‘Tis the season for winter escapes and few places do snowy holidays better than Switzerland. Choose your adventure, from an intimate, luxury getaway in the quiet Val d’Anniviers to an affordable winter package and adrenaline-fueled fun in Zermatt, here are five reasons to pack your bags.
Better still, discover how you can win a free 1-week Swiss winter holiday.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Whether your resolutions are about reducing stress, shaving strokes off your golf game, enhancing knowledge of history, improving your ski skills, or rekindling romance, Marriott Hotels & Resorts offer a variety of packages to keep you motivated.
New Year’s Resolution #1: Stress-reduction therapy
Escape the everyday and experience a world of serenity at The Spa at Doral and Pritikin Longevity Center at The Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort in Miami, FL (Promotion code SPA).
Now through October 28, 2011, get away from it all with a package that includes the choice of a Doral Massage, Citrus Mango Body Scrub, Shirodhara, Doral Custom Facial, Express Manicure & Express Pedicure or Personal Training; a full breakfast buffet per person per night; complimentary access to spa facility; and unlimited use of spa fitness center and classes. Rates start at $149 per person, per night;$199 per person, single occupancy. For details, call (305) 592-2000 or visit www.doralmarriott.com.
New Year’s Resolution #2: Grand golf and commemoration of the Civil War
The venerable Dogwood and Azalea courses at Lakewood Golf Club have hosted President Gerald Ford, Dr. Billy Graham and Bob Hope and remain showcases for great golf in the South. Golf enthusiasts can discover the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail with The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa’s Escape! Package (promotional code SPO), which runs through October 28, 2011. Enjoy a deluxe room that includes one round of golf for two. Both the Dogwood and Azalea courses offer golf instruction to help hone your skills. Rates start at $239 per room, per night. For details, call (251) 928-9201 or visit www.marriottgrandspa.com.
What better place to learn about America’s past while playing outstanding golf than at The Grand on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, with commemorations scheduled from 2011 through 2015. The property first opened in 1847 as a Southern resort, but later became a Confederate hospital guarded by the Alabama Infantry and fired upon by Union troops. A Confederate cemetery is adjacent to the grounds near the Lakewood Golf Club. To honor the Grand’s military history, a patriotic procession travels through the resort each afternoon, culminating with the firing of an 1840’s-era cannon. The military salute is followed by afternoon tea in the hotel’s lobby.
New Year’s Resolution #3: Skiers’ paradise
Practice makes perfect. Now through April 23, 2011, ski buffs looking to improve their skills can take advantage of a special package at the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort in Colorado (for 14 of the past 20 years, Vail has dominated as SKI Magazine’s No. 1 U.S. ski resort). The Stay More, Pay Less! package (promotional code SKI) includes daily lift tickets and resort accommodations. Vail’s Ski and Snowboard School offers private and group lessons and schools for adults, teens and children. Call 1-970-ski-vail or visit www.vail.com. After a day on the slopes, relax in one of the resort’s heated pools or whirlpools. Rates range from $185 per room, per night, for a seven-night stay to $257 per room, per night, for a three-night stay. The offer is blacked out April 17-18. For details, call (970) 476-4444 or visit www.vailmarriott.com.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Meet K2 designers and try unreleased test skis and prototypes for the 2011-2012 season. This limited adventure from Canadian Mountain Holidays is perfect for people who love heli-skiing and testing new products.
Join CMH Heli-Skiing and K2 Skis this winter (March 12 - 19, 2011) and be among the first to test out K2’s upcoming line of 2011-12 skis. You will have access to a variety of unreleased K2 test skis during a Heli-Ski week with CMH. K2 designers will be on-hand with prototype skis, and they will gather your valued feedback on an assortment of performance metrics of each ski model you choose to take for a ride.
The designers will then take your comments back to the K2 Headquarters and fine-tune the skis with your comments in mind. Your reward for all this hard work? A free pair 2011-2012 K2 skis once they are released in the fall of 2011.
Get more Heli-Skiing details at Canadian Mountain Holidays
Source: The Adventure Collection
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
From private wildlife tours and ski free packages to romantic sleigh rides and hand crafted, custom built skis, the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole offers a mountain of tempting winter adventures this season.
Winter Adventure Package
Offering an action-packed winter getaway, Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole’s Winter Adventure Package features a four-hour private wildlife tour providing guests the unique experience of observing animals in their natural habitat, a day trip by snowmobile to Granite Hot Springs for a soak in the restorative thermal waters, and a day of skiing on the legendary slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Ski Free Package
Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole’s popular Ski Free Package is offered throughout the season featuring two complimentary three-day ski lift tickets to the renowned Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with a five-night stay, and includes ski and boot rentals through its full-service Ski Concierge.
Ticket to the Tetons Package
Exclusive to Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, the Ticket to the Tetons package outfits a guest with a pair of Igneous hand crafted, custom built skis designed by avid Jackson Hole skiers. Guests booking the package will be introduced to Igneous head engineer, Michael Parris, who will work with the guest prior to arrival to create his or her custom skis. The package also features a four-night stay in one of the resort’s luxury one-bedroom suites and includes a three-day lift ticket for two and a day of skiing with a private guide on the celebrated slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The package must be booked 60-days in advance.
Bed and Breakfast Package
Ideal for couples seeking a relaxing winter retreat, the Bed and Breakfast Package at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole includes breakfast for two in Westbank Grill and access to the resort’s famous alpine inspired Health Club and Spa, as well as its Base Camp concierge team who will create custom itineraries offering everything from romantic sleigh rides for two, to skiing or hiking through a winter wonderland of trails.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Baobab Expeditions Offers Eco-Friendly Skiing at the Whitepod Resort in Switzerland
Baobab Expeditions, the company that turns travelers into explorers, is offering a great adventure ski trip combined with sustainable tourism at the Whitepod Resort in the Swiss Alps, where a unique concept to limit the impact of ski-vacationers on nature is in full force. 
Fifteen luxury pods (domed tents) are pitched on wooden platforms in an altitude of over 5,000 feet, next to seven km of challenging ski slopes for the exclusive use of Whitepod guests. The pods are naturally insulated to retain heat. In addition, each has its own wood burning stove along with organic luxury bedding on king size beds and en-suite bathroom. Easy chairs are set in front of porthole-style windows to capture spectacular views of the Alps which may also be enjoyed from the pod’s terrace. Everything has been carefully thought out to create a luxurious and comfortable environment while protecting the pristine mountains.
Using pods minimizes daily water and electricity consumption; reduces waste production; favors the use of renewable resources and increases awareness of environment preservation.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".