Our family would like to take a ski trip in Austria. We have varied abilities from intermediate to expert. where would you recommend we go and stay? We would be going in early February.

Dear Dan, <BR>Our family of 4 (teenage kids) went to Lech and loved it. We stayed at the Haldenhof.....a lovely family run hotel <BR>Parents had a lovely room with a sitting area and the kids shared an attic room. We skiied lech Zurs and st Antons and are of mixed skiing. Teens in off piste classes , mum a little tentative and dad ... good skier but not as fit. Most of the resort go into classes so the best instructors take group lessons very little private lessons go on.( unlike France) We are Australians and there were English classes for all. Good Luck

Our Austrian friends firmly believe Lech is the best place to ski in their country (or any other &lt;g&gt. Skiing for all ages and abilities, good food, good hotels, other activities available but not an overrun tourist town.

We are a tour operator specializing in skiing and do many, many trips to the Alps. If you haven't booked for 2003, please call or email me. My phone number is 800-755-1330 x205. I'd love to help you book a trip as I love skiing in Europe.

Dan, there are so many great places! Lech is very popular, as is Kitzbuel, but I like the smaller places, such as Christlum near the Achensee (probably too easy for you), where there are no crowds and the kids can really go off on their own without getting lost (or ending up in another town!). Just be sure you choose somewhere high (top altitude at least 2200m, bottom preferably 1000m+); this year there was not enough snow at most areas in February to ski under 1200m! Next year we're going to Silvretta Nova in Vorarlberg. Check out Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis: it boasts the most days of winter sun, the skiing looks terrific, and there are practically no cars.