We’ve round up a list of the best ski resorts in the world, from the stylish and glamorous Europe to famous North America and the mighty Japanese Alps.
Whether you’re looking for family-friendly skiing, black-run thrills, amazing scenery, exuberant après parties, fine dining, upscale shopping or just a bit of Alpine charm to warm your curls, the world’s best ski resorts have it all.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Situated in the picturesque canton of Valais and almost entirely surrounded by towering mountains, Zermatt is without doubt the glitziest and most famous ski resort in the Swiss Alps. Dominated by the iconic Matterhorn (4,478m), the beautiful mountain village has everything you would expect from an upscale ski resort and even more: amazing skiing, awe-inspiring scenery, first-class dining and a sophisticated mix of shopping and entertainment.
With its 200 miles of marked trails and nearly 365 days of snow, Zermatt is the place where you’ll find the largest summer ski area in Europe. Moreover, apart from its glitz and glamour, fashionable clientele and high-end restaurant scene, the village is surprisingly idyllic, and has more than its fair share of chocolate-box charms: narrow streets lined with traditional alpine architecture, horse-drawn carriages and ingenious battery driven vehicles, charming boutiques, museums, alluring ski chalets, rustic establishments serving delicious fondue and cozy wood-panelled bars with excellent live music.
Where to stay in Zermatt: Hotel Pollux
Hakuba, Japan
Nestled at the feet of the northern Japanese Alps, Hakuba welcomes winter sports enthusiasts with seven ski resorts where the perfect mix of breathtaking scenery and abundant snowfall makes for impeccable ski and snowboard conditions. More than 200 different trails, both smooth and vertical invite skiers and boarders of all levels to have fun and refine their skills.
Moreover, Japan’s premiere ski destination has a fantastic après ski scene, as well. Once the lifts shut down for the night, visitors have the opportunity to unwind in one of the numerous onsen (natural hot springs) sprinkled throughout the area, or get a true taste of Japanese culture by participating in traditional tea ceremonies, craft workshops, origami or cooking classes. There is also a nice selection of museums and art galleries to keep you entertained during your stay. Some of the finest include Hakuba Historical Folk Museum, the Saegusa Art Gallery, the Olympic Museum, and the tiny, yet pretty impressive Salt Road Museum.
Ranging from snack bars and typical Izakaya (local pubs) to top notch restaurants serving all kinds of fancy menus, Hakuba’s excellent variety of dining options is designed to suit all tastes and budgets out there. For an authentic experience, make sure you’ll try some local specialties such as “soba” (thin buckwheat noodles) and sake (Japanese rice wine).
For nightlife revelers, Hakuba has a wonderful array of bars, clubs and pubs to choose from, whether you’re into some serious partying or just chilling out with your friends.
Where to stay in Hakuba: One Happo Chalet
Aspen, Colorado, USA
With its lovely mix of history, nightlife and fabulous skiing, Aspen is undoubtedly the most glamorous ski destination in the US. But this picturesque Colorado resort in the Rocky Mountains is clearly more than just a playground for the rich and famous, it is a charmingly provincial mountain town full of character and beautiful architecture.
Surrounded by four excellent ski areas, this mountainous wonderland offers skiers and snowboarders of all levels more than 335 trails to choose from. Easily accessible from the city centre, Aspen Mountain is the perfect choice for expert riders, providing plenty of black-diamond trails. Reaching an elevation of 12,392 feet, the nearby Aspen Highlands offers terrain to skiers of all abilities, and so does the Snowmass, a resort located 12 miles from Aspen. A little less challenging, but equally delightful and endowed with the longest terrain parks in the area, Buttermilk is the best option for boarders and beginner skiers.
Aspen’s historic downtown plays host to an exceptional range of shops, funky bars, high-end restaurants and galleries.
Where to stay in Aspen: The Little Nell
St. Moritz, Switzerland
The oldest ski resort in the world and one of its most expensive, St Moritz attracts its visitors with a spectacular and pretty unique mix of sunshine, culture, natural beauty, world-class skiing and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Mainly popular among jet-setters and social elites from all over the world, the handsome resort town lies in Switzerland’s picturesque Engadine valley as the epitome of style, class and sophistication.
With so many distractions, however, people often forget how good skiing actually is in this luxurious mountain resort. Selected twice to host the Winter Olympic Games, St Moritz boasts four ski regions with over 350 km of organized slopes. In addition to downhill and Nordic skiing, the area offers excellent opportunities for skating, snowboarding, bob run, cricket or polo. Other attractions include Olympic ski jump, horse racing on the frozen lake, stellar shopping and dining, as well as a great choice of gourmet and music festivals.
Where to stay in St Moritz: Badrutt’s Palace
Chamonix, France
Under the shade of the sensational and deadly Mont Blanc, the dazzling white pistes, the absolutely fantastic après-ski scene and the lively streets of Chamonix make for, quite simply, the Mecca of mountaineering. Its excellent ski regions cater for all tastes and abilities, and offer both on-piste and off-piste skiing and snowboarding terrain. Some of the most famous include the Vallée Blanche – a spectacular 20km off-piste glacier route, the challenging Grand Montets, the family-friendly Les Houches and the utterly picturesque Brevent-Flegere near the city centre. All these are easily accessible thanks to Chamonix’ advanced network of over 60 lifts.
Although many consider this mountain resort in the French Alps to be the winter sports’ capital of the world, skiing is not the only attraction in Chamonix. The town itself is charmingly traditional and the ride up to the mighty Aiguille du Midi is one of the highest and most breathtaking in the whole world. Moreover, shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities abound, offering something for everyone.
Where to stay in Chamonix: Chalet Anchorage
Verbier, Switzerland
One of the finest off-piste resorts in the world, Verbier lures celebrities and winter sports fans from all over the globe with its lovely mix of world-class skiing, boisterous nightlife and Swiss alpine charm highlighted by the chocolate-box chalets that dot its stunning mountainous landscape.
The stylish resort lies in the heart of the sunny Bagnes Valley, in Switzerland’s canton of Valais, and is part of the world-famous 4 Vallées ski area. Best suited for experienced skiers and filthy rich travelers, Verbier is clearly no place for light-hearted vacationing. It is, however, an excellent spot for those who want to ski hard, party hard and spend up big.
Where to stay in Verbier: Hotel Nevai
Lech, Austria
Quaintly located on the banks of the river Lech, in the westernmost land of Austria (Vorarlberg), the mountain village of Lech am Arlberg has grown into the country’s most exclusive ski resort. Being one of the snowiest ski areas in Europe might be one of the reasons, but the charms of Lech go far beyond its climate and posh clientele.
This pretty village filled with culture, history and breathtaking Alpine scenery offers some really amazing on and off-piste skiing on its spectacular marked ski routes and open slopes that run between 1450 and 2800 meters above sea level. Undoubtedly, the highlight of everyone’s trip to Lech should be the White Ring, the world-famous clockwise circular route known as “The longest ski run in the world”.
When it comes to dining opportunities, Lech has one of the greatest concentrations of gourmet restaurants in Austria, second only to Vienna. Last but not least, the resort is a veritable mecca for fashionistas, offering an exclusive range of designer boutiques.
Where to stay in Lech: Kristiania
Gstaad, Switzerland
Another Swiss playground for the rich and famous, Gstaad is a glamorous ski resort located in the Canton of Bern. Although better known for its fashionable crowd, high-class vibe and fine classical music than for its skiing, the town prides itself with one of the largest ski areas in the Alps, providing 172 kilometers of cross country ski trails, over 100 pistes for beginners and intermediates, as well as 3 lovely terrain parks for snowboarders.
Add to all these a charming promenade lined with all kinds of fashion boutiques, upscale restaurants and art galleries, and a picturesque mountainous background scattered with traditional alpine chalets and you’ll soon understand why Time magazine once called it “The Place”.
Where to stay in Gstaad: Grand Hotel Park
Megeve, France
The first purpose-built resort in the Alps, Megeve was created in 1921 by the affluent Rothschild family to rival Switzerland’s well-heeled St Moritz. The plan was certainly a success, since in 1950 the town became one of Europe’s most popular ski destinations, attracting not only the French aristocracy, but also lots of celebrities and wealthy people from outside the country. Nowadays, it’s still one of the swankiest ski resorts in the world, seamlessly blending its untarnished French feel with luxury lifestyle and great skiing.
Part of the wonderful Evasion Mont Blanc ski area, Megeve welcomes skiers with 445 km of incredibly scenic pistes, including 33 black slopes, 84 reds, 63 blues and 378 greens. Additionally, the area boasts 18 cross-country skiing trails.
While snow conditions are not exactly the best in the Alps, Megeve recovers in terms of charm, cuisine and attractions. With its 13th century architecture, Gallic flair and fascinating cobbled streets bounded by beguiling restaurants and shopping boutiques, it takes only a snowflake and the jingle of a horse-drawn carriage to transform the village into a fairytale realm.
Where to stay in Megeve: La Ferme des Petites Frasses
Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada
Situated in southeastern British Columbia and blessed with some of the heaviest snowfall in Canada, Revelstoke is a major winter sports destination, providing enthusiasts with excellent conditions to practice their favorite powder activities. Its huge and astounding terrain offers everything from skiing, cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing, heli-skiing and cat-skiing to snowmobiling, snowboarding and plenty of off-piste offerings.
But besides being the “Gateway to Mountain Adventure and National Parks”, Revelstoke is a very attractive Victorian town full of culture and history, and according to Telegraph’s journalist Peter Hardy: “the greatest ski resort on Earth”.
Where to stay in Revelstoke: Bighorn Revelstoke