Luxury Ski Holidays / Baqueira-Beret, Spain

The beautiful Val d’Aran is home to the main ski resort of Baqueira-Beret, much frequented by the ski cognoscenti and the Spanish Royals who have a house here. Purpose built with every modern skiing convenience on the doorstep alongside smart restaurants and bars where, true to Spanish style, the dining starts late and the partying even later. Dog sledding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling uncover secluded mountain hamlets and spectacular scenery. Encompassing the resorts of Baqueira, Beret and Bonaigua, the three areas are linked by blue runs allowing all levels of skier to happily indulge their desires across 153km of pistes, a paradise for intermediates while beginners can learn on good nursery slopes above Baqueira. There are a handful of black runs and three itinerary routes for experts, but the real attractions lie beyond the pistes with exceptional ski touring and heliskiing opportunities. Ongoing enhancements have included new lifts and the opening of 21 new pistes to coincide with the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2014/15.