I've stuck to PHBC and Grand Hyatt Vail for points/awards because they honor the free parking and late checkout in addition to breakfast, which you don't get at the associated properties. Ski valet at both places is awesome too. I usually have a rental car, and even though I've never once received a 4pm, I can usually get at least a 1pm and that means I can get a few morning runs in before having to pack up and vacate. Plus the breakfast at both properties has been fantastic. I prefer PHBC, even though it's 5k/ni more points, because of how easy it is to walk to the village for all kinds of shopping and restaurant options, and real ice skating, vs being confined to the hotel, since I'd prefer to have some cocktails and not drive.

I managed to get pretty good award redemption at Hyatt Place Keystone for this coming season too with some Christmas week stuff for cat 1-4 awards that were going to expire 12/31, when the rates were in the $350/ni range. Obviously a hike to the lifts but it's a fun property either way with the GOAT next door and the Mexican restaurant across the street.

Also a side note for everyone; I just had two cat1-7 awards extended by the Globalist line; it wasn't automatic and one disappeared but they reinstated and added six months on, so now I have two awards I plan to use in Feb that would otherwise have expired.

Dr Jabadski if you end up doing something else at Vail would love to hear which property you choose and how it goes. While I really enjoy Grand Hyatt Vail and the ease of lift access, my family (us and seven year old) really like some of the trails in Blue Sky basin and especially the Champagne Glades and options under Skyline on the back side, so getting there means a morning routine of Cascade, Pride, Avanti (huge choke point), Mountaintop, some polling down Timberline since my kid can't carry enough speed to get through there, Sourdough, Skyline and then we can finally start doing laps on Skyline and Earl's. That wastes probably 90 minutes in the morning and of course means we have to cut the day off early to ensure we can catch Wildwood before it closes.