Colorado Winterpark lodging recommendations

[Clay49]

Hi folks, I’m relatively new here and posted some threads a few months back about looking for options for this season (in Colorado) as opposed to Squaw Valley (Palisades) in Tahoe, where I have been 3 times over the last 4 years.

I just had neck surgery on Dec 19 (C5-C6 removed), and my recovery is going well, AND...IF my surgeon clears me, my wife and I may try to head out to Winterpark CO late Feb-early March for a 3-day skiing getaway. I’m a blue/green skier, so I won’t be attempting anything that might jar anything loose (and my neurosurgeon told me “You CAN’T undo what I’ve done!”).

That being said, the only other 2 times I was in Winterpark (now 15 or more years ago) it was with an adult church group, and we stayed at the Woodspur lodge, which is rustic, and quite a drive from the slopes. I would like to find something slopeside, closer to restaurants and walking distance to the lifts, if not ski in/out.

OR...someone mentioned to me a while back that there is a nice resort/spa that is in or around Winterpark that has a nice restaurant/spa setup, and they shuttle you to an from the slopes...but I can’t recall the name...maybe someone can help me out there? That might be more appealing to my wife who may ski 1 or 2 days max of our three skiable days.

Thanks so much!

 

[Clay49]

Any Winterpark aficionados available???

 

[Tricia]

@Jerez may have some input.
We've stayed there a few times for ski demos but I can't recall where we stayed other than it was with an airbnb.

 

[johnnyvw]

My experience there goes back about the same time frame as your last visit. One on occasion, we stayed slopeside. I don't remember the name of the place but being slopeside did make things easy, biggest advantage being if you wanted to take a break or change clothes it was very easy to do. On another trip with my kids, we stayed in town at a small hotel that was right across the street from a bus stop. The advantage of staying in town was the access to a larger variety of restaurants. On a third trip we stayed in condos a short drive from the slopes. That was the least convenient as you had to drive to everything or wait around for the shuttles.

 

[Jerez]

The spa resort you are probably talking about is Devils Thumb Ranch. It is looking. Cross country ski area. But it is pretty far from the Winter Park Ski resort proper.

There are a number of options slopeside. The resort has a few buildings that have small condos for rent on a nightly basis at the base. Also the Iron Horse complex is a private ski in and out property and there are VRBO type accommodations there.

There is one hotel. Not exactly slopeside but connects to the base via a cabriolet lift. It is called the Vintage.

We have a place in Rendezvous but it does require driving to the slopes and or town. Here is the link just in case..

2185 Pioneer Trail | Winter Park Vacation Home Rental | Visit Winter Park

Visit Winter Park Lodging: 2185 Pioneer Trail in Fraser. Book our Rendezvous luxury cabin for your next Winter Park getaway with its own private hot tub.

www.visitwinterpark.com

 

[Clay49]

Thanks, folks! I will look into these. I’ve book-marked a couple of options at the Zephyr, but I want to explore all viable options before I pull the trigger (given that my surgeon clears me to ski at the end of February!).

 

[johnnyvw]

BTW, the hotel we stayed at in-town is now called The Gravity House. And I think the slopeside was the Zephyr. Nice if it's within budget.

 

[S.H.]

The spa resort you are probably talking about is Devils Thumb Ranch. It is looking. Cross country ski area. But it is pretty far from the Winter Park Ski resort proper.

20 min or so?

 

[Crank]

Following with interest. WP is in the running for our February trip.

What is the town like? Live music? Restaurants? etc?

 

[Jerez]

20 min or so?

More like 30

 

[Jerez]

Following with interest. WP is in the running for our February trip.

What is the town like? Live music? Restaurants? etc?

Pretty sleepy place. There are restaurants, but not a whole lot of good ones. Live music is great...in the summer.

 

[S.H.]

More like 30

Hmm, I stayed there with a former athlete + family last year and it was definitely <30 minutes from room to lift at WP...

 

[Jerez]

Depends on traffic, and parking.

We live in Fraser 25% of the year and that is our experience. (Maybe you drive much faster than we do.)

 

[4aprice]

Following with interest. WP is in the running for our February trip.

What is the town like? Live music? Restaurants? etc?

Mountaintop après on Thursday Friday and Saturday at Sunspot Lodge on top of the Gondola 4-7, live music. Looks interesting