Austria’s glitzy ski resort of St Anton is famed for its first-class ski pedigree and its A-list clientele, but with the upcoming release of new Ed Westwick movie Chalet Girl, which was filmed in the resort, it will soon have an army of new fans…

WHY GO TO ST ANTON

St Anton, at 1,300m, lies in the Arlberg region of western Austria and has a long and esteemed history of skiing. Indeed, it boasts the first-ever ski school, the Arlberg Ski School, which treated OK! to a few days of piste guiding with instructor Hans Peters. The 280km of ski slopes attract skiers and boarders of all levels and the resort hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2001.  Apart from diverse and challenging ski terrain, St Anton is known as the party resort of the Alps.

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WHERE SHOULD I STAY?

Greeted at Innsbruck airport by our chalet host, we were whisked off to St Anton in a sleek Mercedes complete with a champagne hamper! This was just a little five-star taster of what was to follow during our stay at Scott Dunn’s flagship luxury chalet, Artemis. Banish all perceptions of traditional chalet interiors for this one is far more akin to a swish American penthouse, with contemporary furnishings and modern artwork. Set over four floors, Artemis accommodates up to 12 guests in six en-suite bedrooms, who have their every whim attended to – be it relaxing in front of the fire with a drink or enjoying champagne, canapés and gourmet meals prepared by in-house chef Rob Daley. Guests can also watch films in the private 12-seater cinema or unwind in the downstairs wellness area with its indoor pool, sauna and hot tub. If all that isn’t enough, Artemis also offers a frequent shuttle bus to town and can even provide a nanny service. It’s no wonder we heard that Aretmis attracts star cliental such as Katy Perry and Russell Brand.

WHERE SHOULD I STAY?

There are dozens of fantastic eateries in St Anton and it’s certainly not all traditional Austrian, as OK! enjoyed a delicious Thai curry at Café Aquila. If you do prefer traditional cuisine, the Hospiz Alm in St Christoph shouldn’t be missed. Set around an open fire with the staff dressed in lederhosen, OK! was astounded by the huge platters of meat that soon filled our table. Getting through the sausage and potato soup and roast pork with baked potatoes was challenging enough, but we were then led down a slide (yes, an actual slide!) to the wine cellar, where bottles have been sold for £35,000!
It was certainly no hardship staying in to eat at Artemis. Our nightly feasts comprised canapés of oysters, smoked salmon and caviar bellinis, followed by confit of red snapper with Thai noodles and scallops with artichoke puree as starters. For main, we enjoyed  duck breast with caramelised walnuts and monkfish with chervil gnocchi, topped off with apple tart tatin and honeycomb ice cream. Nothing is too much of a problem for the chef, who’ll provide vegetarian options or Halal and Kosher meat if required.

WHERE SHOULD I SKI?

St Anton hasn’t cemented its name as one the world’s best ski resorts for nothing. All abilities can find slopes to enjoy, whether you take the leisurely blue trail from Kapall to Nasserein or prefer the white knuckle, almost vertical, run from Valluga to Galzig. Snowboarders can also do a few tricks at the snowboard park in Rendl, although parts of the resort are too flat for boarders. OK! was particularly impressed with the new gondola at Galzig, which lifts you up via a huge wheel to set you on your way to the peak. No more zig-zag queuing up stairs definitely gets the thumbs up from us! 

WHAT STARS MIGHT I SEE?

Celebrities have been flocking to St Anton for years, with Robbie Williams, Boris Becker, songstress Pixie Lott and Heidi Klum all having visited. The snow-capped resort has been full of actors recently with the filming of Chalet Girl, a romcom released next month that’s set in St Anton and stars Brooke Shields, Bill Nighy and Tamsin Egerton. The film follows chalet girl Kim (played by Felicity Jones of Cemetery Junction fame) falling in love with snowboarding and her boss’s son Jonny (Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick). Plus the famous ski scene in Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, starring Renée Zellweger, was also filmed in St Anton.

WHERE'S THE PARTY ACTION?

St Anton has a reputation as a serious party hotspot and the best place to find the most raucous crowd and dancing on the tables is the infamous Krazy Kanguruh, located on the slopes just above the town. Another favourite après-ski party place is Mooserwirt, which is only accessible by skis so can lead to some interesting journeys home! For live music try the Underground or Postkeller, while Bar Cuba, Bodega and Kandahar Bar are also popular hangouts.

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WHAT CAN NON-SKIERS DO?

A ski trip doesn’t have to be all about skiing – everyone deserves a well-earned day off or you may have a non-skier in your party. St Anton proudly boasts its gleaming modern wellness centre (www.arlberg-well.com), featuring an indoor pool with waterfall, tennis courts, ice skating rink and climbing wall, as well as the usual sauna and spa treatments. For shopaholics, Pandora jewellers in the town centre offers an array of diamond rings, watches and necklaces, while Alber Schuh next door can help pamper those who don’t take well to wearing ski boots all day long and are looking for more classy footwear. For kids, there are horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding and a ski show every Wednesday evening.

HOW CAN I GET THERE?

Scott Dunn (020 8682 5050; www.scottdunn.com/artemis) offers a seven-night half-board package, including business class flights with British Airways from London Gatwick to Innsbruck, private  transfers, full breakfast, afternoon tea, evening champagne and canapés and five-course gourmet evening dinners, staying at the Chalet Artemis from £2,095pp. This Scott Dunn flagship property also includes a chalet host, experienced chef and in-resort Mercedes-Benz driver service.