New to the slopes of Méribel this season, Le Coucou opens in December. It's right by the ski station, meaning easy, ski-in, ski-out piste access, with a Tata Harper spa waiting for you on your return to the warmth. There's also an outpost of Beefbar and an Italian restaurant offering plenty of carb-loading opportunities ready to expend it all on the mountains. For more information, visit lecoucoumeribel.com. Photo: Jérôme Galland

The Colorado town of Telluride, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, is a popular ski resort and home to some of the highest runs in North America. After a day on the slopes, the cosy environs of Dunton Town House are the most welcoming retreat– a homely property where you are encouraged to help yourself to nightcaps and nibbles in the communal lounge and kitchen, and enjoy fresh breakfast pastries from the neighbouring bakery. For further wild-west-themed adventures, head an hour across the mountains to sister property Dunton Hot Springs, where you can ski on a cross-country trail designed by an Olympian, or transfer back to the Telluride slopes by chopper. For more information, visit duntondestinations.com. Photo: Courtesy

The Aman group's Wyoming outpost, Amangani in Jackson Hole, is a 20-minute drive from some of America's most challenging pistes. The jagged peaks of the Tetons offer extreme skiing for the skilled, but there are easier runs as well. The national park is home to hundreds of grizzly bears and several thousand elk. Amangani's restaurant serves up warming dishes such as truffle risotto, steak burgers and chicken duxelle, along with magical mountain views. And with heli-skiing on Grand Teton's most remote terrain, cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing in search of moose, elk and deer on offer, you'll need all the sustenance you can get. For more information, visit aman.com. Photo: Courtesy

Verbier has long been the favoured resort of royalty and, since opening in 1971, its famous Farm Club has welcomed David Bowie and Diana Ross to throw some moves on its hallowed dancefloor. The Experimental Group (of London cocktail club and Ibiza beach club fame) recently took over the iconic venue, unveiling the Experimental Chalet, a stylish hotel next-door. Expect wood-panelling, bright colours, mountain views and, just possibly, an après-ski date with Prince Harry. For more information, visit mrandmrssmith.com. Photo: Courtesy

If you want a side order of a dazzling blue lake with your runs, head to Lake Tahoe in Nevada, where the views are so good, the resort's name is Heavenly. The Lodge at Edgewood opened on the lake's southern shores last season, bringing a super spa – with fireplaces inside and hot tubs out on the terrace – with it for soothing sore limbs at the end of each day. For more information, visit skiheavenly.com and edgewoodtahoe.com. Photo: Courtesy

The private-jet company 365 Aviation gets busy over the winter, when royalty, celebrities and heads of state enlist its staff to get them to the piste – and quickly. With a pre-flight check-in time of 20 minutes, no luggage limit and non-existent security queues, it's possible to go from the City to Verbier in less than three hours. And many of the miniature airports you'll land at are within a few minutes' transfer time of the resort. For more information, visit 365aviation.com. Photo: Courtesy

Ice Q, the architecturally striking restaurant at the Das Central hotel in the Austrian Alps, doubled as the glass-panelled office of Léa Seydoux's character in Spectre. High-profile film crews aside, Das Central plays host to adrenalin-junkie skiers, who come for the towering mountains and guaranteed snow. It's not all new-age design, either: one of its restaurants is a simple hut on the slopes with tiny doorways and pine tables, serving hearty, local food. Culinary highlights include chunks of honeycomb at breakfast and a dedicated fondue-room. For Bond fans, Sölden has a museum dedicated entirely to 007. Das Central, from about £180 a room a night half-board (+43 52 542 2600; central-soelden.com). For more information on Sölden, visit oetztal.com. Photo: Courtesy