Nestled creekside, steps from Beaver Creek Village, Oxford Court gives you ultra-easy ski-in/ski-out mountain access via Elkhorn Lift. On your (weary-but-happy) way back, cross the Oxford Court bridge from the Strawberry Park slopes, and you’re home. There’s a fitness center right near the ski locker room, but that may be slightly irrelevant, depending on how hard you hit the trails. As an Oxford Court guest, you have complimentary access to the 30,000 square foot, European-style Club at Allegria, which you’ll find tucked away inside the posh Park Hyatt. Check into the nature-inspired luxury spa, and unwind in the Aqua Sanitas Water Sanctuary modeled after ancient Roman baths, or soak in the hot tubs under a mountain waterfall. There are 23 treatment rooms, a co-ed mineral pool, plus couples’ suites (if you can somehow both manage to get away) – even a hair and nail salon. The fitness area is equipped with cardio machines and a weight room, plus there’s a steam room, sauna, and an outdoor pool and hot tubs. (In other words, you may want to subtract a ski day from that lift ticket – just a thought.)

Vacation residences are spacious and well-appointed, ranging in size from two-bedroom (with or without den), up to four-bedroom condominiums. Give yourself plenty of time in the morning to get everyone fed and properly bundled for the slopes, doubling up on socks and base layers, while masterfully smoothing out bumps to avoid stop-and-fix-it stops mid-mountain. The cozy gas fireplace is your new best friend, especially effective at thawing fingers and toes after you’ve conquered more than your fair share of runs. Stock your kitchen full of all the fixings you need to rotate through your family favorites, keeping the really good snacks well hidden from the late-night cabinet raiders. Rendezvous on the balcony after dinner if it’s nice enough, or at the very least step outside for a quick peek at the stars.

Chat up the concierge for the inside scoop on everything from complimentary cocoa and first dibs on the groomed runs, to warm chocolate chip cookies fresh from to oven down at the base. Join the free two-hour Mountain Welcome Tour, or check out the impressive lineup at Villar Performing Arts Center, from symphonies and Broadway musicals, to film, live comedy, children’s theater and more. Nightly winter activities are specifically designed with families in mind, from Thursday Night Lights and rail jams, to disco skate nights and twilight snowshoe tours. Summer is equally action-packed, with everything from golfing at Red Sky or Beaver Creek Golf Club, to pre-packaged on-mountain wine and cheese excursions. Head for the rivers for fly fishing, whitewater rafting, or gem panning for those eternally optimistic kiddos (hey, not a bad quality to have).