The Best Luxury Ski Resorts in the World (2026–27), and Who Each Suits
There is no single best ski resort, only the best one for how you ski and how you spend the evening. These are the resorts we plan most, what each does best, and when each opens in 2026–27.
- In North America: Aspen for glamour and four mountains, Jackson Hole for serious terrain, Whistler Blackcomb for scale and a pedestrian village.
- In the Alps: Courchevel for the 600 km of Les 3 Vallées, St. Moritz for the Engadine and its winter of events, Verbier for serious terrain, Zermatt for the Matterhorn and a car-free village, Cortina for the Dolomites.
- In Japan, Niseko for some of the lightest powder anywhere; in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile from June to October.
- The first to open in 2026–27 is Whistler (target 20 November), then Aspen and Snowmass on Thanksgiving Day, 26 November.
- A catered luxury chalet starts from around US$2,000 per night in Switzerland and the Rockies; the finest book up to a year ahead.
The short answer
The best luxury ski resorts in the world are the ones that match the trip. For glamour and choice, Aspen; for scale with a family, Whistler Blackcomb; for sheer skiing, Courchevel in Les 3 Vallées; for a place as much as a mountain, St. Moritz; for the Dolomites after the 2026 Olympics, Cortina d'Ampezzo; and for powder, Niseko in Japan. Below, who each suits, when each opens in 2026–27 and how to get there.
North America
- Aspen Snowmass, Colorado — glamour and four mountains: Snowmass for families, Buttermilk for beginners, Aspen Mountain and Highlands for experts, more than 5,700 acres in all. Aspen Mountain and Snowmass open on 26 November 2026, Thanksgiving Day; the airport is 3 miles from town. Aspen and Rockies guide.
- Jackson Hole, Wyoming — serious terrain and Western character. Opens on 27 November 2026.
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia — one resort on two mountains, 8,171 acres and more than 200 runs, around a pedestrian village; Whistler Blackcomb describes itself as the largest ski resort in North America. Target opening 20 November 2026; about two hours by road from Vancouver. Whistler or Aspen for a family.
The Alps
- Courchevel, France — the skiing itself: 150 km of its own marked slopes inside the 600 km of Les 3 Vallées, villages built for skiing in and out, and an altiport at 2,006 metres. Open from 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027.
- St. Moritz, Switzerland — the Engadine town where winter tourism began in 1864, host of the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics, with polo and White Turf racing on its frozen lake. Corviglia runs from 28 November 2026 to 4 April 2027; about three hours from Zurich. Courchevel or St. Moritz.
- Verbier, Switzerland — serious terrain and a lively scene. Open from 5 December 2026 to 25 April 2027.
- Zermatt, Switzerland — the Matterhorn and a car-free village, and the start of the Glacier Express to St. Moritz. Switzerland ski guide.
- Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy — host of women's alpine skiing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, with 120 km of its own runs inside Dolomiti Superski's 1,200 km, in a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. The Dolomiti Superski pass runs from 28 November 2026 to 2 May 2027. Cortina and the Dolomites.
Japan and the Southern Hemisphere
- Niseko, Japan — four resorts on one mountain in Hokkaido and, in Niseko United's words, some of the driest, lightest powder in the world; 13.5 metres of snow last winter. All four open on 28 November 2026, with peak season from 24 December to 28 February. Niseko guide.
- Chile — Valle Nevado, La Parva and El Colorado above Santiago, and Portillo, the first ski resort in South America; the season runs from June to October, with July and August the best months. Luxury skiing in Chile.
How to choose
Start from the skier and the non-skier. Strong skiers who want mileage choose Courchevel or Whistler; families with young children, Snowmass or Whistler; couples who want events and evenings, St. Moritz or Cortina; powder hunters, Niseko in January and February. If one of you doesn't ski, see the best resorts for a non-skier, and for every opening date, the 2026–27 ski season guide.
What it starts from
As a luxury advisory we quote a from-price, not a final one. Indicatively, a catered luxury chalet starts from around US$2,000 per night in Switzerland and the Rockies, rising sharply for the finest chalets in peak weeks; elsewhere, a luxury ski stay starts from around US$1,000 per person per night, and your advisor quotes the home once the dates and the party are known. The finest chalets in every resort book up to a year ahead. To begin, speak with an advisor.
Questions, answered.
In North America, Aspen, Jackson Hole and Whistler Blackcomb; in the Alps, Courchevel, St. Moritz, Verbier, Zermatt and Cortina d'Ampezzo; in Japan, Niseko; and in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile's resorts above Santiago and Portillo. There is no single best: Courchevel and Whistler for mileage, Aspen and St. Moritz for glamour and evenings, Snowmass and Whistler for families, Niseko for powder.
In the Alps, St. Moritz, where winter tourism began in 1864 and the frozen lake hosts polo and horse racing, and Courchevel, part of the 600 km of Les 3 Vallées with an altiport at 2,006 metres. In North America, Aspen. Which feels more glamorous depends on whether you value the town and its events or the skiing and the chalet.
Snowmass, in Aspen, where 95% of the lodging is ski-in, ski-out, children six and under ski free and kids' lessons run to age 17; and Whistler Blackcomb, with its pedestrian village and teen lessons for ages 13 to 18. In the Alps, our Switzerland guide recommends Zermatt and Gstaad for families. We add private instructors so mixed abilities ski together.
For powder, Niseko in Japan: Niseko United recorded 13.5 metres of snow last winter, 6.2 metres of it in January, and describes its snow as some of the driest and lightest in the world. In the Alps and the Rockies, January and February bring the most reliable snow, and March the best balance of snow and sunshine.
Whistler Blackcomb targets 20 November 2026; Aspen Mountain and Snowmass open on 26 November, Thanksgiving Day; Jackson Hole on 27 November; St. Moritz's Corviglia and Niseko on 28 November; Courchevel on 4 December; and Verbier on 5 December. The Dolomiti Superski pass, which covers Cortina, runs from 28 November 2026 to 2 May 2027.
As an indicative guide, a catered luxury chalet starts from around US$2,000 per night in Switzerland and the Rockies, rising sharply for the finest chalets in peak weeks such as Christmas, New Year and February. Elsewhere, a luxury ski stay starts from around US$1,000 per person per night, and your advisor quotes the home once the dates and the party are known. The finest chalets in every resort book up to a year ahead.
In Chile, where the season runs from June to October and July and August are the best months, according to Chile's official tourism board. Valle Nevado, La Parva and El Colorado sit above Santiago, and Portillo, about two hours away, was the first ski resort in South America. Across the Andes, Bariloche skis on Cerro Catedral in the same window.
Switzerland
See the collection →Tell a private advisor how you like to travel — no quotes, no obligation.
Begin Your Private Consultation
