The Lodge at Vail

About The Lodge at Vail

By the ULTIMATE Ski Resorts Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

The Lodge at Vail, a RockResort, was the first hotel built in Vail and stands at the base of Vail Mountain, steps from Gondola One. Its 165 rooms and suites have the feel of a fine European chalet, with mahogany and marble, and it adds a RockResorts Spa, an outdoor pool and two restaurants.

Vail’s original lodge

When Vail opened, The Lodge was its first hotel, and it still has the best address in the village: at the foot of Vail Mountain, steps from Gondola One, so you ski in and out. The shops, restaurants, après-ski and the year-round events of Vail Village are right outside the door, and a ski concierge and ski valet take care of the gear.

The RockResorts Spa

The spa has an intimate Colorado feel, with rustic vanities, warm colours and stone and wood. It has 11 treatment rooms: seven massage rooms, two facial rooms, a wet treatment room and a couples’ room with a soaking tub for two. The men’s and women’s locker rooms each have a steam room and a whirlpool, and there is a separate women’s relaxation lounge as well as a large co-ed lounge. The 3,500 sq ft fitness complex adds a gym and a movement studio for yoga, stretching and Pilates.

An iconic ski-in/ski-out destination in the heart of Vail Village, in the hotel’s words.

Outside, the outdoor pool and lounge, two outdoor hot tubs and fire pits make the classic après-ski scene, and there is a wet and a dry sauna.

Rooms, suites and chalets

The 165 rooms and suites look out to the mountain or the village, with antique armoires, leather furnishings and thick terry robes. Each of the 46 suites, with one, two or three bedrooms, has a wood-burning fireplace and a walk-out balcony. At the top of the range are the Chalets and penthouses: Chalet #1 has five bedrooms over 4,820 sq ft, Chalet #3 five bedrooms over 4,549 sq ft, and the Golden Peak Penthouse #4 four bedrooms over 3,335 sq ft.

Eating and drinking

Cucina serves mountain comfort food in a relaxed, family-friendly room, with a hearty breakfast buffet before the hill and an outdoor fire pit and bar that draw locals and visitors for après-ski. Elway’s is the steakhouse, with USDA prime steaks, Colorado lamb and fresh fish, a wine list of more than 350 selections, a lively bar and covered and sunny patios. Room service runs in season.

Our advice: ask for a suite with a fireplace and a balcony on the mountain side, book a spa treatment for the last hour of the ski day, and keep one evening for Elway’s. For a family or a group, the Chalets give you a private house at the foot of the gondola.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Lodge at Vail before you go.