Your favorite lodging tips and tricks

[marjoram_sage]

Another thing you can do is try to figure out local bus routes / shuttle systems to minimize expensive rental cars. I recently flew into EGE, got a rental car for 1 day ($57) to get to Frisco, and stayed at a hotel near the Transit Center. Used Summit Stage (free) to get to the ski areas. And when leaving, I took Bustang ($12) into Denver, and from there an Uber ($38) to the airport, after meeting some friends there overnight.

If I'd kept a 4WD car the whole time - which I don't bother with at Eagle - I think the rates I was looking at were $300-$400 based on time and a point to point surcharge.

Also I usually call up hotel desks and ask all the details for how the buses work in practicality. In February I went to Solitude/Brighton and picked the Hampton Inn BCC because the free bus (with Ikon) stopped in front, and as the front desk correctly noted, their stop is before the big car parking lots, so one can get a seat when it gets crowded. So I would suggest speaking with properties to find out everything you can.

yeah.. ski area buses are nice. We rented a car from Denver, dropped off stuff in Avon and returned the car in EGE, took uber back. I have a corp code that does not charge anything extra for one ways. Spent next 15 days skiing without a car. The cost of rental car would have been pretty close to the cost of epic pass for the trip.

 

[New2]

Sipapu has in past years had a pretty attractive free lodging with purchase of an adult lift ticket offer. And kids under 11 or in 5th grade get free season passes. Probably not too attractive as a destination in itself, but combined with a road trip to some other southwestern destinations it could be a good way to extend the vacation without paying much extra.

 

[crgildart]

Bring tin foil to cover the motel iron with while waxing your skis there.

 

[raytseng]

Biggest decision points is more along the lines of what kind of traveler you are. Do you like things all planned out and so you book several months in advance and locked in? Or are you chasing and you booking a few weeks out and play it by ear based on conditions? Do you want to go to a particular new destination or do you want to chase best ski conditions?

Having the mismatch ofpersonality will cause lots of grief or anxiety.
Even so, you got to have the right attitude that you won't always get lucky with conditions.

If you know your destinations you will need to research which destinations lodging is inexpensive so its not a big part of your planning, whereas others its very expensive so its should requires more of your energy to optimize.

That being said if you are the planning type, if you lock down lodging several months in advance you can get a fair deal for buying early. That is the easiest way to decent price .

One tip is to do check direct from the resort, as their inventory and promos are somewhat separate from the usual online aggregators. Especially if you have a pass, that may give access to passholder discounts. Note there often is no verification of passholderness.

Second tip is to get your ski crew or ski buddies together. You will get economies of scale if you have a bigger group vs solo (at least until a certain size). If someone else has already been to the area they may already have some local knowledge. Of course the planning and logistics need to line up, and you all need to be able to get along with that group of buddies and have an understanding of what each expects from the trip in terms of goals and spending.