Annual travel planner: Ski Calendar

Eliza Sullivan looks at the best time to go skiing in both hemispheres and where you can stay in luxury when you get there.

Australia

Season: June to October

Best time to go: July & August

 

Thredbo Alpine Village

Thredbo is home to the longest top-to-bottom run and has the most vertical terrain in Australia, promising entertainment for skiers of all levels. thredbo.com.au

Stay here

Thredbo Alpine Hotel

Rates start at $510 per night for a standard king room. thredbo.com.au/accommodation/thredbo-alpine-hotel

 

Falls Creek Alpine Resort

At Falls Creek the real wonder is the snow-making equipment, used to ensure ski-in, ski-out conditions for 70 days of the season. fallscreek.com.au

Stay here

QT Falls Creek

Rates start at $700 per night for a one-bedroom apartment. qthotelsandresorts.com/falls-creek

 

Perisher

Perisher has seven mountain peaks with four villages, making it one of the most expansive resorts in Australia. Skiers can extend their time on the slopes with night skiing or turn in early for après-ski. perisher.com.au

Stay here

Perisher Valley Hotel

Rates start around $700 for a king room with breakfast and dinner included. perisher.com.au/perisher-valley-hotel

 

Mount Hotham

Mount Hotham’s 320 hectares of terrain has 13 lifts to ensure no one spends too long in a lift line, plus 18 bars and restaurants and a spa when you need to unwind. mthotham.com.au

Stay here

Zirky’s

Rates start at $818 for a two-night stay in a guest room. zirkys.com.au

 

New Zealand

Season: June to October

Best time to go: July & August

 

The Remarkables

The Remarkables ski area tends to receive around three metres of natural snowfall annually, which creates a base that is supplemented by snow-making. Defined areas for skiers of different abilities maximise the smaller size of the resort. nzski.com/queenstown/the-mountains/the-remarkables

Stay here

Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown

Rates start at NZ$665 (about A$622) double occupancy for a lodge room. matakaurilodge.com

 

Treble Cone

Treble Cone is one of the larger ski fields in Central Otago and its 700 metres of vertical terrain are serviced by lifts that can accommodate 4,500 people per hour. The resort has both groomed trails and back-country terrain for more advanced skiers. treblecone.com

Stay here

Wanaka Haven

Rates start at NZ$395 (about A$369) per night for a superior king room. wanakahaven.co.nz

 

Heli-ski the Southern Alps

One of the best ways to ski New Zealand is to heli-ski out of the adventure sport capital Queenstown. Providers like Alpine Heli-Ski or Harris Mountains Heli-Ski offer trips for intermediate and expert skiers who aren’t afraid of powder for days. alpineheliski.com; heliski.co.nz

Stay here

Azur Lodge

Daily winter rates start at NZ$1,200 (about A$1,122) +GST. azur.co.nz

 

USA

Season: late November to April

Best time to go: January through March

 

Aspen Snowmass (Colorado)

Aspen does luxury skiing better than many other areas, with great accommodations and conditions – the slopes receive an average of 7.62 metres of natural snow a year. aspensnowmass.com

Stay here

The Little Nell

Rates start at US$386 (about A$513) plus taxes for a town-side guest room. thelittlenell.com

 

Telluride (Colorado)

Telluride is a popular resort for skiers of all abilities, with trail distribution that allows everyone to enjoy the sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains. tellurideskiresort.com

Stay here

Inn at Lost Creek

Rates start from US$683 (about A$907) for a junior suite. innatlostcreek.com

 

Deer Valley (Utah)

For avid skiers, Deer Valley is a haven free from snowboards. That’s right – the resort is strictly ‘ski-only’. The service at the resort is consistently ranked among the best, making for a great guest experience. deervalley.com

Stay here

St. Regis Deer Valley

Rates start at US$1,094 (about A$1,454) for a superior room. stregisdeervalley.com

 

Park City (Utah)

Park City has a town that balances luxury with a homey atmosphere and a piste network so big it would take days to explore it all. Snowfall averages nine metres each year from skies that are otherwise always clear and blue. parkcitymountain.com

Stay here

Washington School House

Rates start at US$925 (about A$1,230) for a 16-foot ceiling king room. washingtonschoolhouse.com

 

Canada

Season: November to April

Best time to go: January through March

 

Whistler/Blackcomb (British Columbia)

Whistler receives 11 metres of natural snowfall in an average winter, which covers its 8,000 acres of terrain. The sheer size of the resort makes it worth visiting, and the quality of the terrain ensures an exciting ski vacation. whistlerblackcomb.com

Stay here

The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler

Deluxe Studio Suite from CA$563 (about A$577) per night. westinwhistler.com

 

Banff (Alberta)

Banff is actually made up of three ski resorts in the heart of the Canadian Rockies: the Sunshine Ski Resort, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mt Norquay. Tri-area lift tickets allow visitors to ski all three peaks. skibig3.com

Stay here

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

King room from CA$339 (about A$347) per night. fairmont.com/lake-louise

 

Japan

Season: December to April

Best time to go: January and February

 

Niseko

Niseko is considered one of the best ski resorts in Japan. Each year it receives upwards of 15 metres of snowfall to cover the mountain, which has 30 lifts and three gondolas. niseko.ne.jp/en

Stay here

Kasara

Townhouses start from JPY173,376 (about A$2,176) per night. kasara.com/nisekovillage

 

Switzerland

Season: Year-round, in small corners like Zermatt

 

Zermatt

Best time to go: January to March

Home to the famed Matterhorn Mountain, there are areas of Zermatt that are often skiable in the middle of summer. The highest ski resort in Europe is best visited in the winter months, but has a tiny area that remains open all year. zermatt.ch/en/skiing

Stay here

Mont Cervin Palace

Rates start at CHF755 (about A$1,023) per night for an alpine classic room. montcervinpalace.ch/en

 

St. Moritz

Best time to go: February and March

St. Moritz is one of the best-known ski mountains in Europe, but keep in mind that it caters more to an intermediate and expert field of skiers than beginners. stmoritz.ch/en

Stay here

Badrutts Palace Hotel

Rates start at CHF660 (about A$893) per night for a superior single room. badruttspalace.com/en

 

France

Season: December to April

Best time to go: February and March

 

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

The ski area at Chamonix is divided into four sections, each of which promises the same variety of slopes for differing abilities, sweeping views, and snow covered trees that make it a worthwhile ski destination. chamonix.com

Stay here

Hameau Albert 1er

Rates start at US$349 (about A$465) per night for a double room. hameaualbert.fr/en

 

Méribel

Méribel’s great skiing is parallel by incredible views of the surrounding French Alps, making skiing there both a sport and a sight-seeing expedition. The areas are accessible for all skiers and a pass allows you to ski all areas. french-alps.meribel.net/ski-france-2011.html

Stay here

Hotel Le Kaila Méribel

Rates start at €630 (about A$929) per night for a signature room. lekaila.com/fr/le-kaila

OR

Rent a luxury catered chalet from Meriski. meriski.co.uk

 

Austria

Season: December to April

Best time to go: January through early March

 

Lech Zürs am Arlberg

Known as one of the best villages in the alps, an Arlberg lift card gives avid skiers access to cable cars in all five Arlberg resorts and 200 kilometres of high Alpine runs. lechzuers.com/skiing

Stay here

Thurnher Alpenhof

Rates start at A$780 for a double room. thurnhers.com