Resort height: 1003m
The mountains
Saalbach-Hinterglemm offers 200km of pistes ranged on both sides of a long valley. There's some lovely, intermediate-friendly skiing and snowboarding in Saalbach, but you need to bear in mind that the highest ski lift rises to only 2100m. Even in Austria, which tends to have a colder climate than France, that's quite low. What's more, many of the gentler pistes are south-facing, too, and suffer from prolonged exposure to the sun. So in a warm, dry season (such as 2006-7) many of the pistes struggle to hold onto their snow, despite the liberal provision of snow cannons. To be sure of getting the best from the resort, don't book a ski holiday in Saalbach months in advance. Wait until you can see how the season is progressing, and then go as last-minute as you can.
If you're new to skiing, or something of an expert, Saalbach isn't such a good option. First timers will be better off up the road in Hinterglemm, which has the better, and more snowsure area of nursery slopes, while advanced skiers and snowboarders should consider the likes of St Anton, Verbier or Chamonix.
Getting there
Most people fly into Salzburg and jump on a tour-operator's transfer bus. The drive to Saalbach takes about 2 ½ hours. You can also take the train to Zell am See and then catch a local bus up to the resort (which takes about 3 ½ hours in total).
Rating: 
9/10
Après-ski
In many ways, Saalbach is the intermediate skiers St Anton - a place to ski hard, and party hard too. Every night, the open-air bars at the bottom of the slopes on the northern side of town are heaving, notably Bauer's Schi-Alm and the Backstattstall. It can get a little seedy later on - there are several lap-dancing clubs in Saalbach, but for the most part this is a good-natured and friendly scene. For dinner, the place to go is the wood-panelled Kirchenstube in the Hotel Zur Dorfschmiede in Hinterglemm, although the Herzlstubn in Saalbach's Kendler hotel is good too.
Rating: 
5/10
Non-skiers
Unless they've come principally for the partying, neither Saalbach nor Hinterglemm are ideal for non-skiers. However, many of the hotels have wellness areas, where you can swim or have a massage and sauna, and you'll find some of the usual range of outdoor activities on offer, such as tobogganing and guided walks. For the best shopping, take the bus down the valley to Zell am See.
Rating: 
8/10
Cost of living
Saalbach isn't an A-list resort, so prices aren't excessive - watch out for late-booking discounts, as there are sometimes bargains to be had here. As in many ski resorts, you'll find the cheaper accommodation is on the outskirts of town, which is a bit of drag, especially if you have to walk into the resort beside the busy main road.
Rating: 
6/10
Attractiveness of the resort
You're not in the high Alps - so expect the scenery to be more “Sound of Music” than “Cliffhanger”. Saalbach is low-rise, compact and traditional in style, with pretty, pedestrianised streets.
