Best Ritz-Carlton Ski Hotels – Luxury Travel Diary

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Oct 8 2023, 6:46 am

Unlike the five best Four Seasons Ski hotels, there are only three Ritz-Carlton ski hotels. If you want to expand your options to see the best Marriott ski hotels umbrella, take a look at the best St. Regis ski hotels, too, as the St. Regis brand also has two ski hotels in Aspen and Deer Valley.

Although none of the branded ski hotels outlined above (with the exception of Four Seasons Megeve) are set in Europe, we have reviewed the best ski hotels in Europe separately in case you want to ski in the Alps. The best ski hotels here are family-owned and not part of a big brand. This list includes two of our favorite ski hotels in the world.

Here are the best Ritz-Carlton ski hotels. All are fantastic, and if you want free breakfast for two, a room upgrade (subject to availability), resort credit, and more don’t forget to book via our luxury travel concierge.

1. The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch

Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is a palatial ski-in ski-out resort. Its slopeside location is incredible, and this hotel, in effect, has its own private mountain with ski runs that are mainly populated by guests of the hotel.

The brilliant slopeside location means that the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is relatively isolated, and although it can be found near Beaver Creek, the hotel is not in Beaver Creek, so if you like a walk around town, this may not be the hotel for you.

Even though this is a stunning property, it’s located in a quiet area and offers the worst location for village access but perhaps the best for mountain access. Although the hotel is some distance from Vail and Beaver Creek, it is ski-in and ski-out using its own lift with a wonderful fireside bar at the base of the lift. Because of its isolated location, Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch offers a free shuttle into Beaver Creek (every 10 minutes) and shuttles to Vail Village for shopping too.

Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is very luxurious. The staff are not quite as slick as those at the Four Seasons, which is up the road, but this very definitely remains an impressive five-star hotel and your best option in this region for true ski in-ski out.

The look is an old-world American log cabin with stone walls, exposed beams, leather furnishings, and roaring open fires. There’s a great atmosphere here in season with vibrant bars and a packed outside terrace with live music. We particularly like how the hotel embraces the outside with its slopeside Fireside bar, which sits at the base of the ski lift. This is a great place to watch skiers return while warming your hands near the flames.

The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch was recently refurbished. Rooms have a traditional look using natural tones, wood furnishings, and a grey, white, and oatmeal color palette. The mountain is brought into the room with pictures showing mountain deer. The rooms are large, and the look is classy. We particularly like the large windows which lead out onto the balcony. Many have unobstructed views of the mountain.

The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch has a large lap-style pool that steams in the winter. While the pool is a decent size, it is not particularly original in design or character.

There is only one excellent club lounge in Vail and Beaver Creek, the club level at Ritz Carlton, which has terrific views of the mountains. Food in the club lounge here is excellent, with a full breakfast and superb food presentations throughout the day. The club lounge is a reason to stay here, although it comes at the price of a club room, which is a bit more expensive than your standard room.

The Ritz-Carlton spa is also exceptional. Tucked within Beaver Creek Mountain, the resort spa offers a 21,000 ft² retreat inspired by its surroundings. Signature treatments incorporate locally sourced herbs, plants, and minerals, including activated charcoal sourced in Colorado mines. They address aches and concerns faced by skiers who spend their days on the slopes. The spa oasis features 19 treatment rooms, relaxation lounges with steam rooms, saunas, plunge pools, and a stone-lined coed grotto.

If you’re in the Vail and Bachelor Gulch area and want to find the best hotel for your family, we’ve created a more detailed review comparing Four Seasons Vail Vs. Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch.

2. The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe

Our number two choice for the best Ritz-Carlton ski hotel is the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe. This hotel offers a breathtaking location mid-mountain on NorthStar California Resort. This Ritz-Carlton hotel offers direct ski-in/ski-out access to the slopes in the winter and an intimate Lake Club experience on the North Shore in the summer.

With 181 rooms, this resort caters to its numerous guests well with great rooms offering lovely balcony views, a wonderful spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, seasonal dining experiences, great hikes around the resort, and a gondola ride that will take you to Northstar restaurants and shopping.

Winter enthusiasts enjoy ski-in/ski-out access, snowshoeing, and an ice-skating rink in the Village at Northstar, with après-ski cocktails and home-style dishes available at the Backyard Bar & BBQ. A highlight for most guests is a cocktail at the outdoor fire pit. The hotel provides a complimentary s’mores kit to roast on the fire.

3. Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

While there are more luxury ski hotels in North America and Europe, Japan also has some mountains to ski on. The Niseko United ski area is known for the quality and quantity of its snow and has long been a destination for devout skiers. The mountains offer an average annual snowfall of 60 feet, making them ideal for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and more.

Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is located in Hokkaido, Japan’s wild and scenic northern island. This hotel offers private touring in Sapporo and Otaru, skiing, snowboarding, and other outdoor pursuits at legendary Niseko.

Embrace solitude on a mountain trek or discover the healing powers of Japan’s hot springs at this alpine retreat dedicated to nature at this stunning ski-in/ski-out property. Surrounded by more than 2,100 acres of skiable terrain, with groomed slopes and backcountry trails, you have the ideal setting for skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.

Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.