By Jen Murphy, Bloomberg News
It took until the end of December, at least, for many of the world’s best ski resorts to get properly blanketed in white stuff. Park City, Utah; Sun Valley, Idaho; Vail, Colorado; the Southern Alps : All were practically barren when Christmas vacationers descended in late 2025.
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That’s the new reality of running a ski resort — and a reason why many hotels in such places are, counterintuitively, thriving. Poor slopeside conditions mean more time to enjoy the spa or splash out on dinner with a private chef. Plus, interest in winter sports is broadening, despite the lack of actual snow: According to Snowsports Industries America, participation reached a high of 31 million participants in the 2024–25 season, with growth driven by more niche activities such as Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and sledding.
That might explain why so many ultraluxury brands, including One&Only and Rosewood, are planting their first slope-side flags this season. To that landscape you can now add reliable snow cover (thanks to recent storms) and, thankfully, a decent amount of last-minute availability.
Which is all to say: It’s not too late to plan your trip. Here’s where to go — considering not only terrain but also some sumptuous new places you can stay, plus the increasingly tempting Plan Bs you’ll find off the slopes.
Engadin Valley, Switzerland
Renowned for its world-class slopes, the Engadin Valley has also emerged as a serious arts hub over the years, drawing the annual Nomad traveling design fair (Feb. 12–15) to glamorous St. Moritz and the Engadin Art Talks series in the nearby town of Zuoz (Jan. 23–25). Now two of the art world’s biggest powerhouses, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-founders of influential contemporary art dealers Hauser & Wirth, have chosen the Valley for the second hotel in their Artfarm hospitality brand. (The couple also owns the Fife Arms in Braemar, Scotland.)
Nestled in the village of Sils Maria, the 13-room Chesa Marchetta dates to the 16th century. Now it’s been tastefully filled with antiques, lace curtains sourced from a nearby weaving collective and — of course — an impressive art collection that includes Old Masters and modern talents. (You can even find Jean-Michel Basquiat’s signature in the guest ledger.) Skiers can hit up the Furtschellas lift for access to the slopes within a mile of the front door, or drive 20 minutes to Corvatsch and St. Moritz. From $500
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: The Engadin Valley is home to Switzerland’s largest network of Nordic trails, spanning nearly 150 miles. (These are viable even with relatively little snow.) And each year, it becomes the temporary residence for some of the world’s best chefs too. This season, Rodolfo Guzmán of Chile’s famed Boragó restaurant takes residence at Badrutt’s Palace, and Mauro Colagreco will host a series of Argentine-style, open-fire asados at the Kulm Country Club.
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen’s devoted crowd will have a familiar new base this spring when White Elephant opens on West Main St. just beyond the heart of downtown but within a few minutes’ walk of big-name restaurants and a four-minute shuttle to the slopes. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because White Elephant has a pair of sceney beach resorts in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.
The brand’s 54-room alpine sibling goes for full-on mountain elegance with Roman clay-washed walls and embossed-leather headboards. Lola 41°, the Asian fusion bistro beloved by guests at other White Elephant outposts, is sure to draw a significant après scene in Aspen, too, with its plans to serve sushi spreads atop snowboards. From $1,995
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: Jazz Aspen Snowmass christened its first permanent space, the Paul JAS Center, on Dec. 19. With 175 seats, it’s hosting supper-club-style performances that feature a diverse array of performers and elaborate multicourse meals.
Courchevel, France
The scene at Courchevel and its six interconnected villages — all part of the Three Valleys, the largest ski area in the world — famously gets glitzier the higher up you go. At the top is Courchevel 1850, known for its wide-open perfectly groomed runs, Michelin-starred dining and five-star resorts. Within that already-exclusive enclave is Le Jardin Alpin, a summit area where Aman, Cheval Blanc and Airelles run some of the most ultra-luxurious resorts in the Alps.
Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin, the ultra-luxury brand’s first ski-in/ski-out resort, adds to the mix with the area’s largest inventory of suites, all with farmhouse-inspired interiors by acclaimed French designer Tristan Auer. But the 51 accommodations here are hardly rustic: Even basic rooms are furnished with angular, midcentury furnishings, bouclé upholstery and richly veined marble vanities . From $ 2,648
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: One of the region’s oldest lifts, the Chenus gondola, has been retired after 55 years of operation — and its retro white cabins taken apart and auctioned off. In its place is a €20 million ($23 million) fleet of James Bond-worthy cabins that whisk you to the 2,240-meter summit of Chenus. Non-skiers can take the scenic ride, too, to visit the area’s four restaurants, including the see-and-be-seen Bagatelle, or admire panoramas that span the towering peak of la Grande Casse and the Vanoise ice cap.
Gstaad, Switzerland
In 2016 the Ultima brand redefined jet-set alpine style with its first over-the-top hotel, Ultima Gstaad, focused on exclusivity and intimacy with just a handful of spacious suites and residences. Fast forward nearly a decade, and its portfolio of chalets is synonymous with lavish interiors (black Saharan marble, rich velvets, pricey furs) and your-wish-is-our-command service. Now it’s taking it up a few notches.
Ultima Promenade Gstaad, originally built by the late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, is an eight-suite, four-floor chalet with every imaginable bell and whistle, from a private disco and cinema to a gym and spa. Staff can meet any request, be it husky sledding atop a glacier or securing VIP tickets to the Hublot Polo Gold Cup. As for the 175,000 CHF ($218,000) weekly price to buy it all out? Divide it among 16 guests, and it works out to about $2,000 per night — similar to what you’d pay for a junior suite elsewhere on the mountain .
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: The brand’s flagship hotel in Gstaad is hosting a pop-up from London’s famed Japanese izakaya hotspot, Zuma. Expect DJ sets paired with robata-grilled skewers and intricate cocktails crafted tableside.
Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky Resort’s unofficial motto has long been “big thrills, low frills.” No longer. The resort’s ambitious, decade-long Big Sky 2025 vision plan culminates this season with the debut of the world’s fastest 10-person gondola. All the on-piste investments, which have also included the renovation of two slopeside lodges and the addition of 20 new lifts, have attracted top-tier hotel brands like Montage and One&Only.
The latter has just opened its first resort in North America, the One&Only Moonlight Basin, with 92 rooms and suites, plus freestanding cabins designed by architect Olson Kundig. A heated gondola just for guests links the resort directly with the family-friendly Madison Base area, known for its winding green and blue runs . When you’ve swooshed through enough of them — or braved the resort’s 50-degree chutes — there’s a sprawling hydrotherapy circuit at the 17,000-square-foot spa. From $2,100
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: Superstar chef Grant Achatz has been celebrating his Chicago restaurant Alinea’s 20th anniversary with pop ups in Brooklyn, Miami, Beverly Hills and Tokyo. Now he’s set up shop, temporarily, in Big Sky, with an entirely new concept called M by the Alinea Group that will run through March 31. “This will be a full departure from Alinea’s theatrical, avant-garde style,” Achatz tells Bloomberg. “We’re drawing on influences from the Rockies and Alps to create food with a refined rusticity.” Think white-birch-bark-smoked trout dressed in a carbonized grapefruit vinaigrette.
The Dolomites, Italy
The Dolomites’ most storied hotels have undergone top-to-bottom transformations ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, which kick off on Feb. 4. Generating the most hype is the 51-room Aman Rosa Alpina , which recently reopened in San Cassiano after a dazzling renovation by visionary architect Jean-Michel Gathy.
The sleek makeover added a knockout spa with three pools, three 12-seat cinemas and a dedicated lounge where butlers warm your ski boots before you head to the slopes. Notably, a casual grill has replaced the formal three-Michelin-starred restaurant, but not all has changed. Hugo and Ursula Pizzinini, whose family has run the hotel for three generations, remain at the helm, and Hugo’s legendary wine cellar still boasts the best bottles in the Dolomites. From $1,800
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: Acclaimed Sardinian seafood restaurant La Scogliera recently opened a charming outpost on the outskirts of Cortina overlooking emerald-hued Lake Pianozes. Spend an afternoon snowshoeing the six-mile loop around the lake, then pop in for the restaurant’s afternoon DJ sets and a plate of housemade paccheri pasta with smoked ricotta.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
With Amangani, the area’s most legendary stay, closed for renovations this season, loyalists are booking into the five-star Retreat at Hotel Jackson instead. Opening at the end of January in a discreet location just off the bustling town square, it’s a completely new build from the family that owns the neighboring (and beloved) Hotel Jackson. It has just nine suites, all with private terraces, silvery reclaimed wood and sophisticated Western-inspired décor.
There’s also a full range of amenities, including an infinity pool and Basque steakhouse focusing on open-fire cooking. A complimentary 15-minute shuttle whisks guests to the famously steep slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and the hotel maintains private lockers at the base. From $1,500
Your après-ski (or instead-of-ski) plan: Dinner with a view. The country’s only mountaintop planetarium, located at the summit of Snow King Resort, recently added a fine dining restaurant, Aurora, where guests can stargaze (and sometimes glimpse the northern lights) as they dine on fondue, wagyu tartare and other dishes.
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