Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis: The Underrated Austrian Alps Gem for Family Ski Holidays
Tuesday 24 February 2026 12:54 pm. The under-the-radar Alps spot perfect for a family ski holiday. By Simon Miller.
Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, located in the Tyrol region of Austria, shares its home with the world-famous St. Anton am Arlberg but remains a hidden treasure with little name recognition in the UK. After a childhood visit fifty years ago, it was high time for a return trip. I joined my two teenage daughters, along with knowing Austrians and hordes of Dutch visitors, for a weeklong holiday just before Christmas in this resort, known locally as SFL.
More Than Just Beginner Slopes
While "We are Family" might be the resort's strapline, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis offers far more than beginner slopes and cartoon characters. The area boasts 214 kilometers of pistes spread across the three villages of Serfaus, Fiss, and Ladis, providing rich and varied skiing experiences. The south-facing sides of Fiss and Ladis feel homely, warm, and welcoming, featuring multiple tree-lined descents with mid-mountain restaurants reminiscent of famous Austrian resorts like Kitzbuhel, Ischgl, and St. Anton.
At the opposite end, the Masner area presents rocky, rugged, exposed, high alpine terrain. Regardless of location, all pistes are fantastically well-maintained with impressive snowmaking capabilities, essential this season due to weaker snowfall compared to last year.
High Altitude and Diverse Runs
The resort reaches high altitudes, with Masnerkopf as the top lift at 2,828 meters and a range of lifts dropping skiers around 2,500 meters. Base station villages sit at 1,400 meters, offering plenty of vertical drop across a good mix of black, red, and blue runs. Our favorite was a long, rolling red called 'Froomes,' which carries skiers along an exposed ridge from the Schöngampbahn lift before weaving through woods for miles to the base station in Fiss.
Runs from high-level lifts include easy blues as well as challenging reds and blacks, with ample off-piste options when conditions allow. For beginners, areas with 'rolling carpets' alleviate the need for chairlifts, while older kids can enjoy fun parks with jumps, rails, and drop-offs throughout the resort.
Relaxed Atmosphere and Family Focus
The atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed, with skiers giving each other more space than usual. Thoughtful planning is evident in every aspect, especially for families, offering just as much challenging skiing as more famous resorts. With families dominating the skiing profile, there's no armada of wannabe champions thrashing around, a common issue elsewhere due to race apps.
Off-piste conditions weren't ideal during our visit, but acres of wonderful terrain promised fresh tracks without crowds of twenty-somethings. Let's keep Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis a family secret!
Après-Ski and Nightlife
The Patchi bar in the center shows the resort goes beyond its family reputation, attracting a younger après-ski crowd of Dutch, Germans, and Austrians who dance on tables until the small hours. George's bar in Serfaus is another lively institution, with DJ George leading a multi-generational crowd through classics.
For families, Adventure Night: Magic of Colours offers a late-night light show on the slopes outside the Komperdellbahn station at 2,000 meters. Each Wednesday at 9 pm throughout the season, 2,500 attendees enjoy a mix of drone light shows, fireworks, formation skiing displays, and live music. Wrap up warm and order mulled wine for the experience.
Efficient Ski Equipment Storage
Clomping back to your hotel with ski equipment is a perennial chore on ski holidays, but not in Serfaus. The resort has invested in an efficient ski equipment storage system, ensuring that within minutes of finishing your ski day, you're in comfortable shoes with skis, boots, and helmets safely stored and gently heated overnight. No more parents wrangling a forest of skis and poles.
Accommodation and Transport
Accommodation in Serfaus is spread along a 2-kilometer strip running the length of the village. We stayed at the recently refurbished, spectacular five-star Hotel Cervosa, a 15-minute walk from the ski depot or a 5-minute ride on what the town claims is the world's smallest and highest underground train. This free public transport system means no stay is more than a short walk from one of four stops stretching from the car park to the main lifts.
A lovely touch invites kids to be train attendants for the day; Hugo, aged seven from Amsterdam, will surely tell friends about "running the trains" before skiing. Accommodation ranges from five-star hotels to self-catering apartments, with diverse lunch options. The Wiener schnitzel at the self-service Skihütte Masner was excellent, and goulash soup for €7.50 offered great value with stunning Austrian Alps views. Our favorite lunch stop was the Schalberalm, where Kaiserschmarrn with apple sauce was the hero.
Value and Recommendations
A six-day high-season ski pass costs €394, about 10 percent less than more famous resorts. While it's a great ski holiday for families, I'll also recommend Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis for trips with mates. The civilised slopes are excellent, and touches like a policeman handing little bags of sweets to everyone heading to the slopes are top-notch. Even in my fifties, those little touches of magic never wear off.
Visit the Austrian Alps yourself: Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis is a 1 hour 15 minute (90 kilometers) drive from Innsbruck, served by BA and EasyJet flights. For more information, visit serfaus-fiss-ladis.at, and for rentals, check patscheider.com.
