Majestic mountains, fresh powder, and the feeling of exhilaration you get when youāre flying down a mountain: this is the Vail experience. Choosing to visit Vail for a winter getaway was one of the best decisions my son could make. Every winter, we plan a ski trip around his school’s winter vacation break.Ā He and his friends decided together where they wanted to spend their precious week off, and I was more than delighted when they chose to visit Lionshead Village for the second year in a row.Ā While the kids pick it for the skiing and fun village nightlife, it fits all my criteria for comfort and fine food.
Vail offers many things that makes it unique, like a deluxe movie theater serving cocktails and gourmet snacks and a lux bowling alley that does double duty as a mixology cocktail lounge. There’s a range of off-slope activities from several Nordic, backcountry and snowshoe tours, to nearby cat-skiing, hot air balloon rides and snowmobile tours. Even non-skiing amenities and activities can be found here.Ā Let’s just say, if Vail doesn’t have it, there’s a good chance no other resort does!
There areĀ plenty of high-end accommodations in Vail to choose fromĀ includingĀ The Lodge at Vail, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Hotel Talisa, Four Seasons Vail, and Game Creek Chalet, just to name a few.
We chose the Arrabelle at Vail Square as our home away from home.Ā When we settled in and went to rent our ski equipment, we were told that as guests of The Arrabelle, our boots and skis will be ready for us at the mountain base tomorrow morning. If that’s not five star service, I don’t know what is!Ā Another convenience offered to us was a spacious room with benches where we could change into our ski boots.Ā At the end of an exhausting but fun day, all we had to do was drop our equipment off with the staff, and they would store everything overnight.Ā Not having to carry our heavy equipment around after a long day was incredibly convenient.Ā The Arrabelle is truly a ski-in and ski-out hotel!
While we chose this property because of their convenient concierge ski feature, all of us really enjoyed the prime location and amenities as well. You’ll find The Arrabelle in the heart of Lionshead Village which means it’s walking distance to the shops, restaurants and ice-skating rink in Vail Square. Ā Situated at the base of the Eagle Bahn gondola, the hotel provides easy access to snow sports and summer fun atop Adventure Ridge. The hotelĀ evokes a sophisticated, cozy, European-style chalet. Ā From the moment you walk into the rustic-chic lobby with dark-beam ceilings and see the huge stone fireplace, you feel the overall elegance of the hotel.
Since we were traveling with our son, we opted for a two-bedroom residence, which was perfect for our family. Ā Walking into our room, we were awed byĀ how spacious the accommodations were and the stunning views from the fourth floor.Ā If we had a little more time on this trip, we would have invited our friends over for dinner or drinks.Ā In fact, we could have invited 20 friends over since the combination living room and dining room were big enough to accommodate those numbers, and the kitchen was easily up to such entertaining. The log wooden dining room table was large enough to seatĀ 12 . Since we ate out every evening, the table was mostly used by my husband and me for our morning work sessions.
One of my favorite aspects of the room was our private balcony with spectacular views of Vail.Ā In the morning, my husband would go out onto our balcony, look out at the mountain, and plan out his ski day. In the evening, we enjoyed watching the sunset and he would point out the runs that he had done earlier in the day.
The plush king bed and big screen TV in our bedroom was a welcome sight after a long day of exploring.Ā The spacious and modern ensuite bathroom had both a huge soaking tub and shower; but my favorite touch was the dual vanities.Ā That’s always a plus when traveling with your significant other.Ā Our son and his friend enjoyed their room just as much thanks to the comfortable double bunk bed which suited my 6’3 tall boy.Ā But the icing on the cake was when the turn down service would leave delicious chocolates by our beds every night.Ā Little touches like these go a long way to help make our family vacation fun, memorable, and sweet!
Deciding where to go for dinner in Vail isĀ definitely a problem: there are way too many outstanding restaurants. Naturally, we wanted to try as many as possible! Ā For our first night, we chose Fall Line, a contemporary dining option in Coloradoās Vail Village. Ā It’s a modern, upscale restaurant serving innovative American cuisine accented with Latin influences from Executive Chef Jake Burkhardt. Ā With an intimate setting, our moods were set for a romantic evening. We enjoyed salads for our starter; I chose the Butter Lettuce Salad, and my husband chose the Ensalada Rosa. For our main entrees, we went with the Colorado lamb shank, and the whole roasted Colorado striped bass. Ā We were delighted in every bite. My husband then enjoyed a unique cocktail made of two types of vermouth and I chose a white wine from their cellar.
With an early start the next morning, we were up and out for our private ski lesson with our mountain guide. Experiencing the exhilaration of skiing Vail Mountain with a private mountain guide is a special adventure. Ā He took us around the mountain to parts that we hadn’t explored, and tailored our lessons to fit our skill level and styles. Our mountain guide, Gutter, was fantastic and very patient with us throughout the morning. Ā Towards the end of the lesson, we became more confident in the snow and certainly worked up an appetite for lunch at The 10th Restaurant.
After a morning of skiing, I dropped my skis outsideĀ the 10th Restaurant, located half way up the mountain atĀ Mid Vail where the gondola unloads. Once inside, I put my boots andĀ Ā jacket in a little locker and put on a pair of their cozy complimentary slippers. Ā It felt just great after some hard skiing, to walk in slippersĀ toĀ a window table and look out at theĀ magnificent the Gore Range mountain. We indulged in the “modern alpine cuisine” which, as their menu says, draws inspiration from the Swiss and Austrian Alps regions, as well as Rocky Mountain cuisine. Wherever it came from, we had a sumptuous meal.Ā Ā One of us was not skiing that day which wasĀ not a problem; the restaurant can be accessed by just riding upĀ the gondola.
All of us were excited each day about the aprĆØs skis options. Ā The kids would race back everyday to The Arrabelle for their famous afternoon free gourmet hot chocolate at 4:00 PM on the glassed-in second floor bridge. “Gourmet hot chocolate” turns out to be very different from what I had been used to and I could see why the kids made such a big deal out of it. Gourmet hot chocolate includes an array of toppings like whipped cream, chocolate chips, and toffee. For those with an insatiable sweet tooth (like most of the kids), they had a full array of cookies too. For adults, they offeredĀ Baileys Irish Cream and Kahlua to mix in.
After dropping off the kids, we sat with a few other adults and enjoyed cocktails with live music at Vail’s Chophouse.Ā Alternatively, the Tavern on the Square has great live music as well.
It was so nice to stay in a town with award winning dining, and a diverse range of dining establishments. After hearing a lot about Game Creek Restaurant, we couldn’t wait for dinner. Ā We took the short ride up the Eagle Bahn Gondola to Eagle Nest where we were whisked away to dinner, by Snowcat, through the woods to Game Creek Restaurant. Talk about taking fine dining to new heights! This European chalet and its magnificent settling was the perfect location for our 5-star, multi-course, gourmet American meal.
After spending some time wandering around town, we refreshed our mind, body and spirit with a much needed relaxing couples massage at The Arrabelle Spa before our journey home. Ā We made sure to arrive early to thoroughly enjoy the steam room, sauna, and pool. Ā The spa facilities are fantastic.Ā We changed out of our wet bathing suits and took a shower in the locker rooms before slipping into our very soft and plush robes. Ā We sat in the relaxation room until our massage therapist came for us. Ā After the massage, we were returnedĀ toĀ the relaxation room and were servedĀ aĀ selection of herbal tea, flavored waters, and even smallĀ refreshingĀ bowls of gelato.Ā The ladies locker room was so fully equipped, I could have walked out with my hair done and ready for a night out.Ā Ā The massageĀ was delightful and a perfect way to end aĀ familyĀ ski holiday. Ā
Disclosure: Ā We were guests of Vail Resorts, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our trip. Ā The opinions here are my own.
Shawna
January 26, 2018 at 7:24 pmLove, love, love Vail, but man, it looks like I’ve been doing it all wrong! haha š My stays are never as awesome looking as yours!
Carmen Edelson
January 28, 2018 at 5:29 pmHa! Sometimes you just have to splurge š
Candy
January 28, 2018 at 12:52 amMmmmm, that gourmet hot chocolate looks so good and hot chocolate always tastes so yummy in the winter. You definitely got 5-star service not having to haul all your equipment and have it waiting for you. It’s such a pain having to carry all that heavy equipment.
Carmen Edelson
January 28, 2018 at 5:30 pmI know, I was so happy we didn’t have to do all of that! Although we could have burned off all the hot chocolate calories š
Samantha
January 28, 2018 at 2:38 pmIt’s the little things that make a trip unforgettable. I love the ambiance of that hotel – definitely a place I’d like to stay!
Carmen Edelson
January 28, 2018 at 5:30 pmI couldn’t agree more, Samantha š
Renada
January 28, 2018 at 5:08 pmThis looks like the way to visit Vail! I ready about Game Creek Restaurant somewhere else, but they didn’t mention how diners got to the restaurant. Snowcat is the way to go. Very informative and helpful.
Carmen Edelson
January 28, 2018 at 5:30 pmThanks! The snowcat was unique and fun š
Kristy
January 29, 2018 at 10:19 amI love the wide range of options available if you aren’t the skiing type- snowshoeing and hot air balloon rides both sound like a lot of fun! That spa though… would love to be there right now! The town also looks so quaint. We’ll have to add Vail to our U.S. bucket list š
Carmen Edelson
January 31, 2018 at 9:54 pmThe spa is heavenly! And yes, there are so many other activities š
InvitedHome
September 18, 2020 at 1:02 pmWe agree! We might be a bit scared of the hot air balloon rides ? but would love to give it a try. Might need to bring some vino to help with the nerves ?
Carmen Edelson
September 20, 2020 at 4:59 pmHa, definitely!
Amy
January 29, 2018 at 4:45 pmMMMM….a hot chocolate bar sounds perfect after all that skiing. I love the shot of the snow up on the mountain.
Carmen Edelson
January 31, 2018 at 9:54 pmThanks, Amy! The hot chocolate bar definitely tempted me every day.
dana
January 30, 2018 at 10:53 amI don’t ski anymore, as I was never really any good, nor am I a big fan of being cold and wet. But this post made me want to venture out there and experience Vail. Nice post
Carmen Edelson
January 31, 2018 at 9:56 pmThank you, Dana!
Jennifer
January 30, 2018 at 5:14 pmYou had me at majestic mountains. That’s seriously all I need to hear if someone is trying to convince me to visit a place. I’m more of a summer mountain person though, so I would probably spend a lot of time in that fabulous spa during the winter.
Carmen Edelson
January 31, 2018 at 9:56 pmThe spa was my saving grace every day from the cold!
Lara Dunning
January 30, 2018 at 8:13 pmSounds like the perfect place for a luxury winter escape. Love amenities of the hotel, plus the adult options for the hot chocolate as kalua is one of my favorite sweet alcoholic drinks and the spa. Plus I like being able to walk from hotels to explore the town and it looks like it is a great location and close to everything.
Carmen Edelson
January 31, 2018 at 9:57 pmThe location was absolutely perfect, Lara!
luis parsons
February 21, 2018 at 10:15 pmthe place looks super awesome and cozy!!right now I can just put this on my list…someday ill go there!thank you so much for sharing this wonderfull trip!
Carmen Edelson
February 22, 2018 at 11:08 amYou’re so welcome, I’m happy to share my experiences!
Wayne W Walls
September 18, 2019 at 4:09 pmWow! Those buildings lit up at night are beautiful! And I so badly want to sit in that hot tub!
Thanks for the awesome post!
Wayne Walls
Carmen Edelson
September 23, 2019 at 10:16 pmI know, that hot tub is so inviting!
Irene
January 9, 2020 at 6:58 pmCarmen, what a great family vacation! I love Vail ski resort, it is so different from other ski resorts. The Game Creek restaurant is my favourite. I should try the Fall line restaurant next time, thank you for the recommendations. Btw, great picture by the snow cat!:)
Carmen Edelson
February 10, 2020 at 7:10 pmThanks so much, Irene… enjoy!