Jackson Hole, the evocatively-named Wyoming location, is not for the faint-hearted. Only 10 per cent of its runs are suitable for beginners, with fully half of them rated expert. Of its more than 20 double-black runs, Corbet’s Couloir is the ultimate test with its stomach-turning initial drop through a 10ft-wide enclave. Adrenaline junkies will struggle to run out of mountain, but there is plenty of more approachable skiing to be had.

Accommodation options are varied. Our top pick is Caldera House, a boutique hotel in the centre of Teton Village. Tonally, the brief from co-owner Mr Wes Edens, proprietor of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, was “no antlers, no A-holes” and the eight-suite hotel has established a reputation as the A-lister’s choice. Verging on understated – by the standards of such things – the digs are packed with thoughtful touches and mountain must-haves (fire-pits, heated terraces) and a newly opened spa completes the package. Other options include the Four Seasons Jackson Hole, which marks 20 years as the resort’s only ski-in, ski-out hotel.

In-keeping with the go-big or go-home approach are some bucket-list experiences: guests can book a one-day private flight to Yellowstone National Park for a “winter safari” tracking grey wolves, bison, elk and golden eagles. If you’d rather admire the Grand Tetons from a distance – or don’t mind travelling up and down for a day’s skiing – then Amangani is for you. Nestled in the Snake River Valley, it’s well positioned for a range of activities on and off the slopes, from fly-fishing to back-country snow-shoe trekking or family sleigh rides. And as you’d expect from any Aman hotel, the spa is well equipped for post-piste relaxation.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of assuming every alpine resort is more or less the same – especially from pictures of pine benches strewn with cow-print rugs and steaming hot tubs. But Val Thorens’ geography gives it its own character. As Europe’s highest resort, it sits above the treeline, making the slopes harder to read. There aren’t many expert runs, but there aren’t many for beginners either and intermediate skiers may take some time to get used to skiing without many visual aids.

Les Trois Vallées area it serves, however, is the largest interconnected ski area in the world and with just one pass needed, one of the best value. Courchevel and Méribel are just round the corner. The bowl in which Val Thorens sits also contributes to its compact architecture, but that doesn’t mean good places are hard to find.

We recommend a duo of hotels, refurbished in 2021 under Beaumier’s ownership: Le Val Thorens and Le Fitz Roy. The former is one of the resort’s oldest hotels, and leans heavily into the 1970s vibe with mustard-coloured crushed velvet sofas, Italo-disco playlists and period magazines, plus, the obligatory fondue. Le Fitz Roy, meanwhile, is more traditional Alpinist, with 1930s posters, open fire pits and jazz standards on the jukebox. Both have been – the only word for it – curated by panels of artists, photographers and publishers under the guidance of interior designers Mses Vicky Charles and Julia Corden. The results are hotels that wouldn’t look out of place in a movie by Mr Quentin Tarantino.

Of course, there’s nothing old-fashioned about the wellness treatments, or the experiences, which include ice climbing, ice diving, zip-lining and paragliding. Recharge with a trip to either hotel’s lively cocktail bar, or head out to one of the region’s 10 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Archaeological studies report that Scandinavian populations have used skis for more than 5,000 years, so the old saying “Norwegians are born with skis on their feet” isn’t too far off the mark. With a dramatic combination of towering mountains, placid fjords and picturesque villages, Norway’s Sunnmøre Alps are the ideal escape for those who favour high-octane adventures and untouched nature over busy ski resorts – and one of the few places on Earth where you can ski from mountaintop to fjord in one descent.

Just a stone’s throw from the Art Nouveau town of Ålesund, experienced skiers and beginners can enjoy sail-to-ski expeditions and unlimited stretches of powder snow that extend as high as 1,700 metres above the North Sea, or opt for one of the many groomed tracks. Cradled between steep mountains and lush greenery, you’ll find boutique hotels such as Union Øye, a favourite of royalty, artists and writers. Located in the secluded fjord hamlet of Øye, the 27-room lodge combines antique sophistication with the kind of tranquil atmosphere you’d expect from a Scandinavian oasis.

Just a couple of hours away, the Storfjord Hotel – a slow-living hideaway situated in Glomset, on a hillside with views of the Storfjord and the Sunnmøre Alps – is the perfect spot for some much-needed relaxation. A similar distance inland will take you to the Juvet Landscapehotell, familiar to fans of Succession and Ex Machina. It’s the perfect off-grid retreat for total immersion in Norway’s ancient landscape, and we promise no one will make you buy a multi-national media conglomerate while you’re there.

French hotspot Courchevel is not new to ski-season roundups – or to thousands of yearly visitors, for that matter. But if the mantra “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” is anything to go by, then you have all the reasons to visit the Savoyard alcove this year. Those who like the finer things in life – and are looking for the ultimate winter refuge – will feel right at home at Les Airelles Mountain Palace. Conceived by interior designer Mr Christophe Tollemer, the idyllic hideaway has everything you’d expect from a 19th-century Austro-Hungarian style castle, including the majestic, frescoed facade, panelled ceilings and stained glass to a breath-taking panoramic view of the snow-capped Saulire peak.

This year, guests are in for a sweet treat – French pastry chef Mr Cédric Grolet has chosen Les Airelles for his first alpine collaboration. During his winter residency, Grolet will oversee the creation of all the hotel’s dessert delicacies, which will include all his signature viennoiseries and fruit-inspired pastries, alongside a special menu created exclusively for the palace.

Aspen Snowmass, to give the four-mountain resort its proper title, needs little introduction. Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands have the skilled runs and heritage character; Snowmass the sheer scale that dwarfs other resorts and Buttermilk the more family-friendly slopes, as well as a world-renowned ski school. With numerous international competitions to their name – including the Winter X Games and a leg of the 2024 Alpine Ski World Cup – the quality of the skiing itself is assured, and the Colorado powder is usually plentiful well into the late season, with many saying that Aspen skis better the later you go.

With nigh-on 70 years of attracting the jet-set, Aspen’s credentials as one of the best ski towns in the world also need little in the way of embellishment. It consistently ranks near the top on any list of aprés-ski and nightlife. We’d be staying at Hotel Jerome, the historic venue that dates all the way back to 1889 and the tail end of the silver boom that initially put the town on the map. As you’d expect, it majors on dark, plush, warm spaces to wind down (or live it up) chief among them the hotel’s cocktail bar, Bad Harriet. New for 2023/24 is a “curling and cocktails” package giving guests the chance to try the most esoteric of winter sports in the hotel’s winter garden. Sweep!

If your heart is set on ski-in, ski-out accommodation, it would have to be The Little Nell, nestled at the very foot of Aspen Mountain and offering suites and residences with a more contemporary, minimalist touch. Ultimately, though, part of Aspen Snowmass’ appeal is how easy it is to get around the entire place – a more comprehensive winter playground is hard to imagine.

The buzzy resort takes its name from the Algonquin people, who first called it the “the trembling mountain”. But it was back in 1939 that the area became a winter sports hotspot, when American philanthropist Mr Joseph Bondurant Ryan founded the first ski lift. With its cobbled streets and picturesque houses, the resort has been a charming blend of Québécois and American architecture ever since. At 875 metres, Mont Tremblant is one of the highest mountains in the Laurentians National Park – its four faces (Versant Sud, Versant Soleil, Versant Nord and the Edge) of well-groomed runs include 102 ski trails on four distinct slopes.

At the foot of the Tremblant peaks, the Fairmont hotel makes the perfect alpine getaway at any time of the year – but it’s in winter that the resort really comes to life. Situated directly on-piste for a one-of-a-kind ski-in, ski-out experience, Fairmont offers up a variety of activities (even for those who wouldn’t be seen dead in waist-deep powder), a world-class spa and health centre and a selection of top-notch dining options.