Skiing in luxury

The chairlift glides towards a sugar-dusted peak as you snuggle into your cashmere snood to keep out the cold, winter air. Below, a carpet of white powder covers the valley floor; wood and stone chalets huddle together around the village centre. Above, an intense, bright sun hangs in a vibrant, blue sky; the only sound to be heard is the wind whistling past your ears.

Soon, after bouncing along for the last few metres, it’s time to jump off; the excitement rises as you anticipate your first run of the year. Yes, it’s the ski season again and, while such zen experiences let you leave your cares behind, with it comes the eternal problem of deciding where to go – so here’s a look at three of the world’s best and most stylish resorts.

Mention the name Klosters and the first thing that springs to mind is Royalty: the Prince of Wales and his inner circle have been holidaying in this charming Swiss village for years, along with socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, who has a chalet here.

At the foot of the busy Parsenn ski area, Klosters is often called the smaller, more attractive sister of Davos – Europe’s highest town and host of the annual World Economic Forum. In total, the Davos-Klosters resort extends over 190 miles and covers six separate areas, which are easily accessible by bus, train and lifts.

But it’s not just a pretty face: the resort is a mecca for intermediate and advanced skiers as more than 70 per cent of its slopes are red and black, with some excellent long runs back to the village. Experienced snowboarders should head to Jakobshorn for some challenging off-piste and two half-pipes while for novices, there are two highly regarded ski and board schools in Bolgen, at the foot of the mountain. Those who like their action to be a little more fluid should trek over to Pischa, as last season it became a piste-free freeride zone.

Probably the best place to stay is the cosy Walserhof Hotel, a member of the Relais & Chateaux group, which has a stylish Michelin-starred restaurant, ‘Walserstube’. If you’ve got any energy left to party after a hard day on the slopes, head to the intimate piano bar at the historic Chesa Grischuna hotel – but bear in mind that après-ski in Klosters is a more staid affair than in many resorts.

Over in the French Alps, Val d’Isère will be buzzing from 3-15 February when the world’s best skiers schuss into town for the World Alpine Skiing Championships. Cheering on the competitors will no doubt be local-boy-made-good Jean-Claude Killy who was brought up in the resort. A triple gold medallist in the 1968 Winter Olympics, he subsequently had the surrounding ski area named after him.

Along with Tignes, Val d’Isère makes up the Espace Killy, which is regarded as one of the world’s best – and most fearsome – terrains for experts, although there’s plenty to challenge intermediates. The area has an excellent snow record due to its high altitude (3455m at its highest point). More than 190 miles of pistes are generously served by 90 lifts – a new six-seater chair is due to open this year in La Daille, the gateway to the Bellevarde ski area where you’ll find a wide range of skiing opportunities and a terrain park and half-pipe for snowboarders and freestylers. But why stick to downhill? If you fancy a change, there’s husky sledding, ice climbing, snowshoeing, skating or the new Comfort Zone spa at Hotel Barmes de l’Ours to occupy your well-earned holiday time.

In recent years, the resort seems to have been a magnet for celebs – Hugh Grant, Jemima Khan, Cameron Diaz, Robbie Williams and Kylie have all been spotted here. More than 50 per cent of visitors to Val are British and the town, made up of seven hamlets, is well-known for its lively après-ski scene – Dick’s Tea Bar, with its international DJs and bands, is always a favourite but also try the hip Café Face where you can relax on a comfy sofa and listen to some funky music.

And there’s no shortage of top-of-the-range accommodation. According to The Sunday Telegraph, Descent International is ‘the most luxurious chalet operator in the world’. The company has eight beautifully decorated chalets and the largest, Chalet Montana, was voted ‘best chalet in the Alps’ by The Sunday Times.

But if it’s Hollywood glamour that you’re looking for you’ll need to jump across the pond and head to Aspen. What started out as a silver-mining town in the wilds of Colorado is now America’s best resort – and the winter home-from-home for Tinsel Town’s A-list: Kurt and Goldie, Antonio and Melanie, Michael and Catherine …. even the Beckhams have apparently bought a chalet in the aptly named Starwood community.

However, the real star of the show is the skiing, which is top-class for all abilities. Spread over four different mountains within a convenient 12 miles of each other, the resort has very good snow reliability due to its high altitude (2400m-3815m) and is renowned for its powder. Towering above the village, which has more than its fair share of designer shops, is Aspen Mountain – the best place for advanced skiers. Across the valley are the Aspen Highlands, great for intermediates and also experts, thanks to a recently opened 40 acres of terrain. Beginners are well served by Buttermilk, which also has the world’s longest terrain park. Most visitors make for Snowmass, the largest and furthest mountain, where there’s something to suit everyone and great views to boot.

While the legendary Little Nell has long been the star of the accommodation show, there’s a cool young pretender in town – Sky Hotel. A mix of stone, wood and glass, this eco-friendly boutique hotel’s ethos is ‘play and action’ – with an on-site ski rental shop, a huge outdoor swimming pool and the 39 Degrees bar, it’s a great place for those looking for fun on and off the piste. You’ll need to make use of its concierge service if you want a table at one of the resort’s fashionable restaurants – don’t miss a snowmobile ride to the slope-side Cloud 9 gourmet cabin.

All you need to do now is make up your mind – because not even the concierge can do that!

ENDS

GETTING THERE

Klosters (www.klosters.ch) – The nearest airport is Zurich, which is 94 miles away and about a two-hour drive or train journey. You can fly direct to Zurich from the UK with Easyjet (www.easyjet.com), British Airways (www.ba.com) and Swiss (www.swiss.com).

Val d’Isère (www.valdisere.com) is served by airports at Grenoble, Geneva and Lyon, which are all about three hours’ drive away. Tiny Chambéry is the nearest – it’s a two-hour drive. Alternatively, you can get the overnight Snow Train from London St Pancras to Bourg-St-Maurice – return fares start at £229 from www.raileurope.co.uk or call 08448 484 088; then it’s a 20-mile bus or car journey.

Aspen’s (www.aspensnowmass.com) airport is three miles from the resort. You can fly from the UK with United Airlines (www.united.com) or Delta (www.delta.com) but check out www.travelsupermarket.com for the best deals. There are no direct scheduled flights from the UK.

WHERE TO STAY

Klosters
Hotel Walserhof
www.walserhof.ch
Tel: 00 41 81 410 29 29

Val d’Isère
Descent International
www.descent.co.uk
Tel: 0207 384 3854

Aspen
Sky Hotel
www.theskyhotel.com
Tel: 00 1 970 925 6760