iStock International
Southern Spain's Sierra Nevada region boasts great skiing and sights like the stunning Alhambra fortress
Zermatt
This world-renowned resort in southwestern Switzerland is a bit of a fantasyland: A ban on gas-powered cars creates a peaceful hush; skiers can schuss into Italy for a pasta lunch; streets are lined with glitzy shops and glamorous nightclubs; and the larger-than-life Matterhorn looms in the background. Zermatt is as fun as its neighbors, St. Moritz and Gstaad, but appreciably less flashy. While still pricey, it offers the best value. During the day, nonskiers can go tandem paragliding, shop the dozens of chic boutiques (wonderfully, the dollar is nearly equal to the Swiss franc), or visit the recently relocated Matterhorn Museum. Come nighttime – or if you want to follow local custom, late afternoon – order an Irish coffee at Elsie’s Bar, or stop in for mulled red wine at Igloo Bar, which is made almost entirely of ice.
Smart Splurge: Guests zip up to the lobby of the lofty Omnia, Zermatt's first design hotel, via a glass elevator cut into the mountainside. There are 30 large rooms and suites, a lovely indoor-outdoor pool, and an exceptional restaurant. From $449/night (7-night minimum from January through March); www.theomnia.com
Great Value: The small but airy Coeur des Alpes also has its own glass elevator-within-a-mountain entrance, as well as spectacular vistas from every room and suite. Last winter, the superpopular hotel unveiled six new lofts (which sleep two to four people), one penthouse flat (for four to six people), and an expanded spa. From $317/night; www.coeurdesalpes.ch
see previous page
Connect with Facebook