World Travel Guide Online

A chill is in the air, and as the holiday season approaches, many travellers are starting to dream of their ideal winter ski holiday. Europe is a great choice, where you can get both stunning slopes and great culture all in one. Why not splash out this season with the best on offer at some of these ultra-deluxe ski resorts across Europe? As they say, champagne goes with everything – even snow!

Saint Moritz, Switzerland

When people think of luxury ski, they think of St. Moritz. It is the gold standard as far as high end resorts go, and for good reason: Moritz is so good it is one of only three cities to host the Winter Olympics more than once. It was featured in two James Bond films and in several books and television shows.

St. Mortiz is also the place to go if you want the ski resort atmosphere without even having to ski; you can visit the amazing Segantini Museum or go and explore the Morteratsch Glacier. Otherwise, strap on your gear and head down the incredible 8km (5mi) slope running down from Piz Corvatsch.

Getting There

Arriving by car in winter is not ideal, as only the Julierpass is open and parking is at a premium. The best bet is to arrive by train; connections are frequent and easy from all parts of Switzerland and neighboring countries.

Verbier, Switzerland

Verbier is one of the largest resorts in the Swiss Alps but it is also one of the most exclusive. It is the celebrity hangout, playing host to everyone from Richard Branson to Diana Ross.

Verbier’s claim to fame is the unreal opportunities for off-piste and semi off-piste skiing; Stairway to Heaven is a good choice if you want to try this out but worried about making a Bridget Jones-like scene as the slope has several gradients depending on where you start; ask around and do your research before heading up. If you want the maximum experience, head for Mont Gele, one of only a few mountains without any pistes at all.

Getting There

Verbier is difficult to reach by intention. The gateway city is Geneva, 160km (100mi) away. From there you can take a train to Martigny and then switch to the St. Bernard Express which will bring you to Le Châble, where you can take a cable car or bus to Verbier. Access by car is possible, though in snowy conditions this is not for the weak of heart. But if you’re splashing out on luxury trip, why not just hire a driver to take you?

Courchevel, France

If the pampered treatment is what you need, the Courchevel 1850 is where you should be headed. Courchevel is the largest linked ski area in the world, and the various parts of the resort are named after their altitude, with 1850 being the highest and most decadent.

The folk here have not overlooked a single detail – the heated pavements to avoid ice being one of the ultra deluxe features on offer. You’ll find some of the world’s most difficult black runs here, but don’t worry as there are slopes for all skill levels. Save some energy through for the blazing nightlife that one can find all around La Croisette, the central point of the resort. Les Caves is always a good start, and it’s open until 5AM, making it a good finishing point too if you can make it that far.

Getting There

Courchevel has its own airport, although takeoff and landing there is somewhat of a death-defying experience in itself due to the teeny-tiny runway. Otherwise, direct bus service to the resort is available from Geneva airport; most train passengers will find themselves making the bus connection via Moutiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains station.

Val d’Isère, France

By many accounts, Val d’Isère in the French Alps is the most expensive ski resort in Europe. It is part of the “Espace Killy,” named after skier Jean-Claude Killy, self-titled as the “Most Beautiful Ski Area in the World.” It’s so high that you used to be able to ski here year-round, but unfortunately due to glacier shrinkage this isn’t as good as it used to be.

Val d’Isère has had skiing here since 1930, and today ultramodern chalets are the perfect home base for exploring the 300km (186mi) of ski slopes, not to mending endless off-piste options as well. Don’t miss the Firemoon festival, where ski mountaineering in the moonlight is followed by a night-time DJ party.

Getting There

The nearest train station is Bourg St. Maurice, about 30-45 minutes away via car or bus. Air options include Geneva, Chambery, or Lyon – all have bus or train options to connect you to Val d’Isère. Private transfers are available for those not ready to take on the snowy roads via car.

Grimentz, Switzerland

If you want unspoilt mountain territory with a splash of good nightlife and cosmopolitan atmosphere, look no further than Grimentz. Part of the Val d’Anniviers area, the skiing options are plentiful, from hardcore off-piste trails to endless snow-parks with easy blues and reasonable blacks. Don’t miss a trip up to the highest piste in Grimentz, where you’ll get 360-degree views of the “Imperial Crown:” Weisshorn, Zinalrothorn, the Matterhorn, Dent-Blanche, and Obergabelhorn – incredible if you get a clear day.

After a day of skiing, snow shoe walking, or tobogganing, get on your dancing shoes for a taste of real Alpine nightlife. Start with a filling fondue at any of the great après-ski bars found around the bottom of the slopes before heading to the local disco.

Getting There

The drive to Grimentz on the A9 motorway is simply stunning. However, you can also take the train service to nearby Sierre and connect via bus. The nearest airports are Bern (which has more flight schedules during ski season), Geneva, and Basel. Zurich and Milan are also connecting options.

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Called the Queen of the Dolomites, Cortina d’Ampezzo is one of the most luxurious and expensive ski areas in Italy. It is simply gorgeous terrain year-round, but in winter it is a snowy paradise where you’ll find the Staunies, a legendary black mogul for only the experts. But it is more of the alpine charm that draws the luxury crowds to Cortina; the architecture, the cosy feeling of the resorts and village are arguably the main attraction.

You don’t have to ski either, snowboarding is hugely popular here, as well as dining out on Italian fare. And if you haven’t been, you can even arrange day trips to nearby Venice to really round out your Cortina experience.

Getting There

You have quite a few options for getting to Cortina besides driving, but all in the end are bus connections. Start your journey in one of these nearby airports: Treviso, Venice, Verona, or Innsbruck (Austria). You can also get direct bus service from Milan and Bologna.

Kitzbuhel, Austria

For wallet-emptying fun, the mountainous medieval village of Kitzbuhel should be your final destination. Narrow streets lined with painted houses make way for world-class restaurants, cosmopolitan clubs famous for their cocktails, and fantastic crash pads. Tucked away in Austria’s Tyrolean Alps, the skiing is fantastic of course, but don’t overlook other popular activities such as balloon trips, ice skating, sleigh rides, and even squash.

Top up your getaway with a trip around the boutique shops where jewelery and designer goods are the souvenirs of choice. And if you’re still short on things to do, go relax and soak up the warm goodness of the public baths – taking you right back to Roman times.

Getting There

The nearest airports to Kitzbuhel are Munich, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. From there, you can drive but a another enjoyable option is the train. Services run direct from Kitzbuhel to Innsbruck and Munich, while other cities provide connecting trains via Worgl or Bischofshofen.

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel-Combining History With Romance
Dixville Notch, New Hampshire

If you are familiar with American election traditions, you know that the residents of the tiny hamlet of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire are the first in the nation to be permitted to cast their votes and announce their vote totals every four years for the President of the USA. The vote takes place at midnight in the Ballot Room of The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel. In fact, just before midnight, a head count is taken to be certain that everyone who is eligible is present. There is a private voting both built for each voter, and when the hands of the clock strike midnight, all voters simultaneously fill out and cast their votes.

Natural Beauty

The choice of The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, which by the way is included in the National Register of Historic Places, is quite befitting, since this grand dame hotel can retrace its beginnings to one of the earliest families in New Hampshire, Colonel Timothy Dix, who settled the land in 1807. The “Dix House”, which is the forerunner to the present resort, was built by George Parsons, and in 1875 celebrated its formal opening with a modest fifty-room summer inn. From its very beginnings and even today, the inn provided its guests with the American plan, whereby you could count on three great daily meals, recreation and entertainment.

It was Henry Hale who in 1895 purchased the Dix House and renamed it The Balsams. Quite noteworthy is that Henry was also the inventor of the reversible pullman seat for railroad cars, and with his great wealth was able to add a great deal to the hotel by purchasing adjacent land, even opening up a 6-hole golf course, that has evolved into the 18-hole Donald Ross Panorama Course.

One of the motivating factors for the extensive expansion of the resort that had transpired during the early part of the last century was the popularity of mountain resorts among affluent city dwellers. It was not only golf that attracted these guests to The Balsams, but also the private baths and steam heat. Henry was also very forward-looking and he even operated horseless carriages in 1907 to pick up guests and transport them from and to the Colebrook rail station. Unfortunately, for Henry, the First World War and subsequent years had taken its toll, and due to his declining wealth he was forced to sell the hotel. After Henry’s ownership, the hotel had passed through many hands, eventually yielding to bankruptcy in 1954. Luckily, it sprung to life once again in 1966 when a ski area was built adjacent to the hotel and in 1971 a new management team, that still survives today, assumed its operations.

Frost on Flowers

Surrounded by the natural beauty of its 15,000 private acres, the resort captures the essence of the beauty of New Hampshire, with its magnificent White Mountains, particularly during the summer and winter seasons when most guests choose to visit. We had the good fortune to visit the resort in early October, when unpredictable fall weather enabled us to enjoy a morning frost that covered the flora surrounding the resort. The result, as you can well imagine, was incredibly dramatic! My wife Lily, with her artist eye, could not wait to snap as many photos as she could, capturing this precious moment, which only endured until the late morning hours.

Renowned for its diverse choice of activities, the resort touts that there are more things for guests to do than time to do them. Summer at the Balsams provides sports fanciers with 27 holes of golf, tennis, heated swimming pool and a private lake, boating and fishing, annotated trail systems for natures lovers with ample walking, hiking, climbing and mountain biking, a natural history program with guided tours, entertainment, lectures, parlour games, concerts, movies, and night-club shows.

Frozen Florals

Winter similarly renders many of the same activities together with a full array of winter sports and activities from mid-December to mid-March.

Cozy guest rooms each showcasing their own décor, intimacy and comfort create the ideal romantic ambiance for those seeking something special that will enhance the rekindling of amorous feelings. Our own guest room commanded a view over the mountains and provided us with the utmost in privacy and space – something we treasure and value when we seek out a romantic destination.

If it was the morning buffet breakfast, afternoon lunch, or the evening dinner, we were well assured of having hearty and savoury meals, as well as ample fuel to keep us going throughout the day. Something that was particularly laudable was that the resort’s service was friendly, warm and efficient, notwithstanding that a convention had been taking place at the time we visited in early fall. Apropos, it should be mentioned, the hotel only accepts conventions during the slower fall season.

Romantic couples choosing to stay at this historic inn will not be disappointed when they discover that they have found a real prize in the middle of the White Mountains where they can pursue their own special pleasure and experience- the best of many worlds.

Additional Information
The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel
Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
Tel: 1-800-255-0600
In New Hampshire: 1-800-255-0800