The Best Ski and Spa Resorts in North America

1. The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Tahoe, California

The mountains surrounding northern California’s Lake Tahoe are home to dozens of top-notch ski resorts with thousands of acres of skiable terrain, multi-level groomed and off-piste runs, and ample après fun. Even among such an esteemed crowd, Northstar reigns as one of the best, with 100 trails, over 3,000 acres that gets an average of over 300 inches of snow, and one of the region’s finest ski hotels, the Ritz-Carlton at Lake Tahoe.

Guests here are treated like ski royalty, with ski-in ski-out privileges, mountain concierge services, and wonderful après moments like a fire pit Champagne bar. The resort is located mid-mountain, meaning it’s just a quick hop from the slopes to the resort’s deluxe spa, a 17,000 square-foot refuge of warm wood, roaring fires, and peaceful treatment rooms with forest views where guest can bask in ski-oriented treatments like tailored foot massages and an “Après Recovery” full-body massage. Other amenities include a heated outdoor pool, steam room, and fitness center.

Where: 13031 Ritz Carlton Highlands Ct, Truckee, CA

2. The Arrabelle at Vail Square, Vail, Colorado

Combining classic European elegance with slope-side access and modern infrastructure, the Arrabelle at Vail Square is the best of both ski worlds. Built to resemble a compact alpine ski town, the hotel’s upscale rooms and suites are just steps away from a whole village of high-end restaurants, shopping, and even an outdoor skating rink, as well as being right next door to the slopes, with a covered escalator to ferry guests directly to the mountains’ base. The resort also boasts of a world-class spa, with opulent rooms where guests can luxuriate in treatments like the Alpine Retreat, where scrubs, wraps, and massages are utilized to help the body adjust to the high altitude, and the Athlete Massage for the skiers who really come out to play.

Where: 675 Lionshead Pl, Vail, CO

3. The St. Regis Aspen Resort, Aspen, Colorado

Housed in an elegant red-brick building directly at the base of Aspen Mountain, the St. Regis Aspen Resort is one of the classiest stays for those flocking to Aspen Snowmass, a four-mountain resort rated among the world’s best for its more than 5,000 acres of multi-level terrain and 362 trails. Looking to pamper its guests with the best things money can buy, the resort has spared no expense. This includes its award-winning spa and wellness center, which has received recognition for its innovative treatments and experiences, and which is located in a stylish, contemporary facility of wood, stone, and soft lighting. Guests truly get to experience the spa, with an extensive menu of massages, facials, wraps, and scrubs. The spa also has a lovely oxygen lounge to help guests adjust to the altitude.

Where: 315 E Dean St, Aspen, CO

4. Four Seasons Resort Whistler, Canada

Everyone knows legendary Whistler Blackcomb. With over 8,000 skiable acres, more than 200 trails, and an average annual snowfall of 465 inches, the two mountains collectively encompass North America’s largest ski and spa resort and offer some of the best powder in Canada. And just as the resort takes skiing to the next level, the Four Seasons Resort Whistler takes ski-hospitality to the next level, with elegant rooms, fine dining, top-notch amenities like a heated outdoor pool and wooden sauna, and a truly out-of-this-world spa. For an authentic Canadian experience, try the Signature Treatment, which includes a maple-syrup-and-brown-sugar body scrub. Skiers will also love the Après-Ski Massage, which targets problem areas like legs and feet for full recovery — so there are no sore muscles for another full day on the slopes tomorrow.

Where: 4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, BC

5. Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah

The ski season can be a hectic time, what with the busy slopes, long lift lines, and endless back and forth. The Sundance Mountain Resort, which offers access to the 5,000-acre Sundance Mountain Ski Resort near Provo, Utah, seeks to be a place of tranquility and mindfulness with its rustic, Western-style cabins and lodgings decorated with Native American handicrafts hidden away inside aspen forests that give guests a respite from the craziness of the slopes.

Peaceful and secluded, the resort prides itself on its curated wellness offerings, which counteract the extreme physicality of skiing, including yoga, meditation, and, of course, upscale spa treatments. There are multiple treatments to choose from — like the Four Winds massage to connect you with nature, body treatments, and facials — and many of those treatments use native ingredients and ancient practices that are meant to ground and recenter you.

Where: 8841 N. Alpine Loop Road, Sundance, UT

6. Amangani, Jackson Hole

Few places in the western United States inspire more awe among mountain-lovers than Jackson Hole. Nestled at the base of the Grand Tetons, the area is renowned for its wildlife viewing, epic mountain scenery, outdoorsy fun, and, in winter, superb skiing at resorts like the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. While skiers have their pick of high-end stays in the area, Amangani rises above the rest in terms of grandeur and high-end amenities.

Just a 20-minute drive to slopes, Amangani is housed in a stately lodge of stone and wood with commanding landscape views. The spa and wellness center is the ultimate cure-all after long days out in the cold, using all-natural materials and ingredients sourced from the surrounding woods and rivers to help rejuvenate the body. Several treatments are perfect for snow-lovers, like the Alpine Glow skin-care routine, an après-Adventure Facial, and deep tissue and performance massages. And a stay here isn’t complete without multiple soaks in the rooftop heated infinity pool with its gorgeous views.

Where: 1535 NE Butte Rd, Jackson, WY

7. The Lodge at Spruce Peak, Stowe, Vermont

Known as the ski capital of the East Coast, Stowe’s powdery runs cover 485 acres of terrain, with 116 trails and a 2,360-foot vertical drop. At the foot of the slopes — with Stowe’s only ski-in, ski-out access — is the Lodge at Spruce Peak. A true luxury outfit full of rustic charm, the Lodge is its own little ski universe, with multiple dining options, ski-centric services and amenities, and chic spots for après tidbits and drinks.

The spa and wellness center, which includes private treatment rooms, relaxation pools, and a fitness room, prides itself on its rotating list of options to suit seasonal activities, whether hiking in the summer or skiing in the winter. During ski season, massages, facials, and other relaxing treatments like wraps and soaks are sure to restore the body and re-energize in time for more slope-side fun the next day. For families, there’s even a spa for kids, with age-appropriate treatments.

Where: 7412 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT

8. The Post Hotel & Spa, Lake Louise, Canada

With its 4,200 acres of skiable terrain for all levels and captivating views of the Canadian Rockies in all their snowy splendor, Lake Louise Ski Resort is a must-ski for powderhounds from all over the world. With plenty of groomed runs, the resort is also famous for its backcountry and extreme high-alpine off-pistes. For near-instant access to these legendary slopes, the best place to stay is the Relais & Chateaux-certified Post Hotel & Spa.

Styled after traditional log cabins of tawny wood with gleaming red roofs for a cozy, backwoods feel, the Post is just five minutes down the road from the ski area. It offers a complimentary shuttle to the slopes and can arrange activities like heli-skiing or cross-country. Looking to help its powder-loving guests optimize their time outdoors, the Post’s Temple Mountain Spa offers a wide variety of health, relaxation, and beauty treatments to heal and restore the body and soul, including massages, facials, scrubs, and wraps. The spa also uses locally sourced ingredients for their treatments, like glacial clay mud for the ultimate exfoliation.

Where: 200 Pipestone Rd, Lake Louise, AB