The world’s largest indoor skiing facility may be only a snowball’s throw away from Hong Kong – Shenzhen’s Qianhai Huafa Snow World having opened in September – but we reckon the elements should play an integral part in any bona fide winter sports holiday. There’s a reason they call it “the great outdoors”, after all.
Here are six destinations that embrace their surroundings yet still qualify as “up-and-coming”, and so may be worth considering for your next ski adventure.
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
The slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo, in Italy. Photo: ShutterstockWith its 1,200km of interconnected pistes, Unesco World Heritage scenery and a unique “ski safari” culture – multi-day, point-to-point journeys that resemble road trips, albeit undertaken almost entirely on skis – the Dolomite mountain range in northeastern Italy is gearing up for an increase in visitors next year following its starring role in the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games (February 6 to 22, 2026) and the Paralympic Winter Games (March 6 to 15, 2026). The events have been spurring investment in hotels and infrastructure across the area’s 12 ski resorts.Widely known as the Queen of the Dolomites, the elegant town and commune of Cortina d’Ampezzo has to-die-for views and strong sporting associations – hence its billing in the name of the Games – and will host, for the Olympics, all the women’s Alpine events, the sliding sports (bobsleigh, luge and skeleton) and curling.Where to stay:
Rosapetra Spa Resort. The property’s 33 rooms are decked out in fir wood, stone and other natural materials, and come with views of the panoramic Ampezzo Dolomites, as does the spa.
AloJapan.com