As the mercury drops and the slopes get their winter coats on, we look at the US resorts, east and west, where you’ll want to kit up this season. The mountains may be Green, Elk, Teton or Wasatch, but whichever you plump for, you’ll want some cosy lodgings to return to. From budget-friendly boltholes in Vermont to fine-tuned frills in Aspen, here’s a flurry of luxury-ski-hotel suggestions for this year’s winter break.
AMANGANI, JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING
For bucket-list-worthy adventure
Two words that can give even seasoned skiers and boarders a frisson: Jackson Hole. This Wyoming ski town has a top-notch reputation – its snowfall, terrain and breathtaking Tetons scenery making it a bucket-list destination. So if you’re going to ‘do’ Jackson Hole, do it well. Smith has a choice of stays here, including suitely-appointed Aman Resort, Amangani. This architectural work of art seduces with polished redwood timbers, rugged Oklahoma sandstone, inviting nooks and tactile soft furnishings. A boon for weary mountaingoers, polished regional plates are served up with Snake Valley views at dining spot, the Grill. Massage therapies, and dips in the heated outdoor pool or whirlpool bath add to the pampering, and a ski lounge at the base of the mountain teamed with hotel shuttles smooth the way for memorable days spent outdoors in this spectacular national park.
MADELINE HOTEL & RESIDENCES, TELLURIDE, COLORADO
For slopeside bonhomie
In tucked-away Telluride, despite the robust system of lifts and slopes, a sense of wilderness endures – any stay in the San Juan mountains feels fantastically far from everywhere. Telluride itself is a tale of town and ski village, the latter set at altitude a gondola ride from the original mining settlement. It’s here you’ll find Madeline Hotel & Residences – an overhauled stay in the Auberge Resorts Collection that itself is akin to a village, with a heated rooftop pool and spa, fitness center, ice rink in winter, and a choice of drinking and dining spots (as well as a packed calendar of events). There are sumptuous rooms, suites and apartment-style residences with one to four bedrooms. And the concierge team’s cache of treats – champagne picnics, snowmobiling, heli-skiing – seals its stellar reputation.
BLUEBIRD TALTA LODGE, STOWE, VERMONT
For all-day shredding
This Stowe mountain stay, part of the Lark Hotels collection, is serious about shredding and there are several clues at this boutique hotel, only minutes by road from the slopes, signposting its commitment. The geography, for starters – between town and mountain resort, Bluebird Tälta Lodge gives you a head start on town dwellers if it’s fresh tracks you’re after. Light-filled, contemporary rooms come with modular storage for all your mountain gear (there are kit lockers, too). And pared-back facilities – no restaurant, a part-time bar, and a room-only set-up – keep the emphasis on outdoor adventures (and great value for money), while thoughtfully curated Scandi-style interiors, a yoga room, indoor pool, sauna and hot tub mean there are enough cosseting frills to earn it the nod from Mr & Mrs Smith.
HOTEL JEROME, ASPEN, COLORADO
For glamorous après-ski
Even non-skiers have heard of this storied Colorado resort, which has an enduring, starry reputation for its upscale après-ski scene, paired with snow-sure conditions and excellent terrain. Aspen comprises four ski areas, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands and Snowmass, and if you’re an experienced skier or boarder, hiring a guide to head into the backcountry is a thrilling investment. Time away from the slopes is easily well spent, too, exploring its designer boutiques, mooching around galleries, and antique stores, or its Art Museum. Just as enduring as Aspen is Hotel Jerome, a red-brick-mansion stay with covetable co-ordinates on Main Street. With luxury hotel group, Auberge, now at the helm, it’s been freshly spruced with vintage Western interiors, a first-class spa and pool, and an elegant modern bistro. And we’re loving the sound of its cocktail bar, which had us at its name, Bad Harriet.
VAQUERA HOUSE, CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO
For Wild West charms
A resort of gullies and glades, powder-cushioned tree skiing and wide-open sunlit slopes – deep in Colorado’s Elk Mountains, Crested Butte has runs for all abilities, and extends its appeal with a broad choice of other snow-based activities, such as cross-country skiing, snow-mobiling or dog-sledding through the nearby Gunnison National Forest. It’s high and cold, but brings warmth to winter adventures with beautifully preserved architecture from its mining-town days, and a lively après scene centred around Elk Avenue. Among Smith’s trio of tempting stays in the resort is boutique des-res, Vaquera House. This ten-room timbered lodge – at the heart of the resort and only a shuttle bus ride from the mountain base – offers polished lodgings and living spaces, plus a make-yourself-at-home welcome, with the kind of plaid-and-antlers interiors that are synonymous with the cosiests of ski boltholes.
WASHINGTON SCHOOL HOUSE, PARK CITY, UTAH
For more than simply skiing
This boutique retreat in an historic building (no prizes for guessing its origin story) is a characterful hotel of reclaimed oak floors, marble bathrooms, wrought-iron bedsteads, chandeliers, antiques and a private art collection. But rather than rest on its storied laurels, it brings contemporary frills into the mix. Breakfast and après snacks are included with your stay, the cuisine is modern American and organic, and a heated rooftop pool and spa are welcome additions. You may not want to part with its homestead charms at all, and that’s OK with the staff at Washington School House. Yes, you’re only blocks from the main Park City Mountain lift, but if it’s sliders rather than slides you’re after, you’re also in a prime spot for exploring the resort’s restaurants, shops and bars.
SNOWPINE LODGE, ALTA, UTAH
For fresh, fresh powder
‘Come for the skiing, stay for the skiing’ is Ski Utah’s advice to those considering a trip to Alta. The other side of the Wasatch mountains from Park City, Alta is not so much a ski resort as it is a ski area, where the focus is proudly on the slopes. This corner of Little Cottonwood Canyon gets on average more than 500 inches of snow each year, with a bounty of backcountry delights, as well as terrain for beginner and intermediates. Sadly, Alta is no place for snowboarders, but otherwise this quieter Utah stay will kindle a new romance – especially if you check in to Smith-approved Snowpine Lodge. This accomplished stone lodge, in stunning mountain scenery, comes with muted, modern interiors, cosy lounge spaces, an outdoor heated pool and hot tubs, plus a consummate spa.
Looking further afield? Check out more of the world’s most seductive ski hotels…