With the onslaught of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver comes the opening of Nita Lake Lodge, a long-anticipated boutique lodge in Creekside Village, the finish line for the downhill skiing events. Located on tranquil Nita Lake, the lodge feels downright sleepy compared to the international party scene that is Whistler Village, just a five-minute shuttle ride away. So while you could stay in, eat at the lodge's European-flavored fine-dining restaurant, and retire early, that's just not the

With the onslaught of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver comes the opening of Nita Lake Lodge, a long-anticipated boutique lodge in Creekside Village, the finish line for the downhill skiing events. Located on tranquil Nita Lake, the lodge feels downright sleepy compared to the international party scene that is Whistler Village, just a five-minute shuttle ride away. So while you could stay in, eat at the lodge's European-flavored fine-dining restaurant, and retire early, that's just not the way they do it here. So, head for the village and grab world-class sushi at Sushi Village before hitting raucous bars like Buffalo Bill's and Tommy Africa's. It's no wonder the International Olympic Committee chose Whistler Blackcomb, a resort that has usurped the title of North America's best resort from its U.S. competition within the last decade. In December 2008, the resort opened the new Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which connects Whistler Mountain's 4,757 acres with the 5,280 vertical feet of steeps on Blackcomb Mountain, crossing 2.73 miles over a 1,400-foot-deep abyss in just 11 minutes. The maritime snowpack here reaches 407 inches annually, with stretches where up to 20 inches of the good stuff can fall in a single week. The Gem Bowls off of Spanky's Ladder, a short hike from the top of the Glacier Express lift, remain some of the gnarliest terrain you can legally ski in the world. But with a total of 8,171 acres—the largest in North America—there's enough variety for any type of skier.

Better yet, after eating up all of that skiing, you'll still have Nita Lake Lodge to enjoy. Contemporary furnishings in the hotel rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites give the place a fresher style than typical log cabin-style ski lodges. Forty-inch LCD flat-screens complement the floor-to-ceiling fireplaces in each of the 77 rooms, and oversized plate-glass windows give views of the mountains across the lake. Radiant-heat flooring means no cold feet, an added bonus for the multitude of weddings held here each season. In fact, heating and cooling for the whole place comes from eco-friendly geothermal vents, and in summer a rooftop herb garden flourishes. Ski lockers and valets are standard, and the communal library looking out over the lake offers a quiet place to read at the end of the day. Gay and lesbian skiers are particularly welcome here in Whistler—especially during the WhistlerPRIDE festival the first week in February—and Nita Lake Lodge is one of nine hotels in town approved by the Travel Alternative Group (TAG), an LGBT association.

Getting to and from Vancouver is easy given that Whistler's train station is located inside the hotel, with daily transfers to Vancouver on the Whistler Mountaineer through the stunning canyons of the Coast Mountains. And what luxury boutique hotel would be complete without a spa? Nita Lake's Station Spa is a 5,000-square-foot affair focused on sports, deep-tissue, and aromatherapy massage. Its specialty is Ayurvedic services, including Chavutti Thirummal and Abhyanga oil massages. Perfect whether you're competing in Olympic events or just watching from the sidelines.

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