The 8 Best Resorts for Ski-In, Ski-Out Lodging

Without further ado, let's take a look at some of the best ski-in, ski-out lodging across North America.

The following list represents the opinion of the author and is based on personal experiences, mountain statistics, vibes (we're getting really scientific here), and overall reputation. Enjoy.

1. Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico

Recommended Lodging: The Blake Hotel

Taos Ski Valley is a ski-in, ski-out haven with multiple on-mountain lodging opportunities scattered around the resort's village. While there are just a few spots where you can actually walk right out your door and pop on your skis, Taos' various hotels and condo buildings are mere steps from the slopes.

If you stay at The Blake, staff will store your skis overnight and put them out on a conveniently placed rack first thing in the morning. Meaning you only have to lug your skis the 15 steps from the end of the snow surface to the front door of the hotel. That's a luxury that's hard to beat after a long day of skiing Taos' famously steep terrain.

2. Whitefish Mountain Resort, Montana

Recommended Lodging: Morning Eagle

Whitefish Mountain Resort has quite a few options when it comes to ski-in, ski-out lodging that should work for most family's budgets. The resort has hundreds of hotel rooms, townhouse-style homes, and bonafide small mansions that are available to rent for your family or large group.

The majority of the on-mountain lodging is located on either side of the resort's Chair 4 Snow Ghost Express. Skiers can enjoy walking right out their front door, popping on their skis, hopping on Chair 4, and then immediately begin taking laps between Whitefish's iconic snow ghost trees. What more can you ask for?

3. Smugglers' Notch, Vermont

Recommend Lodging: The Aspens

Smugglers' Notch is quite different from most ski resort in the New England. Rather than just having one peak, Smuggs has three with varying levels of difficulty.

All of the resort's ski-in, ski-out lodging is located on Morse, the beginner mountain, but skiers and riders can enjoy unfettered access between Morse, Madonna, and Sterling Mountains through a network of traverse trails and chairlift rides. Morse is loaded with hundreds of rooms separated into different condo buildings. The buildings range in age, size, accommodations, and price

For example, a skier staying in the Aspen Highlands condos can reach Sterling Mountain and back without having to take a shuttle. Here's one possible route: Ride the Morse Highland lift located 20 steps from your condo, ski down to The Village Lift, ride The Village Lift, ski the Midway Trail to Madonna Lift, ride the Madonna Lift, and then ski down to Sterling. It's ski-in, ski-out at its finest.

4. Deer Valley Resort, Utah

Recommended Lodging: St. Regis, Deer Valley

Deer Valley is often considered the pinnacle of luxury ski experiences in North America. Isn't it fitting it has one of the most robust ski-in, ski-out lodging inventories in the world?

Nearly all of Deer Valley's properties, hotels, and other lodging accommodations could be considered ski-in, ski-out due to their close proximity to the resort's vast network of groomed trails. Fair warning, however, as none of these options remotely fit in the category of 'affordable', but skiers on a tight budget aren't usually visiting Deer Valley to begin with.

The crown jewel, if you will, is Deer Valley's St. Regis Hotel. This 5-star hotel features decadent rooms, lavish accommodations, and its very own funicular to ferry skiers to and from a lower parking lot. You will be hard-pressed to find a ski-in, ski-out experience more luxurious than at Deer Valley.

5. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

Recommended Lodging: Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Whistler Blackcomb is one of the most popular ski resorts in the world. According to Tourism Whistler, the town and surrounding areas have 150 hotels, condos, and chalets with more than 10,000 rooms. With this many options, it's possible to score a great deal on a condo a few blocks from the mountain, but this is ski-in, ski-out we're talking about here.

For the best ski-in, ski-out experience at Whistler, consider staying in Blackcomb's Base II or Whistler's Creekside Village. Despite Whistler's massive size, the ski resort gets busy, but staying in either of these locations should provide you with an advantage for those early-morning powder days.

6. Palisades Tahoe, California

Recommended Lodging: The Plump Jack Inn

When it comes to self-contained villages, Palisades Tahoe has one of the best. The footprint of the village itself isn't massive (yet), but there are plenty of lodging options just steps from chairlifts like KT-22, Red Dog, and The Gold Coast Funitel.

Our top pick for ski-in, ski-out lodging at Palisades Tahoe is The Plump Jack. The hotel is unassuming from the outside, but the charm of the nicely kept rooms, incredible food, and convenience to access the slopes is unmatched. 

7. Tamarack, Idaho

Recommend Lodging: The Village Condos

Tamarack is the newest ski resort on this list having just opened back in 2004. The resort has built up its base village in the time since to offer one of the most laid-back skiing experiences in the country.

Tamarack doesn't attract huge crowds, and its various slopeside lodging options are just a few steps from the base lifts. It's unlikely you'll ever have to wait in line at Tamarack, but if a powder day strikes, you'll be within a few dozen yards from hopping in line to cash in on the spoils.

8. Grand Targhee, Wyoming

Recommended Lodging: Teewinot Lodge

Grand Targhee, also known as the other side of the Tetons, is often overlooked by bigger and more popular ski resorts, but those folks don't know what they're missing.

With 500 inches of annual snowfall, slopeside lodging that's literally just steps away from the chairlifts, and a hot tub so close you can nearly smell the chlorine from the lift line, everything at Targhee is close and within reach. The resort's village is quite small, but the lively crowd of locals and tourists bring Targhee's watering holes to life each evening. Don't worry, you won't have to walk far to find your pillow after a long night in The Trap Bar and Grill.

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