(FORTUNE Magazine) – You can pick any one of dozens of cushy (and rather expensive) places to stay in Beaver Creek, the ritzy ski enclave near Vail, Colo. But if you want to try something different--something truly off the beaten path--consider Trappers Cabin, a three-story testament to rustic luxury nestled way up at 9,500 feet in the Colorado Rockies.

How different is it? In most topnotch hotels, for starters, the bellman leads you to your room. But at Trappers he points you to the chair lift, where a short ride and a meandering ski trail bring you to the cabin--or you can take a snowmobile or snowcat. Either way, the next step is a welcoming glass of champagne. There's a chef to make your meals, a cabin keeper to handle the details, and best of all, no strange guests vying for the staff's attention: You don't just book a room at Trappers, you book the whole place. It's like your very own winter resort, shrunk down to the size of a cabin. (Albeit a cabin big enough to accommodate you and several friends; the four bedrooms sleep up to ten comfortably.)

On a recent visit I found blessedly few decisions to make: Should I stay a little longer in my Adirondack chair on the deck as the day's warmth yielded to the night chill? Or did true serenity for mind, body, and soul lie just 20 feet away in the bubbling hot tub? As it turns out, cabin keeper Kent Mason made the decision for me, handing over a steaming mug of spiced cider that warded off the shivers for another 20 minutes.

Mason, a ruddy fellow who bears a striking resemblance to Bill Murray, embodied the Trappers ideal: a rough western foundation softened by the sensibilities of money and comfort. His thick wool trousers and suspenders would have been at home on a trap line, while his gentle graciousness seemed more suited to a posh spa.

The first star twinkled in the sky, and Mason said that dinner would soon be ready. Inside, pelts and trapping paraphernalia hung from the walls; the private chef, meanwhile, put the finishing touches to some crab cakes. Wild greens salad, free-range chicken, asparagus, and hearty wild rice followed: enough to wipe out the hunger a day of skiing can inspire. Substantial nouveau western meals (elk, venison, etc.) are included in the price at Trappers, and each one is cooked right there in the kitchen.

After giving a final run-through of the cabin (fire extinguisher locations, emergency hotline phone, blissful lack of TV or radio), Mason and the chef said goodnight and roared off into the darkness on a snowmobile. Ah, sweet solitude.

Admittedly, a hideaway like this one doesn't come cheap--but the prices aren't that far off from the area's high-end resorts. From Nov. 27 to Dec. 19, Trappers charges $450 per person per night, with a four-person minimum. The price jumps to $600 per person during the holiday weeks, then dips to $550 from Jan. 2 through April 18. (During the summer months it's $300 per person, and they're flexible on the minimum.)

And be warned: A hideaway like this doesn't lack for admirers--certain holiday dates are booked well in advance. Contact Vail Associates at 970-845-5750, ext. 6206, for details.