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Old Sep 23, 2012 | 9:44 am
  #16  
Andre
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Posts: 251
Some partly random thoughts

luxuryskifan,

Here are 3 more options.

2 are located in Zermatt, a truly unique ski destination - there is only 1 Matterhorn. Each offers a very different experience:
http://www.the-omnia.com/en/hotel/ (modern, in town)
http://www.riffelalp.com (chalet style, up on the slopes)

The third, which is only scheduled to open this November, is located in Val Thorens, the highest resort in the "3 Vallées" ski area that Courchevel is also part of:
http://en.altapura.fr/

If you are primarily going for the skiing and not shopping/walking/relaxing, I would probably rule out Megève and definitely eliminate Gstaad and Kitzbühel.

None of the towns in Val Gardena meet my definition of a "luxury" ski resort, same for Val d'Isère (or Val Thorens for that matter). Cortina is in a totallly different league, however I believe that the skiing is quite a bit better in Val Gardena, with more terrain and better lifts (only been there in the summer so far unfortunately).

Verbier has excellent challenging terrain, but is not that great for beginners IMO ( though the same could be said for Zermatt to a certain extent), and the town itself is not particularly attractive.

Lech/Zürs is a special area, low key but definitely upscale. Skiing is very good, but scenery is not tops.

Finally, there is also Eastern Switzerland with St. Moritz, surprised that no one has suggested it yet. Top hotels there are Badrutt's Palace, Kulm and Suvretta House. And finally finally you might want to consider the Tschuggen in Arosa:
http://en.tschuggen.ch/homepage/
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