Apres Ski in Brandnertal
Brandnertal consists of two resort villages – Brand (1,037 m) and Bűrserberg (890 m). Brand is the most popular and stands up well as a destination resort, whereas Burserberg is much smaller and quieter and will suit skiers who want to get away from it all.
Brandnertal Villages
The Brandnertal Valley is surrounded by impressive peaks including the Scesaplana (2,964m) and Zimba (2,634m). In recent years Brandnertal villages have turned their back on mass tourism in favour of delivering a family friendly, quality experience for guests.
Brand
Brand is what would in America be called a ribbon resort, as the infrastructure of the village is either side of the long main street which winds its way for about 1.5 kms from end to end. The pretty centre of the village is marked by the church and a number of traditional buildings. The centre of Brand is also home to shops, hotels, the local tourist office and the modern Dorfbahn gondola.
The gondola is the gateway to a 55 km ski area featuring well groomed pistes nearly all of which are suitable for beginners and intermediates. The ski lift system of 14 lifts can carry 17,000 passengers per hour, so queueing is rarely a problem.
There are two ski schools in Brandnertal and with abundant beginner terrain and children are very well catered for at the Kinderland learning area in the middle of Brand for 3-5 year olds. There are several ski rental and equipment shops in Brand, including Bertel Sport in the ground floor of the new Dorfbahn building, MUK Sport and charming Montana Beck, and the impressive new R-Sport shop at Bűrserburg.
If you are seeking wild night life, then neither Brand nor Burseberg are the right destinations. The liveliest bar for apres ski, the Heuboda, is attached to the Sarotla Hotel, directly opposite the Dorfbahn, and the action carries on long after the last ski bus has gone. The attractive Műhlbach bar is also popular and features a large flatscreen TV above the bar which is handy for viewing major sports events.
Brandnertal accommodation includes over 3,000 guest beds. There are several four star hotels in Brand including Hotel Legant and Hotel Scesaplana which offer guests a high level of comfort and amenities and it is little surprise, given the family friendly nature of the resort, that guests are happy to return to their creature comforts at the end of the skiing day.
Burserberg
Burserberg is a very quiet, bucolic village occupying a sunny position 4 kilometres from Brand just before the road winds down to Burs and Bludenz. The lower village landmarks are the chuch and the 4 star Hotel Taleu, and its a short walk from anywhere in Burserberg to the Einhorn chair. From here, the road winds up the mountain to the plateau of Tschengla (upper Burserberg) and its cluster of hotels and amenities beside the cross country course and the Einbahn chairs.
One of the main reasons for choosing the tranquility and traditional feel of Bűrserberg is easy access to the ski lift system, and guests who choose Bűrserberg happily do so in the knowledge that after skiing their local options will most likely be limited to their own hotel, or those nearby.
Recent developments above Bűrserburg at Tschengla include the impressive Landal Brandnertal holiday village offering holiday apartments for purchase and rental. Newly constructed in 2009 this spacious, modern development includes restaurant, bar, large swimming pool, sauna and wellness facilities and R-Sport ski hire shop and offers ski-in, ski-out convenience close to the top of the Einhorbahn1 chairlift, but can also be reached by road.
Brandnertal Restaurants & Bars
Brandnertal’s attraction is principally to families and couples, and this is reflected in the après ski offering, which is classic Austrian gemutlichkeit, presented both in modern and traditional forms.
The tourist board lists about 30 establishments in Brand and Bűrserburg including restaurants with regional specialities, excellent restaurants in several hotels, and a smattering of bars and cafes in the centre of Brand.
Of the two Brandnertal villages, Brand has the greater choice of bars and restaurants. After a day on the slopes, there are three après ski hot spots in Brand – the Heuboda, Muhlebach and the Papageno Bar at the Alpentenne Restaurant.
The Heuboda is just across the street from the Dorfbahn, and it’s advisable to get there early as its the most popular apres ski bar in Brand. A heady blend of music, cocktails and energetic people come together in the setting of a rustic wooden bar next to the Hotel Sarotla.
Also near the Dorfbahn is Muhlebach, popular for cocktails and drinks after skiing, and also has a nightly programme of events, including live music and a large flat screen TV above the bar mostly screening sports events.
The Papageno Bar is close to the Palud chair and après ski there means music, games and fun, so be prepared to let your hair down. For a quieter après ski experience, many hotels in Brand and Burserberg have welcoming bars that are open to the public.
Many of the Brandnertal hotels have restaurants offering good food (including regional specialities) and excellent service, including the Hotel Scesaplana and the Wallisherhof in Brand and the Taleu and Schillerkopf in Burserberg.
Away from the hotels, Brand also has a good choice for dining including the Alpen Tenne and Colrosa Stuble offering Austrian and regional dishes. The pretty Dorfschenke is a traditional cafe restaurant and a favourite place, but not to be confused with the stylish Dorf Cafe in Brand which is also popular for afternoon tea.
If you can’t go for a week without a visit to a club, a trip down valley to Burs will be required to George@Joe, a popular night spot with locals, and has its own disco, The Factory.
Heuboda
Muhledorfle 23
6708 Brand, Vorarlberg
Tel: + 43 (0) 664 441 2397
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.heuboda.at
Muhlebach
Muhledorfle 31
6709 Brand, Vorarlberg
Tel: + 43 (0) 5559 22582
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.muehlebach.brand.at
Papageno at Alpen Tenne
Innertal 11
6708 Brand, Vorarlberg
Tel: +43 (0) 5559 350
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.alpentenne.at
Colrosa Stuble
Gufer 55
6708 Brand, Vorarlberg
Tel: +43 (0) 5559 22550
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.colrosa.brand.at
Dorfschenke Cafe
Muhledorfle 42
6708 Brand, Vorarlberg
Tel: +43 (0) 5559 420
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.romantikus.at
George@Joe
Hauptstrasse 4
6706 Burs, Vorarlberg
Tel: +43 (0) 5552 34734
Email: [email protected]
Other Activities in Brandnertal
In addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding, Brandnertal is an excellent cross-country ski centre, plus there are two toboggan runs, plenty of snow shoeing, and many kilometres of cleared paths for walkers which are well signposted.
Cross-country Skiing in Brandnertal
Brandnertal has a total of 82 km of marked cross-country trails. Tschengla is a plateau at 1,250 m and is a superb cross-country ski area, with a circuit of 15 km giving beautiful views over the five valleys of Bűrserberg.
Walking & Snowshoeing in Brandnertal
Even if you don’t ski that’s no reason not to come to Brandnertal. There are 150 km of well-signed winter paths, also good for snowshoers, who can use them before taking off the beaten path and following specially marked routes for snowshoe itineraries. Guided tours are available through the Brandnertal ski schools.
Tobogganing in Brandnertal
Try the Schattenlagant toboggan run under Brand’s Dorfbahn gondola – 6 km of unbridled fun, and perhaps refresh your self with a Gluwein between runs. Toboggans are readily available for hire from ski hire shops. Guests staying in Bűrserberg will be pleased to learn that there is a similar run from Tschengla that winds down to the bottom of the mountain at Matin.
Other Activities in Brandnertal
Not surprisingly, other options include ice skating and ice climbing, and for something completey different, try the indoor archery at the Sporthotel Beck in Brand or visit the Paarhof Buacher Musem, next to the Hotel Schäfle in Bűrserberg. The museum is in fact a house that’s fully furnished and equipped as it would have been one hundred years or more ago and shows the lifestyle of an extended Brandnertal family in the 19th Century.