Flame Restaurant and Fireside Bar, Four Seasons

There’s always a wait for hearthside tables in the main dining room, but locals head for the Out of Bounds private dining area, which has the feel of a medieval banquet hall, complete with a Last Supper–size community table and a fireplace all its own. Upstairs at the Fireside Bar—a leather lounge oriented around a central floor-to-ceiling fireplace—is perfect for spooning homemade goulash or French onion soup out of a bread bowl or sipping the most decadent cup of liquid European dark chocolate (served in a mug painted by local artist Janet Herbert) you’ll ever savor. 1 Vail Road, Vail Village; 970-477-8600; fourseasons.com/vail

Lord Gore, Manor Vail

The floor space is small but the dining room tall, accented with a wall of glass looking out onto Golden Peak on one side and a towering stone fireplace on the other. The lantern motif on the chandelier and the wood walls, decked with plenty of curtains and drapes, make you feel both cozy and courtly while you sup on a twist of Lamb Two Ways—one a steak, the other a tamale, and both providing a spicy kick. 595 Vail Valley Drive, Vail Village; 970-476-5000; manorvail.com

Fireside Bar and Atwater on Gore Creek, Vail Cascade

Order anything off of Atwater’s esteemed fine-dining menu—the delectable crispy pork shank, say—while claiming one of the two couches or four armchairs fireside, accompanied by live après guitar; you’ll finish with port or sherry, after shooing the kids to the fire pits outside for s’mores roasting. And if you’re moving slowly after a long day on the slopes, the bar still serves small plates (go for the tuna tacos) and tempting pizzas (BBQ chicken!) after 10 p.m. 1300 Westhaven Drive, Vail Cascade; 970-479-7014; vailcascade.com/atwater

Beano’s Cabin, Beaver Creek

There’s no valet parking here, or for that matter a road, because the only way to get to this rustic hideaway is via snowcat-drawn sleigh. While the snow drifts and the wind howls outside, antler chandeliers cast a soft glow on the interior as you enjoy gingerbread-encrusted rack of lamb at rough-hewn tables and log chairs, then linger around a stone fireplace in rocking chairs. Beaver Creek Mountain; 970-754-3463; beanoscabinbeavercreek.com

King’s Club at The Sonnenalp

Possibly the most comfortable and lively luxury cave in Vail, where couples tuck into tapas and sip cognacs, ports, and spirits around a piano packed on all non-keyboard sides with bar stools. 20 Vail Road, Vail Village; 970-476-5656; sonnenalp.com/dining