Sure, you can play in the snow almost anywhere it drops, but only a handful of destinations have boot-warming ski concierges tending to your needs, après-ski massages, and diamond-studded goggles glittering up the slopes. This winter, forego the local slopes and charter a private jet to one of the more exclusive ski resorts in the world. After all your hard work in 2016, you deserve a break.
Best Luxury Ski Resorts
Yellowstone Club | Big Sky, Montana
Known for being one of the most exclusive ski communities in the world, there was a time in which the Yellowstone Club was so private that most of the world didn’t know who its members were. The members-only resort at the base of Pioneer Mountain, just 20 miles north of Yellowstone Park, offers one thing that’s hard to find at other clubs: absolute privacy and security. With former U.S. Secret Service agents heading security, your own bodyguards can take a break. After you build up an appetite while on the slopes, go on a private snowcat dinner excursion. If you don’t own one of the upscale residences on the mountain, rent one or stay at the nearby Rainbow Ranch Lodge, which is about 30 minutes away by car.
Klosters, Switzerland
When members of the British royal family want to get away, they seek the tranquility and powder at Klosters (pronounced claw-sters). If you don’t pass members of the royal family on the slopes, you are sure to find other celebrities and business moguls with which to share a ski lift. A trip to Klosters requires first-class accommodations, like the Odal Nobility suite at the Walserhof. After you change out of your ski clothes, don your favorite evening apparel and head to the Casa Antica nightclub, where celebrities go for privacy and because the bar will keep a personal bottle of your favorite spirits until you finish it. If clubbing isn’t your thing, try your luck at the casino or enjoy a show at the concert hall or theater.
Beaver Creek, Colorado
A European chateau-inspired community, Beaver Creek attracts stars, but has fewer crowds. The highly rated resort is known for its high-end shopping, art galleries, family-friendly environment, and five-star restaurants, which are connected by heated escalators and walkways. After a long day on the slopes, you’ll know when it’s time to start heading back to your base camp when you notice the scent of fresh baked cookies in the air. Complete your mountaintop getaway with a stay at the ski-in, ski-out Trappers Cabin. Request the White Glove Package to enjoy a four-night stay with a personal chef, private helicopter flight from Eagle Airport (EGE) to Beaver Creek, private ski lessons, spa treatments, ski passes and much more.
Zürs, Austria
An upscale ski resort without the crowds, Zürs is a community formed around a collection of some of the finest hotels in the world, making it a favorite among celebrities and royalty. The exclusive resort is devoid of the extravagant attitudes found at Courchevel or St. Moritz, and provides guests with a fantastic New Years Eve acoustic fireworks display choreographed to different musical themes. Stay at the five-star Hotel Zürserhof, which offers ski lessons, access to one of the surrounding 86 lifts and mountain railways, ski equipment storage, deer feeding experiences, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating in a natural ice field, and private tours. Retreat to the Royal Suite and enjoy the whirlpool bath, sauna cabin and personal butler.
Beaver Creek- Photo by Mick Chester