We are getting ready to go to Telluride for our 3rd time in 1 yr. We love Telluride and based on the many avid skiers I spoke with who have been to the other popular spots, they tend to favor it also. I had never skied prior to Jan 2010. Telluride offered great beginner slopes and allowed me to progress very quickly with gradual degrees of difficulty. We had such a great time we went back in March 2010. Jan 2011 we went to Avoriaz, France which is located on the Swiss boarder, in the Northern French Alps, in the largest network of resorts (Portes du Soleil). It is known to be an international hot spot. Although we had a great time in Avoriaz, we like Telluride best. We found it easier to get around and the trails were well marked. It has much to offer for all levels of skiing abilities. We liked not having to rent a car. We flew into Montrose, CO and took a shuttle service to Telluride. There is a gondola that goes across the mountain between Mountain Village and Telluride. There is also a shuttle that runs a loop around Telluride about every 15 min. Both the gondola and the shuttle are open from 7 am until midnight everyday. As far a value we choose to stay at the Victorian Inn. It is convenient, great value for you $. It offers clean, simple accommodations, continental breakfast, hot tub and sauna. You can also get discounts on lift tickets and equipment through them. If you are looking for fancy accommodations, you might check out the Lumiere hotel in Mountain Village. We stayed there our first trip and would give it 5 out of 5 stars! However, it is pricey. We ski all day so our room is only used to shower, dress and sleep. We found that it wasn't worth spending the money for a fancy room that we were only in to shower, dress and sleep.