People who want to combine exploring picturesque winter wonderlands with sport will find an excellent range of ski resorts to choose from. The leading resorts offer plenty of pistes to choose from, an array of accommodation options and an excellent range of other amenities and activities.
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St Anton
St Anton in Austria is famous for its powdery slopes and excellent off-piste routes and is particularly popular among expert skiers. However, people who are just learning to ski will also find plenty of slopes here that are ideal for beginners. In fact, St Anton features 50 meticulously manicured ski slopes, which span an impressive 440kms. Longest of these runs is 10kms, while there are also 82 high-tech lifts and cable cars for skiers to make use of.
There are various accommodation options in St Anton ranging from affordable guesthouses right through to the other end of the scale. As a resort known for its après ski and nightlife, opting for a luxury hotel is likely to deliver you the best option for your holiday; after a big night on the town arriving back to luxurious surroundings with no need to cook or clean up is bound to really make you feel spoilt on holiday.
Aspen Highlands resort
Aspen is situated in the North American state of Colorado and has long been attracting skiers from all over the world. There are four resorts to choose from here, with the Aspen Highlands resort being the most easily accessible and affordable. This resort offers 131 exciting ski trails, including some of the most challenging slopes in the whole of Colorado. Up to 5,400 skiers per hour can make use of the resort’s four lifts, while the longest run here is over five kilometres.
The base area at the Aspen Highlands resort offers a wide range of evening entertainment options, including a few novel ski-in/ski-out restaurants. There are also two bars and a selection of lodging options, while more entertainment options can be found just a short drive away at Aspen central.
Zermatt
Zermatt is the most popular ski resort in the whole of Switzerland, which is a country famous for its excellent pistes. There are three separate ski zones to choose from in Zermatt, which cover a combined total of 394kms of slopes. Intermediate and expert skiers are really spoilt for choice here, while there are also some great slopes for beginners to make use of. 60 lifts are available to take skiers to the top of the various slopes, and the great thing about Zermatt is that the area’s lofty elevation of 3,900 metres provides perfect year round skiing.
Zermatt features a pleasant blend of old and new styles, and traditional wooden chalets are situated beside contemporary hotels here, while horse-drawn carriages run through the modern streets. The centre of the town features an excellent range of entertainment options, which range from more than 100 restaurants serving hearty portions of cuisine from all over the globe, chic cafes in which to unwind and bars and discos where skiers can really let their hair down after a long day on the slopes.
Whistler
Nestled in the Blackcomb Mountains just two hours north of Vancouver in the state of British Columbia, Whistler is arguably the world’s finest ski resort. Among the features that make this the top choice of resorts with discerning skiers is the fact that it offers an enormous assortment of pistes with perfect snow, which are teamed with high-speed lift systems. 216 runs cover over 3,200 hectares of extremely diverse terrain as well as a hair raising vertical drop of 1,632 metres.
Accommodation options range from cosy dorm bunks to luxury condos and everything in between. Other features that make Whistler one of the top picks are its 17 on-slope restaurants, 14 bars and five vibrant nightclubs. Meanwhile the scenery is simply stunning, consisting of breath-taking mountains and a beautiful harbour.
While the world’s leading ski resorts vary widely, they all feature an excellent range of slopes, amenities and stunning views. Of course, these resorts are extremely popular, so it is best to book early.
This post is courtesy of VIP SKI the luxury snow holiday speacilaists, with a brand new hotel hotel offering St Anton ski holidays and multiple luxury chalets throughout the Alps.