Most people don't associate oriental rug collections with ski-in/ski-out accommodation. But then again, Snowbird's Cliff Lodge and Spa is hardly your typical Bavarian-styled ski lodge. Under the ownership of resort founder Dick Bass, the Cliff Lodge has evolved into a marvel of modern architecture and interior décor—including Bass' personal collection of hand-woven rugs spread throughout, the largest such collection in Utah. The architectural flourishes start with the lobby atrium, where poured concrete buttresses are illuminated with natural light from 11 stories of plate-glass windows. Head up to the Aerie Lounge on the tenth floor, and you'll find a sushi and cocktail joint decked out in furniture more reminiscent of the Ming Dynasty than the Swiss Alps. Standard double rooms feature flat-screen TVs and comfortable seating areas. For those that drive up to the resort, complimentary valets park your car; or for the more common airport-shuttle guests, bellboys wait to

Most people don't associate oriental rug collections with ski-in/ski-out accommodation. But then again, Snowbird's Cliff Lodge and Spa is hardly your typical Bavarian-styled ski lodge. Under the ownership of resort founder Dick Bass, the Cliff Lodge has evolved into a marvel of modern architecture and interior décor—including Bass' personal collection of hand-woven rugs spread throughout, the largest such collection in Utah. The architectural flourishes start with the lobby atrium, where poured concrete buttresses are illuminated with natural light from 11 stories of plate-glass windows. Head up to the Aerie Lounge on the tenth floor, and you'll find a sushi and cocktail joint decked out in furniture more reminiscent of the Ming Dynasty than the Swiss Alps. Standard double rooms feature flat-screen TVs and comfortable seating areas. For those that drive up to the resort, complimentary valets park your car; or for the more common airport-shuttle guests, bellboys wait to unload your skis the minute you hit the entry.

But don't get the idea that the skiing here is an afterthought. On the third floor, next to the tuning shop, ski school office, and ticket booth, you'll find one of the most convenient ski-locker staging areas anywhere. Throw on your Gore-Tex, boot up, and walk out the door directly onto Snowbird's beginner-grade Chickadee run, which funnels down to the Tram Deck. This is where the pampering ends and the skiing begins. The 50-person tram shuttles riders to the top of 11,000-foot Hidden Peak, and it's all downhill from there. Let the resort's beginner terrain (nearly 27 percent of the mountain) be your guide—this peak is steep, mostly fall line, and fast, so plot accordingly. Runs snake through cliffs, sometimes over them. A lift from Mineral Basin on the backside connects to Alta, a can't-miss for powder enthusiasts (though Alta is open to skiers only). And with some 463 inches of Utah's patented dry-and-light snow, chances are there'll be plenty of coverage. At the end of the day, your body weary from making turn after turn, you can take the Chickadee Lift directly back to your ski locker, kick off your boots, and walk back to your room in your ski socks.

That's when it's time to let the pampering begin yet again. Relax with a beer (3.2 percent alcohol or not) in one of three outdoor hot tubs on the third-floor terrace or take a dip in the pool to unknot taut ski muscles. Better yet, sign up for a spa treatment at the Cliff Spa on the top floor of the hotel. Here you'll get access to the spa's rooftop pool and oversize, 50-person hot tub, where you can watch the sun set over the salt-and-pepper outcroppings of the surrounding Wasatch Range.

A former senior editor at Skiing magazine, Pieter van Noordennen owns more ski jackets than any man should.