Inspired by the log and stone architecture of the national-park lodges, the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is much more refined than its rustic predecessors out West. At the 9,000-foot base of Beaver Creek Mountain, a mere 30-minute drive from Vail, Colorado, the Ritz is one of the premier resorts in the Colorado Rockies. Let the doorman in that Stetson cowboy hat open the door into the main lobby and you can't help but be awed by the towering stone fireplace, where there seems to be a fire

Inspired by the log and stone architecture of the national-park lodges, the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is much more refined than its rustic predecessors out West. At the 9,000-foot base of Beaver Creek Mountain, a mere 30-minute drive from Vail, Colorado, the Ritz is one of the premier resorts in the Colorado Rockies. Let the doorman in that Stetson cowboy hat open the door into the main lobby and you can't help but be awed by the towering stone fireplace, where there seems to be a fire roaring 24/7 during the colder days of fall, winter, and spring. Grab a seat on one of the leather couches and peer out through the floor-to-ceiling glass at the mountainous slopes.

A high-speed quad from the hotel will bring you closer to those trails in the morning. You can also buy your lift ticket in-house and a ski concierge will make sure your boots are toasty warm by the time you pick them up in the morning with your skis or snowboard. Yet it's the apr&#s-ski scene where the Ritz truly excels. The immense spa and fitness area has an outdoor pool with requisite views of the Rockies kept at a sublime 96-degree temperature, eucalyptus-scented saunas, and rock-laden grotto hot tubs. Kids will like the outdoor fire pit, where there's an ample supply of marshmallows, Graham crackers, and chocolate for making s'mores.

Most of the 180 rooms and suites have balconies with stellar mountain vistas and gas fireplaces, but be sure to ask. If you really want to splurge, inquire about one of the Club Rooms on the eighth floor and you'll receive access to the buffet-style food and drink throughout your stay. But you'll want to save room for the smoked salmon pizzas and Colorado lamb chops from Wolfgang Puck's Spago downstairs.

As you can expect, prices can be high in winter (and that fee doesn't include a ridiculous $39 fee for overnight parking). If you can get here in the summer or fall, you might be able to nab that two-bedroom suite for less than half the price. Come to the Rockies in the warm-weather months and you can kayak, whitewater raft, fish, golf, and visit the highest botanical garden in the world, the Betty Ford Alpine Garden. If you want to take the Ritz's resident yellow lab, Bachelor, on a hike, book well in advance.