Apres Ski in Laax
The three villages of Flims, Laax and Falera form part of the Alpenarena and are situated on a sheltered sun terrace in Graubünden, 90 minutes from Zurich. Laax lies between Flims and Falera which are 5 and 3km away respectively.
The Villages of Flims, Laax and Falera
Flims is divided into two parts: Flims-Dorf, the traditional village where you will find the base station, along with most amenities and Flims-Waldhaus where the majority of Flims’ hotels are located. Flims is much quieter than Laax and hence more suited to families with younger children, especially because of the number of blue runs above the resort.
For the last three seasons, the town of Laax (1100m) has had a relatively one-dimensional feel to it- it lacks character and fails to capture the excitement of those who need more than just skiing from their winter holiday. Offering a supermarket, post office, a few shops and bakery, the only activity worth sampling, other than drinking in one of the bars, is recuperating from the days skiing in the Signia-Sport Golf Hotel’s ‘well being centre’. Offering two saunas, a steam room and a swimming pool, it is a great place to relax after a tough day’s skiing. The shy should be warned however, it is unisex and removal of swimwear is compulsory. Other than this, visitors to Laax will be left wanting more, unless they can be fully entertained by the nightlife of a few bars and one night club for the duration of their stay.
However, it is probable that the character and provision of entertainment in the village will change. In early 2008, the building of the ‘Rockresort’ was complete- a building complex of apartments which are available to rent during the ski season. Along with this build, it is likely that other facilities will be established, such as a hair salon, more than a dozen shops and an additional six bars and restaurants.
Falera (1220m) is a very small town with a population of less than 600. It is however a beautiful village, renowned for its attractive church. The town is primarily occupied by the Swiss as a holiday home and with only one hotel, it is very rarely used by tourists.
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Apres Ski Bars & Nightlife in Flims, Laax and Falera
Flims Laax’s nightlife can vary greatly, depending on which time of year you’re there. Sometimes it’s great and at other times you’d think you were in a ghost town. While Laax and its neighbouring villages have a number of restaurants, most are hotel restaurants located some distance away from one another and lacking the ambience expected of a resort restaurant.
When Laax is busy, the night life can be great, but don’t make the mistake of thinking its going to be Val d’Isere or St Anton. After a day’s skiing, head to either the Legna bar in Flims or the trendy Crap Bar in Laax. This is often busy with boarders and skiers having a few beers before they catch the bus back to Chur to head back home. It has a good, happy atmosphere. If you want something a bit more Swiss, head to the WaWa bar tent right at the foot of the slope. It plays some brilliantly bad European dance music, something we all love on our ski holidays! The atmosphere is great and the Jagermeisters are in serious flow in this bar.
Later in the evening head to either Casa Veglia, a fun night club full of cheesy music, with youngsters up for a great laugh, fuelled on very overpriced drinks. If there is an event on at the Riders Palace night club which takes your fancy, make sure you get your tickets in advance. It’s a great venue, often playing host to some world-famous DJs and performers. If neither of these venues take your fancy, hop on the nightline shuttle bus over to Flims and pop into the Arena bar with its basement club.
Restaurants in Flims, Laax and Falera
As a result, it is quite likely that once you have found a restaurant you like, you will be eating there again before the end of your holiday. In Laax, one such restaurant to frequent is the Pizzaria Cristallina, they offer great pizza and pasta dishes with a great salad bar to start. In Flims, the Arena Restaurant (part of the Arena hotel) may fulfil your desire for traditional Swiss meat and cheese, whilst the Barstow Inn Steakhouse serves huge steaks if you need something more filling. For something really Swiss, try the raclette evenings at the Hotel La Siala’s restaurant.
The bars in Laax and Flims are a little more engaging. The Crap Bar and WaWa bar offer the most atmosphere, whilst the Riders Palace lobby is slightly more chilled out (unless there is a big event on). In Flims, the Iglu bar which is made of glass and surrounded by palm trees, as well as the Legna bar are great places to go for a lively Swiss atmosphere.
The nightline shuttle bus which runs between the three villages, operates through the night so you can enjoy the somewhat subdued nightlife in both Laax and Flims.
Other Activities in Flims, Laax and Falera
Flims Laax lacks the high standard of activities to match its great quality skiing. A few select hotels, such as Hotel Advla offer luxury activities such as wellness spas, beauty treatments and massages, which seem to be the only other activity worth pursuing once you have finished skiing.
The resort claims to offer other activities such as tobogganing, ice skating and paragliding, but these are so poorly promoted that one wonders whether they are actually available for guests. The potential for shopping in the villages is also extremely limited; don’t expect nice boutiques or gift shops.
It is quite possible, however, that this will change due to the new Rocks Resort, which is expected to increase the provision of amenities within Laax.