Top 10: best ski hotels & resorts in Europe

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (October 24, 216): Top 10 most luxurious ski hotels & lodges in Europe.

Winter is almost here, so it’s time to start planning your next ski getaway. And there’s no better way to spend that in the majestic Alps, which offer some of the world’s best skiing, plus plenty of après-ski amenities—including Michelin-rated restaurants and soothing spas to match. To help you plan your winter holiday, I compiled a list of my 10 favourites from across Europe’s finest ski resorts.

There is more information below the slide show. Think I missed one? Share your favorite European ski hotel in the comments section, or take my poll below!

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10. W VERBIER (SWITZERLAND)

W Hotels’ first (and so far only) alpine escape is located near Place Blanche, the new heart of Verbier. The hotel has 123 rooms, suites and residences, each with signature W beds and balcony and some with panoramic vistas, You can stay in shape with a work out in FIT gym and fitness, take a dip in the stunning indoor/outdoor pool, or wind down at the hotel’s spa, where 800 m² (8611 square ft) of peaceful retreat invite you to completely relax and indulge. Be prepared for the adrenalin of Europe’s most exciting slopes (412 km or 256 miles of top-notch ski runs), startling vistas and glamorous social scene.

• Hotel website: W Verbier
• Other accolades: W Verbier also features in my list of the best new hotels of 2013.

9. TSCHUGGEN GRAND HOTEL, AROSA (SWITZERLAND)

A world filled with life, lightness, and luxury awaits you here. Elegance and taste are imbued in every detail, from the contemporary rooms and suites to the prestigious concierge service. Each room is inspired by a distinctive colour scheme, with walls, carpets and doors all subtly co-ordinating. Here, a fond attention to detail reveals itself with understated elegance to the appreciative seasoned traveller. The hotel’s star attraction is its wellness areas, one of the most impressive in Europe. The architects used white granite, Canadian maple, glass sails and connecting bridges to create a 4 story wellness area that blends in well with its stellar surroundings.

• Hotel website: Tschuggen Grand Hotel
• Other accolades: Tschuggen Grand Hotel features in my top 10 list of the world’s best hotels spas.

8. KEMPINSKI GRAND HOTEL DES BAINS, ST. MORITZ (SWITZERLAND)

The Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains is ideally located in St. Moritz Bad, with direct access to the cable car station to the ski and mountain region Corviglia. All rooms and suites are elegantly and timelessly appointed and reflect unpretentious luxury and stylish class. The historical – but contemporarily depicted – motifs of the pictures bear witness to the glamorous past of St. Moritz while the technical equipment is state-of-the-art. With three award-winning restaurants (1 Michelin Star), one Asian culinary outlet, an Alpine Kempinski The Spa and many more facilities, the Kempinski in St.Moritz with its sportive and relaxed atmosphere provides the very best the Swiss mountains have to offer: pure alpine recreation.

• Hotel website: Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 CFS hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).

7. LECRANS HOTEL & SPA, VALAIS (SWITZERLAND)

Set amidst stunning natural beauty, LeCrans hotel & spa is a heaven of peace and refinement.  With antique pine paneling, elegant colors and inviting textures, the stylish décor creates an effortlessly warm and enchanting atmosphere. The eight suites and seven rooms are all decorated in a different style, and themed after mountains and regions of the world, such as Kilimanjaro, Everest, and Dolomites. In a splendid rotunda facing the Alps, the hotel restaurant is designed with celebration in mind and serves an exquisite cuisine that combines the tradition with the avant-garde. In addition to a fitness room, sauna and the hammam, the two heated pools (one inside and one outside) and the jacuzzi offer superb views on the Alps.

• Hotel website: LeCrans Hotel & Spa

6. THE CHEDI ANDERMATT (SWITZERLAND)

Surrounded by the spectacular beauty of the Swiss Alps, The Chedi Andermatt nestles elegantly in the idyllic heart of Andermatt, a village of timeless charms in the Urseren Valley, about a two-hour train ride from Zurich. For GHM’s first European property, the Asian brand synonymous with style, service and serenity, chose renowned architect Jean-Michael Gathy to design these 105 spacious guest rooms and suites. Traditional materials such as warm woods and natural stone create intimate yet visually striking accommodations while the extensive facilities include fine restaurants and cosy lounges, a ski-in living room with sports boutique, comprehensive spa and wellness centre with a tranquil retreat of hydrothermal baths and a duo of swimming pools against the stunning outdoor Alpine landscape.

• Hotel website: The Chedi Andermatt
• Other accolades: The Chedi Andermatt features in my lists of the best luxury hotel openings of 2013, the world’s best indoor pools, the best hotels in Switzerland, and the best hotel spas in the world
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, $100 USD hotel credit, early check-in and late check-out).
• Review: read my review of The Chedi Andermatt here.

5. ALPINA GSTAAD (SWITZERLAND)

An icon in the exclusive, discrete and cosmopolitan Swiss resort of Gstaad, The Alpina Gstaad five-star superior hotel has single-handedly redefined luxury and Alpine chic. This is no ordinary hotel, it is a unique establishment where authenticity combines with Swiss refinement to create an Alpine experience like no other. Each of the 56 rooms and suites uniquely embody Swiss authenticity and sophistication. The expertise of artisans from the region has created inspiring spaces, where original and contemporary local materials are subtly united with genuine period woodwork. Housed right at the heart of The Alpina Gstaad, the Six Senses Spa is a true sanctuary of peace and well-being

• Hotel website: Alpina Gstaad
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, 100 CHF spa credit, early check-in and late check-out).

4. AURELIO LECH (AUSTRIA)

Nestled in the exclusive resort town of Lech, the Aurelio Lech is one of Austria’s most stylish ski and spa lodges. A non-descript ski lodge exterior hides a slick, modern retreat as edgy as your skis. At the Aurelio Lech, guests can expect impeccable service, door-to-door ski conditions, and superlative spa facilities. All 19 rooms and suites are individually designed, with sleek Asian wooden furniture, enhanced by French and African natural fabrics. All have stunning mountain views. The Aurelio is located right at the foot of the mountain, so indulge in door-to-door skiing or snowboarding. Then, kick off your boots dine and on traditional and modern Austrian cuisine at the elegant Aurelio’s restaurant. Wine lover? The exclusive wine list offers several rare and vintage labels.

• Hotel website: Aurelio Lech

3. LE CHALET ZANNIER (FRANCE)

Nestled in a beautiful part of the French Alps, Le Chalet Zannier is a delightful mountain retreat offering a truly luxurious experience. The welcome is personal and the accommodation sumptuous – everything you need for an unforgettable time away. Established over a vast area, the site has three alpine-style chalets, the decoration of which expresses the very essence and sophistication of the project when it was created as an “exceptional place” to stay. All different, each one of the 12 bedrooms evokes style, beauty and taste. The wellness centre with its indoor swimming pool, sauna, hammam and two treatment rooms is the perfect place to relax after an enjoyable day on the slopes.

• Hotel website: Le Chalet Zannier

2. AMAN LE MELEZIN, COURCHEVEL (FRANCE)

The only alpine property of Aman Resorts, the world’s most exclusive hotel brand, Le Melezin has taken the minimalist Aman-Asian style and added some alpine warmth. Standing four storeys high under a distinctive black slate roof it provides an aprés-ski home set in a mesmeric wonderland of groomed slopes – both nursery and couloirs – framed by snow caressed conifer forests under a piercingly blue midday sky. Ideally situated on the Bellecôte ski slope, the hotel is a lively home of glowing warmth, a stroll from the epicentre of one of Europe’s most fashionable and exclusive resorts, Courchevel 1850, with access to some of the most exceptional skiing in Europe … directly from the front door.

• Hotel website: Aman Le Melezin

1. THE LODGE VERBIER (SWITZERLAND)

Sir Richard Branson’s The Lodge is perched high in the Swiss Alps above the town of Verbier, steps away from lifts awaiting guests with a thirst for some of the world’s best skiing. The nine-bedroom chalet, part of the Virgin Limited Edition Collection, is decorated with a mix of modern and rustic alpine décor, clad in a cream and Swiss-chocolate color motif. The two master suites on the top floor feature open fireplaces and private balconies from which to survey the spectacular views of the Swiss peaks. The staff at the lodge – almost one per guest – do all they can to make it easy to hit the slopes, prepping breakfast and escorting you up the mountain. The lodge has an indoor pool area that connect to a steam room, gym, and spa – and the backyard includes a small ice rink.

• Hotel website: The Lodge Verbier