During the winter, warmer climates and tropical locales get all the love from business and leisure travelers. Last year, even Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention & Visitors Bureau told prospective visitors to skip its freezing temperatures for Florida’s sandy shores. But some snowy hotels and resorts are embracing the cold with activities such as skiing and ice skating and offering creative ways to get cozy and keep warm.
Here are 6 winter wonderlands that are sure to delight guests no matter what the weather holds:
1. Hotel Vermont in Burlington offers two ways for guests to stay active during the winter months. Those who can handle the cold are offered complimentary snow shoes to explore downtown Burlington or take a walk alongside scenic Lake Champlain. For the weather weary, indoor group yoga sessions are available in an onsite yoga studio. Visitors can also enjoy hot toddies by the fire at Juniper Bar.
2. Dream Downtown in New York City is a wintry escape in a maritime-inspired setting, complete with a glass-bottomed swimming pool. Head to the hotel lobby for a selection of churros and hot chocolate, which makes a sweet afternoon pick-me-up. Party-goers need not venture outside for nightlife—the boutique hotel has a swanky rooftop nightclub and lounge.
3. Loews Boston Hotel also appeals to guests’ sweet tooth to perk up the mid-afternoon slump. Its chocolate station includes decadent hot chocolate and delicious beignets served with chocolate, coffee and caramel dipping sauces.
4. In the ski and cinema town of Telluride, Colorado, Madeline Hotel and Residences has several outdoor options for groups to partake in. There are 84 ski trails weaving around the San Juan Mountains and are accessible from the hotel. Guests can glide an onsite ice-skating rink or take a dip in the rooftop pool. The property also offers unique team building activities such as broomball, available all season long.
5. Chocolate is the name of the game this season. Omni Bedford Springs Resort, nestled in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains, has designed two entire menus for chocolate lovers. Choose from spiced hot chocolate, rock slide brownies, chocolate covered espresso beans or double chocolate chunk cookies.
6. For a spiked way to warm up this winter, Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, is partnering with Oskar Blues Brewery to create signature drinks that warm guests from the inside out. Fireplace ale is flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon and molasses. House made hot cocoa is topped with chocolate ganache for a non-alcoholic treat. Guests can also add whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, peppermint, chocolate chips or salted caramel marshmallow toppings.
