North America Nearly Snubbed From World Ski Awards 2025

The World Ski Awards has announced its 2025 winners, unveiling the "finest ski resorts, hotels and chalets in the world’s leading 25 ski tourism nations." The results aren't altogether shocking, with several European giants taking winning titles as well as several key Canadian destinations.

However, with the exception of one or two, the US's ski resorts haven't impressed quite enough to earn top spots.

The awards are conducted by the World Luxury Media Group Limited (WLMGL) and determined via combined votes cast by the general public and ski industry voters, whose votes count for 5x a public vote. The overall winner of the World's Best Ski Resort is announced, along with regional winners and winners in categories such as Best Ski Resort, Best Freestyle Resort, Best Resort Group, and many more.

French ski area Val Thorens took the overall crown for World's Best Ski Area, beating out Kitzbühel in Austria and Verbier in Switzerland. Other European resorts took several additional awards, such as Best Freestyle Resort, Best Ski Chalet, Best Green Ski Hotel, and more.

The full list of winners is as follows:

• World's Best Ski Resort- Val Thorens (FRA)
• World's Best Freestyle Resort - LAAX (CHE)
• World's Best Ski Hotel- Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley (USA)
• World's Best New Ski Hotel - Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO (JAP)
• World's Best Green Ski Hotel- rocksresort (CHE)
• World's Best Ski Boutique - Hotel Pashmina (FRA)
• World's Best Ski Chalet - Chalet Zermatt Peak (CHE)
• World's Best New Ski Chalet- Cabane Tortin (CHE)
• World's Best Ski Resort Company- Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel (AUT)
• World's Best Ski Resort Group- Compagnie des Alpes (FRA)
• World's Best Indoor Ski Resort - Ski Dubai (UAE)
• World's Best Heli-Ski Operator - Northern Escape Heli-Skiing (CAN)

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Despite the lackluster showing by the US for winners, several resorts still made it into the top three in a few categories.

Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole was amongst the top three contenders for Best Green Ski Hotel, and Goldener Hirsch in Park City made it into the top three for Best Boutique Ski Hotel. Alterra Mountain Company and Vail Resorts were unsurprisingly both in the top three for Best Ski Resort Group, which ultimately went to the French company Compagnie des Alpes.

Canada also held it down in several categories with top contenders, despite only one winner. Canadian heli-skiing operations Bella Coola Heli Sports and Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing rounded out the Best Heli Ski Operator category alongside Northern Escape Heli Skiing. Wedge Mountain Lodge and Spa also competed for the Best Ski Chalet category alongside French and Swiss lodges.