Whistler - the best in the west

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  North America's finest resort, Whistler

  © Four Seasons

It’s tough to think of a better all-round snow resort, so it’s about time Whistler and Vancouver hosted a championship of magnitude – bring on the 2010 Winter Olympics.

If you’re heading to the Canadian resort of Whistler this year the atmosphere will be even better than usual as a result of the big event (February 12-28) and there are lots of comfortable luxury hotels to choose from.

Whistler can lay claim to being North America’s biggest mountain and has incredible terrain on its two mountains - Whistler and Blackcomb. The two are now linked by the spectacular Peak-to-Peak gondola, a magnificent feat of engineering which gives massive potential for skiers and boarders. Now in its second winter season, Peak-to-Peak spans 2.7 miles and whisks skiers from A-B in a little longer than 10 minutes.

The resort has definitely come a long way. In 1960, a group of Vancouver businessmen, led by Franz Wilhelmsen, formed Garibaldi Lifts Limited – there is still a lively bar and restaurant at the base of Whistler mountain named after these guys – intending to develop an alpine ski area on London Mountain with a dream of hosting the 1968 Olympic Games.

The dream was dashed and though their original Olympic aspirations never came to fruition, the group pushed on with their plans for their ski area and London Mountain was renamed Whistler Mountain in honour of a local alpine marmot, which "whistles" as its form of communication, and officially opened in 1966.

After more than 40 years, the Olympics are finally on their way to Whistler, and the resort continues to grow, with the choice of places to stay now covering a wide spectrum in Whistler Village or Creekside, once sleepy and sparse but now becoming more popular - a great option if you want a slightly quieter experience and a more local vibe, as lots of resort staff live and hang out round here.

The place to stay round Creekside is Nita Lake Lodge, a new well-designed hotel with spacious suites, big tubs and fireplaces, as well as a great restaurant, bar food round a roaring fire and a coffee shop for breakfast and bits to go in the morning. Creekside will play an important role in the Olympics, with many Alpine events finishing on the slopes above the area, so definitely watch this space.

Whistler village life

Back at the village, there’s no end to its shops, bars and restaurants – it’s hardly a charming French resort, but it does have everything you need and the mountain views around you excuse Whistler’s lack of old-world charm.

That’s not to say it doesn’t dole out good service – it certainly does and is a very friendly and laid-back resort wherever you go, with everyone genuinely passionate about what they do, helpful and always ready with a few anecdotes and tips on their slope picks.

Dinner at Araxi is essential if you love your food – but book in advance when you get to the resort to secure a table during your stay. The other top option is Bearfoot Bistro, but this one is a little stuffier with food presented with great swirl and ceremony.

Fish, steaks and Asian-fusion cuisine are all usually great in British Columbia and the same goes pretty much for here in Whistler – although the restaurants on the mountains need some reconsideration as they get much too packed and look well past their best. A Bloody Mary at the base of Whistler at the Garibaldi Lift Company at lunch or the end of the day is a must however. And to start the day - book up for Fresh Tracks which allows you early breakfast-time access to the slopes from 7.30.

The resort is fantastic for all abilities – snowboarders, the only time you see anything resembling a button lift here is on the travelator on the baby slopes – and the season is long, running from November and you might even squeeze some action as late as May. Christmas and surrounding weeks and any school holidays are naturally busiest, so plan your visit carefully.

From the cute little Adara Hotel - in the heart of Whistler Village and easily walkable to the base - to the spacious suites at the Four Seasons Whistler, there are a range of comfortable hotel options, and if you want even more space and a great range of chalets and apartments, look up the options on offer with Whistler Platinum (www.whistlerplatinum.com) who can recommend the right spot at the right price and found the best places for the US ski team during the Olympics.

Ski helpers on hand

And if you do opt for the elegant Four Seasons – it has both a hotel and a separate building with fantastic super-luxe ‘residences’ – you can avail yourself of the Ski Concierge to simplify your precious mountain time as they organise customised rentals, equipment transfers and direct ski lift access. They even warm your boots for you pre ski, carry your poles and skis to the lifts and pick you up at the end of the day with hot chocolate and cookies. The Ski Lite service allows you to pre order all you designer ski gear (eg. Prada, Spider) prior to arrival if you want to travel light, whilst the Ski Elite service offers unrivalled ski tutoring, by linking you up with an ear piece to your instructor.

The Four Seasons has a fantastic spa and the Scandinave Spa Whistler is a new option in the resort, offering everything from Swedish massage to Thai-yoga; and hot volcanic stone massages to Scandinavian baths. It’s a fairly unique concept etched into the mountain face of Spruce Grove Park and set in three acres of pristine BC scenery.

By April Hutchinson

Location: Whistler