Montage Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah

With the weather starting its gradual change into winter, many people are planning their New Year snowy escapes to spectacular mountain destinations worldwide. This year, the 2023 season will mark the highly anticipated return to destination ski vacations.

In searching for the best lodges/hotels worldwide, I spoke with John McMahon, owner of the luxury travel advisor site Five Star Alliance who explained their selection process for this year's list. "We personally inspect each hotel, and our longevity and reputation have been tested for 18 years. This year's biggest trend is remote work from home, which is the new normal. Affluent travelers are extending trips and looking for more mountain residences and ski chalets. Also, global ski pass systems like Epic and Ikon dictate the mountain travelers want to visit."

The most popular ski resort destinations in the world include notables such as; Gstaad, Switzerland; Zermatt, Switzerland; Aspen, Colorado; Courchevel 1850, France; St Moritz, Switzerland; Megève, France; Vail, Colorado, and Whistler, Canada.

Here are the ski hotels & lodges that Five Star Alliance considers the Best Of the Best for 2023 featuring the highest TrustYou scores, the best free Five Star Alliance perks, and the ones that guests have booked the most over the last year.

Fairmont Banff Springs in Canada

Fairmont Banff Springs (Banff, Canada)

Located in the Canadian Rockies, the historic hotel, which opened in 1888, offers up 745 guest rooms and suites, as well as a large spa, an outdoor skating rink, and private campfire pits. Guests can Ski the famous "champagne powder" at any of the three Banff ski resorts in Alberta; Sunshine Village, The Lake Louise Mountain Resort, and Banff Mount Norquay.

Four Seasons Whistler in Canada

Whistler is home to North America’s largest ski resort. Blackcomb Mountain is just a three-minute walk from the Resort, where you will have your own Ski Concierge. The hotel offers up 273 rooms, including gas fireplaces and balconies with stunning views, a spa, a heated outdoor pool, and 3 hot tubs.

The Arrabelle at Vail Square in Colorado

The Arrabelle at Vail Square (Vail, Colorado)

Located at the heart of Lionshead Village, with an open-air ice rink during the winter, the chalet inspired resort offers direct access to Vail Mountain via the Eagle Bahn Gondola steps away - with 5,289 acres of ski and ride terrain and nearby Beaver Creek. The 62 luxurious rooms feature massive bathrooms, stone fireplaces, and scenic balconies. Guests enjoy endless amenities like personal butler service, ski valets, a rooftop pool, and a large spa.

Residences at the Little Nell

The Little Nell & Residences (Aspen, Colorado)

The property offers ski-in and ski-out access and is located at the base of Aspen Mountain. Along with the 92 rooms and suites at the hotel, the Residences are privately owned but available by the week or the month, with guest rooms 450-850 square feet and apartments ranging from 1,700-4,000. There is also a stunning rooftop pool and terrace.

Madeline Hotel & Residences (Telluride, Colorado)

This Auberge property offers Ski-in, and ski-out access, with views of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains from Telluride’s Mountain Village. The Ski Valet will take care of all the work and even lay your skis out before you take off to 1,700 acres and 84 trails. The 96 rooms and 29 condos offer stunning views of Mountain Village or the San Juan Mountains. There is a spa, ice skating rink, and outdoor pool.

Montage Deer Valley (Park City, Utah)

Located an easy drive to Main Street, Park City, the stunning ski-in and ski-out resort offers up 154 rooms, 66 suites, private penthouse residences, and a 35,000-square-foot spa and outdoor pool. Just outside your door, Deer Valley Resort has 100 trails, and the staff will even warm your boots for you before skiing while having hot apple cider and fresh cookies waiting when you return.

Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe (Lake Tahoe, California)

This beautiful Ski-in/Ski-out resort, with dramatic views, offers 153 rooms, 16 suites featuring gas fireplaces, deep soaking bathtubs, one Ritz-Carlton suite, and residences. There are three restaurants, a lake club, a large spa, and two outdoor pools. An intermountain gondola carries guests to the Village at Northstar where there is also an expansive ice rink.

Stein Eriksen Lodge (Park City, Utah), Lumiere with Inspirato (Telluride, Colorado), Manor Vail Lodge (Vail, Colorado)

This resort located at the bottom of the slopes offers Ski-in/ski-out access to Jardin Alpin. With a strong Austro-Hungarian castle vibe, the hotel features 48 rooms including 20 Suites and 1 Apartment. There are 5 bars and restaurants, and a La Mer Spa.

Aman Le Mélézin suite with tub

Aman Le Melezin (Courchevel, France)

This chateau style boutique resort is a contemporary spin on the classic ski lodge with ski-in and ski-out access. There are 31 Alpine rooms with seven suites, all with balconies, private hot tubs or fireplaces. Aman Le Mélézin offers access to the Three Valleys network, aided by a team of experienced Ski Butlers who transport ski equipment from the heated racks in the state-of-the-art ski room. The new, Japanese-inspired Aman Spa has five double treatment rooms and is perfect apres ski.

Hôtel Le Diamond Rock in France

Hôtel Le Diamond Rock (Tignes, France)

Don’t let the stark exterior fool you, this luxe property has modern, cozy interiors as well as a ski-to-door departure slopes. Located at the foot of the pistes, this luxury hotel offers only 64 rooms and suites. Your skis will be waiting for you on the snow with your room number, and will be stored on your return by the ski butlers. There is also a spa, a games room with bowling lanes, a cinema room, two restaurants, and a lounge bar.

This popular ski-in/ski-out offers up 54 rooms and suites with balcony views of the lake or the Dolomites. Culinary options include Mediterranean-Alpine cuisine at the one-Michelin-starred Alpenroyal Gourmet Restaurant. Guests can use the ski-in, ski-out facilities, as well as a sauna, steam rooms and treatments at the Eghes Beauty Spa. Or, take a swim in the local Lake Kurat and heated indoor and outdoor pools.

LeCrans Hotel & Spa (Crans Montana, Switzerland)

Located above Crans-Montana mountain resort, the Crans-Montana ski area, is only 300 feet from the hotel. With only 15 luxury rooms, the chalet style resort offers dramatic views of the jagged Alps. There is a dining room with a roaring fireplace and an intimate spa, with a lap pool.

Gstaad Palace Hotel (Gstaad, Switzerland)

Opened in 1913, this historic fairy tale style resort offers 90 rooms and suites - each with its own signature style and furnished with alpine chic combined with British understatement. There are five restaurants, two bars with live music, a famed nightclub, and a full-service spa. Guests are offered their own horse-drawn sleigh and driver to take you on a romantic jaunt through the snow-covered Lauenen valley, or a husky dog sleigh trip.

Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St. Moritz

Badrutt's Palace Hotel (St. Moritz, Switzerland)

Set in the Swiss Alps with 156 elegant rooms, the design of the hotel includes a Belle Epoque facade with its towers and turrets. There are ten restaurants and three bars, including the gourmet Le Restaurant, the King's Social House, which is the oldest nightclub in Switzerland, and the hotel’s rustic-chic farmhouse that now houses a pizzeria and a grill in a chalet-style atmosphere. The hotel is also home to a spa, accessible via an underground tunnel, with an indoor pool offering floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Alps.

Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz

Kulm Hotel (St. Moritz, Switzerland)

The Kulm Hotel is located in the heart of world-famous St. Moritz. The chic, elegant and exclusive resort offers 173 rooms and suites and attracts a sophisticated, cosmopolitan crowd thanks to its glamorous events, such as the Snow Polo World Cup and White Turf on the frozen lake. It also hosted the Winter Olympics twice and is home to the oldest and only remaining natural ice bobsled run in the world. Enjoy the huge 21,000-square-foot spa for apres ski.

Suvretta House in St. Moritz

Suvretta House (St. Moritz, Switzerland)

Opened in 1912, this Ski-in and Ski-out resort is old-school perfection. The 181 rooms overlook the mountains and slopes. Forty-four of the rooms have balconies. Thanks to their private ski lift, you have a direct connection to the Corviglia/Marguns ski arena. The luxury resort includes a ski school, tennis courts, swimming pool, spa and three restaurants.

Located at the edge of a pine forest, facing the Matterhorn, this resort includes 65 rooms, 5 suites and 2 apartments, most with balconies and terraces. You can Ski-in and ski-out where the ski slopes go directly past the hotel. Included in your room rate, winter snowshoeing, heliskiing, freeriding on glaciers or skitrips 4 days a week. There is also billiards and bowling rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and a dedicated spa.

Located in the Swiss Alps with immediate access to skiing and hiking terrain, the hotel mixes contemporary urban design with an alpine touch. The 123 rooms and suites, each have a fireplace, and private balcony. Culinary options, include the bistronomic W Kitchen, and the exclusive Eat-Hola Tapas Bar. There is an Away® Spa featuring two pools, 9 treatment rooms, and gym.

Sport Hotel Hermitage (Andorra), Interalpen-Hotel (Austria), Cheval Blanc Courchevel (France), Les Chalets du Mont d'Arbois, Megève, A Four Seasons Hotel (France), Bellevue Hotel & Spa Cogne (Italy), Hotel Firefly (Switzerland)

Whare Kea Lodge and Chalet

Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet (Wanaka, New Zealand)

Whare Kea's 2 bedroom Mountain Chalet is located on the slopes of Dragonfly Peak. It is an ideal base for heli-skiing and ski touring. Nestled in the Southern Alps, the Chalet sits on the edge of the Mount Aspiring National Park and its glaciers. The award-winning six bedroom lodge is nestled above Lake Wanaka and has been transformed into an exclusive use villa offering a private retreat for up to 12 guests.

Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono (Niseko, Japan)

Set in a natural landscape with stunning views across the Annupuri ranges and Mount Yotei, the resort is known for its world-class skiing and snowboarding facilities. The 100 rooms including nine suites with private semi-outdoor onsen baths, in addition to more than 80 residences are all housed in four separate buildings, and all offering ski-in-ski-out luxury.

Las Balsas Gourmet Hotel and Spa (Argentina), InterContinental Mountain Resort and Spa Mzaar (Lebanon)