THE JOURNAL
Highland Peak, Aspen. Photograph by Mr Dan Leeth/Alamy
All of a sudden, it is skiing season again. This week, thousands of resorts across Europe and North America will be dusting off their groomers, warming up their gondolas and re-opening their gates to fresh packs of hungry powder hounds.
So where to sate your appetite for the white stuff this year? With nearly 3,700 ski resorts in Europe alone, there’s a blizzard of options. And not just the same old, predictable spots; there are plenty of destinations with new developments, innovations and openings to shout about for the 2019-20 season.
Whether you’re into the groomed and glorious, the steeps and deeps or the uncharted and challenging, we’ve sifted the snowy corners of the globe to find the best places to consider when booking this season’s slope-side sojourn. Here’s what’s hot in the mountains right now.
01.
Madonna di Campiglio, Italy
Lefay Resort & Spa, Trentino. Photograph by Mr Mattia Aquila, courtesy of Lefay Dolomiti
It’s bizarre that more skiers aren’t aware of Madonna di Campiglio. One of Italy’s most fashionable ski resorts, it oozes craggy charisma and has the rousing topography to match its lofty standing in the style stakes. With more than 93 miles of slopes, four snowboard parks and some of the longest tree runs in the Dolomites, it’s got more than enough terrain to keep even the most demanding downhill devotee entertained. The big news this season is the addition of a spectacular five-star eco-resort, which means those fiery calves and aching thighs can be soothed in style every evening.
Stay here: Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti
During the late 19th century, Madonna di Campiglio was briefly an extension of the Habsburg court of Vienna and this is a return to emperor-level luxury in the charming village. A world-class hotel and spa, which rolls out across 5,000sq m and four floors, it’s one of the biggest in Italy and boasts an Instagram-worthy après-ski lounge and an outstanding onsite organic restaurant, Grual.
02.
Val d’Isère, France
La Refuge de Solaise, Val d’Isere. Photograph by Mr Christophe Hassel, courtesy of Hip Hideouts
As one of the most popular ski resorts in Europe, Val d’Isère is a known quantity to most snowsports aficionados, but this year a number of new lodgings are upping the ante. Standouts include the chic new Rocca Penthouse, a luxury chalet for 10 near the village centre with a pool and Turkish hammam, and Le Refuge de Solaise, which has the distinction of being the highest hotel in France, thanks to its location in an abandoned cable car station at 2,551m. The undisputed new headliner, however, is Airelles Mademoiselle.
Stay here: Airelles Mademoiselle
Airelles Mademoiselle is arguably the most talked about hotel in the world of skiing right now. It’s a sleek five-star ski-in-ski-out property on Place de Neige, modelled on a medieval castle. A stay comes with the promise of a private cinema, spacious Guerlain spa, dedicated butler and a gallery of boutiques, including Moncler and Brunello Cucinelli.
03.
Sölden, Austria
The 007 Elements museum, Sölden. Photograph by Mr Kristopher Grunert, courtesy of 007 Elements
Nobody does it better than Mr Daniel Craig when it comes to skiing in style. The current 007 carved up a storm (and a few henchmen) in Sölden during the filming of Spectre (2015) and there is now a dedicated James Bond cinematic installation in the resort, which includes a number of props and costumes from the film. For the new season, the Hochsölden-Rotkogl Gondola, a state-of-the-art mega-lift, will zip people to the upper ski areas from the base station in six minutes flat, while Austria’s longest toboggan run (an impressive 4.5 miles) also makes its much heralded debut next month.
Stay here: Hotel Bergland
Hotel Bergland, a member of the chic Design Hotels group, was Mr Craig’s five-star home during the filming of Spectre (he stayed in the Summit Suite). Amenities include an enormous spa, outdoor hot tub, three saunas and a gym, as well as the celebrated on-site gourmet restaurant, Black Sheep.
04.
Aspen, US
The Little Nell, Aspen. Photograph by Mr Shawn O’Connor, courtesy of The Little Nell
Aspen has always had a reputation as the most glamorous ski resort in the US, if not the world. This season marks the first major addition to the town’s luxury hotel scene for more than a decade. The W Aspen, in prime ski-in-ski-out position, is set to be a mountainside magnet. Its rooftop terrace, WET Deck, is the place to après-ski, cocktail in hand, around the outdoor firepits or in the heated pool. There’s plenty more going on in greater Aspen Snowmass this season too, from the ongoing 30th birthday celebrations of the iconic Little Nell hotel to restaurant openings, including Mix6 and Sam’s. At the more gonzo end of the scale, you can now rent Mr Hunter S Thompson’s writing cabin on Owl Farm.
Stay here: W Aspen
W Aspen was described by one early reviewer as the town’s “new luxury lair”. This sleek property is a genuine gamechanger. Don’t miss 39 Degrees, an “ultra-lounge cocktail bar and grotto” inspired by the Aspen’s red light district in the 19th century when the town was a hell-raising silver mining outpost.
05.
Niseko, Japan
The Kitchen Restaurant, Niseko. Photograph by Mr Yasuyuki Shimanuki, courtesy of Kamimura
Renowned for its Japow – the super-reliable, super-deep snowfall that blows in from Siberia each year – Niseko is now garnering an impressive reputation for something entirely different: its restaurant scene. Michelin stars are piling up like fresh powder in the Hokkaido resort. Recent recipients include traditional local hotspot Teuchi-Soba Ichimura and the French-inspired Kamimura, which had the Michelin inspectors in raptures over its “exquisite” food. Add a wave of new luxury hotels and you have an already popular resort heading for another record-breaking season.
Stay here: Hinode Hills
Hinode Hills is a brand new, top-end property situated at the heart of Niseko Village. It boasts spectacular views of Mount Yotei, ski-in-ski-out access and an all-important onsite onsen to soak your weary limbs after a hard day ploughing through the finest powder on the planet. There is also a mountainous selection of Japanese whisky behind the bar.
06.
Kaprun, Austria
The K-onnection gondola, Kaprun. Photograph by Mr Jürgen Feichter/Kitzsteinhorn
Part of the greater Zell Am See region, the picturesque village of Kaprun sits at the foot of the mighty 3,200m Kitzsteinhorn and, as of this season, at the decisive point on the longest run of connected lifts in the Alps. The powerful new K-onnection gondola is the final link in a line of six gondolas that together span a monumental 7.4 miles, which translates into some absolutely epic skiing. Meanwhile, the NightJet sleeper train from London (via Brussels and Cologne) to the Austrian Alps makes it considerably easier to reach SalzburgerLand and buys you precious hours of ski time on transfer days.
Stay here: Tauern Spa
Tauern Spa has 11 indoor and outdoor swimming pools, as well as 10 saunas and steam rooms. This is wellness on the slopes taken to a higher level and done so in fine, Scandinavian-influenced style.
07.
Méribel, France
Altiport, Meribel. Photograph by Mr David André/Les 3 Vallées
Right in the middle of Les 3 Vallées, the biggest ski area in the world, you’d expect Méribel to hold few surprises for the skiing cognoscenti who return year after year, but you’d be wrong. As the pretty Tarentaise resort gears up to host the Alpine Ski World Championships in 2023, there’s a multitude of improvements already complete, from new pistes (look out for the Daguet, accessible from the infamous La Face black run) to a number of shiny new lifts, a barrage of extra snow cannons and a pivotal new ski tunnel under the Roc de Fer piste, as well as three new luxury hotels.
Stay here: Le Coucou
Le Coucou is the pick of Méribel’s trio of new luxury offerings. This breezy five-star boutique hotel is also home to a magnificent Italian restaurant, Bianca Neve, and a Tata Harper spa.