Best for: fans of long runs at high altitude.
The scene: intermediates looking for Bond gadgetry and glamour.
Anyone who has seen James Bond in Spectre will remember the cubeshaped Ice Q restaurant perched at the 3,048m summit of Gaislochkogl mountain that doubled as the film’s sinister clinic. The views are as divine as the cuisine — not surprising, as the same owners run the luxurious five-star Das Central in the heart of Sölden.
While you’re at Gaislochkogl, you’ll have to pop into 007 Elements, a sleek, futuristic museum which delves into the world of Bond via compelling cinematic installations. Even if you’re not a Bond fan, Sölden has plenty to keep you entertained. Not one but two glaciers ensure you’ll have plenty of snow even during drier periods, and its 145km of pistes have enough to keep everyone happy. The village is bookended by gondolas serving the Gaislochkogl and Giggijoch sectors and their large networks of cruisy blues and some steep reds.
Once you’re in Giggijoch, you can carry on even higher to the Tiefenbach and Rettenbach glaciers that go up to 3,249m. To get the best views of the ski area — and if you’ve got about four hours to spare — follow the Big 3 Rally route that winds its way for 50km between Giggijoch and Gaislochkogl. Intermediates who want a thigh-busting run can tackle the 15km piste from the top of the glacier and down a 1,880m drop. If it looks familiar, it’s because that run also had a starring role in Spectre.
If you stay for at least three days, you automatically get a lift pass that includes the ski areas in neighbouring Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, which is within the same Ötz Valley as Sölden. But you’ll want to make certain you’re back in the village in time to enjoy Sölden’s famed après-ski parties and lively night life. The hottest place to stay is the newly renovated Das Central, with its beautifully done rooms and suites in modern Alpine style. But the hotel’s big show-stopper is the Summit Spa, which offers wellness up in the clouds, and has a rooftop Infinity pool that provides a panorama of peaks as you swim in the clouds.
Book: Das Central Hotel, Sölden, Austria offers double rooms from €200 per person per night. central-soelden.com.
British Airways flies from Gatwick to Innsbruck from £144pp and from Heathrow from £196pp, to book visit ba.com/Innsbruck.soelden.com
