Ultima Gstaad, Switzerland
Opened earlier this year, Ultima Gstaad is the buzzy Swiss village of Gstaad’s newest high-end hotel, featuring 11 rooms and six uniquely designed residences that range in size from two to four bedrooms. Within steps of the Rutti Ski Lift, it offers easy access to the mountain’s legendary powder as well as creature comforts galore—fine linens, butler service, a La Prairie spa and aesthetics clinic, and unabashed luxuries like a Baccarat crystal chandelier and a grand piano made entirely of glass.
Deplar Farm in Iceland
Last year, a converted sheep farm in Iceland’s remote Fljot Valley opened as the 13-room Deplar Farm. The valley sees some of the highest average snowfall on earth, and an on-site helipad allows guests to make the most of it with easy access to epic backcountry skiing. At the end of the last run, guests can ski all the way back to the lodge for a massage in the spa or a soak in the on-site hot springs. The handsome guest rooms also provide interesting local details like woolen blankets and hand-hewn furnishings.
Stein Erikson Lodge
Widely considered to be one of the world’s best ski resorts, Deer Valley’s Stein Erikson Lodge is revered for its prime mid-mountain location and easy access to the chairlifts. Along with a coddling ski staff to look after gear, the hotel is adding the Ski with a Champion program this winter, offering guests the opportunity to ski alongside Olympians like Heidi Voelker, Shannon Bahrke, or Kris “Fuzz” Feddersen.
Viceroy Snowmass
After unveiling two new penthouse suites last year—both with large fireplaces, lavish kitchens, and private terraces—Colorado’s Viceroy Snowmass is reinventing itself again this season with $3.5 million worth of renovations. The main dining venue is now a pan-Latin restaurant overseen by acclaimed Mexican chef Richard Sandoval, and the ski-in/ski-out restaurant has moved poolside with unobstructed views of the slopes as well as heating towers and warm blankets to keep you cozy.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler
North America’s largest ski-in/ski-out resort is fresh off a face-lift. Updates at the Fairmont Chateau Whistlerinclude the addition of 11 Alpine Suites—all with modern interiors and jaw-dropping views of the snow—and a new restaurant. What hasn’t changed is the resort’s proximity to the ski lifts and its team of ski valets, who make it easy for skiers to head straight from their last run to the Mallard Lounge for the inviting après scene. Skiing straight to Mallard’s outdoor fire pits is also encouraged.
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
Located mid-mountain at Northstar California, the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe gives guests easy access to the slopes as well as mountain concierges to help them get suited up. Along with mountain-chic guest rooms, freestanding residences with two to four bedrooms are available—some of which have tremendous mountain views. The casual Backyard & Bar BBQ also offers ski-in/ski-out dining.
The Waldorf-Astoria
Already a favorite for its prime location at the base of Utah’s Canyons Resort ski area, Waldorf-Astoria Park City has managed to make itself even more desirable. Its new bi-level, three-bedroom Astoria Suite, which debuted in May, offers a full gourmet kitchen, two master bedrooms, a third bedroom with two queen beds, and four fireplaces, including one on the balcony. Handmade barn doors and bed frames tie the suite to the surrounding Wasatch Mountains. Also, in the spirit of the 2018 Winter Games, a fun new program allows guests to ski or bobsled in the nearby Utah Olympic Park facilities with a professional athlete.
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
Most of the 190 guest rooms in Park Hyatt Beaver Creek have floor-to-ceiling windows with gorgeous views of the Rocky Mountains. Just outside the hotel, chairlifts deliver guests to 1,800 acres of skiable terrain. And this year, the Colorado resort is bringing après-ski to a new level with a snow-cave party. Built together with local adventure company Paragon Guides, the 10-person snow cave—located 15 minutes from the hotel by snowshoe—will be the ultimate winter wonderland for guests to enjoy Champagne, caviar, and intimate dinners.
The Greenleaf Niseko Village
At the base of Japan’s Mount Niseko Annupuri, Greenleaf Niseko Village offers wonderfully convenient access to the ski resort’s nearly 60 feet of dry powder each year. Inside, blonde wood and splashes of red dominate the decor, compliments of New York–based Champalimaud Design, while a series of hand-painted murals depicting trees, vines, and butterflies add to the tranquil yet chic vibe. After a day on the slopes, ski straight back to the hotel’s natural onsen (hot springs) for a hot and healing dip.
The Tschuggen Express private railway
The Swiss Alps’ Tschuggen Grand doesn’t just have ski-in/ski-out access—it has its own private mountain railway. The two panoramic cabins of the Tschuggen Express take 12 hotel guests—and no one else—directly to the slopes. Next summer, the railway will be renewed with a single-track funicular that will take guests 1,700 feet forward and 500 feet up in just 2.5 minutes.
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