Winter is approaching and it’s time to consider where to spend that luxury ski vacation. Skiing in the lap of luxury also means personalized services, privacy and being pampered.

We constantly search for the best ski resorts around the world. Here are five of the best ski resorts to consider.

Fairmont Chateau Whistler – Canada

As both the top golf resort in Canada and top resort for luxury ski holidays in North America, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler combines an exterior resembling a medieval castle with a classic resort interior that will satisfy the most refined of tastes. The decor at the Chateau Whistler consists of beautiful exposed woods, gorgeous stone hearths and large, cozy leather furniture that is perfect after a long day on the ski slopes.

Guests are also welcomed to relax at the Vida Wellness Spa and stay active with the recreation concierge. The Fairmont Chateau Whistler is located in Whistler, British Columbia.

Hotel Hermitage – Italy

Resting adjacent to the ski slopes of Ponte Vecchio, the Hotel Hermitage has long been considered to be Italy’s premiere ski resort. Suites at the the Hotel Hermitage are centered around classic aristocratic luxury with antique furnishings from the 17th to 19th century. However, each room has been freshly renovated with exquisite bathrooms, hardwood floors and tasteful wall coverings.

The interior decor and general atmosphere is bound to turn off travelers in search of a high end contemporary hotel, but guests in search of a luxurious private getaway reminiscent of the greatest bed and breakfasts will find the Hotel Hermitage to be impeccable.

Kulm Hotel – Switzerland

In a resort town full of five star hotels, Kulm Hotel prides itself on exceeding the expectations of every guests for reviews that are truly off the charts. This 150-year old ski resort is decorated with luscious Swiss pine and yarns of the highest quality velvets and other textiles. With the best location in all of St. Moritz, the Kulm Hotel offers simply stunning views of the Engadin lake, valley and mountains that define luxury vacations.

When guests are not skiing, they are enjoying the high end spa or walking on foot to the nearby restaurants and bars. The service at the Kulm Hotel is impeccable, with a personal greeting by the general manager upon arrival and a staff that is dedicated toward fulfilling the promise of the hotel’s motto: “whatever you like.” Be aware that this is considered a fairly formal hotel for the wealthy elite of Europe, with a strict dress code that borders upon black tie for most public areas.

Arlberg Hospiz – Austria

The Arlberg Hospiz is a luxury ski resort that has earned a reputation for being one of the most well managed boutique hotels in the world, despite the fact that it has been operating in its current incarnation for a little over a decade. Unlike most top luxury ski resorts, the Arlberg Hospiz manages to deliver five star accommodations and service while retaining a surprisingly warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The hotel is furnished like most high end hotels in Austria with heavily carved wooden decor and huge, comfortable furniture. The wine list at the hotel is especially noteworthy for its impressive collection of top clarets that are simply not available to the average consumer.

La Seizena – France

Nestled at the overlook of the ski slopes at Courchavel, La Seizena is one of the most breathtaking and modern luxury ski resorts in the world. With panoramic views of the Courchavel valley and elegant decor of polished aluminum evoking the spirit of flight, this boutique hotel has accommodations of only 20 suites and a dedicated staff to ensure that their quests enjoy the very best in luxury accommodations.

All of the spacious rooms and suites come accommodated with large plasma televisions, exquisite furniture and internet access, and guests have complimentary access to the Hamman spa, fitness room and library lounge. However, La Seisena is perhaps best known for its accompanying restaurant serving world class continental cuisine.

The U.S. Open is the final Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year. The three other major tournaments include the Australian Open, The French Open and of course, Wimbledon.

The U.S. Open began 128 years ago in 1881 and has since changed dramatically. The tournament bears little resemblance to how it began. The U.S. Open takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing, New York.

This year’s 2009 tournament will see a prize purse totaling $21.6 million, a $1 million increase over last year. Each of the singles champions will be awarded $1.6 million, a 2010 Lexus IS convertible. Winners will also have the possibility of earning bonus prize money of up to 1 million dollars based on results from the Olympus U.S. Open Series tournaments leading up to the championships.

The U.S. Open began as an exclusive Men’s Singles and Doubles Tournament but has now grown into a two week tennis showcase of the best tennis players from around the world. The tournament will be watched by over 650.000 people during the two weeks.

The U.S. Open was initially located at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island. The tournament next moved to Pennsylvania and now is held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing in New York.

The first Championship was held at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island in 1881. Only members of the US National Lawn Tennis Association were allowed to enter.

For the first seven years, the men’s singles and double’s were played at the Newport Casino, but the Tournament soon outgrew the venue. Some of the matches were then moved to other local Tennis Clubs.

Six years after the Tournament started, in 1887, the first National Women’s Single’s Championship began at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. A few years later, the Ladies doubles began.

For many years, the various tennis matches didn’t take place in one location until 1968. This is when all five Championships occurred at a single location – at Forest Hills. Then in 1978 the entire Tournament was moved to its current location – the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing in New York.

Courtesy of: ECCO

If you can’t play golf like the LPGA lady golfers, then you can at least look like them. Wear a pair of special Solheim Cup luxury golf shoes from ECCO.

The Solheim Cup is a biennial trans-Atlantic team matchplay golf competition and is considered the premier event in women’s world golf.

The Solheim Cup tournament features 12 of the top European-born players from the Ladies European Tour (LET). They compete against the top 12 American-born players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

ECCO has been named the Official Footwear Supplier to the 2009 Solheim Cup and has created a special limited-edition Team USA shoe named the Patriotic Ace Hydromax.

The Patriotic Ace Hydromax golf shoe will definitely stand out in a crowd, with bright Red, White and Blue colors.

The luxury golf shoe maker ECCO, has long been a favorite of celebrities and golf professionals. The shoe company decided to create a special Solheim Cup edition golf shoe

Some of the well lnown stars who wear ECCO golf shoes are: Bill Murray, Justin Timberlake, Catherine Zeta Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Kid Rock, as well as Donald Trump

Professional golfers seen wearing ECCO golf shoes include – Juli Inkster, Carin Koch, Linda Wessberg, Iben Tinning, Fred Couples, Aaron Baddeley, Colin Montgomerie, Stuart Appleby, Arjun Atwal, Thongchai Jaidee, Thomas Bjorn, John Bickerton, Bradley Dredge and many others others.

For more info, go to ECCOUSA.com

Beautiful and sexy Maria Sharapova boasts the most ear-shattering grunt in women’s tennis: over 100 decibels. That drowns out Monica Seles (93.7 decibels), but falls short of a jet at take-off (125 decibels).

When asked about the equal pay at Wimbledon, Maria Sharapova states, “It’s incredible. I think all the girls have stood up as a team and have been fighting for such a long period of time. I remember last year it was one of the questions that was greatly asked in all the press conferences that most of us got.”

After her second Grand Slam title at the US Open, Maria Sharapova said “I just think there’s more of a rush outside me. I didn’t have any rush feeling within myself because I knew what I was capable of. I always told people, Look, I have won a Grand Slam, but I won it when I was 17. I really thought that I was physically and mentally ready to do it. It showed, especially beating Amélie in three sets and going the next day and beating Justine in two.”

On missing the innocent days, Maria Sharapova responded “I definitely felt like that’s the first time on an international level I was starting to get some recognition, when I actually realized that people are starting to look at me and to watch my tennis and all that, pay attention more closely than they did before.”

Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, has struggled recently and never really achieved the star status that many had hoped. Many say her beauty supersedes her tennis playing ability.

In 1937, a well known singer named Bing Crosby talked to some of his Hollywood friends about a dream he had to build a horse racing track in the quiet resort community of Del Mar California, just north of San Diego.

His friends Jimmy Durante and Pat O’Brien shared Bing’s dream and set out to help him build a great race track and where they could play the horses all day and the girls all night in the pleasant climate and cooling Pacific coast breezes of Del Mar.

When the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and race track opened, Bing himself took tickets at the gate and welcomed race fans to what was to become one of the most famous race tracks in the United States, visited by race fans, horse owners and sports enthusiasts from all over the world.

A milestone in the track’s history came during the summer of 1938 when the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club hosted a $25,000 match-up between Charles Howard’s Seabiscuit and the Binglin Stable’s Ligaroti. Only Major League Baseball superseded horse racing in American sports during this era.

The upcoming match was the talk of the country. The race was the first time a thoroughbred horse race was ever broadcast nationally by NBC radio. The rest is history: Seabiscuit won and the Del Mar Race Track was famous – once and for all joining other storied race tracks in the annals of sports history as one of the most famous race tracks in the country.

In the years between 1938 and 1941, Del Mar entertained recording stars and Hollywood luminaries the likes of Douglas Fairbanks, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Dorothy Lamour, Ava Gardner and Don Ameche. Joe Frisco, a comedian of the day would crack his Del Mar racetrack one-liners, most of which played on his reputation as an inveterate loser: “I went to the racetrack today but it was closed, so I just shoved the money under the door.”

From 1942 to 1944, Del Mar was shut down when the U.S. plunged into World War II. In the early war years it was a training base for the U.S. Marine Corps, then used as a manufacturing site for B-17 bombers. After the surrender of Japan in 1945, President Truman declared August 15 a national holiday and 20,324 patrons attended Del Mar to bet whopping $958,476, a Del Mar record.

Shortly thereafter the railroad started a special promotion. The “railroad/racetrack special” brought race patrons from Los Angeles to Del Mar. Meeting the train and “star watching” became popular sport for track patrons and locals. Today, more than 70 years (and nearly $60,000,000 in improvements) later, the racing season will once again begin on July 22, 2009 through September 9.

Author: Terry Hunefeld

The 96th running of the Tour de France began on July 4. Even though cycling legend Lance Armstrong is competing this year, he’s not the favorite according to most oddsmakers.

This Tour de France race will be the first for Lance Armstrong in four years. Armstrong retired from competitive cycling, but made a return to professional racing last year.

Nobody has more Tour de France victories than Lance Armstrong, who has seven. All of those amazing victories came in succession, winning all seven between 1999 and 2005. At age 37, and a cancer survivor, he might not be considered the favorite to win this year’s Tour.

This year’s Tour de France race features 180 riders from 30 different countries. The racers are competing in the premier, three-week cycling showcase.

Cycling News lists all Tour de France race stages – Click here.

By the time the 96th edition of the Tour de France wraps up, it will have taken riders over 2,150 miles, finally ending July 26 in Paris.

Let it rain! That’s what tennis fans and Wimbledon All England Club officials can now be heard heard uttering. It doesn’t matter anymore because Wimbledon’s famed Centre Court now has a new retractable roof.

Last month, the All England Club tested its new retractable roof over the Centre Court at Wimbledon. This historical and world famous arena has offered tennis fans some of the most dramatic duels in tennis history.

The addition of this retractable roof has to be one of the biggest changes in Wimbledon’s long history.

The Wimbledon Centre Court retractable roof covers roughly a 246 feet area. It takes only about 10 minutes to close. Construction of the retractable roof took 3 years, and is part of an overall $146 million renovation to the Center Court Stadium.

Wimbledon’s retractable roof is the centerpiece of upgrades to Centre Court that include increasing seating from 13,800 to 15,000, and providing more stairs and lifts.

The new retractable roof will allow all-weather play at the venerable Wimbledon facility, just outside of London, England. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam tennis event that is still played on grass. Because of the challenging British weather, Wimbledon is consistently plagued by rain delays.

The retractable roof, which is described by the Wimbledon club as a folding fabric concertina type, will provide a non-slippery playing environment in both the open and closed positions.

An important element of the roof design, is to allow natural light to reach the lush green grass. An airflow system will remove condensation from within the stadium to provide a comfortable environment for spectators and players alike, when the retractable roof is closed.

Courtesy of: H2O Audio

H2O Audio, who is the leader in high performance waterproof headphones and accessories for active people everywhere, recently announced a multi-year partnership with 16-time Olympic medalist and 17-time World Champion swimmer, Michael Phelps.

H2O Audio is committed to encouraging healthy living, enhancing the swimming and training experience and spreading awareness for the sport. Along with Michael Phelps, H2O Audio will collaborate on product development and marketing initiatives.

Michael Phelps’ imagery and voice will be integrated into select product packaging, advertisements and displays at leading retailers including Apple Stores, Best Buy and Target, as well as online at www.h20audio.com and www.amazon.com. The campaign will launch this Summer.

“H2O Audio is extremely proud to welcome Michael Phelps to our team,” said Kristian Rauhala, founder and ceo, H2O Audio. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to work with one of the finest athletes in the world, especially one who so perfectly aligns with H2O Audio’s mission to encourage everyone — from the elite athlete to the recreational participant– to pursue an active lifestyle and push their level of performance.”

“We are a young company of athletes for athletes, and our relationship with Michael will undoubtedly benefit our technology, product performance and design,” Rauhala added. “Michael embodies our vision and commitment to excellence, and reinforces our dedication to improving the training experience with music anywhere, anytime.”

Courtesy of: H2O Audio

“Music has always been a huge part of my life and my training, and I am excited to partner with H2O Audio to help bring music to the water,” commented Phelps. “Their line of waterproof headphones and accessories will help swimmers of all ages and skill levels, as well as other athletes, to incorporate music as part of their time in and around the water.”

Pioneering a category of its own with durable and innovative waterproof performance tools, H2O Audio is driven by athletes and products that reflect the company’s authenticity in water sports and the active lifestyle.

Phelps joins H2O Audio’s existing team of distinguished athletes, including 11-time Olympic medalist and 6-time World Champion swimmer, Natalie Coughlin; and legendary big wave surfer, Laird Hamilton.

For further information and to watch Michael Phelps in action with H2O Audio, visit www.h20audio.com

To learn about other great MP3 choices, please read this comprehensive guide on Waterproof MP3 Players.

It’s time for another classic golf event – the U.S. Open Golf Tournament. The history of the U.S. Open goes back almost one hundred years.

Beginning in 1895 as almost an afterthought to the U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Open golf tournament is now one of golf’s four majors, and one of the most storied tournaments in the world.

The United States Golf Association holds the tournament, which is held on some of the top-rated and most well-respected golf courses around the country.

On Oct. 4, 1895, the first U.S. Open Championship was conducted by the United States Golf Association on the nine-hole course of Newport (R.I.) Golf and Country Club. The first U.S. Open was considered something of a sideshow to the first U.S. Amateur, which was played on the same course and during the same week.

Both championships had been scheduled for September but were postponed because of a conflict with a more established Newport sports spectacle, the America’s Cup yacht races.

Ten professionals and one amateur started in the 36-hole competition, which was four trips around the Newport course in one day. The surprise winner was Horace Rawlins, 21, an English professional who was the assistant at the host course. Rawlins scored 91-82-173 with the gutta-percha ball. Prize money totalled $335, of which Rawlins won the $150 first prize. He also received a gold medal and custody of the Open Championship Cup for his club for one year.

In its first decade, the U.S. Open was conducted for amateurs and the largely British wave of immigrant golf professionals coming to the United States. As American players began to dominate the game, the U.S. Open evolved into an important world golf championship. Young John J. McDermott became the first native-born American winner in 1911 and repeated as champion in 1912.

In 1913, the U.S. Open really took off when Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old American amateur, stunned the golf world by defeating famous English professionals, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, in a playoff.

Another surge in the championship’s popularity coincided with the amazing career of Georgia amateur Bob Jones, who won the U.S. Open four times (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930). Spectator tickets were sold for the first time in 1922 and a boom in entries caused the USGA to introduce sectional qualifying in 1924.

In 1933, John Goodman became the fifth and last amateur to win the U.S. Open. The others were Ouimet, Jerome D. Travers (1915), Charles Evans Jr., (1916), and Jones.

In each era, the world’s greatest players have been identified by surviving the rigorous examination provided by the U.S. Open. Ben Hogan’s steely determination boosted him to four victories (1948, 1950, 1951, 1953). Arnold Palmer’s record comeback win in 1960, when he fired a final round of 65 to come from seven strokes off the lead, cemented his dashing image. Jack Nicklaus’ historic assault on the professional record book began when he won the first of his four U.S. Open Championships in 1962, his rookie season as a professional.

Nicklaus, who also won in 1967, 1972, and 1980, is one of only four golfers to win four U.S. Opens. The others are Willie Anderson (1901, 1903, 1904, 1905), Jones and Hogan.

In 1954, the U.S. Open course was roped from tee to green for the first time. That year also marked the first national television coverage. Coverage was expanded by ABC Sports in 1977 so that all 18 holes of the final two rounds were broadcast live. In 1982, on the ESPN cable network, the first two rounds were broadcast live for the first time. NBC began televising the U.S. Open in 1995.

The format of the U.S. Open has changed several times. The USGA extended the championship to 72 holes in 1898, with 36 holes played on each of two days. In 1926, the format was changed to 18 holes played each of two days, then 36 holes on the third day. In 1965, the present format of four 18-hole daily rounds was implemented for the first time.

In 2002, a two-tee (Nos. 1 and 10) start was used for the first and second rounds. In addition, Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y., was the first facility owned by the public to host a U.S. Open.

International qualifying sites were added in 2005 and the champion at Pinehurst Resort in N.C. was Michael Campbell, who qualified in England.

Prince Harry rides again. He will playing on the team captained by Nick Raldo, against Black Watch captained by Nacho Figueras (the new face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo fragrance).

The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic event is scheduled for Saturday May 30th, 2009 and will be held once again on Governor’s Island in New York.

The big winner of the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic event will actually be the American Friends of Sentebale, a charity that was co-founded by Prince Harry. All the money raised from this polo event will be going to the charity.

Committee chairs are Peter Brant, Mark Cornell (CEO of Moet Hennessy) & his wife Lucy Cornell. Vice chairs are Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Samantha & Aby Rosen, Cornelia Guest.

Tickets start at $500 (picnic for 2 people) and are available by calling Sentebale Benefit Office on 212 763 8596 or emailing sentebale@cmevents.net.

The picnic area open to the public will be available from 12noon and the match will start at 3 pm. Some food and beverages will be available for purchase around the field.

In addition there will also be a ticketed area which include the VIP tent (where lunch will be served) as well as a VIP picnic area (with blanket and champagne picnic lunch).

For additional information on this event, please visit www.vcseason.com

Founded as the Louisville Jockey Club in 1874, the original Churchill Downs was built by Col. M. Lewis Clark, the grandson of the famed explorer. Inspired by England’s Epsom Derby, Churchill Downs hosted the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.

Named for the original owners of the property, Churchill Downs is known for its famous twin spires, built in 1895.

In 2004, the facility underwent a $120 million modernization, replacing much of the mammoth Victorian-era grandstand with luxury suites.

Seats on Millionaire’s Row cost $50,000 (and up) for a table for eight. Suites are priced at $259,000 to $305,000 for two days, including Friday’s Kentucky Oaks program. Reserved clubhouse seats (including lunch and open bar) fetch $1,776 per person (also for two days). General admission (infield, Derby day only) is $40.

Of 133 Derby winners, 100 were born in Kentucky, followed by Florida (six) and Virginia (four). California has produced three Derby winners: Morvich (1922), Swaps (1955) and Decidedly (1962). This year, Bob Black Jack is the lone Cal-bred Derby starter.

Three fillies have won: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988). This year, Eight Belles will be the first filly to start in the Derby since 1999.

By color, 47 winners were bay, 43 chestnut, 17 brown, 13 dark bay or brown, nine gray or roan and four black.

Roses: The oldest official Derby tradition, roses became part of the annual celebration in 1884 and have adorned every winner since 1896. In 1925, sportswriter Bill Corum dubbed the event, “Run for the Roses.” Since 1932, the winner has worn an identical garland, made up of 564 red roses (grown in Ecuador) and weighing 35 pounds. The winning rider receives his own bouquet of 60 roses. Another 2,100 roses decorate the winner’s circle.

Song: “My Old Kentucky Home,” written in 1850 by Stephen Foster (who never saw Kentucky), became the Derby’s official theme song in 1921. The University of Louisville Marching Band has performed it every year since 1936 as the crowd sings along. Dan Fogelberg wrote “Run for the Roses” for the 1980 Derby.

Trophy: The only solid 14-karat gold trophy in major American sports (the NBA’s O’Brien Trophy is gold plated), the Derby’s loving cup debuted in 1924 for the 50th running. Topped with an 18-karat horse, the trophy is 22 inches tall and 56 ounces. The winning owner gets one to keep.

Hats: Large and often flamboyant hats have been part of the celebration since its earliest days. Zany hats dominate the infield.

Mint juleps: This southern classic has been the official Derby drink for a century. About 120,000 were served at the track last year.

A julep includes Kentucky bourbon whiskey (two ounces or more), sugar syrup (one tablespoon), mint and crushed ice. Produced by Libbey Glass Co., the official julep glasses, which debuted in 1938, are the No. 1 Derby collectible. Sterling silver julep cups are also popular.