The world’s most in-demand ski resorts have always faced their share of complications, namely challenging geographic barriers and inconsistent weather patterns. (Imagine facing the disappointment of international guests who, after spending five figures on non-refundable reservations, arrive to encounter suboptimal ski conditions or closed roadways.)
Now, in the age of Covid-19, notable ski resorts are bracing for an exceptionally uncertain ski season, given the ever-changing restrictions and circumstances. Most notably, scores of Europe’s leading luxury ski resorts remain in limbo, balancing plans for the upcoming season in the face of an uncertain future.
Wait-and-See in Europe
FORESTIS, a hideaway in the Italian Dolomites that opened in July, offers an atypical ski-in/ski-out experience. Perhaps the most exciting new opening in the Alps this year, FORESTIS has already hosted the famous mountaineer
Reinhold Messner,
who has raved about the idyllic setting.
The spacious format, including a restaurant designed like a theater, offers ample space and privacy to guests, as do terraces, gardens, and a nature-focused spa. The 62-unit resort is planning to open for its ski season on Dec.r 17, but is waiting in limbo as government regulations yet to be announced due to concerns over rising Covid-19 numbers after skiing holidays.
For the highly rated Maisons et Hôtels Sibuet in Megève, this will be the first time in 30 years not having guests for Christmas, as the French government has put a halt on operations until Jan. 20. The family-run hotel is located in the Alps of southeastern France, near the Italian and Swiss borders, and emerged as a popular ski destination for the rich and famous.
“We are seeing many new booking requests from guests who used to stay in other destinations that are known for their après ski scenes and parties. Guests now seek the secluded aspect, distance, and safety,” says
Philippe Clarinval,
GM of the highly-rated Carlton Hotel in
St. Moritz,
the famously cosmopolitan Swiss resort town. “Some guests hesitate to confirm their bookings far in advance and are opting instead for short-term bookings because of the changing restrictions in the countries they are traveling from. When speaking to our hotelier colleagues in St. Moritz, we agree on the fact that the bookings this year will be much more short-term.”
The Kulm Hotel, a five-star St. Moritz institution offering close proximity to the St. Moritz–Corviglia funicular, reports an increased amount of short-term requests, with many guests preferring to make their final decisions at the last minute. In response, the hotel has amended its cancelation policy to allow for greater flexibility. Hotel management is confident that once travel restrictions are lifted, especially in neighboring countries, it will see an increase in bookings, noting how many of its loyal customers won’t mind having to quarantine after returning home as long as they can get their skiing fix.
Across the country in the heart of the Swiss Alps, the Chedi Andermatt reports a dramatic increase in local guests, due in part to friendlier-than-usual cancellation policies. The Chedi, which offers ski butlers and a skating rink in its courtyard, is proceeding in the face of an uncertain start to 2021 by offering three-night ski packages from January onward.
Reliance on More Local Travelers and Changing Rules in Canada
Leading ski resorts in Canada, faced with the reality of indefinitely closed U.S. borders, have had to rely on domestic guests in an unprecedented manner.
The Post Hotel & Spa, a Relais & Chateaux property in scenic
Lake Louise,
in the heart of Alberta’s Banff National Park, has been limited to regional guests, with winter bookings slower than usual thus far.
Over in Whistler, British Columbia, visitors are required to reserve their time on Whistler Mountain, with bookings opening a week in advance. At the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, new changes can be found at the ski concierge, which will only store skis this year as boots, boot fitting, and other equipment will be stored in guest rooms. Guests looking forward to celebratory s’mores by the resort’s big fire pit instead will fill one of the newly created fire pits featuring extended operating hours to ensure each group can have its own space.
Alaska Attracts More Americans
The Sheldon Chalet in Alaska’s Denali National Park and direct transfers.
Sheldon Chalet
With travelers unable to head to their favorite ski destinations in Europe, Alaska has become a compelling alternative for Americans, especially for its smaller, bespoke offerings that provide a stark alternative to crowded ski resorts. This ski season, Alaska’s heli and backcountry skiing offerings are receiving increased interest.
Due to its remote location in Alaska’s Denali National Park and direct transfers, the Sheldon Chalet never had to close during 2020, though one major change came in May, when the Chalet became available for exclusive buyouts only. By offering three-night packages costing around $35,000 for two guests, the owners of the 2- year-old property were hesitant to see how the rest of 2020 would play out. (Packages include a helicopter “flightseeing” tour, gourmet meals, five-bedroom luxe accommodations, all gear and equipment, and more.)
“We’ve seen a significant increase in new reservations for winter 2020 and a surge of inquiries and bookings for 2021,” co-owner
Marne Sheldon
says. “Changing our offering to only private, exclusive experiences and adjusting our rates to make that experience more attractive to smaller groups and couples had a huge effect on increasing travelers comfort for health and safety. And our natural setting offers travelers the opportunity to experience luxury of grand proportions in a remote, isolated, and pristine environment.”
Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, an upscale destination with world-class heli-skiing 60 miles west of Anchorage, enjoyed a successful summer season at full capacity with no reported Covid cases. New safety policies are being implemented for the ski season, including an on-site BD Veritor Plus System that will facilitate rapid Covid-19 testing of staff, with results available in 15 minutes; this will also be available for guests experiencing any symptoms. Staff live on-property and are fully quarantined before guests arrive, there are low guest numbers (max of 12 guests per week in the largest lodge), and no commingling is allowed between lodges.
“Socially distanced bucket list trips are on the rise for 2021, and U.S. destinations are taking the front seat due to limited international travel,” says owner and heliski pioneer Mike Overcast. He adds “These remote, far-flung locations seem to be more desirable than city trips this coming year, and our inquiries certainly reflect this. We have already seen 75% of our heli-ski season, which starts in February, booked out for 2021, and a large uptick in summer inquiries by families, especially buyouts on larger cabins.”
Overcast, a pioneer in the world of heli-skiing, opened the lodge in 2006 with Olympic gold medalist
Tommy Moe
; the lodge owns and operates its own helicopters and hires expert guides to provide guests with world-class helicopter-based adventure experiences.
Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, an upscale destination 60 miles west of Anchorage, offers with world-class heli-skiing.
Tordrillo Mountain Lodge
Elsewhere in the U.S.
Aspen, Colo., is open for business for the 2020/21 season; all of its hotels and condominium properties are open and have the option to open at 100% capacity, though many are operating at 75% or less to accommodate enhanced cleaning protocols. Various authorities report business has been brisk, with a trend for much shorter booking windows (i.e. often only a day or two in advance) compared to a traditional ski season.
The globally renowned ski destination has passed a mask ordinance that has been extended until May 2021, ensuring they are required in all indoor facilities as well as outdoors in the downtown area. Signage around town includes “Would you get 6-feet from a mountain lion?” and “Keep the distance of a ski from others, so we can keep on skiing.”
The Aspen community is participating in a SOS (“Save Our Season”) campaign, encouraging locals and visitors to be diligent in order to keep the mountains open this winter.
The town’s newest luxury accommodations, the Aspen Street Lodge, is opening this month, though it’s only accepting buyouts to start. The 10-room lodge comfortably accommodates 22 people or more with children; rates start at $30,000/night in the winter and more during the festive season.
“Typically Aspen is an international destination during the ski season, and with strict global travel restrictions currently in place, we’re unable to welcome back our normal visitors from around the world,” says
Lou Eppelsheimer,
director of sales and marketing at The Gant, one of Aspen’s most notable luxury ski resorts. “That means town is a bit quieter than usual and affords domestic travelers an exceptional opportunity to have the slopes all to themselves this year.”
The Gant offers myriad private winter experiences, appealing to travelers looking to enjoy the destination’s highlights while isolating from others. Options include dog sled tours, heli-snowmobiling excursions, and ice-karting.
Interest for bookings has increased for the ski season at Grand Hyatt
Vail,
a winter playground at the base of Vail Mountain. The resort, which offers Vail’s only resort-side open air quad chair lift, is an example of a destination ski resort that has been able to cater to serious skiers looking to work remotely from a world-class ski destination.
“However the uncertainty [regarding travel] has impacted the resort, which is down 30%-40% overall for the upcoming winter months as compared to this time last year,” says
Dan Johnson,
the resort’s GM. “Overall, the travelers’ length of stay has increased to four-plus nights as people look to physically distance and work/play remotely..”
Montage Deer Valley, one of Utah’s most esteemed luxury resorts, offers a coveted location atop Park City’s Empire Pass, complete with ski-in/ski-out accessibility. This ski season, the one major change is that guests do have to purchase their lift tickets ahead of time. The resort reports shorter booking windows, with guests asking for more flexibility; in response, the cancellation window has been reduced to 7 days for January through the end of the ski season (holidays excluded). And all Montage Deer Valley guests receive 30-day complimentary access to One Medical for seamless virtual care.
After a long day of skiing, guests can dine away from the crowds on Tsar
Nicoulai
Caviar or Valrhona chocolate fondue in their own private igloo.
