Forget chips with ketchup at the edge of the piste. On a ski holiday you indulge in the well-earned lifestyle – just as the rich and beautiful do. Whether St. Moritz, Aspen in Colorado or Courchevel in the Savoy Alps: these destinations are known not only for their top slopes but for their high-end lifestyle. Everything is at the highest level – slopes, hotels, restaurants. Skiing and snowboarding play only a supporting role; here gathers everyone of rank and name, or simply with plenty of money. It’s about seeing and being seen. Here are six exclusive ski resorts around the globe.
Aspen (USA) – the Mecca
Aspen is the ultimate ski mecca of the rich and beautiful. Stars like Leonardo DiCaprio or Kendall Jenner glide over flawless pistes here; Paris Hilton even received a marriage proposal here. The atmosphere in the Colorado mountains is pure VIP: exclusive chalets, après-ski hotspots like The Little Nell, high-end sushi at Matsuhisa. More down-to-earth is the Woody Creek Tavern, made famous by writer Hunter S. Thompson. Plus a luxury shopping street and the Aspen Art Museum.
Gstaad (CH) – the Discreetly Indulgent
Anyone who wants to stay unnoticed checks in at Gstaad. The pretty village in the Bernese Oberland stands for discreet luxury. Stars like Madonna or Valentino value the calm of the five-star Gstaad Palace; in its GreenGo club, paparazzi must stay outside. Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone likes it so much that he acquired his own upmarket bolthole with the Hotel Olden. With 308 GaultMillau points and three Michelin stars, the gastronomic sky sparkles – the epitome of timeless luxury.
Courchevel (F) – the Extravagant
A sandwich for 52 francs? Be my guest! Courchevel in eastern France is arguably the most expensive luxury ski resort in the Alps – here even the gondolas wear Gucci (at least as advertising). In the self-styled «Capitale mondiale du ski» there is the highest density of starred restaurants in the Alps and the most five-star palace hotels of any Alpine resort; room prices in the four figures – per night. Plus exclusive adventures like heliskiing or hot-air ballooning.
St. Moritz (CH) – the Luxury Classic
Fur or piste? In St. Moritz there’s plenty of both. From George Clooney to Kate Moss – everyone loves the luxury resort in the Upper Engadine. St. Moritz is a protected quality mark and stands for style, elegance and class, thanks to fine hotels, starred dining and sporting events like the Snow Polo World Cup, the world’s most prestigious winter polo tournament, on the frozen lake. With 322 sunny days on average and as the birthplace of winter tourism, the village has drawn VIPs for 150 years. By the way: if you know where, St. Moritz can be had cheaply too.
Lech Zürs (A) – the Unassuming
Big five-star chains are sought in vain in Lech Zürs. The rural upmarket resort in Austria’s Vorarlberg stands for understatement rather than glitz and glamour: luxury, yes, but relaxed. The Hotel Aurelio or Severin’s are luxurious, personal hideaways – no wonder Princess Diana settled here too. The resort is proud to be the only one in Austria where heliskiing is allowed, on the local «Mehlsack» peak. Add the light artwork Skyspace-Lech and a sleigh ride to the GaultMillau restaurant Rud-Alpe.
Whistler-Blackcomb (CAN) – the Action-Packed
Houses at 25,000 francs per square metre are no rarity in Whistler (British Columbia, Canada). The village nestles between two pine-clad mountains, linked by the world’s longest and highest gondola. Whistler-Blackcomb combines luxury with adventure; here North America’s action-loving high society gathers – heliskiing included. Under the motto «Ski what you can see» you may leave the pistes, always under the eye of the Ski Patrol. Quieter is the pedestrian zone with over 200 shops and 150 restaurants, and at the Bearfoot Bistro champagne is opened with a sabre.
This article appeared in MEN issue 2/24 (November 2024).
