6 new ski hotels to enjoy this winter

Coastal urbanites often have two thoughts when it comes to ski country accommodations: The hotels are either woodsy lodges full of antlers and cowboys, or they are rustic cabins with few amenities. Fortunately, these stereotypes couldn’t be further from the truth.

Today’s ski hotels combine modern amenities—think extra large bathrooms, top-notch spas, and amazing hot tubs—with sleek design to take mountain chic to a whole new level. Each year Curbed tracks the newest hotels in North American ski towns, perusing the lodging scene in staples like Vail, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Park City, Whistler, and more.

This year’s class of hotels is an impressive group, from the long-awaited opening of the new Snowmass Base Village in Colorado to an affordable, boutique option in British Columbia. Here are six brand-new hotels ready to freshen up your ski vacation.

Limelight Snowmass Hotel in Snowmass, Colorado

Photo by Jeremy Swanson

The long-awaited $600 million Snowmass Base Village redevelopment has finally come to fruition, and the new Limelight Snowmass Hotel is a focal point. Like its sister properties in Ketchum, Idaho, and nearby Aspen, the pet-friendly Limelight Hotel is a casual but sophisticated take on mountain adventure.

Ninety-nine hotel rooms and 11 residences are supplemented with a world-class list of amenities—think fitness center, a five-story climbing wall, a game room, two hot tubs, outdoor fire pits, and free breakfast in the Limelight Lounge. But it all pales in comparison to the hotel’s top-notch ski-in/ski-out location, just steps from the Elk Camp Gondola. The property also boasts a brand-new ice-skating rink just outside its doors. Rooms from $470.

Hotel Talisa in Vail, Colorado

Courtesy of the Hotel Talisa

A $65 million renovation has transformed the former Vail Cascade Resort & Spa into the Hotel Talisa, a luxury 285-room mountainside property that boasts a location right next to Vail’s chair 20—the only hotel in Vail with true ski-in/ski-out access. Although the hotel first opened last winter, the spa wasn’t finished until spring so this is the first ski season with all amenities operational.

Hotel rooms feature free-standing soaker tubs, mountain views from floor-to-ceiling windows, and rich wood, stone, and leather textures. Guests can expect a kid’s club program, a creek-side infinity pool with two hot tubs and fire pits, and a spa that boasts access to the resort’s 58,000-square-foot athletic club. Starting rates from $299.

The Josie in Rossland, British Columbia

Courtesy of The Josie

This affordable boutique property is located at the lesser known RED Mountain Resort, an under-the-radar ski resort in British Columbia. The first top on Canada’s iconic Powder Highway, RED Mountain Resort boasts more than 2,877 acres with seven lifts and 110 runs.

The Josie is a ski-in/ski-out property home to 106 one-bedroom suites, guest rooms, and studio suites designed by architect Song Chia of FAB Studio and the hospitality interiors firm Design Duncan Miller Ullman. Earthy tones, rich wood paneling, heated floors, and deep soaker tubs all provide a cozy retreat after a day on the slopes. Other perks include a ski concierge, a spa (set to open in winter 2019), fitness facility, and fire pits. Rooms from $116.

Caldera House in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Courtesy of Caldera House

Located in the heart of Teton Village at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the brand new Caldera House is a luxury offering with two private 5,000-square-foot owners’ condominiums and six 2,000-square-foot hotel units. Designed by local firms Commune and Carney Logan Burke Architects, the six-level building is made of glass, wood paneling, and stone, with steel and copper accents—all within a stone’s throw of the iconic Jackson Hole tram.

This hotel meets members-only ski club sets the bar when it comes to amenities; think gorgeous locker rooms, slope side valets, fire-pit terraces, and more. It pays homage to all things mountain chic, and recently opened in summer 2018. Rooms from $1,250.

Snowpine Lodge in Alta, Utah

The ski-only resort of Alta is iconic in the snow community, as much as for its no-snowboarding policy as for its epic terrain. But while die-hard ski bums don’t complain, the Utah resort has never had a true luxury hotel akin to those in Vail or Aspen.

That changes with the upcoming opening of Snowpine, a hotel that combines the modern farmhouse look with a mountain chalet. Debuting in January 2019, the Snowpine Lodge is being built at the site of the original 1941 Snowpine Lodge—the oldest building in the Cottonwood Canyon. Stone interiors pay homage to the site’s history, while 58 rooms boast modern amenities, balconies, and access to a new spa. Budget-savvy travelers will appreciate 19 traditional dorm-style bunk rooms. Standard rooms start at $400.

Compass Rose Lodge in Ogden, Utah

Courtesy of Compass Rose Lodge

Most everyone is familiar with the iconic ski town of Park City, Utah—hello, Olympics and Sundance—but farther afield is the under-the-radar spot of Powder Mountain. This giant ski area sees 500 inches of snow each year on mostly crowd-free slopes. But don’t expect a bustling resort scene like in other ski towns; Hunstville, Utah is as low-key as it comes (although the Shooting Star Saloon is one of the best bars in ski country).

The soon-to-open Compass Rose Lodge will liven things up a bit, however, when it debuts in January 2019 with 15 king and queen bedrooms. Farmhouse styling and steam-punk elements combine with a high-tech astronomical observatory for a unique, local lodging offering that’s sure to beat the Marriotts of the world. Rates start at $200-$279 depending on room type.