By Catherine Wigginton
Before you become so fed up with the New York winter that all you can think about is finding a beach, think about heading to the high country for one of these luxury ski getaways. From Aspen to Dubai, you can rent spacious suites or your very own mountain chalet, private chef included, amid world-class skiing and other festive snow activities. And when you’re not knee-deep in powder, you’ll have your choice of the finest après ski, gourmet meals and spa treatments from around the world. For the right price, the resorts below promise to make your ski vacation as extreme or as relaxing as you’d like.
Stein Eriksen Lodge, Deer Valley, Utah
Located in the Wasatch mountain range at Deer Valley resort, this lodge lets you enjoy immediate access to the slopes and a short ride to Park City, known as host to the Sundance Film Festival. Rent a suite for $3,815 a night (7-night minimum) and receive warmed-up ski boots in the morning, a personal ski valet to help put your in your bindings and a hot beverage to warm you up after a full day on the slopes.
steinlodge.com
Ritz-Carleton, Bachelor Gulch, Avon, Colorado
Ski-in and ski-out at this luxury resort on Beaver Creek Mountain (just down the road from Vail), situated a few feet away from the Bachelor Gulch Express high-speed quad lift. Give your muscles a rest at the spa, recently ranked the #3 spa in North America by the 2006 Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Poll. Stay in the club-level suite for $1,800 per night and you’ll have a view of the mountain. And if the thin mountain air takes your breath away, resort staff will provide liquid oxygen to help you adjust to the altitude.
ritzcarlton.com/resorts/bachelor_gulch
Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Skiing in the desert? That’s not a typo—this hotel is attached to the United Arab Emirates’ first indoor ski resort. Stay in a three-bedroom ski chalet for around $1,000 per night and you’ll have a view of the ski slope on one side of your room and the desert on another.
kempinski-dubai.com
Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz, Switzerland
This hotel is located in one of the most challenging ski areas in the world. Stay in the Superior Suite for $3,700 per night and see the lake of St. Moritz from your private deck. You’ll also receive full breakfast and a four-course dinner. Your kids can spend the day in the hotel’s kindergarten.
badruttspalace.com
Little Nell, Aspen
Walk out of the Little Nell right onto the ski lift at Aspen Mountain. The hotel’s ski concierge team will set you up with lessons, lift tickets and equipment rental. In the afternoon, you’ll have hot chocolate and pastries waiting for you. From January through March, for $3,350 per night, you can rent the 1,450-square-foot Little Nell Suite, where you can sit on one of your two private decks overlooking the mountains.
littlenell.com
Tivoli Lodge, Vail, Colorado
The newly rebuilt, European-style Tivoli Lodge, nestled in the heart of Vail Village, features unobstructed views of Vail’s Golden Peak ski area and is steps away from the Vista Bahn ski lift. Sixty-two spacious rooms, many with fireplaces, offer either village or mountain views. Nightly rates for the regular season range from $299 for a Village Standard to $1,299 for the Peter Seibert Suite, which boasts panoramic views of Vail Mountain, Gore Range and Golden Peak.
tivolilodge.com
Hotel de Charme Les Airelles, Courchevel, France
Situated on a slope in postcard-pretty Courchevel, the Hotel de Charme Les Airelles offers direct access to the Domaine de Trois-Vallees and its 500 km of slopes. Guests who choose to lunch on the hotel’s terrace will be greeted by warm slippers and hot wine; dinner choices include the hotel’s main restaurant, La Table du Jardin Alpin, and the country-style Restaurant Le Coin Savoyard. Rates for the hotel’s 59 decadent, Alpine-style rooms start at $600 a night.
airelles.fr
Amangani, East Gros Ventre Butte, Wyoming
This 40-suite resort, perched 7,000 feet above sea level, offers stunning views of the peaks around Grand Teton National Park. The town of Jackson, with shops and art galleries, is 15 minutes away; Teton Village, where Amangani’s private Ski Lounge is located, is a 20-minute complimentary ride from the resort. Guests who want the best can take in the Grand Tetons in the eponymous suite for $975 to $1,580 a night, depending on the time period.
amangani.com
Hotel Byblos des Neiges, Courchevel, France
Join Europe’s jet set in the “Riviera of the Alps” at this vast resort in the Jardin Alpin, the world’s largest ski area. The hotel’s 1960s exterior belies its luxurious interior furnished in an unexpected mix of ultramodern and classic styles with Oriental flourishes. Insuring your stay is as comfortable as possible is the polished, professional staff flown in each season from the sister resort in St. Tropez.
byblos.com
Gstaad Palace, Gstaad, Switzerland
The Gstaad Palace in Switzerland, known for its discreet staff, has hosted dignitaries, royalty and celebrities since its opening in 1913. Tired of sharing the slopes with strangers? Then come early or late in the season when you can rent the entire palace for you and 100 of your closest friends. Rates start at $351,000 per night for the entire resort, which includes 250 staff members to fulfill your every whim.
palace.ch
