Ski

Forget crowded lodges and cookie-cutter condos--the latest installment in the Hip Hotels series proves there's a world of style in apres-ski accommodations. This glossy volume profiles 40 swanky and funky hotels in 24 of the best ski towns in North America and Europe. In his typical fashion, Ypma, a photographer and writer, avoids obvious luxury locales, opting instead for hidden jewels and off-the-wall treasures. In the chapter on Aspen, he explains,""Ask most Aspen regulars to name a hotel and they will inevitably mention The Nell or Hotel Jerome."" Not Ypma--his choices are the Brand and Aspen Meadows. Over 500 sumptuous photographs (379 in color) support his claims and beckon travelers to shun conformity. Ypma's in-the-know descriptions introduce readers to the quirky history of these unconventional abodes. At Italy's Hotel California in Champoluc, each room and suite is dedicated to a rock legend: the Doors, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and the Byrds are among the choices. At Squaw Valley's PlumpJack, the food is outstanding and the""prevailing aesthetic is entirely its own--a kind of backyard-baroque Arts and Crafts with a rusty twist."" This book can help readers choose a hotel with the perfect personality to greet them after a long, cold day on the slopes.