The Hotel
My friend and I stayed at the Laurin during the last week of Feb 2009, travelling with Neilson on a late booking (about 4 weeks prior). After discovering that all the standard (cheaper) rooms had already gone, we opted for a superior one - for an extra £80 or so each for the week. First impressions were that it was a more traditional hotel compared to the others in the resort, but beyond reception all was fine - clean and appointed exactly as described in the brochure. It's situated below the main road, which could be reached either down a snowy path + metal steps or through its own car park + another next door on the level, both took about 5 mins max, even with skis.

Our room on a corner of the top floor, was plenty big enough with a fairly modern en-suite bathroom (shower over bath + glass screen, toilet + sink, plenty hot water). There was a smallish TV, a table and a couple of chairs. We deduced that the 'superior' nature was due to the view, which for 5/7 of the week was obscured by 1m+ of snow. In true British style we didn't mention this to the owners (though did contemplate poking at it with ski poles), so were pleasantly surprised when it was revealed to us - for the final 2 days. In retrospect, one of the rooms with a balcony might have been more pleasant, but probably more euros too. We were slightly disappointed (though not surprised) to find no tea or coffee making facilities in the room; at 3 euros a cup in the restaurant, this would have been most welcome.

The whole hotel was "Austrian-standard hot". After a restless first night, we switched the radiator off and slept with the window slightly open - the thick duvets plus rising heat from the other rooms being quite sufficient. The dining room (with panoramic view) was large enough for all the guests and rivalled the rooms for temperature. The food was varied, plentiful and tasty - the usual multiple Austrian courses with choices for each evening (beware the 5-course evenings!); breakfast was a good hot and cold buffet. There was a wide selection of wines & beers, but one had to be mindful of the prices (including 2-3 euro soft drinks), especially with the 1:1 ratio of pound to euro. We were overcharged one night for coffees that we didn't have, but this was rapidly rectified the following day by the (slightly scary) barman, who no doubt prefers to be known as a sommelier.

There were a few other British guests, but the majority were German-speaking - a mixture of families and couples; evidently the Laurin catered well for children. Smoking was permitted everywhere, and although it was noticeable by smell, there wasn't actually that much occurring. There was a spa pool, sauna, steam room, slightly dated 'gym' and even a snow room, which were all well frequented through the week. The staff were very friendly and helpful, especially the owner and his wife. There was a ski + heated boot rack in the basement, though we tended to use the one at the ski shop instead - out of sheer laziness.


The Resort
Hochgurgl itself is a small resort with no shops or bars / restaurants - only those associated with hotels or ski hire; all the hotels in Hochgurgl are close, if not actually on the slopes. The main "bar" for apres-ski is a small round one at the bottom of the central piste / chair lift, associated with the (5*) Top Hotel - opposite the cashpoint and lift pass window.

There are 2 ski hire places - the ubiquitous InterSport under the Hotel Riml, and Scheiber Sport IV under the Top Hotel; InterSport also had a small section where they sold food / snacks and drinks (think one side of a Spar aisle). I had booked online in advance with Scheiber through skiset, and although they didn't appear to have any record of my booking, they graciously accepted my printed receipt nevertheless. Being excellent English speakers helped also, and there was due care and unhurried attention given to my fitting / offers to change gear through the week as required etc. There appeared to be more than enough kit for all abilities, plus a handy ski + boot storage area in the shop too - as the resort is *not flat* this is a distinct bonus (same facility at Inter).

There was some debate as to where the ski school met depending on who you spoke to, but it was actually up behind the Hotel Riml next to the bottom of the beginners T-bar lift; this point could be reached by either walking up the road or catching the central chair / gondola and skiing back down. Unusually, it comprised of two sessions each day - 2 hrs either side of lunch. Our instruction was professional and well-paced; although we are both intermediates, the group (7) was of more mixed ability, so the instructor took us down mainly blue / red runs at a steady pace, which evidently improved our technique no end (i.e. no struggling down steeper slopes gathering momentum and gaining undue body heat). The only disappointment was having booked a day trip to Soelden for the Thursday, thereby curtailing the lessons for the week on Wednesday.

Overall the resort was good, if relatively expensive. The lifts tended to be quiet, except at peak times, but this only meant typically a < 5 min Q to embark. The slopes were apparently better than those at Obergurgl, though this was probably influenced by the poor visibility we suffered (from falling snow) during the week. The lift pass could be upgraded at the start of the holiday for +10 euros to enable a day in Soelden - which was a short bus trip down the valley.

Liked best - slopes and lack of lift queues
Liked least - being snowed in by an avalanche down the valley on departure Saturday but unable to purchase and make use of a half day lift pass