There comes a weekend in every ski season where you need to get an actual room (as in a hotel room, not a spot on a couch in a friend’s condo) in that grand expanse of One-Percenter time shares on the West side of Vail Pass. Sometimes it’s a matter of necessity—you’re driving home from a day at Beaver Creek when a storm blows in, closing Vail Pass. Sometimes, the snow’s just too good. Fear not, here we offer a lodging recommendation for every budget starting at $100 (the cost of a lift ticket…).
A COOL HUNDRED: Roost Lodge
The ugly stepchild of Vail lodging, the Roost ensures there will always be a place to stay for a Benjamin. Located in West Vail, five minutes from the Village on the free bus route, the rooms are far from fancy, but they’re clean and include a free continental breakfast, which is more than we can say for your bedroom. Standard rooms start at $99; roost-vail-lodging.com
BEST DEAL: Lodge Tower
A Vail slopeside mainstay, the Lodge Tower recently underwent a $6.5-million facelift, not only upgrading the rooms, but adding the types of amenities you’d expect to pay a lot more for: a new lobby, breakfast lounge, slope-view pool and hot tubs, a fitness center with Pilates and yoga classes and spa. Lodge rooms start at $190; lodgetower.com
THE FAMILY GUY: Vail Mountain Lodge and Spa
Your stay here includes complimentary access to the Vail Athletic Club, which houses the only indoor climbing wall in the valley. Groms love it. You’ll love the complimentary family breakfast at the hotel’s Terra Bistro. Your woman will love the separate soaking tub in your suite. Family suites start at $285; vailmountainlodge.com
ROMANTIC SPLURGE: The Sebastian
It’s sexy, it’s chic, it’s spendy. It has a full-service spa. What more could your lady ask for? Ski-in/ski-out access to the Vista Bahn lift, you say? Done. This new-ish boutique hotel really does have it all, even an organic farm-to-table restaurant. Deluxe room with king-sized bed starts at $680; thesebastianvail.com
THE BIG LEBOWSKI: Solaris
There’s no shortage of fancy condo complexes in Vail, but the brand new Solaris does it better with a novel dine-in movie theater, an ice-skating rink and Bōl—a combination ten-lane bowling alley and gourmet restaurant/wine bar. Gather some friends and choose from two-bedroom condos to 2,800-square foot penthouses. Two-bedroom residences start at $785; solarisvail.com
