UA-NYC

Eh. I think you can do better. Slopeside is the best part about this place but you aren't going skiing. Maybe something nice in Vail or Breck? Something with a nicer town, more walkable, etc.

GUWonder

Unless you're skiing, the slope-side location at Snowmass isn't going to do a whole lot of good (and in some ways it may even be undesirable the rest of the days). Snowmass is better than Aspen for beginner skiing, and Buttermilk is easier for one-day-only beginners than Snowmass. But for a real walk-able feel, I would suggest finding an option in Aspen or somewhere easily easily drive-able to the places you will be going, at least as long as you have a car available to get around yourself. The lodging costs tend to drop quite substantially the further from slope-side you get and the further away you go from the Aspen center; and having a car makes that a lot more feasible and ends up saving money on lodging or getting you a lot more space for the money.

Have you considered Park City in Utah? With a car there, you can get a lot more value for your money than around Aspen/Snowmass/Buttermilk and it provides a good mix of stuff to do -- but I can't comment about hiking around there, as I spend my energy going downhill skiing as much as possible.

carsnoceans

I fully second Hotel Park City (autograph collection; not park city marriott). Beautiful property.

I am staying at Westin Snowmass right now. And its bit of a sh**show here. People are nice but place is shambles. I am staying on the 7th floor and they dont have a direct elevator to top 3 floors. Everyone has to change elevators after a long walk through the hallways of mid level floors. To make it worse, out of 2 main elevators to the lobby and ski valet area, one of them is broken. Given the full house and full loads of elevators, this is mighty inconvenient!!

would it fair of me to ask the property to comp with free brekkie or something? If yes, should I try now with front desk or try later (for points) with customer service?

edge

I would ask for a manager and tell this person you are not happy. I was there this summer and my TV never functioned properly. I told the person who was checking me out, and a manager overheard me. I politely explained the issue and he gave me a bunch of extra points. So that might work for you.

Boraxo

I love Aspen and Snowmass and the skiing is great this year. But it is silly to spend $$$ to go to a remote ski resort (yes remote compared to city properties) in the winter when you don't ski, just as it would be silly to pay $$$ to go to a beach resort in the summer if you don't want to lie in the sun. Yes, there are ski towns where people go to party, be seen, etc. - that would include Aspen (the town, not Snowmass which is more like a hotel in the 'burbs) and to a lesser extent downtown Park City, Whistler, maybe some places in Europe like St Moritz,etc.

I am sure hiking is good in the summer, but not winter. As for food we just returned from Aspen and were astounded by the prices, even compared to overpriced SF & LA. There are a few casual locals places that have burgers, sandwiches, etc. but most of the restaurants seem geared towards jacking the tourists.

As for the Westin we had some service issues, and the Pinnacle wing can be a bit of a hike. The other wing has some rooms over the starbucks which not surprisingly get noise from early am throughout the day. But in general the ski out access onto gentle slopes cannot be beat for families and a relative bargain compared to St. Regis.

hockeyinsider

I am bringing 12 corporate customers here in January. Ideas for dinner and drinks? Preferably, on-property so I can charge my room and get the points from it.

UAPremierGuy

I'd avoid eating on property. There are much better restaurants in Snowmass, including Slice in the Base Village (ask for Ned, the owner) or Il Poggio, just down the street from the Westin.

UA-NYC

Restaurant at the Viceroy is pretty good. Think there is a German place around the corner that isn't fancy but is good. There is some private members club too (drawing a blank, on OpenTable) that allows people to come in and dine...a bit more fancy.

hockeyinsider

Is the hotel that bad?

I need the points.

helvetic

The food isn't good. The hotel in general is just okay. It's a ski resort, and you're there to ski and anything else is gravy.

UA-NYC

Hotel is *fine". Slopeslide location is nice. Rooms are dated. Plat breakfast is pretty poor. Ski valets were nice but overall service was mediocre. Good redemption using points, poor cash value.

SP03

They import a lot of seasonal workers from SA. I've met many of them, nice but you can tell that they don't have much experience in hospitality. Hence the disappointing service. I would only stay there if I were using points and being slope side is important.

Boraxo

alas this is true for many resort hotels now including St. Regis Aspen and Hyatt Incline (the latter favors Eastern Europeans). And almost all the ski resorts too. Personally I am not a big fan of the H2B seasonal worker visa as I think there are plenty of adults in the USA that are qualified for these jobs. But employers prefer the imported workers - they are young, nice, and most important cheap and won't complain about the hours and living in a bunkhouse.

hockeyinsider

Quite a few of the early 20-something seasonal workers at the iconic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island from the Philippines, many of whom have studied hotel management or hospitality in college, work at these resorts in the winter. In my experience, some work a few years and get a hotel management job somewhere, others make some money and go home, and yet others marry an American and stay here.

SP03

There's a difference between someone studying hospitality and interning at a resort, vs cheap labor for seasonal resorts.