Mountain time

This Relais & Chateaux hideaway is all about the total experience. Yes, at your fingertips are 300 acres of land ideal for cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and even snowshoeing. But the bucolic landscape of Barnard, VT, gives every suite here total privacy, and what goes on inside is pretty special, too: A seasonal menu from acclaimed chef Ted Ask, a 20,000-bottle wine cellar, a 104-degree Japanese furo and some amazing art (we’re talking Jasper Johns and Ed Ruscha) all over. Plus, it’s an all-inclusive resort so equipment, service and meals are all part of the deal.

This luxury retreat at the center of one of the country's most popular skiing destinations is all about classic, mountainside elegance. And this season, courtesy of a partnership with local Olympians, guests can enjoy a truly one-of-a-kind ski vacation. Available until mid-April, you can now book a three-night package that includes a full-day ski jaunt with a pro-athlete who’s competed at the Olympic Games (for instance Erik Schlopy, an Alpine Skier, who represented the USA in three different Olympics, and 2010 Gold Medalist Billy Demong).

From its 149 ski runs to exciting village-to-village skiing, Park Hyatt Beaver Creek has enough snow-related activities to tire even the most ardent of snow bunnies. (You can even ski with a park ranger and get schooled on winter wildlife, the local forestry and more.) When it’s fun off of the white stuff you’re after, Park Hyatt has a slew of dining rooms, a weekly Thursday Night Life party and the Allegria Spa to help rest your ski-weary bones.

The Clear Creek Group’s Jackson Hole four-bedroom spread is just the thing if you and your pals are jonesing for a winter-wonderland slumber party. Staying here means a bit of seclusion, but Clear Creek’s concierge service will still be able to hook you up with everything you could possibly need — from lift tickets to a heli-skiing adventure.

A stay at Little Nell, Aspen’s only true ski-in/ski-out hotel, comes with the kind of top-notch service that will allow you to focus solely on your winter activity of choice ( no joke, the staff will take care of just about everything else). For example, the property’s Advance Itinerary Planning program will ring you up before your trip to confirm all mountain reservations you could possibly need. And when you arrive, there’s a Ski Concierge to assist you with other slope-side services like equipment waxes and cups of hot chocolate, which — it should be noted — you’ll have to drink on your own.

Slopeside digs on Northstar California will get you access to no less than 97 ski trails spread across 3,170 acres, so you had better be up for some serious shredding (if you’re a newbie, fear not, Burton’s Snowboard Academy is nearby.) The Ritz Carlton treatment is famously luxurious so there’s nowhere you’d rather be after a day on the snow. And this year the property is sweetening things up with its The Art of the S’more program, a daily event that will have you not only roasting the perfect marshmallow but also learning about its history from the on-site Marshmalogist.