A luxury ski resort is judged on four things: the snow, the terrain, the hotel and the town. The seven below are the best in the world at the combination, from Japan’s bottomless powder to the Alps’ grandest stages. As a photographer, I will add a fifth criterion: how the place looks at 8 a.m. with fresh snow and low sun. Every resort on this list passes that test too.
Find Your Ski Resort Match
Answer 4 questions and get the ski resort from the article’s ranking that fits how you ski.
1. Niseko, Japan
The powder capital of the world. Niseko United, four linked resorts on Hokkaido’s Mount Annupuri, averages some 14 to 15 meters of snowfall a season, light, dry champagne powder generated by Siberian weather systems crossing the Sea of Japan. Around 47 kilometers of piste across 76 runs, a season running mid-November to early May. Where to stay: The Green Leaf Niseko Village, the ski-in/ski-out luxury base with a superb onsen and views of Mount Yotei. For photographers: the view of Yotei from the upper slopes at dawn is the shot.
2. Zermatt, Switzerland
The Matterhorn changes everything. Zermatt’s ski area spans around 360 kilometers of piste across the Swiss-Italian border, including summer skiing on the Theodul Glacier, and the village is car-free. Where to stay: The Omnia, a design hotel built into the rock above the village with Matterhorn views from the rooms, the spa and the rooftop hot tub. For photographers: the Gornergrat railway at sunrise is one of the great mountain images in Europe.
3. Whistler Blackcomb, Canada
The biggest and most complete ski resort in North America: more than 8,100 acres of terrain, two massive mountains linked by the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, host of the 2010 Winter Olympics alpine events. Where to stay: Fairmont Chateau Whistler, the ski-in/ski-out grande dame at the base of Blackcomb. For photographers: ride the Peak 2 Peak at opening for the aerial view of the Fitzsimmons valley.
4. Courchevel, France
The most polished resort in the Alps. Courchevel 1850 pairs access to Les 3 Vallees, around 600 kilometers of linked piste, with palace hotels, Michelin-starred mountain restaurants and designer shopping. Where to stay: La Sivoliere, the family-run hideaway above the Croisette with ski-in/ski-out access. For photographers: sunrise views across the valley from the Saulire ridge, with Mont Blanc on the horizon.
5. Vail, Colorado
America’s great ski mountain: more than 5,200 acres, the legendary Back Bowls, seven miles of wide-open powder fields, and a European-style village. Hosted the World Alpine Championships in 1989, 1999 and 2015. Where to stay: Four Seasons Resort Vail, the ski-in/ski-out luxury base in Vail Village. For photographers: the view back at the Gore Range from the top of Blue Sky Basin at golden hour.
6. St. Moritz, Switzerland
The original luxury ski resort, where winter tourism was invented in 1864. The Engadin valley offers around 350 kilometers of piste, the champagne climate delivers famously sunny days, and the hotel stock, Badrutt’s Palace, Kulm, Suvretta House, is the grandest in the Alps. Where to stay: Badrutt’s Palace or the Kulm. For photographers: the Diavolezza terrace at sunrise, with Piz Bernina and the Pers glacier glowing.
7. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
Four mountains, one town, the most complete American ski experience. The Little Nell remains the ski-town hotel against which others are judged. Where to stay: The Little Nell, Aspen’s only ski-in/ski-out five-star. For photographers: the Maroon Bells at sunrise, a short drive from town.
The Southern Hemisphere Option
When the Northern Hemisphere season ends, the Southern Hemisphere begins. Portillo in Chile, the legendary yellow hotel on the Inca Lake, runs June through September. New Zealand’s Southern Alps offer a relaxed season in our summer months. Also see luxury fall getaways, luxury travel agents, and travel insurance for expensive trips.
When to Go
January and February bring the most reliable snow. March offers longer days and softer snow. Japan peaks in January and February. The Alps are best from mid-January through March. Book luxury properties for peak weeks six to twelve months ahead.
A Photographer’s Packing Note
Cold kills batteries. Keep spares in an inside pocket, bring twice as many as you think you need, and let the camera acclimate slowly when moving between the cold and the lodge. The best ski photographs are rarely of skiing: shoot the lift lines at opening, the empty piste at last light, the steam rising off the onsen with the mountain behind it.
