13 of the Best Ski Hotels in America

Viceroy Snowmass is easily the most luxurious resort in Snowmass Village, and is packed with top-notch amenities, including a 7,000-square-foot spa with a stunning relaxation room, a solid fitness center, and a lovely pool area with heated saline pool, cabanas, and fire pit. It also offers phenomenal ski valet service (valets will take care of everything from scheduling lessons to putting your boots on for you) and a prime ski-in, ski-out location. There's a daily resort fee, and you'll have to pay for valet, but that's to be expected at a resort of this caliber.

A popular choice among families, The Gant sits near the base of Aspen Mountain and features 140 one- to four-bedroom condos with Aspen-inspired decor (leather and wood accents, rich colors, and scenic mountain artwork). The hotel is on a large piece of land, and has two heated outdoor pools with accompanying whirlpools.

One Ski Hill Place is one of the most luxurious lodges in Breckenridge, with attractive condo-style units featuring gourmet kitchens, beautiful bathrooms (almost all with soaking tubs), and moss rock gas fireplaces. It also offers the most features of any resort in the area, including a two-lane bowling alley, two screening rooms, a billiards room, and an indoor pool area. It has a ski-in/ski-out location right on Peak 8, but getting to Main Street requires a trip on the Breck-Connect Gondola.

The 132-room Hotel Terra is a trendy, eco-friendly ski lodge that offers a nice break from the often-standard mountain-lodge decor found in other area hotels. The lobby has the characteristic fireplaces and antler-adorned walls, but they're complemented by pops of color and modern furniture. The rooms are sleek, with flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, free Wi-Fi, and organic toiletries in the bathrooms (complete with heated floors). Perhaps most importantly, the hotel is just a short walk from the slopes and has on-site ski rentals and a ski valet.

The small 32-room Rusty Parrot Lodge is decidedly upscale for the area and notably quiet despite its central location. The property embraces a rustic chic decor, including in the super spacious, bright rooms (some with fireplaces) with clean, white-tile bathrooms. It hits all of the requisite apres-ski offerings: an ornate reading room with heavy leather chairs, an outdoor lounge deck with a whirlpool and fire pits, and a stylish bar manned by knowledgeable mixologists. Even though the on-site restaurant Wild Sage has delicious food, guests are still only steps away from Jackson's restaurants, shops, and bars.

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe is a five-star full-service resort in the mountains above Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resort. Along with luxe rooms, a huge spa, and fine dining, the Ritz-Carlton offers ski-in/ski-out access to the slopes and many other recreational activities -- including multiple outdoor pools and whirlpools that are open year-round. The only resort built in the area in the last decade (it opened in 2009), the Ritz has, without a doubt, the most luxurious rooms in Lake Tahoe. They feature cozy leather chairs, fireplaces, balconies, deep soaking tubs in the marble bathrooms, and modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and iPod docks.

The four-star Tahoe Mountain Resorts Lodging offers direct access to Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resort, with plenty of nearby upscale shopping and dining found via cobblestone streets. Housed in separate lodges in the quaint Village at Northstar, the spacious, luxe rooms include kitchens, surround-sound TV systems, and fireplaces. A heated pool, underground parking, and the beautiful mountain setting are added bonuses, and what makes it particularly special is that it has the world's only in-lobby gondola.

The Montage in Deer Valley is a large, luxurious resort with a ski-in/ski-out location. The rooms feel like upscale apartments, with warm wood accents, chandeliers, high-end artwork, fireplaces, and marble bathrooms complete heated floors, soaking tubs, and separate showers. The hotel has a massive spa (with free access to its pool, steam rooms, and saunas) and several restaurants, one with fine dining and another with a bowling alley.

The St. Regis offers a true five-star experience for visitors to Park City. The expansive, well-maintained property has a spacious fitness center with personal trainers and a yoga and Pilates studio, a high-end spa, a spacious heated outdoor pool and whirlpool, a fine-dining restaurant, and elegant rooms with modern amenities and spectacular views. The property swells with A-listers during Sundance (as do the prices), which is no surprise thanks to its on-mountain location in posh Deer Valley.

The Four Seasons Vail opened in 2011, and is one of the area's top hotels. All the rooms have warm colors, stone fireplaces, balconies, and huge marble bathrooms with standalone soaking tubs, and almost every amenity impresses, particularly the upscale spa (one of the best in Vail Valley) and lovely outdoor pool area.

This rustic-luxe, chalet-inspired lodge is one of Vail's premier options, with a location in the heart of Vail Square, near the Eagle Bahn lift. The 62 luxurious rooms feature massive bathrooms, stone fireplaces, and scenic balconies, and both the lavish spa and rooftop lap pool pack serious wow factor.

The Four Seasons is one of the most luxurious, beautiful resorts in Whistler. The property features a heated outdoor pool; a top-notch fitness center (complete with a yoga/cycling studio) and spa; and large rooms and residences with fireplaces, gorgeous bathrooms, and of course, great mountain views. The upscale "ski lodge" lobby exudes a cozy vibe, with wood-paneled walls, wood beamed- ceilings, and chandeliers, as do the bar and steakhouse (with amazing mountain views).

This 550-room Fairmont Chateau is perched amid Bavarian-styled buildings just outside of Whistler Village, with magnificent views and close proximity to ski lifts. The interior decor is typical of a Fairmont, but with a mountain-esque twist -- think crown molding meets exposed wooden beams and stone-tiled walls. The excellent Wildflower restaurant serves contemporary American fare, and the restaurants and bars in Whistler Village are a 15-minute walk away. The two eucalyptus steam rooms and multiple whirlpools make it easy for guests to warm up after a day in the snow.


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