Minutes from bustling Whistler Village, the cozy, Craftsman-style Horstman House is just off Blackcomb’s Home Run trail, with ski-in/walk-out access to the slopes. Take mornings at your own pace, whether you’re the type of crew who’s gunning for the first chair or prefer to ease into the day with seconds on pancakes and an extra cup of coffee. Once everyone’s located his/her gloves, goggles, helmets and gaiters, catch the free shuttle to the Whistler Blackcomb lifts. You’ll be in line ready to roll in less than five. And once you’re ready to call it a day, there’s a private ski-in (ride-in, hobble-in or whatever the case may be) trail to get you back to your place. Pour drinks, assemble a quick cheese plate, and give yourself some time to rebound before rounding everyone back up for a trip to the heated outdoor pool and hot tub. Keep dinner simple, but hearty, then request a raise of hands for the game room, big-screen TV lounge or a return visit to the hot tub. (As Chief Vacation Planner, you’re the official tie-breaker – one of the perks of the job.)

Inside your newly renovated boutique residence, you’ll find a fully equipped kitchen for leisurely sit-down breakfasts and a possible chili cook-off later in the week, assuming you have at least two contenders. All one- and two-bedroom, plus small or large three-bedroom suites are well-appointed with large soaking tubs and gas fireplaces – pros at helping you recover from your escapades on the mountain. (Promise yourself you’ll take it a little easier tomorrow.) The in-unit washer/dryer is your new best friend, keeping you on top of the daily basket full of base layers that need some laundry love before the next day’s adventures. And separate bedrooms help keep the peace between the early birds and night owls.

Tucked into the mountains, steps from Lost Lake Park, you’re still just minutes from all the action in picturesque, cobblestoned Whistler Village. Famous for its après-anything-and-everything scene, the village is at its liveliest in the late-afternoon and evening hours. Summer brings the Farmers Market with locally grown produce, live music and local artists – while the free weekly winter Fire & Ice show draws a great crowd. Fans bundle up to watch the best local skiers and riders jump through a blazing ring of flames – while fire spinners, a DJ and closing fireworks keep the crowd thoroughly entertained. If it’s golf season, you’ll have the chance to see why Whistler is Canada’s premier golf destination, with four championship golf courses designed by some of the world’s best: Big Sky by Robert Cupp, Fairmont Chateau by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Nicklaus North by Jack Nicklaus and Whistler Golf Club by Arnold Palmer. Nearby Whistler Tree Adventure Tours makes a great family outing, with tightropes, plank bridges, swinging logs, ziplines, cargo nets and tree ladders – open all year in the ancient Coast Mountain rainforest.