At the end of a long day on the slopes, there’s only one thing you can think of: a comfy bed to fall into. At these top 10 ski resorts and hotels, you’ll get that and so much more.
Readers' Choice Rating: 94.8
Rooms: 96.4
Service: 95.3
Food: 91.8
Location: 98.8
Design: 92.9
Activities: 93.6
Starting rate for doubles in December: $759
The St. Regis Aspen topped the list of hotels and resorts in North America—according to the 19,534 readers of Condé Nast Traveler who took this year's survey—and for good reason. For starters, the 179-room hotel sits between the iconic Silver Queen Gondola and Shadow Mountain Lift, and it's just steps from the town's boutiques, art galleries, and sceney restaurants and bars. The St. Regis's spectacular ascension to first place—it ranked forty-fifth last year—can also be attributed to last year's tip-to-tail renovation led by Lauren Rottet. The interior designer and architect gave the hotel a heavy dose of Gilded Age grandeur, which is only augmented by the hotel's swanky butler service. Its Remède Spa offers a slew of new treatments, including the Farm-to-Massage-Table, which engages all five senses, even taste: A bite of dessert and a glass of champagne are served after you've been exfoliated, massaged, and slathered in whipped body butter. And executive chef David Viviano, formerly of the James Beard Award-nominated team at Jardinière's in San Francisco, was recruited to revive the hotel's Italian eatery, Trecento Quindici Decano.
Readers' Choice Rating: 94.7
Rooms: 96
Service: 93.9
Food: 91.8
Location: 94.3
Design: 96.3
Activities: 96.1
Starting rate for doubles in December: $178
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa is a gondola ride from Beaver Creek and a ten-minute drive from Vail. After you've spent the day shredding endless powder, the infinity hot tubs at its superb Spa Anjali come to the rescue. So does the tequila at chef Richard Sandoval's Mexican restaurant, Maya. He stocks more than 100 varieties of it behind the bar. Our readers say the Westin Riverfront is an "absolutely beautiful ski resort property" that makes it "the perfect place to stay for a ski vacation." Thanks to "excellent access to the mountain—gondola out back of the hotel," the slopes will become your second home here.
Readers' Choice Rating: 94.5
Rooms: 95.4
Service: 96.6
Food: 88.7
Location: 98.9
Design: 90.8
Activities: 94.2
Starting rate for doubles in December: $475
Telluride's 2,000-plus skiable acres are best accessed from the Mountain Village, where the ski-in/ski-out Fairmont Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge sits in the center of the action, just steps from the Village Express lift and the Telluride Golf Club. Its 63 residences all have private balconies, stone gas fireplaces, and Viking Range-equipped kitchens. You'll receive "fabulous service and ambiance" at "one of the best ski lodges in one of the best ski towns in North America." Our readers have made it clear that they believe skiing at Fairmont Telluride is "undoubtedly one of the best in the U.S."
Readers' Choice Rating: 94.2
Rooms: 97.2
Service: 94.3
Food: 90.3
Location: 94.3
Design: 94.3
Activities: 94.3
Starting rate for doubles in December: $275
The intimate Lumière Telluride, with just 11 hotel rooms and 18 one- to five-bedroom residences, is a reader favorite thanks to its stellar service and crack team of ski valets, not to mention the mixologists whipping up cocktails at the Lumière's cozy Little Bar.
Readers' Choice Rating: 93.8
Rooms: 93.1
Service: 94.2
Food: 92
Location: 97.4
Design: 92.1
Activities: 93.8
Starting rate for doubles in December: $252
Who would have thought that a ski hotel almost 2,000 miles east of Colorado would rank among the top five? But Lake Placid's luxe Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa did just that. The historic inn's three restaurants plate the best food in the Adirondack's—if you have to choose, make a reservation at The View to dine on locally sourced American fare overlooking picture-perfect Mirror Lake.
Readers' Choice Rating: 93.7
Rooms: 95.1
Service: 90.4
Food: 86.6
Location: 97.6
Design: 95.2
Activities: 97.4
Starting rate for doubles in December: $259
Calling advanced skiers! Those who live for challenges should come to this Jackson Hole resort that will meet your expectations and more. Luxury accommodations match the quality of the ski slopes here. One reader warned to "bring your A game," as the slopes here are the "most challenging you can find in the States." No worries if your traveling with experts or beginners, because there is "awesome terrain that is great for all abilities." In addition to the typical ski activities on offer here, you'll be able to experience winter wildlife safaris, dog sledding and heli-skiing. One reader who has skied all over Colorado, Montana and Wyoming said this resort offered "some of the best skiing in the West for sure" and added "sorry, Colorado!"
Readers' Choice Rating: 93.5
Rooms: 97.1
Service: 91.2
Food: 94.1
Location: 94.1
Design: 91.2
Activities: 93.5
Starting rate for doubles in December: $700
Set on 2,026 acres of prime skiing snow, Deer Valley features 21 lifts and 100 trails. The hotel prides itself on having more lifts than any other Utah ski destination, so you won't have to spend much time waiting in the cold to get up on that hill. St. Regis is "absolutely one of the most beautiful properties we have ever visited!" one reader said. The hotel's service will "make your ski day perfect," so you can focus more on making the most of your winter vacation—maybe with a visit to the Utah Olympic Park. World-class athletes train here but you can feel like an Olympian too, because the park also offers bobsled and luge rides on the Olympic track.
Readers' Choice Rating: 93.1
Rooms: 97.9
Service: 93.8
Food: 91.3
Location: 90.6
Design: 91.7
Activities: 93.1
Starting rate for doubles in December: $245
Located in the Colorado Rockies, Vail takes the honor of being the single largest ski resort in the U.S., comprising 193 trails and stretching for seven miles. But it's not just the location that shines; it's the service. "Where else will you find a handwritten note asking how that freshly waxed snowboard rode?" one reader said. "Even the hotel's slope-side ski center has all the comforts of home and then some, from hot cocoa and heated lockers to a fleet of ski valets eager to help take off your boots."
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Readers' Choice Rating: 93.1
Rooms: 95.1
Service: 92.9
Food: 90.5
Location: 97.6
Design: 92.7
Activities: 90
Starting rate for doubles in December: $319
With a "location that can't be beat" in the distinguished Northstar California skiing region, the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe hotel has become the "fab new trés chic ski destination" for a "luxury mountain ski getaway." "With the ski-in/ski-out mountain concierge, the Ritz-Carlton takes all the hassle out of the ski vacation," one reader said. No lugging here—the ski valets assist guests with winter gear and retrieve everything afterward, storing it all overnight at no additional cost. The 97 trails on the 3,170-acre property provide features that appeal to all levels, including beginners. The "Big Easy" grip-quad chairlift and the Smart Terrain will help them quickly learn the basics of the sport.
Readers' Choice Rating: 93
Rooms: 100
Service: 86.5
Food: 91.2
Location: 97.3
Design: 91.9
Activities: 90.9
Starting rate for doubles in December: $325
Viceroy Snowmass is a "beautiful, hip, contemporary property" that will provide a "wonderful ski experience" for the whole family. Situated a couple miles from Aspen, this luxurious resort has mountains that reach as high as 4,406 feet. There are four separate mountains, Snowmass, Buttermilk, Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands, which offer a total of 91 trails and 3,132 acres of terrain. When they (and you) tire of the slopes, bring the kids to the Treehouse Adventure Center, where they can play around in interactive themed rooms and settle in for movie nights.
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