Mountain Resorts
If skiing is your idea of the perfect vacation, you'll love these getaways.
Photo By: Jeremy Swanson
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Photo By: Dan Ham
Photo By: Hirofumi Inaba
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Photo By: Kreis Beall & Heather Anne Thomas Photography
The Little Nell (Aspen, Colo.)
To do Aspen right, you’ll want to factor in The Little Nell. There’s a little something for everyone here, whether it be skiing under a full moon followed by hot chocolate, a facial to combat the drying effects of high altitude, or even a puppy jet lag kit. Plus, everyone loves a good apres-ski: The scene at buzzy Ajax Tavern, which slings French-American bistro fare, is perfect after a long day on the slopes.
Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains (St. Moritz, Switzerland)
With a dramatic exterior evocative of Wes Anderson’s fictional Grand Budapest Hotel, it’s easy to see why guests flock to the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains. Visitors come to careen down the slopes — the hotel is located in St. Moritz, a quaint town in the southern slopes of the Albula Alps and one of Switzerland’s best-loved ski destinations—but also for the casino, spa and cigar-friendly library.
Gasthof Post (Lech am Arlberg, Austria)
There’s no telling who you might rub elbows with at the bar of the Gasthof Post hotel in Lech, Austria. Maybe you’ll bump into Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, an annual visitor, or perhaps princes and princesses from Sweden, Monaco and Jordan, all known patrons. Hidden away in a valley in the Arlberg mountain range, Gasthof Post attracts guests not only with world-class skiing, but also a high-end beauty spa—expect swanky services like collagen and hydrodermabrasion treatments.
Bachelor Gulch (Beaver Creek, Colo.)
Nestled in the foothills of Colorado’s Beaver Creek Mountain, Bachelor Gulch has everything you’d expect from a Ritz-Carlton property: luxe appointments, exquisite service and top-notch dining. It also has exquisite ski-in/ski-out access and a grotto-themed spa. Plus, no need to bring your own camera: The on-site "photography concierge" is on call to document your family’s special moments.
Brush Creek Ranch (Saratoga, Wyo.)
The romance of the American West is in full effect at Brush Creek Ranch, situated on 30,000 private acres in Southeastern Wyoming’s Platte River Valley. Here the rooms may be sophisticated and the spa next-level (you can get your massage in an outdoor teepee), but Brush Creek is also a working cattle ranch, as it's been since its founding in the late 1800s.
Hoshinoya Mt. Fuji (Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan)
You can’t find a better (and more private) view of Japan’s towering Mt. Fuji than from the cabins at Hoshinoya Mt. Fuji, Japan’s first-ever glamping resort. Set on a hill overlooking pristine Lake Kawaguchi, Hoshinoya Mt. Fuji offers refined "camp meals" prepared by a skilled chef and private balconies in every room overlooking the mountain.
Stein Eriksen Lodge (Park City, Utah)
With its traditional ski-chalet vibe, this 180-room property feels straight out of Europe. But Stein Eriksen Lodge—named for Norwegian Olympic Gold Medal skier, Stein Eriksen—is actually stateside, located in Deer Valley Resort’s Silver Lake Village in Utah. The resort boasts excellent ski-in/ski-out access, plus a fantastic spa offering various treatments for slope-weary guests. Also on offer? Magical horse-drawn sleigh rides.
Lake Placid Lodge (Lake Placid, N.Y.)
You won’t find any crowds at Lake Placid Lodge: There are only 30 rooms at this luxe, serene wooded resort in the heart of New York State’s Adirondack Mountains. In winter, come for the "snow bonfires" by the lake, complete with hot chocolate and s’mores, or opt for a ride in a bobsled down one of America’s only bobsled tracks (with a professional driver, of course).
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole (Teton Village, Wyo.)
An expert mix of rustic and luxury, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole is for cowboys who prefer high-thread-count linens, and in winter, perfect powder. Surrounded by the spectacular wilderness of the Grand Teton Mountain Range, there are plenty naturalist activities to be had, from guided stargazing at night to day trips into Yellowstone National Park.
Blackberry Farm (Walland, Tenn.)
In the shadow of the Smoky Mountains is Blackberry Farms, the resort of choice for food obsessives. The price of a room—all elegantly furnished with upscale country finishes—also includes three meals of its lauded Southern farmhouse-inspired "Foothills Cuisine" prepared with produce grown just steps from the main house.