"Guests at this 181-room ski-in/ski-out newcomer are literally whisked into its air of exclusivity via a Swiss-built funicular with leather seating that scales the 230-vertical-foot ridge upon which the hotel is perched. Though the two-minute ride is a thrill, the tram’s raison d’être is more function than form: The 12-acre property is set in a gated enclave that’s accessible only by a private road or ski slope. For the latter, skiers coming down the Deer Hollow run have the option of sliding into the hotel’s ski valet station (where their every need is attended to by the crackerjack ski butlers) or pulling off for après fun at the full-service "ski beach," a 3,000-square-foot terrace with chaise longues and a 40-foot-long fire garden. Here revelers can soak up the sun, nibble on snacks from Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s J&G Grill (which houses a decadent 13,000-bottle wine cellar), or take in the panorama of the mountains above or the scene at the multilevel heated pool below. The design here avoids ski-lodge clichés but maintains splendid common areas, including a cozy library and a grand lobby decorated with stone and wood finishes and splashes of rich red and orange hues. The palette migrates into supremely comfortable guest rooms that are outfitted with custom dark wood furniture, coma-enducing beds, and classic marble bathrooms that include a 17-inch LCD TV embedded in the mirror."
