Winter High: Hotels On Top Of The World

The best way to feel on top of the world is to stay there. Mountaintop resorts may be tough to reach, but the views alone make them worth the trek. In Morocco, the road less traveled to Kasbah du Toubkal--at the foot of North Africa's highest peak--begins with a donkey ride up a rocky, winding path in the snow. Your wake-up call consists of drumbeats from the Berber villages on neighboring mountains (from $545 for a suite; kasbahdutoubkal.com ).

The only way to get to Canada's Sentry Mountain Lodge is by helicopter. There are just four rooms, so privacy is ensured. And a personal chef is on hand to cook all meals. Adventurers eagerly head out onto untouched powder, ski down partway and then climb back up--no helicopters or lifts. "If you can believe it, people clamor to walk up," says skier Tim Grey ($2,400 per person, per week; sentrymountainlodge.com ). Conceived as a base camp for mountain climbers, Chile's Explora Salto Chico (from $2,170 per person for four nights; explora.com ) in Patagonia has evolved into a minimalist hotel on the shores of Lake Pehoe, where the only noise is the echo of falling icebergs. Each meal comes with wine from the vineyards of the owner. Excursions are available by foot, horseback or motorboat.

On a mountain ridge in Colorado, the Tempter House, 12,100 feet above sea level, is closer to the sky than any rental in North America. Guests spend the day on the slopes, then are chauffeured by snowmobile to the five-floor home, where there's oxygen on hand just in case ($5,000 per night; tellurideskiresort.com ). Talk about rooms with a view.

-Sana Butler