by Scott Laird
Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Fri January 12, 2018
When visiting cold-weather destinations during the winter, it's tempting to spend all your time indoors and away from the harsh elements, perhaps involving a mug of something hot, a roaring fire and plenty of cozy wraps.
However, there are some city and resort hotels where guests can brave the elements in the name of entertainment and enjoyment of natural beauty and wildlife.
Read on, intrepid winter travelers:
Rooftop Curling in Chicago
Curling is an old sport, born in Scotland and now popular in many arctic regions around the world.
In Chicago, (no stranger to chilly winters), guests at The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel can enjoy curling with advance reservations at the rooftop curling rink. Spectators can keep warm at the fireplace and fire pit, with heat lamps, or with hot winter cocktails.
The $25 price to participate in curling includes a winter cocktail like Lux Chocolate or Tea-Groni, both served hot, or the hotel's take on mulled wine and Glasgow punch in large formats designed for a crowd.
Sledge Safari in Switzerland
Switzerland is understandably a haven for winter sports enthusiasts, with the normal skiing, skating and curling options available in the quaint car-free village of Muerren at Schilthorn in the canton of Bern.
However, a time-honored option here is sledging-a popular alpine version of sledding in which the user sits upright on a raised toboggan. It's a lower impact mountain sport compared with skiing and snowboarding, and there are dedicated "sledge safari" runs on the mountain for visitors to enjoy.
Guests at the Hotel Alpenruh can arrange their own sledge safaris when booking rooms with mountain or village views, or self-contained Husi accommodations.
Skating is free after 8 p.m. for guests of the hotel; non-guests and guests wishing to skate earlier during the day can join in for a nominal fee.
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