The European ski season will soon be hotting up – for want of a better phrase – and even if it’s freezing outside, the scene inside, and on the slopes, will certainly be sizzling.
 

Wherever you decide to head there are few better options than France, Switzerland and Italy’s most luxurious resorts to mix the elegance and comfort of the world’s best hotels, the most efficient lifts and talented instructors, plus an A-list crowd.
 

Courchevel

France’s Courchevel is a collection of resorts that get more exclusive with altitude. Courchevel 1850, 1650, 1550 and 1300 reflect their respective elevations, and even though they have their own names many still know them by these numbers.
 

Part of Les Trois Vallées, the linked skiing areas form the largest resort in the world, and with France’s highest density of luxury hotel accommodation outside of Paris there are certainly many rooms and suites to help the weary skier relax after a day out in the cold. The very best rooms can remain elusive of course – unless you book ahead or have some good connections.
 

Aman Le Mélézin - Image courtesy of Aman Resorts
 

Aman Le Mélézin in Courchevel 1850 offers some of the most elegant accommodation and is set on the Bellecôte piste with ski-in/ski-out access. Cedar-panelled ceilings and walls lend a chic chalet atmosphere with picture windows affording dramatic views, and its atmospheric bar and stunning library are perfect for a signature cocktail in the evening.
 

No request is too small here, and although very French in feel, being part of the Singapore-based Aman group means the hotel has a pedigree in knowing how to meet any guest’s needs. Fly into Chambéry (Challes-Les-Eaux) airport and experience this luxury ski resort.
 

St. Moritz

If Switzerland appeals, why not try the world’s oldest ski resort at St. Moritz, which has a history as a winter sports destination going back to 1864? Twice the host of the Winter Olympics its elevation at 1856 metres is on a par with Courchevel’s highest resort and means that the sun is almost always shining.
 

St Moritz
 

Among the favourite places to stay is The Carlton, with its 60 suites all offering stunning views to Lake St. Moritz. The hotel, built in 1913 and thoroughly renovated in 2007, provides the best of old-world grandeur with subtle contemporary twists (and conveniences). From here explore the mountains close up and take a ride on the Bernina Express, with views that must be seen to be believed – from this, the highest rail line in the Alps. Fly privately into Samedan airport, just a ten-minute drive away from St Moritz.
 

Cortina D’Ampezzo

Moving over to Italy, towards its northeastern border, is its most luxurious ski resort, Cortina D’Ampezzo. Simply known as Cortina – and also the “Queen of the Dolomites” – it has been much filmed, providing the backdrop to classics like The Pink Panther and For Your Eyes Only.
 

Cortina D’Ampezzo
 

With its medieval history (both Austria and the Republic of Venice laid claim to it) the resort offers a slightly different feel to its larger, showier European cousins, with the tranquility of a small town. That is not to say luxury is not on offer, and a loyal following from Italian society return each year to sample its charms, often staying at either the Grand Hotel Savoia or the Cristallo. Book private flights to Treviso airport and arrive at the ski slopes in style.
 

The Cristallo
 

Whatever scene you prefer, from the calm and sedate to the decidedly party-friendly, Europe has a destination to suit, with beautiful places to stay and scenery that will leave you as exhilarated as the on-piste action.