Photo Credit: Sun Valley Resort
Hit the slopes in style this winter with our picks for the best places to stay while skiing and be seen ’round the globe!
Photo Credit: Montage Deer Valley
MONTAGE DEER VALLEY
9100 Marsac Ave., Park City, UT
Anyone who wants the mountain to themselves knows that the best time to ski Deer Valley is during the Sundance Film Festival—the slopes are bare. Regardless of what time of winter you go, the Montage Deer Valley is a chic place to stay. This year, the resort is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Veuve Clicquot’s rosé in its Après Lounge & Beach Club, a yurt adorned in Veuve Cliquot yellow hues and located just steps from the slopes, where you can rosé all day (with some Tsar Nicoulai caviar to soak up the bubbly). In addition to the Après Lounge & Beach Club, guests will have direct access to Deer Valley Mountain’s 200 acres of sprawling terrain and more than 100 different trails via three high-speed chairlifts.
Photo Credit: Little Nell
THE LITTLE NELL
675 E Durant Ave., Aspen, CO
Nothing says luxury quite like a stay at The Little Nell. Everything you could possibly ask for is available to you at this five-star, Five-Diamond Aspen resort, thanks to the Les Clefs d’Or-certified concierges. The staff restocks your minibar daily, provides you with a humidifier to resist that drying mountain air, offers a ski concierge, packing and unpacking services, and complimentary around-town transportation via Audi. This winter, take advantage of The Little Nell’s Guest Chef Dinner Series, which features Michelin-starred chefs from around the world taking over on-site eatery element 47. The one to beat is a meal prepared by father/son duo Jean-Georges and Cedric Vongerichten on March 2. This year, the Nell is also offering its $8,000 wine club, giving oenophiles the chance to order and stock their vinos of choice on site after a personal consultation with Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy. For the ultimate winter experience, make sure to partake in a hot toddy at Chair 9, a mountain hideaway only accessible by Snowcat or skis at Aspen’s only ski-in/ski-out resort. It’s no wonder this haute hotel is often referred to as “the Aspen of Aspen.”
Photo Credit: Sun Valley Resort
SUN VALLEY LODGE
1 Sun Valley Road, Sun Valley, ID
Sun Valley has been the ultimate celebrity winter getaway for many years, which is why the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett, Adam West, Tom Hanks, Oprah Winfrey, Demi Moore, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, Ashton Kutcher, Steve Wynn, Justin Timberlake and Bill Gates have all owned property here. If you can’t buy like the rich and famous, the newly revamped Sun Valley Lodge is a sweet alternative should you want to take advantage of Bald and Dollar mountains. Sun Valley Lodge was completely renovated and reopened in June 2015. Stay in the Lodge’s Celebrity Suites, which showcase the famous faces that frequented the resort (including Eastwood and Marilyn Monroe). All feature photography dating back to the Union Pacific Railroad, fireplaces and living rooms. Actual celebrities are sadly, not included.
Photo Credit: Sonnenalp
SONNENALP
20 Vail Road, Vail, CO
While you’re hitting the slopes of the Blue Sky Basin or Back Bowls, stay at Vail’s Sonnenalp, and experience European-style rustic luxury at its best. Step onto the balcony of your suite tom look down at the village below and snow-capped mountains beyond while you happily warm yourself inside by the gas log fireplace. Stop for a moment to appreciate the watercolors on display by well-known German artist Julius Seyler before relaxing in your absolutely amazing bathroom, which features a personal soaking tub and heated marble floors. You’ll love the distinctly German feel of this haute Vail resort, which not only showcases Bavarian furniture and food, but whose staff dresses in traditional garb like lederhosen and dirndls. Enjoy the old-world European experience even further by indulging in comforting cuisine at the Swiss Chalet eatery or upscale fare at Ludwig’s, named, quite fittingly, after the luxury-loving Bavarian “Swan King.” But best of all, this resort truly plays up to the skier with an enhanced ski experience through its exclusive ski concierge, which offers a private lounge, secure lockers and personalized service along with the latest technology for tuning, repairs and waxing in a private setting steps away from the lifts.
FOUR SEASONS WHISTLER
4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4, Canada
Located in the heart of Whistler, British Columbia, Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler—Canada’s only AAA Five-Diamond property—is a perfect place to indulge after skiing and snowboarding down the best slopes in Whistler/Blackcomb. Brave the winter weather and take a dip in the heated outdoor pool or relax in one of three hot spring-style outdoor whirlpools. Conversely, you can stay indoors and try out a Vichy shower room or eucalyptus steam room at the spa. There’s something here for the gents as well, thanks to the locally inspired “Mountain Men Bar” of spa services. There’s also a Wilderness Wellness experience, offering adventurers to fly over Canada’s largest, southernmost ice cap to explore an unexpected world of ice and snow via private helicopter. The game of golf also soars to new heights here, as guests are invited to tee off from a mountaintop. Once your private helicopter has landed, tee off with biodegradable golf balls before heading to the driving range in a snowmobile for a few last swings before enjoying a lunch catered by the Four Seasons Chef de Cuisine.
Photo Credit: Cristallo
CRISTALLO HOTEL & SPA
Via Rinaldo Menardi, 42, 32043 Cortina d’Ampezzo BL, Italy
Located in the Dolomites mountain range in Northern Italy and a two-hour drive from Venice, Cortina d’Ampezzo offers some of the best skiing in the world. A notable rendezvous for Italian high society, Cristallo’s service and enchanting cultural heritage have endured for over a century. Levels of comfort and courtesy convey the hotel’s innate, gracious Italian hospitality. At this new hotel—which only opened its doors in December—guests can choose to dine at one of four restaurants, or relax at The Cristallo Ultimate Spa—a Transvital Swiss Beauty Center—which focuses on locally sourced, exclusive therapeutic treatments that provide signature detox, anti-aging, relaxation and après ski rituals. Equipped with a rejuvenating hammam, sauna and oversized Romanesque indoor pool, the 5,200-square-foot space also includes a spacious FitWell Club that offers cutting-edge fitness equipment, a virtual trainer and spectacular views of the Dolomites.
Photo Credit: Clic Gauche
HÔTEL MONT-BLANC
62 Allée du Majestic, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
The historical Hôtel Mont-Blanc officially opened its doors in 1849, and while the white façade and blue shutters have retained the classic Chamonix style, its 40 rooms and suites are all completely modernized, giving guests the best of both worlds. Interior designer Sybille de Margerie renovated the hotel to reflect its environment: The bedrooms offer a panoramic view of the nearby Drus and impressive Bossons glacier at the foot of Mont Blanc. When you’re not busy on the slopes, treat yourself to the Clarins spa and hammam, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, heated outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi with a view of the mountain peaks that will leave you breathless.
Photo Credit: Fabrice Rambert
HÔTEL BARRIÈRE LES NEIGES
422 Rue de Bellecôte, 73120 Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, France
Head toward snow-capped summits and stunning panoramic views to get away from it all in Courchevel, a fairy-tale village where luxury and traditions are intertwined. Set at the heart of Les Trois Vallées—the largest ski area in the world—the resort boasts more than 370 miles of ski runs. With its 42 rooms, suites and a penthouse, the Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges enjoys an exceptional slope side location at the foot of the legendary Bellecôte run, just a stone’s throw from the center of town and its luxury boutiques. It’s the ultimate place to ski as it has a team of experts who will warm your boots and lay your skis on the slope. Les Neiges also features one of the hautest ski rooms in the area thanks to a collaboration with the exclusive Bernard Orcel shop, a benchmark in Courchevel for more than 40 years. The Cléfs d’Or concierge and personal butler service are on hand to create tailor-made experiences for you, which could include torch-lit descents, heli-skiing or even a private screening in the resort’s 17-seat cinema.
Photo Credit: Alpina Gstaad
ALPINA GSTAAD
Alpinastrasse 23, 3780 Gstaad, Switzerland
Alpina Gstaad is the newest luxury hotel to open in the village of Gstaad, Switzerland, in 100 years. Contrasting with the warm wood interior are sofas, chairs and lighting from luxury British, French and Italian designers that are complemented by a stunning contemporary art collection featuring well-known artists including Dan Colen, Tracey Emin, Jana Euler, Alex Israel, Terence Koh and Henrik Olesen. In addition to the Swiss Stübli serving traditional regional Bernese Oberland specialties, guests will find Megu on the slopes as well as the Michelin-starred Sommet Restaurant. There is a cigar lounge modeled after an old cigar lounge in Havana, a private cinema where many Hollywood celebrities and directors screen throughout the year, and a 21,500-square-foot spa that offers everything from organic Swiss Alps products to unusual programs including Tibetan yoga. Make sure to take note of the charming on-site cottage, where you can enjoy a romantic candlelit fondue dinner for two with snow falling softly around you.
Photo Credit: Kulm
KULM HOTEL ST. MORITZ
Via Veglia 18, 7500 St. Moritz, Switzerland
If you’re looking to stay in an iconic, elegant place ripe with sports history, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz is for you. In 1857, legendary hotel pioneer Johannes Badrutt purchased the property and transformed it into St. Moritz’s first hotel, thereby laying the foundation for the Swiss luxury hotel industry in the Alps, which immediately became a popular Alpine winter tourism destination that served as the venue for the opening of the 1928 and 1948 Olympic Winter Games. Guests will have their own fun skiing down the slopes that overlook Lake St. Moritz, a world-famous Swiss ski and spa town. This timelessly elegant hotel is where you’ll find the most glamorous jet-setters in Europe, who come for the gourmet restaurants (including the 16-point Gault Millau winner the K); its three bars, including the oldest sports bar in the Alps, the Sunny Bar, as well as the Miles Davis Cigar Lounge; the completely redesigned state-of-the-art, 6,500-square-foot Kulm Spa with views over the Alpine panorama and Lake St. Moritz; 65-foot indoor pool with underwater music; and 26 fully redesigned rooms newly refreshed courtesy of interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon as you do the slopes. *To note, make sure to pop over to the equally fabulous Carlton Hotel for a dinner at the absolutely stunning Restaurant Romanoff (which may have a few Romanov surprises if you look very carefully) or Michelin-starred delights at the hotel’s Da Vittorio.
Photo Credit: Tristan Shu
HOTEL LE KAÏLA
Route de la Montée, 73550 Les Allues – Méribel, France
Everything at Hotel Le Kaïla appears to be inspired by wolves… and we’ll go so far as to say that it’s completely fierce. This is the ultimate ski chalet-style hotel—think fur throws and bedding plus lots of wooden beams—which has every kind of modern amenity available, including a Bose SoundDock system, a double flow constant Hygrometer, a Nespresso machine and even a PS4. But it isn’t amenities alone that make it a standout: There’s an aquatic area with its own aqua-marine course, a Michelin-starred restaurant in L’Ekrin, a Spa by Nuxe and a ski shop offering direct access to the slopes. Even better, the true skier is going to be wowed by its “Snow Guarantee”—in part owing to its natural characteristics (the resort is located in the heart of the Three Valleys, where 85 percent of the slopes lie above 5,900 feet) and regular landscaping using snowmaking machines. You’ll get what you came for—there are 327 slopes—but you may not want to leave the hotel!
Photo Credit: Omnia
THE OMNIA HOTEL
Auf dem Fels, 3920 Zermatt, Switzerland
If you’re looking for a room with a view, The Omnia has one… and how. Whether you’re standing on your balcony gazing at the Matterhorn, or looking out one of your panoramic windows at the Zermatt valley, you’ll be blown away. And while The Omnia is specifically beautiful, it’s the resort’s wellness-inspired, contemporary interpretation of the traditional mountain lodge aesthetic that will have you coming back time and again. You’ll find a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, caldarium, petal steam room, relaxation room and outdoor whirlpool with a view of the village and the Matterhorn, as well as facilities that include a gymnasium with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment and two rooms for individual massage treatments, yoga and Pilates. Make sure not to miss the indoor/outdoor pool: Through an opening underneath the inside glass enclosure, you can dive into the outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and the unparalleled views of Zermatt and the Matterhorn. The pool is heated to 84 degrees and has more than six massage jets, while the whirlpool is heated to 100 degrees—a perfect way to soothe your aching muscles after a long day on the slopes. In addition to a library, a restaurant with two open fireplaces, a lounge bar, a wine cellar and two sun terraces, The Omnia is officially one of our favorite places to get away from it all.
Photo Credit: W Verbier
W VERBIER
Rue de Médran 70, 1936 Bagnes, Switzerland
W Verbier is the hot, new scene-stealing kid in town. It’s a hot spot for sure despite its wintery location, just steps away from the main Verbier ski lifts and access to 250 miles of ski terrain. The property features 123 stylish guest rooms, suites and residences, each with a fireplace, signature W bed and private balcony. The design is daring, using local materials like wood and stone fused together with modern accents to create a contemporary urban Alpine design. There are six on-site restaurants, and if you’re a partygoer, make sure to take your rewarding après-ski drinks and indulge in a little snow boot dancing at W Off Piste. After a long day on the Swiss Alp slopes, detoxify and relax at the Away Spa, which includes a shimmering indoor/outdoor-heated WET pool, hammam, sauna and Jacuzzi. You’ve got to love that anything you want is literally at your fingertips thanks to dedicated service from both the W’s Mountain Concierge as well as its exclusive Whatever/Whenever service.
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