Five Wonderful Family-Friendly Winter Resorts

Great kid-friendly winter resorts By Rowena Carr-Allinson

Family-Friendly Resorts

One of the world’s top hotels for families according to Travel Leisure, the ski-in/ski-out St. Regis Deer Valley is tucked into the mountainside with easy access to Deer Valley’s 2,000 acres of slopes. You’ll find a private ski beach, split-level infinity pool and a huge spa on site. There’s also a games room, family yoga sessions, derby racing, S’mores making and sampling, kite flying, and the Elite Explorers (ages 5-12) for a first taste of mountaineering adventures. Book a standard room with two queen beds or a suite with full kitchen amenities for a little independence.

Viceroy Hotel & Resort, Snowmass, Colorado

Viceroy Hotel & Resort (Stowe Mountain Lodge)

Brilliantly located at the foot of the slopes in Snowmass Village, the ski-in/ski-out Viceroy Hotel & Resort gives families easy access to Aspen’s four skiable mountains, with Snowmass and Buttermilk being the best for kids and beginners. Snowmass also has an incredible Treehouse Kids Adventure Center where you’ll find the ski and snowboard school, crèche and play areas. It’s not all about skiing though, at the hotel you can take a dip in the heated saline pool, hit the gym, relax in the beautiful spa, dine at Eight K or at the Nest Poolside Café. Prefer to cook? The 173-roomy accommodations come with full kitchens as well as fireplaces, sundecks, lovely bathrooms, washers/dryers, and all the necessary gadgets.

Stowe Mountain Lodge, Vermont

Stowe Mountain Lodge (Viceroy)

Set in one of New England’s most beautiful spots, at the base of Mount Mansfield, the ski-in/ski-out Stowe Mountain Lodge is a 300-room, six-story Alpine style lodge. All the rooms come with grandiose views and amenities such as marble bathrooms with environmentally friendly products, goose down duvets, LCD flat screen TVs, WIFI, iPod docking stations, and MP3 hook-ups as well as fireplaces and kitchenettes with stoves, microwaves and dishwashers. The two- or three-bedroom suites are ideal for families, while rollaway beds and cribs are available for a fee. For those looking for more, the spa, 25-yard outdoor heated pool, two Jacuzzis and Game Room are a real treat.

South Lake Tahoe, Aston Lakeland Village Beach & Mountain Resort, California

Aston Lakeland Village Beach & Mountain Resort (Aston)

Set amidst the rolling woodlands of South Lake Tahoe, Aston Lakeland Village Beach & Mountain Resort is just 60 miles away from Reno and in a prime location for visiting Heavenly Mountain Resort. With private shuttles to the slopes, this 206-room resort features ‘town homes’ with fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, private balconies, TVs with HBO, DVD players, and daily housekeeping. The resort also has a handy snack bar, two heated swimming pools, sauna and Jacuzzi as well as tennis courts, walking paths, and a ski shop on site. Kids will appreciate the adjacent pancake restaurant too. The kids’ club activities only run throughout the summer.

(MORE: Find amazing ski resorts to visit this winter.)

Fairmont Chateau Hotel Whistler, Whistler, Canada

Fairmont Chateau Hotel Whistler (Fairmont)

Just below Blackcomb Mountain, the Fairmont Chateau Hotel Whistler is ideally located for the village and the slopes. Rooms come with all the usual frills including complimentary WIFI, coffee and tea facilities and TVs featuring on-demand movies and video games. Cribs, connecting rooms and babysitters are available, while little travelers will receive children’s bathrobes and welcome Babies & Tots Kit including Ollie the Otter. With five on-site restaurants there are plenty of choices for hungry guests! Even better, under 5s eat free off from the kids menu (6-12 for half price) at The Wildflower. Away from the slopes, you’ll find biking, hiking, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowshoeing and a lap pool, holistic Vida spa, steam room, sauna, and hot tubs to relax in.

Rowena Carr-Allinson contributed this to MiniTime.