The Arlberg peaks above the valley at St. Anton on a summer evening, the sky turning pink
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Luxury in the Austrian Alps

St. Anton

Where modern skiing was born: the Tyrolean village below the Valluga, its steep slopes and deep off-piste, at the heart of the largest ski area in Austria.

St. Anton am Arlberg on a summer eveningPhotograph: Unsplash

Grüß Gott

The cradle of alpine skiing

St. Anton lies on the Tyrolean side of the Arlberg pass, on the old road and the railway between Innsbruck and Lake Constance. In 1921 Hannes Schneider opened his ski school here and taught the Arlberg technique that shaped how the world learned to ski; in 1928 he and Arnold Lunn founded the Arlberg-Kandahar race, still run today.

The village hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2001, and its mountains, the Valluga, the Galzig and the Rendl, are known for steep pistes and some of the finest off-piste in the Alps. On the pass above, St. Christoph has sheltered travellers since the fourteenth century.

St. Anton is part of Ski Arlberg, linked by lift to Lech, Zürs, Stuben and Warth-Schröcken. This guide brings together only the first class: the hotels, the tables, the chalets and the guides that meet our standard.

A few words of German
EnglishGermanSay it
Hello (polite)Grüß Gottgroose GOT
Hello (informal)ServusZAIR-voos
PleaseBitteBIT-teh
Thank youDankeDAHN-keh
Good eveningGuten AbendGOO-ten AH-bent
The bill, pleaseZahlen, bitteTSAH-len, BIT-teh
Enjoy your mealGuten AppetitGOO-ten ah-peh-TEET
GoodbyeAuf Wiedersehenowf VEE-der-zay-en
A chairlift climbing over the snowfields, a long jagged range of peaks beyond under a pale blue sky
Chairlifts above the snowfields

Where to go

St. Anton at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel and restaurant, and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or train.

St. Anton am Arlberg

The Tyrolean side of Ski Arlberg and the cradle of modern ski teaching, with some of the most demanding terrain in the Alps. Its leading hotel, the Tannenhof, holds two MICHELIN Keys, and its restaurant two MICHELIN stars.

When to goWinter, December to April; summer, late June to September. Signature event: Der Weiße Rausch race at the end of the season in April.

  • Stay
    Hotel Tannenhof

    Two MICHELIN Keys.

  • Dine
    Gourmetrestaurant Tannenhof

    Two MICHELIN stars, under chef Dennis Ilies.

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Innsbruck (INN/LOWI), about 1 hr 10 by road.
A glass glowing amber before a log fire
A glass by the fire

Stay

Luxury hotels and chalets in St. Anton am Arlberg

The grand hotels at our standard, and the officially five-star hotels.

The grand hotels

Each holds two or three MICHELIN Keys or a Forbes Five-Star rating, or is a palace of the great resorts.

The five-star hotels

Both confirmed, officially five-star hotels in St. Anton.

See both hotels

St. Anton am Arlberg (Tyrol)

A pink fillet of beef with mushrooms and a crisp salad on a black plate, a glass of red wine on the wooden table
Fillet of beef and a glass of red

Dine

The best restaurants in St. Anton am Arlberg

The finest tables.

Two MICHELIN stars

  • Gourmetrestaurant Tannenhof✦✦St. Anton am Arlberg

    Two MICHELIN stars in the 2026 Austria guide; the restaurant of the suites-only Hotel Tannenhof, under chef Dennis Ilies. Visit website ↗

A dish of braised beef with mashed potato on a white tablecloth in a traditional Austrian restaurant
Braised beef in a traditional restaurant

On the mountain

Lunch on the slopes, the way the Alps do it best.

  • Hospiz AlmSt. Christoph am Arlberg

    MICHELIN-selected in the 2026 Austria guide; ski hut by day and fine dining by night, above a cellar of about 3,000 large-format bottles begun by Adi Werner in 1988. Visit website ↗

A skier in green carving through powder on a steep slope, snowy peaks against a blue sky
Carving through the powder

Ski

Skiing in St. Anton am Arlberg

Ski Arlberg, the Valluga and the ski school where it all began.

Ski schools and private instructors

  • Skischule ArlbergSt. Anton am Arlberg

    Founded in 1921 by Hannes Schneider as Austria's first ski school and the home of the Arlberg technique; about 300 certified instructors and guides, private guiding, and a dedicated children's area with Hoppl's Kindergarten. Visit website ↗

A skier bursting through deep powder below snow-laden firs on a bright day
Deep powder below the firs

Travel

Private jets, helicopters and first-class travel in St. Anton am Arlberg

Innsbruck for jets, about 1 hr 10 by road; the Railjet stops in the village on the line from Zurich and Vienna; the airlines to Innsbruck and Munich.

Airlines to Munich, the gateway to the Austrian Alps

First and business class.

See all 17
A summer meadow of wildflowers sloping down between fir woods to a green valley and the mountains
A summer meadow in the Tyrol

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in St. Anton am Arlberg: your questions answered

Where is St. Anton am Arlberg?

In the Tyrol in western Austria, at 1,304 metres on the eastern side of the Arlberg pass. Private jets land at Innsbruck, about 1 hr 10 by road, and the Railjet from Zurich and Vienna stops in the village.

Why is St. Anton called the cradle of alpine skiing?

Because Hannes Schneider founded his ski school here in 1921 and developed the Arlberg technique, the basis of modern ski teaching, and in 1928 the Arlberg-Kandahar, one of the oldest ski races, was first run here.

When is the best time to visit St. Anton am Arlberg?

St. Anton am Arlberg: Winter, December to April; summer, late June to September. Signature event: Der Weiße Rausch race at the end of the season in April.

Where are the best luxury hotels in St. Anton am Arlberg?

St. Anton am Arlberg: Hotel Tannenhof, two MICHELIN Keys.

How do you arrive in St. Anton am Arlberg by private jet?

St. Anton am Arlberg: Innsbruck (INN/LOWI), about 1 hr 10 by road.

Do you tip in Austria?

Round up to about 10 per cent and hand the tip to the server as you pay, rather than leaving it on the table.

What should you wear in St. Anton am Arlberg?

On the mountain, ski clothing is the norm at mountain restaurants and après-ski. The dirndl is the expected dress for women at many cultural events and at weddings, and in rural areas many women also wear it in daily life.

Beyond St. Anton

More in the Austrian Alps

The other great resorts of Austria, and The Alps beyond.

The Austrian AlpsKitzbühel, Lech and Zürs, St. Anton and SalzburgExplore the Austrian AlpsThe AlpsFive countries, seventeen resorts, first class onlyExplore The Alps
Logs blazing in an open brick fireplace, sparks rising
A log fire on a winter night

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Austria

How Austria does things.

Language
German is the language of the Austrian Alps, from Kitzbühel and Lech to St. Anton and Ischgl. Local dialects are strong, but Standard German is used with visitors, and English is spoken in the leading hotels.
Greetings
"Grüß Gott" is the standard polite greeting, often heard as "griaß di" or "griaß eich". "Servus" is the informal hello and goodbye among friends.
Dress
On the mountain, ski clothing is the norm at mountain restaurants and après-ski. The dirndl is the expected dress for women at many cultural events and at weddings, and in rural areas many women also wear it in daily life.
Dining and shopping
Most shops close on Sundays under a federal law of 2003; weekday shop hours run from 6 am to 9 pm and Saturday hours to 6 pm. Bakeries, petrol stations, shops at railway stations and airports, and businesses in designated tourist zones may open on Sundays, and restaurants and bars open as usual.
Tipping
Round up to about 10 per cent and hand the tip to the server as you pay, rather than leaving it on the table.
Mountain etiquette
On the pistes the international FIS Rules for Conduct apply. In mountain huts, book beds and meals ahead, carry cash, keep quiet from about 10 pm and take all rubbish back down to the valley.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.