spgplat21

I was checking on some dates for a ski trip in early 2017 and noticed a new property in Vail on the website. It's currently open and bookable, but it looks like the hotel is closing from April to December for a complete remodel and will open back up in December 2016 as a member of the luxury collection.

One good thing is that you can book a Junior Suite with a separate living room and pull out sofa for only 22,500 points/night, plus the hotel's cancellation policy is still reasonable, unlike the other SPG ski properties.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has stayed there in the past about the hotel's location and get a general idea about what to expect when this place reopens next winter.

SkiAdcock

It's been years since I stayed there, although it was pretty good when I did. The ski in/ski out is nice, along w/ the ski concierge. Gym is quite large. There's a free shuttle that runs to Lionshead & to Vail Village. Just looked at TripAdvisor. Reviews are mixed. Some mention it needs a renovation. Also, one mentioned a 3-wk notice on change to dates & the resort fee.

Cheers.

James Luckard

This started off as The Westin Vail from 1982-1996. Interesting to see it back.

SkiAdcock

I'm going from memory but I think I stayed at it both when it was the Westin & just the Vail Cascade Resort. When Marriott moved into Vail area I switched to its properties.

Cheers.

skimple

Stayed here in the summer months once. Nice hotel, with Chairlift 20 close by. Not sure if I would take this over Westin, Beavercreek.

spgplat21

Based on the rates they have loaded for next winter, it appears that they are going to target a higher end market than the Westin after the renovations. I'm hoping it ends up nicer that the Westin, as I've never been a fan of the Westin's location being somewhat removed from the main village. Although it doesn't look like there is much of a village around this hotel either.

worldtraveller73

If I am not mistaken, the property is one of the few true ski in ski out properties of Vail. Others require a short (50-100 yards) walk.

I also believe that the Cascade lift that is partially dedicated to this corner of the mountain requires the skier to take the lift, then one more to connect to the main lift network. In other words, the access is not as good or a quick as taking the single Riva Bahn from the Golden Village area.

Great to have a Vail resort i the SPG portfolio!

ckwill

Thanks for posting about this property. I just started my search for winter 2017 ski options last night, saw this property listed and was surprised to not see much written about it. Did the 22.5k rate for a junior suite appear online when you were searching or did you have to call SPG to find out that rate? I didn't see that bookable online for the dates I was searching. Thanks!

spgplat21

No, it's only available by calling in.

SkiAdcock

There isn't. You'll need to take the free shuttle to Lions Head or Vail Village, or ski down to them & then take the shuttle back.

Correct.

skimple

The Westin has the "gondola to nowhere" right in the hotel, which takes you to lift 15. Lift 15 takes you to Bachelor Gulch. So - no buses required, but not exactly "ski in, ski out"

There's a lot of great properties in Vail Village, but not really any that are part of a frequent guest program.

azepine00

I stayed there ladt year on fhr (or virtuoso) rate - the property seemed old...

TerryK

Thank you for posting. I just noticed it on spg.com.^

Glad to see the old Westin coming back. It really needs a lot of renovation to qualify as LC.

I have stayed multiple times under Westin as well Vail Cascade. Property was nice back in the 80s but I don't think it has ever been renovated. I can see the deterioration year by year. It is in an area all by itself with nothing close by. There is free shuttle to Lionshead and Vail Village, plus a chair direct to mid mountain.

It is ski-in ski-out yet you need to ski back down to village area if you are going to ski school or drop kids off. It is not near any ski base area. Also the skiway down is a narrow road only usable when snow coverage is good. You often need to download via chair in early/late season.

LovePrunes

I've stayed there multiple times the past two ski seasons.

The good:

•outdoor hot tubs by the creek, very nice at night in winter with fireplaces nearby etc...but small capacity

•often available in ski season on hotwire for $200-$250 a night

•ski rentals on site if you rent (and they can store your skis overnight)

•not cookie cutter rooms. Lots of variety of bed types and room sizes. You book on hotwire you don't know what you're going to get but certainly sufficient for 2 people.

• the gym, OMG wow this place is amazing. Used to have MOVIE THEATERS as part of the gym complex, its that large. Indoor tennis courts, huge workout area, classes, etc. It's the largest gym in the Vail Valley, lots of locals come to it, has it's own parking garage, Olympic training, swimming, family camps, etc. you can't miss it driving by on 70. HUGE. Worth staying here just for the gym, especially if off season or summer

The less good:

• This place REALLY REALLY REALLY needs a top to bottom renovation. The fact that they're closing to do a full one is a good sign. It is showing it's age and the interior common areas away from the lobby were getting shabby., hallways, elevators, etc. Definitely nothing "luxury collection" about it today other than it's a hotel in Vail and has a lift up from one end of the building to part of Vail.

•It's a convention hotel. Noisy, crowded, lots of convention goers. Lobby area is nice but the rest of hotel isn't on the same level.

•There's virtually nothing walkable from here that you'd ever want to walk to. You'll ride the bus, ask for a ride from the concierge/shuttle driver, or uber to get to Vail Village and the restaurants, shops, bars, etc. I wouldn't say it's completely "remote" but anyone would agree it's in the last place of 3 "base villages" and I use "base village" very loosely for this one. Vail village is where most want to be and has the most/best mix of what people think of when they think of a a vacation in Vail. (On the resort side of 70, the Golf course section in East Vail is the only more remote area of Vail than Cascade). Lionshead is 2nd best, not easily walkable from Vail Village, but geographically in between Vail Village and Cascade. Fewer choices but still cool at Lionshead.

FYI Cascade is the site of a future 3rd legitimate base village that will someday be built in the Vail Master Plan just due to there's not more space at Vail Village or Lionshead for parking and they want to have more $ from more hotels, bars, restaurants, etc. Till then (at least 5-10 yrs plus?), this place is pretty out of the way.

• The lift here is inconvenient for anyone wanting to ski anything more than a blue. It dumps you out mid mountain on the extreme right of the trail map. Further lifts are required to get up and over to the back side, and if you're trying to get to blue sky basin, it will take you about an hour of skiing and lifts from here. Anyone content with the runs going into Lionshead only will find this OK. There's no ski run down to the hotel or lift base. It's just a catwalk that you'll need to have some speed on to avoid poling. Snowboarders you've been warned. Much easier going up from Vail Cascade than going down the mountain into Vail Cascade. Also, when coming BACK from Blue Sky Basin to try and get back to Cascade, you're faced with at least as long of a ski and lift journey back across the front side, or a series of catwalks towards Lionshead and Cascade some of which are really flat the closer you get to Cascade. You REALLY have to pay attention to signs to get you all the way back from Two Elk and Back Bowls all the way over to Cascade, or you'll find that you're too far down the mountain too traverse on the catwalk and no more lifts running, so you're riding a bus back to Cascade.

• The Vail Cascade lift is often not running during non-peak times, i.e. early season before Christmas or midweek after mid February. If you're staying here to be "slopeside" you may end up riding a bus to a lift anyway. Depending on which end of the building your room is in, it can be a LOOOOOOONG walk to the lift at the extreme eastern side of the complex.

• inadequate quick service food. If you don't want to eat in the hotel restaurant for a breakfast, the quick grab and go option is very limited and there's nowhere to get anything else.

In short, if you are staying for slopeside ski in and out access, you might be happier paying a bit more and staying in Vail Village or if needing to use starwood points, staying at Westin Beaver Creek with dedicated Gondola right to Bachelor Gulch Village.

If you will use the gym a lot AND if you don't mind potentially riding a bus to lifts, restaurants, shopping, and night life, then this is a good choice. It has to be a really good financial deal for me to choose them due to these factors. If you have plenty of points to burn, go for it. I'd never use points to stay here though.

If you are looking for a postcard picture stereotypical "vail" experience, an aspirational trip using your long-saved points for a ski in and ski out experience with nearby food and entertainment, I think you'll be disappointed staying here. There are independent hotels in Vail Village and one or two in Lionshead much better and more "Vail" than Cascade. Hyatt, Westin, Ritz at Beaver Creek are BY FAR better and more fit that description, plus BC has numerous other independent boutique hotels that are true ski in and out also.

tods27

The EverVail development is actually going to be between Lionshead and the Vail Cascade, so it's not accurate to say that Cascade is the site of a future base village. Cascade will still be a hike from EverVail. The plans call for another lift between the Lionshead gondola and the Cascade lift to service the new EverVail development. It's definitely a long way off.