This grand retreat is in the heart of regal Gstaad. Sybarites should head straight to the Wellness Centre and its renowned spa. The list of treatments is dizzyingly vast from the scientific (manual lymph drainage) to the luxurious (La Prairie caviar face treatments). Perfect for the most rigorous of spa makeovers.

Palace Hotel, Gstaad, Switzerland (00 41 33 748 5000; www. palace. ch). Doubles start at 410 half board from mid-September to midJune, and 375 during the rest of the year.

Le Melezin, Courchevel

Le Melezin provides a slice of minimalist Asia in the Alps. The sole European outpost of the luxury Asian Amanresorts, the interior is as stylish as its location on the fashionable Bellecote piste in Courchevel. Here, pampering is elevated to an art form . . . pass between two stone columns for a signature massage detente in the spa, a peaceful haven illuminated by a glass pyramid skylight. The Turkish hammam, with Capri-stone walls and vaulted ceiling, provides the perfect sanctuary for weary post-piste limbs.

Le Melezin, Rue de Bellecote, Courchevel 1850, France (00 33 4 79 08 01 33; www. amanresorts. com). Doubles start at 580, room only. The hotel closes for the summer on 9 April.

St Regis, Aspen

A majestic redbrick edifice at the foot of Ajax Mountain, the St Regis is a fashionable skiing retreat. A trip to the east wing leads to the Remede spa, which opened a year ago. It features 15 treatment rooms, an oxygen lounge, steam room, vapour caves, whirlpool and a yoga studio. From tailormade apres-ski massages to facials and seaweed mineral wraps, treatments cover the normal spa spectrum. The piece de resistance is the Confluence, a swirling stonewall pool with hot and cold waterfalls, inspired by the natural springs of Colorado.

St Regis Resort, Aspen, Colorado, US (001 970 920 3300; www. stregis. com/aspen). Doubles start at 440, room only.

Les Fermes de Marie, Megeve

An idyllic wooden lodge in glamorous Megeve, this is an elegant take on the traditional ski chalet. And at its heart lies the Pure Altitude spa, which has stone fountains, walls made from tree trunks, and its own range of products inspired by the surroundings and based on the native edelweiss plant. The treatments are as in tune with the Alpine landscape as the products, with snow crystal exfoliation treatments and oil body packs as well as an extensive array of massages.

Les Fermes de Marie, Chemin de Riante Colline, Megeve, France (00 33 4 50 93 03 10; www. fermesdemarie. com). Doubles start at 198, room only.

La Pleta, Baqueira-Lleida

A chic lodge in the Pyrenees, La Pleta is the winter retreat for style-conscious Spaniards. Filled with dark wood and cream furnishings, it has 67 rooms with mountain views. The Occitania Spa, which opened last year, is filled with candles, white drapes and the scent of pine and juniper, and provides the ultimate break from slogging it out on the slopes. Treatments use Pyrenean herbs and fruit such as essence of cassis, orange tree oil and Catalan blackberries. Swiss showers, snow baths and a steam room complete the pampering.

La Pleta Hotel & Spa, Baqueira-Lleida, Spain (00 34 973 645 550; www. lapleta. com). Doubles start at 188, including breakfast.