Top Western Ski Hotels

Vail Colorado – stay at The Lodge at Vail – the original luxury chalet in Vail Village. Grab first chair, first tracks in Vail’s Back Bowls, and the first bar stool at Red Lion for après ski. Located at Golden Peak, Manor Vail is a beautiful condo resort ideal for a family ski vacation. Vail Village has seen a renaissance, luxury ski hotels by Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons Vail, Rock Resort’s Arrabelle and Sebastian all offer top notch service for skiers from ski valet to Vail’s best après ski.

Beaver Creek Colorado – stay at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek for the ultimate ski  hotel, suite views of the slopes and you are step to the lifts, the Village and the most beautiful outdoor pool with 5 hot tubs. Ski the World Cup Downhill Birds of Prey, then go ice skating in the centerpiece rink in the beautiful Beaver Creek ski village at the base, before a sleigh ride dinner to Beano’s Cabin. Be sure to ask about the Golden Ticket for first tracks before the public.

Aspen Snowmass Colorado– is the biggest of Aspen’s four ski areas including Aspen Highlands, Ajax and Buttermilk, and the best in our view. Skiing the Big Burn is high elevation heaven with superb views of the Maroon Bells. Aspen Snowmass’ best ski hotel is the Viceroy at Snowmass, for downtown in Aspen check out the family friendly Limelight Hotel.

Deer Valley Utah – stay slope side at The Montage, The St Regis, Stein Eriksen Lodge or Goldener Hirsch Inn – you really can’t go wrong here dear at Deer Valley. Ski all day, spa, wine and dine all night! No Snowboarders allowed at Deer Valley…so leave your Burton fans at home and enjoy the sublime skiers experience.

Big Sky Montana – stay slope-side at the Summit Hotel for one of the best ski hotels in the west. The Summit quickly went to the top of our ski hotel list for location and luxury. The Montage at Big Sky is another grand resort hotel.  Take a day off from skiing the slopes at Big Sky to explore nearby Yellowstone National Park by snow coach – or apply for membership at the neighboring private ski resort Yellowstone Club.

Jackson Hole Wyoming – combines the highest vertical skiing in the country at Jackson Hole with the finest five diamond Four Seasons Hotel at Jackson Hole’s base in Teton Village. The après ski firepits, the outdoor pool, the ski valet that buckles your ski boots to the wildlife concierge that whisks you around in the Mercedes tracking elk, caribou and big horn sheep…. its 5 star Four Seasons here!

Amangani is another boutique Jackson hotel off mountain that clings to the hillside in Wyoming with extraordinary views of the Grand Tetons, suite lodging, a gorgeous spa and beautiful outdoor scenic pool. You are catered to with impeccable Amangani diamond service, including a private ski valet shuttle to their exclusive ski and boot changing room at the resort at Jackson Hole ski slopes and downtown Jackson.

Snowbird Utah is blanketed with over 500-inches of Utah’s trademark “greatest snow on earth”, and you have an 11,000′ mountain as your playground . The Cliff Lodge is the centerpiece 10 story hotel towering at the base, where the rooftop spa is top shelf, so are the views from most rooms. Built in 1971 when Snowbird opened, concrete to withstand heavy snow and avalanches, this dramatic huge hotel has ski lockers and the perfect beginner terrain at ground level, and you are a quick ski or walk to Snowbird’s Village Plaza and the Tram. Top floor Aerie is a beautiufl apres ski bar and dining room. 

Alta is interconnected with Snowbird, but Alta is skiers only, since 1938. The Rustler Lodge at Alta  nestled at the base of this classic ski mountain is all-inclusive, with meals and a grand old living room for lounging après ski. The newer Snowpine Lodge at Alta is luxurious in a modern alpine elegant way, with casual après ski dining, a Spa and cool Grotto, plus the best ski room lay out with a fireplace for booting up steps to the ski slopes. Snowpine has a beautiful outdoor pool and jacuzzis with outdoor fireplace, slope-view of course!

Telluride Colorado tops our skiers’ best resort list, and so does the Telluride’s Fairmont Franz Klammer Lodge Heritage Place in the heart of Telluride’s Mountain Village. This residence hotel is very posh from the spacious suites to the rooftop spa and concierge service. Fairmont hotels are the fairest of them all – especially in ski country – Chateau Whistler, Chateau Lake Louise, Banff Springs, Jasper Park Lodge, Fairmont Tremblant, Chateau Frontenac, you get the pretty picture.

The Compass Rose in Huntsville Utah is the perfect ski lodge, cozy but contemporary, modeled after a farmhouse but with elegant sitting rooms, fireplaces and guestrooms. The vintage ski decor is over the top, so is the attached silo that serves as a star gazer observatory! First Lift Coffee shop is off the lobby for breakfast, and you are a 20 minute drive to skiing at Snowbasin, or Powder Mountain, heli or cat skiing with Whisper Ridge.

Lake Tahoe California– 18 ski areas surround the gorgeous blue Lake Tahoe. Lodge at The Resort at Squaw to ski Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, Homewood, Heavenly and Kirkwood on the south Lake side. Then enjoy the north Lake side staying at the mountainside Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe at Northstar.

Sun Valley IdahoThe Sun Valley Lodge, built in 1936, was the first and foremost ski resort lodging property in the country. This lovely 4-diamond resort remains famous and celebrity-filled. Rooms overlook the ice skating rink, Sun Valley’s Baldy and Dollar Mountains, where your ski day awaits. The spa and outdoor heated pool are yours at the end of your Sun Valley ski day. On your Idaho ski tour, check out The Shore Lodge in McCall and skiing at Brundage or Tamarack nearby. The lovely 1948 lodge has a gracious dining room, après ski lounge, several libraries, a movie theatre, and a full service spa.

“The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve discovered, and the memories we’ve made.” – Heather Burke