skiresorts

Aurelio Lech, Austria's most luxurious ski and spa lodge, nestled in the exclusive resort of Lech am Arlberg, is a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Ski Hotel.

Aurelio Lech, which opened in December 2008, provides all the sophistication and comforts of a world-class hotel combined with the ambiance and elegance of a private residence. Each of its nineteen bedrooms and suites were individually designed and offer cozy, chic and extremely luxurious amenities. The resort's 14 deluxe double rooms and five suites and junior suites all offer views of the snowy slopes.

The resort offers two spas, including the Spa at Aurelio Lech which is a holistic day spa with exclusive treatments, a modern fitness center complete with the latest equipment and a personal coach, several indoor pools including an activity pool, an extensive thermal suite and a tranquil meditation center where guests relax in front of an open fire. The Ski Spa has a herbal sauna, aroma vapor bath, cooling-off pool, blossom bath, adventure showers, Jacuzzi, Techno-Gym equipment and treatment rooms. At 23 meters in length, one of the resort's two swimming pools is the largest and deepest swimming pool in Lech.

The hotel's butler and concierge service can arrange a variety of activities, including heli-skiing and heli-boarding in the Arlberg Mountains. There's also Nordic walking, tobogganing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice-skating, snowshoeing, paragliding and much more.The resort has professional instructors and fully certified ski guides. The Lech Ski School is one of the first of its kind and was established in 1925.

One part of the Hotel Aurelio, "The Aurelio Club", can be rented exclusively as a chalet with nine rooms, its own spa, including a swimming pool, chimney room lounge and a separate meeting room.

Rates for a deluxe double room range from 675 euros to 1,500 euros per night, depending on the date; while suites range from 900 euros to 2,200 euros a night. A video of the hotel can be viewed here.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Gallery: More from Hotel Aurelio

One of Europe's finest skiing locations, Lech and Zürs offers the glamour and glitz of Milan or Paris in the setting of a quaint mountain town. Packed with top-notch restaurants, stellar scenery and copious entertainment opportunities, it has been nominated for a Readers' Choice Award in the Best International Ski Destination category.

Made up of the neighboring hamlets Lech am Arlberg and Zürs, Lech and Zürs dates back to the fourteenth century. Like many ski resorts in Austria – as opposed to ones in France and Switzerland – Lech and Zürs offers a slightly younger, more laid-back atmosphere. It is established as one of the world's greatest ski resorts and a snowy playground for Europe's rich and famous. Renowned for its five month guaranteed snow season, glamour and quality skiing, attractions include outdoor performances like "Viva Verdi: The Magic of Arias in the Alpine Landscape," a riveting performance of light, fire and passion enacted on a unique outdoor stage setting consisting of several hundred cubic meters of snow and ice with an impressive natural backdrop.

Located in a particularly snowy region, the road between Lech and Zürs is sometimes blocked during the winter, making the villages unreachable each other except by ski or snowmobile. Fortunately, the two towns are linked by countless trails and lifts. Lech is almost entirely self-sufficient thanks to a local biomass power plant.

The Lech ski lift system has a limit on the number of day passes to prevent over-crowding and queuing. A 14,000 limit on the number of day passes is strictly enforced but anyone staying in the village of Lech has a guaranteed pass during their visit. The 2009/2010 winter season began on December 4 and will last until April 24th.

The villages of Lech and Zürs have only a few dozen hotels and guest houses between them. When in the area, check out Hotel Aurelio (a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Ski Hotel) or Hotel Almhof Schneider. With an unfavorable exchange rate for Americans, an Austrian ski vacation won't be cheap, but it will no doubt be as memorable as any in the international ski destination category.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Gallery: More from Lech and Zurs, Austria

Do you know of a cruise line that offers everything from beautiful accommodations to great dining, activities, and itineraries? Which is the premier international ski destination? Which ski hotel is the best in the world? Can you recommend a city hotel that offers luxurious accommodations, as well as the best service and amenities? Is there a luxury family winter vacation with activities for both young and old in an extravagant setting? If so, we want to hear from you!

The Luxist Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Winter Travel will be awarded based on your nominations and voting. We're currently seeking nominations for the best-of-breed in the following categories:

Best Caribbean Cruise Line
Best International Ski Destination
Best Ski Hotel
Best City Hotel
Best Luxury Family Winter Vacation

One nomination per category, please. Submissions can be filed until January 15th, 2010.