Head to these five amazing American resorts for a sublime ski experience.
ASPEN
SKI at one of four world-class mountains in the area: Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk Mountain, where you’ll
find terrain for every age and ability. Aspen Mountain—known as Ajax to residents—is best for the serious skier, with a plethora of black-diamond trails at your disposal.
STAY in one of three newly remodeled presidential suites at the super-luxe St. Regis Aspen. Emulating a late 19th-century mountain manor, you’ll love luxe touches
like antiqued brown leather club chairs, a baby grand piano, marble bathrooms, Ralph Lauren furnishings, and the grey winter sky color palette. After a day of skiing, check out the mountain view while sitting in front of a roaring fireplace where a 24-hour dedicated butler will bring you everything your heart desires—including a humidifier. In addition, the hotel offers an “altitude concierge” to ensure that guests don’t get sick while skiing at 8,000 feet. After a consultation with the Altitude Concierge, those who need it can relax under a Chanel blanket in the oxygen lounge at the resort’s Remède Spa. Other guests may enjoy a sweet spa day with champagne and chocolates while experiencing everything from the relaxation lounge, to the Spa’st cold plunges and hot tubs to its Confluence waterfall room. Skiers who want to reset in the new year might want to check out the Mountaintop Reboot Program: a three-night rejuvenation boot camp that includes fat biking, daily cold-pressed juices, yoga, and a customized massage.
DINE at the year-old eatery The Grey Lady for a seafood fix, Cache Cache Restaurant for Parisian bistro fare, Jimmy’s An American Restaurant for (naturally) modern American cuisine and Nobu Matsuhisa’s sushi hotspot Matsuhisa for the most elegant evening of all. Ajax Tavern at The Little Nell, J-Bar at The Jerome and The Caribou Club are all great options for an après-ski or a late-night cocktail.
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
315 E Dean St., Aspen, CO 81611 (970) 920-3300
JACKSON HOLE
SKI the 20-foot drop of Corbet’s Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or Snow King, the steepest overall slope of any ski hill in North America. Serious skiers who want a rare treat should call ski patrol and make special arrangements (and sign a special waiver) to ski S&S Couloir. Jackson Hole also has arguably the best aerial tram in the States, which glides 4,139 vertical feet from the base of Teton Village to the top of Rendezvous Mountain. You’ll see the glory of Snake River Valley, Grand Teton National Park and the Gros Ventre Range up close and personal.
STAY at Amangani, one of the most amazing ski resorts in America. Check into the Grand Teton Suite, where you can take in the glorious, breathtaking view from your expansive balcony, a living area with a metal, gas-lit fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows and a deep soaking tub. You’ll feel like you’re in the midst of a luxe wilderness thanks to the resort’s natural palette, Pacific redwood walls and Oklahoma sandstone columns. Not to be missed is the heated, 115-foot- long infinity pool, and the private ski lounge available to resort guests in Teton Village. In celebration of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s 5oth anniversary, Amangani is also offering its guests Foil Skis—handmade, elegant performance skis by family-owned, northern Italian brand, Foil. Amangani guests will be among the first in the U.S. to experience the handcrafted skis. Additionally, the resort will host a series of Italian-inspired evenings throughout the season featuring wine and cheese tastings for skiers to enjoy after a day on the slopes.
DINE at The Granary, which has received the prestigious DiRoNA Award as well as the honor of Best Hotel Chefs of America series at The James Beard House; Couloir Restaurant, located 3,000 feet above the valley floor at the summit of the Bridger Gondola; the rustic elegance of Jackson Hole staple the Snake River Grill; and the upscale warmth of AAA Four Diamond winner Wild Sage.
Amangani, 1535 NE Butte Rd., Jackson, WY 83001, (307) 734-7333
PARK CITY
SKI at what is now the largest ski resort in the country, as local mainstays Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons have joined forces to become one giant behemoth, now simply called “Park City.” Vail Resorts spent $50 million to build the Quicksilver Gondola, which links the Park City Mountain Resort with the Canyons. The combined resorts now have 41 lifts, over 300 trails and over 7,300 acres of skiable terrain.
STAY at the crème de la crème of properties, Park City’s ski-in, ski-out Stein Eriksen Lodge, named for the famed Norwegian Olympic skier. The World Ski Awards recently named the luxury resort the World’s Best Ski Hotel for the second consecutive year. Check in to the 3,000 square-foot Deer Valley Suite, complete with its own full-size European kitchen, private deck and fireplaces galore. Then hit the slopes, where a personal ski concierge is available to not only to lay your skis on the snow, but will also warm your boots and provide you with hot chocolate at the end of a long day on the mountain. This haute property makes every effort to accommodate, from an on-site chocolatier to heated parking garages to stave off the chilly winter temperatures.
DINE at the romantic Riverhorse, the first restaurant in Utah to receive the DiRoNA Award; fine dining Italian eatery Grappa; the elegant and excellent 350 Main; and J&G Grill, a signature meat and fish Jean-Jorges Vongerichten eatery located at the St. Regis Deer Valley Resort.
Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley, 7700 Stein Way, Park City, UT 84060, (435) 649-3700
TELLURIDE
SKI the Black Iron Bowl, Gold Hill Chutes and Palmyra Peak if you’re an advanced skier, while those who favor a more “European” style experience should stick to the alpine area within Revelation Bowl. Either way, you’re in for some pretty perfect powder.
STAY in the five-bedroom exclusive penthouse of the Lumière Hotel, where you’ll find 3,718 square feet of living space featuring hardwood hickory floors, hand-blown glass fixtures and original artwork. A private outdoor hot tub, a chef’s kitchen with a Wolf gas range and subzero refrigerator, a steam shower, a deep soaking tub, and LED smart televisions with a Bluetooth sound bar are additional luxury comforts. This opulent
and intimate ski-in-ski out hotel is a dream stay for the upscale skier; a partnership with Black Tie Ski Rentals to create a seamless
ski valet experience (you won’t have to leave your luxurious digs to be fitted for equipment) provides an added perk.
DINE at 10,551 feet via Telluride’s Gondola for a unique experience at modern-American eatery Allred’s Restaurant; 221 South Oak for fare inspired by Southern American, classic French and California-fresh cuisine in an elegant setting; and Bon Vivant, an outdoor eatery featuring classic French cuisine, fine wines and crepes at the top of the Polar Queen Express at Lift 5.
Lumière, 118 Lost Creek Lane, Telluride, CO 81435, (970) 369-0400
VAIL
SKI the Back Bowls. While there is terrain for every level of skier, it’s the Bowls that define
the Vail skiing experience. Start with Sun Up and Sun Down before heading on to Teacup and China—the latter offers the only groomed blue runs of all the Back Bowls. Adventurous types will make sure to try the Siberia Bowl. Don’t miss the Blue Sky Basin, a stunning area known for its gorgeous glades.
STAY in the Gore Range Wing at the super opulent Four Seasons Resort
Vail, a 4,856 square-foot space which encompasses up to five bedrooms as well as a 500-square foot outdoor terrace. You’ll find a dining room with seating for 10, a coffered-ceiling living room with a hickory floor that leads to a furnished, walk-out terrace, gas-burning fireplaces, free-standing soaking tubs, a whirlpool tub and a bidet. In addition to being seriously stunning, the Four Seasons Vail is also a skiers dream stay. The resort offers its own Ski Concierge, a three- story building featuring a full-service concierge team that offers equipment rentals, ski lessons, maps and weather reports to guests. Upon check-in to the Resort, guests who wish to ski will be fitted with appropriate boots and skis by a Gorsuch boot fitter. Their information will then be transferred via computer to the Ski Concierge building, where their boots and skis will be selected and placed in a locker corresponding to their guest room(s). These state-of-the-art lockers, imported from Switzerland, feature a system that air-dries boots and gear. When a guest arrives at the Ski Concierge, their pre-fitted boots and skis are presented, with boots warmed and skis expertly waxed and tuned to suit the day’s conditions and the skier’s preferences. Before hitting the slopes, guests can enjoy complimentary fresh-baked muffins and coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Those familiar with the property need to check out the new $2.5 million bar and lounge, The Remedy, as well as the hotel’s new sanctuary for men, The Barber Shop.
DINE at Flame at Four Seasons for modern mountain cuisine in a stunning setting of wood and stone with cozy fireplaces and expansive mountain views; Left Bank, an oenophile’s paradise in Vail Village; contemporary American cuisine with an award-winning wine cellar at Ludwig’s; as well as traditional Swiss fare at Swiss Chalet.
Four Seasons Resort Vail, 1 Vail Road, Vail, CO 81657, (970) 477-8600
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