Top 10 Luxury and Romantic Ski Hotels in the world

Here are our top 10 choices for most romantic and luxurious ski hotels from around the world.

Post Hotel, Lake Louise, Canada
Perched at 1,500 meters amidst the natural wonders of Banff National Park you will find this cherished Alpine chalet. Canada’s largest ski area is just minutes away and the abundance of snow is just one reason a growing number of European skiers visit the area each winter.



Pan Pacific, Whistler, Canada
The Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside Hotel is Whistler’s best address, ideally located in the heart of the pedestrian-only Whistler Village and the closest you can get to both the Whistler and Blackcomb gondolas. This award winning, full-service, boutique whistler hotel offers an intimate ambience while featuring 121 well-appointed luxurious hotel suites all complete with full kitchen, fireplace, balcony, floor-to-ceiling windows, deluxe Aveda salon amenities and spectacular valley or mountain views.



Four Seasons, Jackson Hole, USA
This hotel has the Four Seasons luxury with ski-in/ski-out access in Wyoming’s spectacular Teton Mountains. During warmer months you can play golf, fish or hike in unspoiled natural wilderness. Breathe in the fresh alpine air. Marvel at a sky full of stars. And savour exquisite dining wrapped in panoramic mountain views.

Stein Eriksen Lodge, Park City, USA

For over 27 years, the Five-Star, Five Diamond Stein Eriksen Lodge has been the premier resort destination for both leisure and business travelers alike. Located mid-mountain at Deer Valley, USA. The hotel is a sanctuary for those seeking the ultimate in hospitality, accommodations, fine dining, spa services and year-round recreation.



Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek Colorado, USA
Experience an exceptional Beaver Creek resort at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. This hotel is located in a year-round destination and this luxury hotel offers guests an unforgettable escape in the heart of the majestic Rocky Mountains. With ski-in-ski-out access, Colorado’s highest-rated golf course, a world-class spa and fine dining at Wolfgang Puck’s renowned Spa.



Four Seasons, Whistler, Canada
Experience one of North America’s top year-round mountain resorts, wrapped in the famous Four Seasons comfort and intuitive care you can enjoy a superb spa and mountainside dining experience, plus easy access to the awe-inspiring ski slopes of Whistler Blackcomb, site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.



Little Nell, Aspen, USA
Nestled at the base of Aspen Mountain with ski in/ski out privileges, The Little Nell also sits next to the dynamic center of Aspen itself. Minutes away from the luxurious lobby, you’ll find the Rocky Mountains’ finest year-round recreational opportunities await you. Guests have immediate access to a wealth of Colorado’s premier ski areas - “The Power of Four,” Aspen’s four incredible ski areas - Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk as well as a full range of luxury hotel services and facilities.



Lodge and Spa At Cordillera, Vail, USA
From its lofty position atop a privately owned mountain the lodge rises in magnificent splendor to look out over the verdant Vail Valley. Its been consistently honored with a AAA Four-Diamond award for 16 consecutive years and this exceptional chateau-style Vail luxury hotel is an intimate mountain hideaway, offering exemplary personal service with a warm Western touch. Embrace the casual elegance of this intimate Vail Colorado luxury hotel, honored as one of the top 25 ski resort accommodations in North America by Conde Nast Traveler



Sundance Resort, Utah, USA
At this hotel you can watch the moon climb over Utah's Mt. Timpanogos from your cottage patio, or enjoy a fireside dinner with new-found friends in a mountain home, and you'll begin to appreciate what Sundance is all about. Each of the lodging units is uniquely appointed in a style that integrates with our mountain environment, including rough hewn wood warm tones.



St Regis Resort, Aspen, USA
The St. Regis Aspen Resort, in the majestic and historic town of Aspen, is a perfect environment for superb winter skiing, summer sports and the arts. The hotel delivers a benchmark of personalized service and unending attention to detail amidst the relaxed spirit of the Rocky Mountains. The 179 guestrooms and suites, heated outdoor pool, Rem de Spa and 20,000 square feet of function space ensure that our guests can expect nothing less than a remarkable experience.

Burj Dubai

Here are pictures and videos of the 7 star Burj Dubai, the tallest skyscraper in the world surpassing the KNLY-TV mast and costing an estimated $1billion to build.

Towering high above the Dubai skyline, Burj Dubai, the world's tallest man-made construction, edges closer to completion.

These stunning aerial and exclusive interior images provide a glimpse into the lavish creation which has cost an estimated UD$1 billion to build, with a further three billion budgeted for the entire complex.

Standing at a reported 818 m (the official height will not be revealed until next year) and consisting of 162 floors above ground, the giant tower - described as the 'jewel of the Gulf regions' - is an awesome sight to behold.

But while the exterior of the building has taken shape, interior shots suggest there is still some way to go before the official unveiling in January 2010.

Taken in November 2009, interior images display giant office spaces from the lofty 125th floor with vertigo-inducing views.

On floor 39, a luxury bathroom and entertainment area from the Armani Hotel provide an insight into what the rich and famous can expect upon their lavish stay.

Made up of 175 rooms, the 40,000 sq. m Armani Hotel, will be the first of its kind to open in the world.

Reports have suggested that Giorgio Armani himself will oversee all aspects of content, design and style, including interiors and amenities. And the fashion guru will be incorporating the his exclusive label's designs into the furnishings.

The statistics behind the mega structure are as impressive as the building itself. The rods that reinforce the structure weigh a total 31,400 tonnes alone. Laid end to end they would stretch more than a quarter of the way around the world.

The water system will supply 250,000 gallons each day and the tower's external surface is the size of 17 football fields. The building will have the worlds fastest elevators at speeds of 64 km/h (40 mph) or 18 m/s (59 ft/s).

The tower will include 800 private apartments and an observatory 442 metres above the ground on the 124th floor - the highest public observation desk in the world. There will be a club on floors 144 to 146.

Sitting at the foot of the tower is the 500 acre Downtown Burj Dubai development, which when completed is expected to cost around US$20 billion, offering 30,000 homes and the world's largest shopping mall - the Dubai Mall - covering 836,000 square metres. The Burj Dubai Mall will have areas for leisure, including a world-class aquarium, fashion show arena, a souk and an ice rink.

The Burj Dubai has been designed to be the centre of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include 30,000 homes, 9 hotels, 6 acres of parkland, 19 residential towers, and the 12 hectare Burj Dubai Lake.

The mega structure has already achieved the distinction of being the world's tallest, surpassing the KNLY-TV mast (628.8m, 2,063ft) in North Dakota, USA

However, Dubai has been hit hard by the global downturn. This week, Dubai World, one of the emirate's main state holding companies, said it was asking for a delay on major parts of its debt repayments until at least May 30

Dubai was among the most dramatic victims of the credit crunch, with property prices halving from their highs in September 2008, leaving a huge overhang of debt

Dubai borrowed $80bn in a four-year construction spree designed to turn its economy into a Middle Eastern powerhouse of finance and tourism

Burj Dubai has also been hit by press reports of the poor conditions faced by its labourers, mostly immigrants from South Asia

Videos of Burj Dubai

On the top of Burj Dubai's spire....

Burj Dubai Promotial Video....

Trekking Mt. Everest Pictures

Trekking the Everest, Manaslu and Lobuche Peak is best experienced through a guided mountaineering and trekking expedition company such as Himex. All the stunning Himalayan travel pictures below are from the Himalayan Experience Himex website.

 

 

Himex Himalayan Experience has a long association with the Himalaya and led to the formation of the most respected Sherpa Team in Nepal. The team has been working together on expeditions for over 15 years. The result is an incredible level of teamwork, communication, understanding and support - a unique factor that sets Himalayan Experience apart.

 

 

Your Himalayan Expedition is likely to be the biggest adventure and perhaps most serious undertaking of your life. Companies like Himex appreciate this and cut no corners in providing the best and safest possible chance of success.

 

Himex Himalayan Experience is directed by Russell Brice, who has been leading expeditions to the Himalayas since 1974. He has led clients to the summit of Everest and Manaslu, and also Cho Oyo (8,201m), Himal Chuli (7,540m), Shishapangma (8,046m) and Ama Dablam (6,856m).

Visit the Himex Website for further information on Himalayan experiences.

Coolest place to stay and see the Northern Lights

Where is the coolest place to stay and see the Northern Lights? Our vote goes to Hotel Igloo Village Kakslauttanen in Finland. The Northern Lights can be seen anywhere above 60 degrees north latitude but this place is special and these pictures show... 

Hotel Igloo Village Kakslauttanen, Finland

Surrounded by Lapland's exotic and stunning scenery, Hotel Igloo Village Kakslauttanen offers 31 first-class log cabins in Lapland. Hotel Igloo Village Kakslauttanen is located in the Saariselka fell area amidst beautiful Finnish Lapland scenery in the vicinity of Urho Kekkonen National Park along the road leading to Nordkap and the Arctic Ocean. Just look at these pictures to see how stunning this place is...

Imagine yourself sleeping in an Igloo made of Snow. It is totally quiet. Lights inside ice illuminate the Igloo. These make the atmosphere so exciting that never get bored of marvelling it, until you fall to deep, comfortable sleep in your warm down sleeping bag.

When sleeping in the Glass Igloos the customer is able to marvel the amazing northern lights and the millions of stars in the sky. The experience is also unforgettable when there is a snowstorm.

 

Kakslauttanen is a cool place for seeing the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, as in the area there are not so many electric lights outside and it is north enough so that the probability of them is very high from late August to late April.

Here is a map of the area and its amenities...

Emerald Lake Lodge Canada

Emerald Lake Lodge Hotel in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada features 85 guest rooms in cabin style buildings and the historic main lodge on the shores of Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. Built of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces, Emerald Lake Lodge includes a formal dining room, quiet reading and sitting rooms, conference facilities and a games room and boasts stunning views.



Emerald Lake Lodge is enhanced by an oak bar salvaged from an 1890's Yukon saloon.   The historical lodge offers a true escape from the hectic pace of modern life - There are no televisions and no internet access in any of the rooms.  There is no mobile phone reception in the entire area of Yoho National Park.

 

 

 

 

Emerald Lodge Games Room
The games room has billiards, chess, board games and the lodge's only television while the lakeside fire pit offers a bonfire under the stars with hot chocolate and the aromas of the forest.

Emerald Lake Lodge Dining
Dining facilities available at the lodge are the Mt. Burgess dining room with lots of game and indigenous fruits, vegetables and berries on the menu, and Cilantro on the lake, with its own well stocked wine cellar complete with a tasting area offering a selection of wines from France, California and Canada. Also the Kicking Horse Saloon offers the perfect place to unwind and is enhanced by an original wood bar from the Yukon, circa 1890.



Emerald Lake Lodge, Canada - Travel Video

Emerald Lake Lodge Features

• Stunning outdoor hot tub offers a dazzling view of Emerald Lake
• Romantic firepit which is amazing in the evening to truly appreciate the beauty and serenity of the area
• Fitness room and dry sauna are available for our guests to enjoy all day long

 Emerald Lake Lodge Firepit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emerald Lake Lodge Location

Emerald Lake Lodge is located 20 minutes West of Lake Louise in Yoho National Park (2.5 hours from Calgary International Airport). Take the Trans Canada Highway heading West towards Field and Golden BC. The turnoff to Emerald Lake Lodge is located 1km on the highway past Field, BC. Follow the road for 6km until you see a sign that says "Overnight Guest Parking".

Turn left into the parking lot. In the parking lot is a cabin. Use the telephone in the cabin to call the front desk to have the shuttle pick you up and bring you to the main lodge. For transportation from Calgary to the mountains, and around the mountain areas, contact Banff Transportation.


Emerald Lake Lodge Map


View Larger Map

Final Note

• Emerald Lake Lodge will be closed for maintenance from 11am April 12, 2010 until April 23, 2010 at 4pm.
• The lodge will be closed for maintenance from 11am October 13, 2010, reopening at 4pm, November 17, 2010. 

For more information and bookings visit the Emerald Lake Lodge website