From the Dolomites to the Rockies, these slopeside retreats take year-round adventuring to new heights.
Who says the mountains are just for winter? While they're undoubtedly fun in cold weather, once the snow melts there's a pristine landscape waiting to be explored. Indeed, as temperatures in the Med soar, spending the summer season way above sea level is ever more enticing, with opportunities to hike glaciers and swim in cool streams, zipline through forests and soak in bubbling springs – all in the clouds. Each of these high-altitude hotels offers both action-packed escapades and pine-scented serenity, whatever the time of year.
Eleven Deplar Farm, Ólafsfjörður
The intrepid will know all about Eleven, a travel company that delivers off-grid adventures and rustic-luxe lodgings in otherworldly locations. Its Icelandic property Eleven Deplar Farm, deep in the Fljót Valley on the Troll Peninsula, amplifies the experience. In winter, the untamed Arctic landscape is for Nordic skiing, whale watching and snowmobiling, before returning to the lodge to soak in geothermal waters beneath the Northern Lights. Come summer, the jewel-green, sheep-dotted terrain invites guests to hike and e-bike, spot puffins from sea kayaks, swim beneath the midnight sun and indulge in nature-orientated wellness rituals in the spa.
Eriro, Ehrwald 
(Image: Alex Moling)
Eriro, high in the Austrian Tyrol, may be a mountain newcomer but it already stands out from the crowd. The secluded nine-bedroom retreat is only accessible by cable car, meaning in winter the snow sports are unparalleled. The rest of the year, guests are encouraged to take a slower approach through mindful experiences - walking barefoot among mossy woods, foraging for materials to use crafting or wild swimming. After a day spent disconnecting, sip sundowners on the wooden deck or retreat to the spruce needle sauna, before dining in the zero-waste restaurant on ingredients that are pickled, fermented and cooked over fire by chef David Franken.
Badrutt's Palace, St. Moritz
St. Moritz has long been peak chic for discerning skiers, with Vogue declaring it one of the grandest resorts in the world. These days the Engadin Valley is equally revered in summertime, with over 300 walking trails taking you past babbling streams and through gently rolling meadows. Mountain grande dame Badrutt's Palace will organise your sunny adventures, be it paddle-boarding on the lake, rafting in the gorges or horse riding. Back at the family-run five-star, there are no less than six restaurants and one bar available during the warmer months (take the chairlift or hike to the hotel's Paradiso Mountain Club for lunch with a view), a huge spa, plus Via Serlas, the shortest, highest luxury retail street in the world.
The Little Nell, Aspen
(Image: Shawn O'Connor)
There's an oft-repeated saying in Aspen: "I came for the winters, but I stay for the summers". While the Colorado Rockies resort is renowned for its skiable and ridable topography, the fun continues when the snow melts as skis and boards are replaced by mountain bikes, zip lines, whitewater rafts and paddleboards - not to mention rodeos and museums, restaurants and jeep rides. Summer at The Little Nell is described as "a riot of the senses" with the hotel well located for alfresco adventures, be they fly fishing or off-road touring at sunset. Return for Wagyu double cheeseburgers and truffle fries on the mountainside restaurant patio.
Satoyama Jujo, Minami-uonuma-shi
Minami-uonuma may be two hours by bullet train from Tokyo, but the region has a stillness that feels a world apart. Imagine misty peaks, natural springs, beech forests and rice paddies. Boutique ryokan Satoyama Jujo, set in a centuries-old wooden-framed kominka dwelling, encourages guests to embrace the zen. Here Mother Nature leads, whether you're picking wild vegetables in spring, summer mountain biking, watching the fields turn gold in autumn or snowshoeing and skiing. Whatever the season, soaking in the hotel's outdoor onsen, watching the sun rise over Mt Makihata as the clouds drift across the valley below, is a must.
Rosewood Matakauri, Queenstown
Surrounded by the South Island's Alps, some of New Zealand's best skiing awaits at Rosewood Matakauri. But these mountains aren't only for winter pursuits. When the mercury rises, hike the hobbit-like landscape and climb aboard a century-old steamship on Lake Wakatipu – or up the ante on a helicopter ride to explore the wild beauty of the glaciers and bungee-jump at Kawarau Bridge. For those who want to keep their feet firmly on the ground, enjoy the dramatic views back at the hotel – perhaps from your own suite terrace, in the glass-fronted restaurant or whilst swimming laps in the heated outdoor pool.
Four Seasons Hotel Megève
Megève has all the winter-in-the-Alps tickboxes – the twinkling cobbled streets, centuries-old chalets, cosy restaurants, easy-skiing pistes... But this is a resort that resonates all year round and, as its name suggests, Four Seasons Hotel Megève on Mont d'Arbois is your ticket to explore. During the summer months, you could be mountain herb picking with the hotel chef or quad biking through pine woods, the next day boating on Lake Annecy, hot air ballooning through cerulean skies or teeing off at one of the oldest alpine golf courses. They'll even organise a mountaintop picnic for you with views across to monumental Mont Blanc.
Forestis Dolomites, Brixen
The Dolomites deliver on postcard-perfect snowscapes, which when thawed reveal a carpet of bright blue gentians, poppies and delicate edelweiss. Ski-in, ski-out Forestis is hidden away on the Plose mountain, its architecture designed to mirror the clear water, pure air, sunny days and mild climate of the region. In warmer weather the pistes become hike and bike trails that wind through hushed forests of spruce, larch and pine, home to deer and ibex. The spa (complete with seven saunas) and suites invite you to soak up the treetop views, breathe deep and recalibrate – in summer, you can sleep beneath the stars on your terrace.
Schloss Elmau, Bavaria
One hour outside Munich, deep in the Bavarian Alps, Schloss Elmau rises from the Elmauer Valley like a fairytale. The landscape is pristine, whether you're conquering the powdery slopes, skating or ice-bathing in winter or summer hiking to Lake Ferchensee, visiting the nearby Neuschwanstein Castle or reclining on a sunbed by one of the hotel's outdoor pools. But don't let the scenery distract you for long. There are six spas to visit, yoga and dancing retreats to sign up for, a two-starred Michelin restaurant to dine at, and world-class culture programmes to immerse in (the hotel even has its own concert hall). Be still or be busy, you choose.
Grand Forest, Metsovo
Tucked away in the Pindus Mountains, Grand Forest Metsovo offers a very different spin on the sun-drenched Greek holidays we're familiar with. Think Mediterranean charm meets alpine adventure. When the temperature hits zero, swoop down the 70km of slopes, while non-skiers will want to hunt for the black winter truffle. Once the snow flurries subside, the hotel is a magnet for hikers who stay to step straight out of the hotel into the black pine-carpeted national park that's home to brown bears, wolves, Balkan chamois and tens of species of birds. Smoked cheese and local wine are the order of the day in the nearby village of Metsovo.
The Pavilions Himalayas, Nepal
Nepal's many striking natural wonders include the Himalayas and trekking these mighty mountains is a memory-maker, though best avoided during monsoon between June and August (spring and autumn are the best time to visit, winter is cold but dry). The Pavilions Himalayas make an excellent base, not just for their panorama and proximity to the paragliding, ziplining, hiking and bird watching that the Pokhara region offers. Comprising two eco-sensitive properties, The Farm and Lakeview, the resort has been founded as a social business to drive and develop the welfare and development of the local community and landscape.
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