Val Thorens has been named the world’s best ski resort for the 11th time, taking the top honor at the 2026 World Ski Awards. Utah’s Deer Valley and Austria’s Kitzbühel completed the top three. Each resort also won the award for its home country.
The awards, now in their 14th edition, are decided by votes from ski industry professionals and the public. The nominee receiving the most votes in each category takes the title.
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Europe’s Highest Ski Resort
At 2,300 metres, Val Thorens is Europe’s highest ski resort. It is part of Les 3 Vallées, a linked ski area spanning approximately 600 kilometres of pistes and connecting resorts such as Courchevel and Méribel.
The resort also claimed a hospitality award. Pashmina Le Refuge, a ski-in, ski-out property in Val Thorens, was named the world’s best ski boutique hotel, ahead of Italy’s Hotel La Perla and Switzerland’s The Omnia.
Switzerland Leads The Hotel And Chalet Awards
Switzerland featured prominently across the accommodation categories. W Verbier won the world’s best ski hotel award, with France’s Le Fitz Roy and Utah’s Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley among the finalists.
The Grand Hotel Belvedere, a Beaumier property housed in a restored 1912 building in the car-free Swiss village of Wengen, was named the world’s best new ski hotel. It finished ahead of Italy’s Aman Rosa Alpina and France’s Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin.
Switzerland’s Chalet Zermatt Peak took the world’s best ski chalet title, followed by France’s Chalet Harmony and Canada’s Wedge Mountain Lodge & Spa. The country also won the best new ski chalet award: Chez Madeleine came out ahead of Chalet des Légendes in France and Meigetsu at Aki Niseko in Japan.
From Freestyle Parks To Indoor Slopes
In the freestyle category, Switzerland’s LAAX earned the top award, ahead of France’s Les 2 Alpes and Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb. LAAX also secured recognition for sustainable hospitality: rocksresort won the world’s best green ski hotel title, with Austria’s Naturhotel Forsthofgut and Italy’s Naturhotel Leitlhof among the finalists.
For indoor skiing, Ski Dubai was named the world’s best indoor ski resort. China’s Qianhai Snow World and Norway’s SNØ Oslo completed the top three.
World Ski Awards 2026: Winners And Finalists
- World’s Best Ski Resort: Val Thorens, France (winner); Deer Valley Resort, United States; Kitzbühel, Austria
- World’s Best Freestyle Resort: LAAX, Switzerland (winner); Les 2 Alpes, France; Whistler Blackcomb, Canada
- World’s Best Ski Hotel: W Verbier, Switzerland (winner); Le Fitz Roy, a Beaumier Hotel, France; Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley, United States
- World’s Best New Ski Hotel: Grand Hotel Belvedere, a Beaumier Hotel, Switzerland (winner); Aman Rosa Alpina, Italy; Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin, France
- World’s Best Green Ski Hotel: rocksresort, Switzerland (winner); Naturhotel Forsthofgut, Austria; Naturhotel Leitlhof, Italy
- World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel: Pashmina Le Refuge, France (winner); Hotel La Perla, Corvara, Italy; The Omnia, Switzerland
- World’s Best Ski Chalet: Chalet Zermatt Peak, Switzerland (winner); Chalet Harmony, France; Wedge Mountain Lodge & Spa, Canada
- World’s Best New Ski Chalet: Chez Madeleine, Switzerland (winner); Chalet des Légendes, France; Meigetsu at Aki Niseko, Japan
- World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort: Ski Dubai, United Arab Emirates (winner); Qianhai Snow World, China; SNØ Oslo, Norway
