Book a fight to Denver to explore the amazing skiing of the majestic Rockies. Whether you’re looking for that perfect intimate getaway with your significant other, a fun and affordable family holiday or the right vibe for you and your friends to cut loose, these are five of the most interesting places to stay in Colorado for all sorts of adventures.
Wildwood Lodge, Snowmass
Best for – budget skiers
This great value Inn is found slap bang in the middle of Snowmass – just a stone’s throw from the ski slopes and all the bars, restaurants and shopping of town. The great thing about the location is that it is close to four great skiing areas. The 150 rooms have views of the surrounding mountains or the heated swimming pool, and the lounge area has a roaring fire in the winter and big couches to settle back into clutching a hot chocolate at the end of a long day. The steakhouse restaurant serves huge slabs of wild game and meat and for the adventurous the legendary “Rocky Mountain Oysters.”
Vail Mountain Lounge & Spa, Vail
Best for – couples
One of the few really boutique hotels in Vail, this European-style chalet-hotel offers 27 luxury rooms and condos on the edge of picturesque ski resort. The views from the rooms are awe-inspiring, looking out over the mountains that dominate the Vail valley. For couples in the mood for a little loving, the cozy gas fires are perfect for laying out in front of with a warming glass of red wine. The subtly furnished rooms have all the conveniences travelers need. But best of all is the extensive spa, which offers soothing treatments, massages and mud baths from around the world to ease those post-skiing aches. For the unnecessarily fit and healthy, when skiing just isn’t quite enough, the sports center will keep those calories burning while those with a head for heights a climbing wall will keep the adventurous limber. For foodies, the Terra Bistro is all about using organic goodies in the cooking of its modern American menu. Situated right next door to the creek, the Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa is perfect for summer walks and winter adventures.
Ski Tip Lodge, Keystone
Best for – groups of friends
Built in the 1860s, Ski Tip Lodge is the oldest operating ski lodge in North America, and is still hosting skiers today 60 years after if first started out. The really cozy, intimate intimate alpine B&B is nestled away in a grove of pine trees at the bottom of the slopes in the Keystone ski area, which is perfect for the lazy skier who doesn’t really enjoy clumping down the street in their over-sized ski boots. Competition for the best room might be fierce, but don’t worry – all of the 10 luxuriously decorated rooms have super-romantic four-poster beds, alluringly low ceilings and old-school antiques. The living areas are warmed by roaring fireplaces and are perfect to sink into the couches and enjoy an après ski drink or a little competitive cards. Those with one eye to their stomach will be pleased to learn that the Ski Tip Lodge has one of the best restaurants in the area, serving traditional mountain food in a friendly, low-key ambience, though you might expect to pay just as much for dinner as you’re paying for your room.
The Inn at Steamboat, Steamboat
Best for – families
This cozy mountain Inn is one of the best located in Steamboat, just four blocks from the main ski lift, although for the truly lazy or weak-armed a bus does shuttle guests to and from the slopes. The Inn’s décor has recently been updated making all 34 guestrooms into lovely, warm spaces with a touch of antiqued charm and all the mod-cons. For those who love a little bit of nighttime steam, the heated outdoor pool and hot tub are perfect for kicking back while it’s cold outside and watching the brilliance of the night-sky drift overhead. Steamboat is known for its food and the plethora of restaurants and shops of the main street are just down the road. Try Winona’s, virtually on the doorstep, for a great value mountain-man’s breakfast.
The Residence Hotel, Aspen
Best for – cultured skiers
There’s something super-cute about The Residence’s location – slap bang in the middle of town in a period building. It has come way from its original purpose, that of a brothel to entertain the local mining population. Today, The Residence is one of Aspen’s cozy boutique hotels, and showcases the collection of the owners’ furniture and antiques, collected over a lifetime. The extraordinary rooms are little bits of quaint Europe in the mountains, the English Victorian suite looks like something out of an English country house, the French Studio has swags of charm, and the Explorer’s suite is a hodgepodge of Indochine glamor. With roaring fires and hot tub tubs, it’s an ideal choice for a ski vacation in Colorado’s famous town.
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