|
Your Romance Will Head Uphill at These Downhill Ski ResortsSki America & Canada Experts Rank the Top 10 Resorts for Loversby Charles LeochaJust imagine relaxing in front of a flickering fireplace, eating elegant meals by candlelight, taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride, and sharing beautiful mountain vistas with your significant other. Sound romantic and perfect for Valentine's Day?
Ski America & Canada's award-winning contributors present resorts that offer the perfect combination of dreamlike atmosphere and picture-perfect views together with beautiful lodging, cozy dining, charming towns and picturesque trails where couples can ski or snowboard together. For romantic resorts in the West, Crested Butte, Sun Valley, Banff/Lake Louise, Deer Valley, and Taos top the list. In the East, they recommend lovers head to Quebec City, the Balsams Grand Resort, Stowe, Tremblant or Bretton Woods to find the perfect wintertime setting to heat up romance. A new website, Resortspace.com, provides all the information needed to plan the perfect romantic getaway. Based on Ski America & Canada, this new Web site includes details on the lodging, restaurants, dining and activities at more than 50 of the top destination resorts across North America. According to Charles Leocha, the editor in chief, "Resortspace.com gives much more than mere statistics such as the number of trails and vertical feet." He continues, "This site paints a complete picture with images, insights, flavor and prices that bring you the true personality of every resort. And phone numbers are included, too, to make things simpler." Most Romantic in the West
Sun Valley, Idaho, has long been one of the most romantic destinations in the country since it was created over a half-century ago. Resortspace.com states, "Sun Valley has a European accent mixed with the Wild West." Banff/Lake Louise, set in the midst of the majestic Canadian Rockies, blends great ski areas with a delightful town filled with gourmet restaurants and the palatial Château Lake Louise.
Taos, N.M., is a " little piece of the Alps" that combines the magic of the Southwest with the joy of skiing. The ski area provides high altitude trails and panoramic vistas across the brown desert below. The town is filled with adobe inns and cutting-edge dining experiences. Alyeska in Alaska, Santa Fe in New Mexico, Alta in Utah, the Lake Tahoe
Region in California and Nevada and Beaver Creek in Colorado complete the rest
of the top 10 in the West. Most Romantic in the East
The Balsams Grand Resort, in far northern New Hampshire, is a step back in time to ornate elegance. The impeccable service, period rooms, exquisite dining accompanied by piano and strings and with its virtually private ski area makes this a difficult location to surpass when searching for the perfect romantic weekend. Stowe, Vt., offers the quintessential New England experience with white-steepled churches, quaint general stores and traditional, cozy bed and breakfasts. Tremblant, about two hours north of Montréal, has crafted a new mountain village with atmosphere in "18th Century French town style, based on the narrow streets, old buildings, cozy restaurants and quanit shops of Old Quebec City."
Jackson in New Hampshire, Mad River Valley in Vermont, Lake Placid in New York, Sugarloaf in Maine, and Stratton in Vermont round out the top 10 in the East. Ski America & Canada, published by World Leisure ($24.95), is the leading guidebook to destination winter resorts in North America. It is available in bookstores, through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. With www.resortspace.com, you'll be linked with the award-winning journalists who create Ski America & Canada and Ski Europe. Most Romantic in the West
Most Romantic in the East
|
|
TM
It is and can be found at ski resorts across North America, according to the experts who regularly update Ski America & Canada, the country's best selling ski guide, and its Web site,
In Crested Butte, Colo., according to the Web site, "the charm is impossible to convey in words." The lamplit streets, gourmet restaurants and Old West buildings provide an unequaled romantic atmosphere. Combined with nearby Irwin Lodge, this town's heartbeat is perfect for romance.
Deer Valley, Utah, provides skiers with the best of service possible. The entire resort from its hotels and condos to its multifaceted trails reflects gracefulness and luxury. The editors note that in nearby Park City "the flamboyant atmosphere of the silver rush remains."
Quebec City, surrounded by the resorts of Mont-Ste.-Anne, Stoneham and Le Massif, provides a European atmosphere of narrow, cobblestone lanes, lamplit cafes, and French hotels where according to these experts, "Couples stroll arm and arm...Singles search for l'amour."
Bretton Woods with its Mount Washington Hotel, in New Hampshire, has brought historic romance back to life in the White Mountains. The refurbished grand hotel presents a movie-set dining room, classical and swing music, dancing through the night together with the state's largest ski resort.