Ski resorts with luxury hot tubs and mountain views

For some people, luxury accommodation with fine dining, sophisticated après-ski and, of course, great skiing is no longer enough. They need a ski trip with some of the world’s most scenic views and a hot tub from which to take it all in.

We’ve selected our favourite high-altitude hot tubs. Few hot tubs can compare to the scenic beauty of these ones, located in the finest ski resorts spanning the globe.

But, first some health and safety tips. Consider wearing a toque (or comfortable narrow-brim hat). Why? It’s cold in the winter and keeping your head and body warm is more comfortable. Sandals will help you to not drag dirt into the tub. Go slow on the alcoholic beverages. Because the warm water in a hot tub may cause your blood vessels to dilate, you get drunker faster.

Septième Ciel, Verbier, Switzerland

Verbier is home to some of the world’s most luxurious ski accommodations including Virgin boss Richard Branson’s ‘The Lodge’. But of the many wonderful spas in this famous ski resort, the tub at Septième Ciel, another remarkable chalet which is available to rent through IfYouSki has some of the best views.

The chalet, which sleeps up to 12 and costs from £15,450 to rent, is located on the Savoleyres side of Verbier high up above the resort. The hot tub’s lofty perch away from other man-made buildings and light pollution, boasts unobstructed views across the valley and gorgeous nighttime stargazing.

Deer Lodge, Lake Louise, Canada

Lake Louise has a reputation not only for world-class skiing but also for some of the most awe-inspiring views of the magnificent Canadian Rockies right from the slopes. But what if you would rather take the views in from a hot tub for a change?

Well thankfully one of the resort’s best-loved accommodations, Deer Lodge, has stepped up to the plate. More than a century after the hotel was first built from huge local tree trunks to make comfortable stays in Canada’s newly opened West a practical reality, the current operators have shown the same vision as its founders and built a hot tub on the roof.

Putting the tub up high gives users some wonderful 360 degree views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers including Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria and Mount Fairview and also provides for excellent stargazing on clear nights.

Rifugio Scoiattoli, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Take the Cinque Torri chairlift up from Italy’s chic Cortina ski resort and you’ll find the Rifugio Scoiattoli. Surrounded by the jaw-dropping scenery of the Italian Dolomites, this mountain restaurant was built at 2,255m in the late 1960s by famous mountain guide Lorenzo Lorenzi and is still run by members of his family.

You can eat lunch here or have an après ski dinner. If your dinner lingers over, you can either get a lift back down on a snowmobile or stay over in some basic but comfortable on-mountain accommodation.

However long you stay, the important thing is to take a dip in the amazing hot tub here and soak up the views of the gorgeous 5 Torri (five towers) peaks. The hot tub is in fact a giant wooden barrel heated by a wood burning stove underneath and you should call at least 24 hours ahead to book it. Overnight stays start at 54 Euros and include your evening meal and hot tub access.

Iglu Village, Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt is another one of the planet’s most iconic ski destinations for stunning scenery, with the mighty Matterhorn as its backdrop. There are more luxury accommodations here than almost any other ski resort, but for a truly unique hot tub experience — a rather different option is available.

Iglu Village is an award-winning chain of on-snow accommodations that are also actually built of snow above half-a-dozen of Europe’s top resorts every autumn. Each one takes around 3,000 tons of snow to build and they all open on Christmas Day each winter. Unlike the famous Ice Hotel in the Arctic circle of northern Sweden, the igloo villages provide separate snow rooms of various types including the ‘Romantic’ snow suites.

In the Zermatt Iglu Village you have the amazing opportunity of sinking into a hot tub located nearly 10,000 feet up, high above the village on the Gornergrat, opposite that world-famous peak. It doesn’t get much better.