Snowbird quickly established a reputation as one of the world's most credible winter sports destinations after its opening in 1971. The reasons are plentiful - the huge powder snowfall record, the ultra-convenient location 45 minutes from a major international airport, the big mountain, with over a third of the terrain graded black and the state-of-the-art high speed uplift. Then, off the slopes, there's the emphasis on a healthy body and mind with a superb health spa.

The package is rounded off with excellent slopeside lodging and a selection of fine dining options. Just to give it that quirky, characterful twist, the resort's owner, Dick Bass, has a penchant for oriental carpets. He believes that the flagship 11-storey Cliff Lodge property, in which more than half of the resort's bedrooms are located, has one of the finest collections of oriental carpeting in North America and there's also a shop retailing some of Mr Bass's finds from around the world.

It's not surprising to learn that Snowbird is the sister resort of Zermatt, Switzerland.