Snowbound Splendors: Ten Luxe Ski Escapes

Winter calls to those who cherish sunrise over snow-rimmed peaks, wood-smoke in the air, fine wine, and perfect turns. For discerning travelers, each mountain town is an opportunity not just for skiing, but for discovering where comfort, culture, and cuisine converge. Here are ten mountain destinations that deliver on every front — terrain, ambiance, service — because Exclusive Resorts has peak perfection for the snow you seek.

1. Beaver Creek, Colorado

Just fifteen minutes from Vail’s buzz, Beaver Creek feels like its quieter, more polished sibling — ample powder, alpine trails, and a pace that invites you to linger. Days are best spent weaving between McCoy Park’s snowshoe paths, downhill runs, or a snowcat ride into the backcountry, while evenings call for Beano’s Cabin, where a sleigh delivers you to Chef Mackenzie Nicolson’s mountain lodge and a menu of Colorado game and winter produce. Spas like Allegria and Anjali offer the perfect post-ski reset, though the adventurous may prefer a private heli-ski outing or starlit dinner on the snow.

2. Deer Valley, Utah

Deer Valley has long been shorthand for refinement: perfectly groomed runs, attentive service, and dining that rivals big-city tables. From The Club’s Ironwood and Montage residences, ski-in/ski-out access makes the leap from morning coffee to mountain trail nearly effortless. Off the slopes, Park City’s Main Street continues to evolve with seasonal tasting menus and sustainability-minded kitchens, while back at your residence, alpine luxury takes form in hand-hewn woodwork, stone accents, and art that nods to the Wasatch landscape.

3. Lake Tahoe, California

Where snow meets sapphire skies, Lake Tahoe balances adrenaline with ease. At Northstar, The Club’s mid-mountain residences put you steps from the slopes, blending ski-in/ski-out convenience with rustic-modern comfort. Off the mountain, wellness has gone upscale — think infrared saunas, cryotherapy, and alpine-inspired treatments — while the dining scene hums with chef residencies spotlighting inventive fusion and farm-to-table menus in the villages below.

4. Dolomites, Italy: A Gourmet Ski Safari

What could be better than combining some of the world’s most fantastic skiing with impeccable fine dining? This seven-day ski tour of Italy’s Dolomite Mountains takes you hut-to-hut on world-renowned peaks spanning the Ladin valleys. Perfect for the intermediate skier and above, this trip combines skiing with sightseeing and stops for on-piste lunches along the way. Your guide will choose a route that is fun and accessible to all ski abilities in the group. Start on the groomers and master on-piste skiing in your first few days, then get adventurous in the untouched powder found off piste.

5. Snowmass, Colorado

Snowmass remains one of North America’s most versatile ski playgrounds, with four distinct mountains offering everything from gentle beginner runs to steep, heart-pounding chutes. The Timbers Club still defines slope-side luxury, pairing spacious residences with easy access to lifts and lodge amenities. Off the mountain, Aspen’s dining scene ranges from classics like Pine Creek Cookhouse and Matsuhisa to buzzy pop-ups spotlighting indigenous ingredients and zero-waste menus. The town’s cultural calendar keeps pace, too, with gallery openings, winter festivals, and wellness retreats that make Aspen as compelling après-ski as it is on the slopes.

6. Steamboat Springs, CO

Steamboat Springs wears its Western spirit proudly yet pairs it with an increasingly cosmopolitan polish. The Club’s residences at One Steamboat Place are true hideaways — four-bedroom retreats with sweeping views of the Rockies and the Yampa Valley, just steps from the slopes. Off the mountain, Strawberry Park Hot Springs remains a ritual, whether for an afternoon dip or a private soak arranged through a concierge. Après here stretches beyond cocktails to curated whiskey tastings, live roots music, and lodge dinners that feel both rustic and refined.

7. Sun Valley, ID

Nicknamed the “Alps of America,” Sun Valley more than lives up to the billing. Bald Mountain delivers the big-mountain rush, while Dollar Mountain remains a favorite for first turns. Les Saisons offers quietly luxurious Club residences, a perfect base for days spent exploring acres of backcountry or venturing out with heli-ski guides now catering to smaller, private groups. Off the slopes, Ketchum charms with its blend of local markets, art-lined streets, and a dining scene that has grown increasingly ambitious — chef’s tables, tasting menus, and fireside feasts that rival the skiing for star billing.

8. Telluride, CO

Remote yet irresistible, Telluride blends world-class skiing with a soulful sense of place. The Club’s residences at Heritage Crossing sit mid-mountain, offering panoramic views, crackling fireplaces, and rustic design polished to perfection. In town, a National Historic District steeped in mining lore now hums with art galleries, boutiques, and inventive dining. Mornings bring powder turns and backcountry thrills; afternoons shift to spa rituals or a fat-tire ride that ends, fittingly, with a pint at Telluride Brewing Company.

9. Vail, CO

Vail is traditional yet ever-evolving, a grand alpine stage with European charm and Colorado scale. The Club’s Arrabelle Residences still feel like a fairytale base camp, with the Eagle Bahn Gondola just outside the door and the RockResorts Spa offering a 10,000-square-foot sanctuary after dark. Beyond the slopes, Vail Valley beckons with chic boutiques, lively galleries, and mountaintop dining that turns dinner into an event with a view.

10. Whistler, BC

Huge terrain, ocean views, and a renewed commitment to luxury. Whistler Blackcomb is still among the largest skiable resorts in North America, with terrain upgrades, better lifts, and more refined lodging. The road to Whistler, called the “Sea to Sky Highway”, hugs the oceanfront and winds through canyons — and is often considered one of the most beautiful travel routes in North America. The twin peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains combine to form the largest ski resort in North America with 8,171 acres of varied terrain. The Kadenwood gondola provides year-round, complimentary transportation (exclusively for residents and guests of the Kadenwood Estates community, including Exclusive Resorts Members) between your neighborhood and Whistler’s Creekside Village, which takes no more than five minutes to get from the slope to your doorstep.