high mountain experience usually reserved for intermediates and advanced skiers.

Intermediate

With plenty of long reds, intermediate skiers and boarders are very well catered for in Hochoetz and throughout the other resorts in the Ötztal valley.

Advanced

For the advanced skier, there are some challenging descents on the Ochsengarten side of the mountain but apart from that, a day trip to Solden is the best place for some adrenaline fueled steep descents.

Snowboard

There is no terrain park at Hochoetz but the natural terrain is a very good substitute with many jumps and "rails" as you wind through the off-piste alongside the forest trails.

Things to See & Do

If you don't fancy skiing or the weather is not that great, then there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied...

  • Cross-country skiing
  • Sledging
  • Ice skating on Piburg lake
  • Fitness center and bowling
  • Acqua-Dome in Langenfeld with indoor & outdoor swimming pools
  • Parapenting

Children

If you are travelling with a young family, children are extremely well catered for in Oetz. There is a lovely children's restaurant, a children's ski school and a kindergarten (2 years +) in the centre of the ski area that offers everything a young skier could possibly need including a Kids' Ski Trail that follows the tracks of wild animals.

Oetz accommodation

Whilst one of the smallest villages along the Ötztal valley, Oetz has a good stock of holiday rental accommodation including chocolate-box chalets and self catering apartments which are great value and offer the flexibility, freedom and space to do what you want, when you want.

Oetz accommodation cabins for rent in Oetz apartments to rent in Oetz holiday homes to rent in Oetz

From £156 per night

Oetz
(Sleeps 8)
 Oetz accommodation cabins for rent in Oetz apartments to rent in Oetz holiday homes to rent in Oetz

From £168 per night

Oetz
(Sleeps 6)
 Oetz accommodation cabins for rent in Oetz apartments to rent in Oetz holiday homes to rent in Oetz

From £124 per night

Oetz
(Sleeps 6)

Our view on Oetz ski resort

Oetz is a good option for family ski holidays where you will find beautiful open and gentle pistes that wind down the mountain through the forest. Some suggestions...

  • For a change of scenery, take the free ski bus to Kühtai and experience some high altitude skiing on mainly blue and red pistes
  • Spend a days skiing in Obergurgl, Austria's highest ski resort at 1930m
  • A visit to the Aqua Dome in Langenfeld is certainly worth a trip - great spas and pools

If you like the skiing in Oetz, you may also want to look at some of the other nearby ski resorts...

  • Khutai (17km)
  • Solden (31km)
  • Seefeld (40km), and
  • Garmisch-Partenkirchen (78km)
acqua-park in Längenfeld, ski chalets to rent