North America's poshest powder
When it comes to skiing, luxury means privacy. Avid snow sliders will go to almost any length to ensure that their precious days on the slopes take place as far from the crush of lift lines as possible.
They'll endure connecting flights on tiny planes into even tinier airports to spend a few days at a hard-to-reach ski resort. They'll pay big bucks for private instructors who can cut to the head of the gondola line. And they'll rent luxurious log homes in the woods just to be able to savor the surroundings in silence.
Skiing in the lap of luxury also means personalized services that extend way beyond a private instructor. It can mean that your hotel maintains a private, fully staffed lounge right next to the gondola, where your boots are brought out of a heated locker and drinks and snacks are always on hand. It means the helicopter takes off for a run deep in the Canadian Rockies when you want it to, not when the group is ready to go.
It means your ski house or condo comes with its own chef, massage therapist, yoga instructor or--if you just must have your espresso with perfect crema in the morning--a barista who knows how to pull perfect shots at 8,000 feet. If you know the right people, it can even mean being invited to join the world's only private ski resort, where you and 250 other members will have 2,000 meticulously groomed acres all to yourselves.
See our slideshow of the 10 best luxury ski destinations.
Consider a ski trip to Colorado's Beaver Creek, which sits in a stunning high valley about ten miles west of its older, bigger sibling of Vail. You won't exactly be slumming at the four-year-old Ritz-Carlton Beaver Creek, with its state of the art spa and spacious rooms overlooking the slopes, and a newly-opened iteration of Wolfgang Puck's Spago restaurant.
But why stay right on the slopes when you can stay above them? Trapper's Cabin, a rustic yet luxurious 2,500-square-foot log cabin, accommodates just you and a handful of friends. When dinner is finished, your private chef and housekeeper silently depart, returning the next morning to cook up some applewood smoked bacon and whatever else you crave. Lift tickets and lunch at one of Beaver Creek's three private lunch cabins are included as well. The cost: $2,085 per night for four people.
The list goes on. At Jackson Hole, Wyo., you can put up in style at the slopeside Four Seasons hotel, but just a few miles away is the 40-room Amangani, part of the world-famous Amanresort group--a minimalist temple to mountain luxe where rooms start at $650.
At Telluride, Colo., the Franz Klammer Lodge offers big, beautiful condos smack in the middle of the slopes, while the two-bedroom Tempter House sits on top of the world, at 12,200 feet, and comes with 360-degree views and shuttle service via skimobile. For $5000 a night, it's all yours.
Deer Valley, Utah, is renowned for pampering guests with everything from curbside ski valet service to the finest on-mountain food in skidom. This winter, the famous Stein Eriksen Lodge has recently emerged from a $7 million makeover, meaning it's once again the place to stay, assuming you don't rent a condo at the elegant Chateaux at Silver Lake.
Even more over the top is the brand-new $15 million Ski Magazine Dream Home, 12,000 square feet including 16 fireplaces, a DJ booth and dance floor and a car wash bay in the garage. The nightly rental rate runs between $7,500 and $10,000.
Here is a look at ten North American ski destinations where pampering is even more of a certainty than a foot of fresh powder.