skiing in Austria - where?

We're 2 people looking for a place to go skiing in Austria but we know nothing about the stations and it would be great if somebody had tips for us.
We look for a place with good skiing possibilities (average-good skiers), the night life is not that important but it would be good to have a few restaurants around, and we'd like to find a flat for 2 at reasonable price.. We would go the 1st week of February 2009.

Also, I'd like to take a few ski lessons to improve my style... but in English, as my German is not good enough!

So, if anybody has suggestions, that would really be appreciated :-))
Many thanks

Mayrhofen - great ski area, lower village with lots of shops, bars and restaurants and traditional tyrolean style buildings, low cost accommodation, just over 1 hour transfer from Innsbruck, good snow record.

St Anton - fantastic ski area, well known for lively apres ski, pretty town, not so cheap.

Schladming - good ski area, excellent for intermediates and not too challenging by all accounts, lower costs, short transfer from Salzburg, not somewhere I have been but a place hot on my to go to list.

Badkleinkircheim (BKK) - different, pretty, spread out ski area, friendly and hopsitable people, not far from Klagenfurt or even Ljubljana, off the beaten track, not over priced, worth a look for an alternative.

Everywhere in Austria teaches in English.

Your criteria is a bit broad, maybe a couple of thousand places available.

Tony_H: thanks a lot! Seems like a good start, will have a look

Dave: Sorry I was not too specific ;-) I think we're just looking for a nice place, not too crowded or artificial but rather close to nature if possible, not too far from somewhere that you can access from abroad, with a good range of skiing possibilities, and not too expensive for accomodation - so anything of that kind would do, and as we've never been skiing there before we just want to discover!!! I hope this was more precise...

Anyway, am now reassured that I won't have to speak German for the skiing courses ;-)

We have a young family but have taken the olds with us a number of occasions too to Austria skiing in the Tirol. We stay at a traditional Austrian Farm with the Stokl family who have now become great friends.
Here's a link to their accomodation, they have a couple of flats on the farm as well as en suite options in the farm house itself. The farm is situated between Ellmau 1 mile and Sheffau 1/2 mile. Both resorts having great parking and lifts onto the Tirol. The ski area is enormous and covers:- Soll, Going, Ellmau and Sheffau. Take a look www.oberachen.at Lift passes easy to obtain from Sheffau..... Ski hire from Hanns the owner of a huge Ski shop also at the Sheffau lift station. Flights into Innsbrook (40 mins) Munich (100 mins) or Salzburg (90 mins)and a pretty route too. Hope that's been of some help. Doing this way saves us a fortune! Family of 5 under £2500 including food and beer accomodation, ski hire, lift passes and car hire!

chris Lightbody wrote: Family of 5 under £2500 including food and beer accomodation, ski hire, lift passes and car hire!

You need accommodation for your beer??? :shock:

I like you already!

Welcome.

Had an excellent (but short) 4 day trip last Feb and booked up for a week this Feb staying in a small town called Weissbriach. Couple of restaurants - mainly at the hotels - couple of bars, nothing outrageous, although I did take over the Dj'ing after a few too many!!
Small ski area at Weissbriach but approx. 20 minutes away there is Nassfeld, not one of the overpopulated resorts at the moment.
http://www.nassfeld.at/en/
You will find a decent variety of runs here to keep you occupied.
If you wish you can go into Slovenia (Kranjska Gora 1 hour away)or into Italy.
To get there, the best option is Stanstead to Klagenfurt with Ryanair, but you could also fly into Venice, Ljubljana, Salzburg or Trieste to name but a few with the likes of Easyjet or Thomson etc.. I'm flying out with my other half and our son for £12.99(+tax)each and back for £0.00 - just paying tax in mid-late Feb with ryanair.
http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/weissbriach/15183
This is where we stayed - English owners who live locally and are extremely helpful. Accomodation was excellent.
10 minutes from the accomodation, over a wonderful mountain pass, is the Weissensee Lake which is the largest natural ice rink (obviously when frozen) in Europe and well worth a visit.
You would be best served by hiring a car in order to get around, although there is a ski bus which picks up in Weissbriach and takes you to Nassfeld.
Good luck :D

Nassfeld is a place that intrigues me for some reason. I think its worth a tickle.