Gurgl, Austria

March 12th – 15th, 2025

My second solo trip – Thanks to Ryanair’s “brilliant” handling, my trip was delayed by a full day, but I finally, albeit a bit battered, made it to Obergurgl, Austria. I checked into the Bergwelt Hotel, which turned out to be a dream for lazy skiers like me, with its perfect ski-in, ski-out setup and various 5 course dinner every night.

What truly blew me away, though, was the snow. It was already mid-March, yet the mountain was still a powder paradise. That said, the slopes were covered in moguls, definitely not beginner friendly. The great snow made for an amazing experience, but the high altitude came with its own challenges. The hotel sits at 2,000 meters, and even catching my breath when I first arrived felt like a workout. But once you launch yourself from over 3,000 meters, gliding down through soft snow with crisp mountain air on your face and jaw-dropping views all around… altitude sickness? What altitude sickness? Happiness wins every time.

On one of the lifts, I met a Dutch guy, and we hit it off immediately. We ended up sharing an après-ski session. Because skiing isn’t just a sport, it’s a social ritual. There’s nothing quite like carving your way down a mogul-filled slope, slightly buzzed, with the wind in your ears, speed under your feet, and every worry left far behind. In that moment, nothing feels more real than joy.

One thing that took me by surprise was the spa. It was beautiful — spacious, serene, with plenty of saunas and hot tubs. What I didn’t expect was the clothing-optional policy… with no gender separation. Let’s just say it made relaxing a bit more complicated. I wasn’t quite sure where to look, and the whole experience ended up being slightly more stressful than soothing.