Ski Accommodation

Few sports do classy as well as those on the snow. From apartments in Aspen to five star zzz's in Zermatt, these are the places to go if you want a taste of cold weather chic. James Bond, eat your heart out.

It's not just the chocolate-box chalets that get hearts racing in ski resorts. A new crop of urban, ultra-cool hangouts are tempting riders off the slopes early too. Better start saving now.

Let's face it, floor-to-ceiling windows are always going to work in a ski resort. Aside from the snowsports, the scenery is what we all go for.

That's why the new boom in hip ski hotels is so exciting. Why stay in a boring purpose- built place when you can stay in a serene dream? Ah, the price, I hear you cry. Well, if you pick well, you can even do James Bond style on a budget.

The first uber-hip ski (or, strictly speaking, snowboard) hotel to open up the Bond market to those with a budget slightly smaller than MI6, is the Riders' Palace in Laax, Switzerland. Built with vast slabs of concrete, using funky lighting to add texture and effect, this place is pure minimalism. Each of the rooms in this hi-tech hotel has Play- Stations, advanced sound systems, Internet access and videos, while suites also have plasma TV screens. There are bunk-rooms for those really counting their pennies, but it's only really the suites that are expensive. At weekends, top international DJs, live bands and dance acts spin their stuff at the Ministry of Sound-run Palace Club.

Neighbouring Saas Fee is another laid-back Swiss snowboarders' hotel, where a piano hangs suspended from the ceiling, black and white cowhide covers the furniture and banks of computer screens line the walls as in Riders' Palace; bedrooms are sleek and simple with plain pine floors and white eiderdowns, and of course, the obligatory PlayStation and CD players.

Another cutting-edge place to rest your head as you drink in floor-to-ceiling mountain views is Hotel Madelin in Ischgl, Austria. It may sound quaint and cutesy, but it's anything but. Just 100m away from some of the country's best runs, its simple, clean Zen lines contrast with the grandiose mountain scenery perfectly. Each room has a special feature so that you can take your pick depending on the type of atmosphere you're after. The 'fire room' is perfect for cruel days, a pure chill-out space to watch the fire dance. For those who prefer to chill out by being pampered there's an amazing spa and super-relaxing pool.

Not far away in St Anton, you'll find Hotel Lux, another light, airy bastion of minimalism. Each of the 26 rooms look like glass cubes and have floor-to-ceiling windows, modern art on the walls and chic modern furniture.

Stateside, there are also plenty of luxurious winter gems. Amangani in Jackson Hole, US is a huge departure from the town's traditional cowboy-style accommodation. Built on a ridge overlooking the spectacular Tetons, its sleek construction of glass, wood and sandstone houses vast halls, grand staircases and exposed brickwork. But, with faux bear-fur cushions and chamois leather chairs, you won't get chilly.

America 's home of luxe skiing, Aspen, is also home to a fair share of hotels that Moneypenny would have killed to stay in with James. The Sky Hotel is a luxuriously oversized place that makes you feel like Alice in Wonderland. Everything here is over the top, from the quilted white headboards to the faux fur throws and bottled oxygen in the mini bar.

But for the real, luxury mountainside retreat, head for the Alps, to the Eagle's Nest, a chic retreat that sits above Val d'Isère's legendary La Face run, offering guests spectacular views of the awesome mountain tops above and the cosy Alpine resort below. Built from hyper-expensive reclaimed timber, this 12-person ski chalet rede- fines the winter package holiday. With 650 square metres of space spread over four floors, it's the ultimate in luxury living. Added extras include a swimming pool, a sauna, a popup plasma screen TV, a cutting-edge sound system and a chef.


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