Denver Hotels

Colorado is a microcosm of the North American ski scene with everything from glitzy Aspen to family-friendly Copper Mountain, all within easy reach of Denver.

Colorado was the first state to market its skiing internationally and is still by far the most popular with international visitors. There is a real variety of resorts: for a real flavour of the Wild West try Breckenridge; nearby car-free, purpose-built Beaver Creek is upmarket and Copper Mountain has been transformed from ugly duckling to beautiful swan.

Take your pick from beautifully groomed and well-maintained pistes, twisting trails that run through the trees and high-mountain bowls above the tree-line. Vail is particularly popular for piste-cruising, though it can get crowded.

The champagne powder is so dry that even when it melts and re-freezes the moisture seems to be sucked out of it.

The freestyle scene is big. Until 2001, boarding was banned in Aspen but the turnaround has been spectacular: it now regularly hosts the Winter X games and the terrain parks are state-of-the-art.

Eating out here may be a bit of a disappointment if you're more used to the variety and charm of the Alps. Instead, expect lodges selling burgers, stir fries, pizzas and the like.

There is a good night-time scene in many Colorado resorts. Breckenridge is a party town and Aspen has a buzz and ample opportunities for celebrity-spotting.

Good spa facilities, souvenir shopping, hot-air balloon rides and snowmobiling widen the holiday experience in Breckenridge. For climbing and dog-sledding, go to Vail.

Close to many of the Colorado resorts is the cut-price factory outlet Silverthorne. Practically every high-street store has a vast outlet selling clothes at ludicrously knockdown prices.