I cannot believe how expensive lodging is at Snowmass. Most 1 bdrm condos I have checked out well exceed $3,000 per week. Does anyone have any recommendations for lodging at Snowmass. It is just me and my wife and we are low maintenance.

Thanks

snowsmith wrote:

I cannot believe how expensive lodging is at Snowmass. Most 1 bdrm condos I have checked out well exceed $3,000 per week. Does anyone have any recommendations for lodging at Snowmass. It is just me and my wife and we are low maintenance.

Thanks

What time of year are you going? If it is a holiday, that may be the going rate. Last March we stayed right at the base of the Elk Camp Gondola in the Capital Peak Lodge and it wasn't super expensive. Easy 100 yard stroll to the lift. We went through VRBO to find it.

I dont know if you will have a car out there, but last year my friends and I stayed in a Basalt VRBO, and although it didnt have the ski in/out access it was easy enough to get to the mountain (20 mint to snowmass and 30min to aspen) They will get you with parking fees. Our last few days we ended up taking the RFTA bus, but that was mainly to be able to fully enjoy some of the valleys fine establishments. Enjoy it and hope you and your wife have more snow then we did. 

Not Snowmass and not fancy, but cheaper in downtown Aspen near bus stop to Snowmass/Highlands:  http://www.tyroleanlodge.com/

I'm more familiar with Summit County than Snowmass, but what I'm seeing in Summit county is rates that are up BIG from last year and HUGE from 3-4 years ago. I suspect the same at Snowmass.

My wife and I stayed in a studio apt. at Timberline Condos last year. Ski in/ski out, short walk to the commercial complex, bus stop at the front door. Very nice place with outdoor pool and really good bar/restaurant onsite. Not cheap, but as of now they're quoting well under 3K for a week in Feb next year. We found it through a meeting we attended at Snowmass and it was great.

We also stayed a week at the Pokolodi Lodge a couple of years ago. It's not ski in/out but is a short walk to the slopes and breakfast was included, and they have an outdoor pool too. No frills, but nice enough for low maintenance folks like us. That would likely be cheaper, haven't priced it. We would happily go back to either one. They both had free airport transfers as well. Also, the free public  bus system seems to work very nicely delivering people to and from the surrounding condo complexes (there are many), and to the three other ski areas. We rode the bus to ski Highlands a few times and into Aspen for dinner with no problems. I agree with the advice to check VRBO etc. We really enjoyed Snowmass and Highlands- hope you find something that works.

Snowmass has been on my short list of places to visit for the past few years, but the difficulty of getting there (long drive from Denver or an expensive flight to Aspen with a change) along with the prices, not just  lodging but lift tickets and lessons has dissuaded me again and again. From what I have read, what makes Snowmass great is the slopeside accomodation and access to Highlands and Aspen for variety. However, slopeside lodging goes for premium prices. Why pay $450 a night for a slopeside condo, suffer with an expensive and time consuming flight and pay $125 a day for a lift pass when I can fly cheaply to SLC direct, stay in a decent chain hotel in Ogden or Cottonwood Heights for less than $100, And purchase a lift ticket for less than $90? 

Makes sense to me!

The Colonel

johnfmh wrote:

Snowmass has been on my short list of places to visit for the past few years, but the difficulty of getting there (long drive from Denver or an expensive flight to Aspen with a change) along with the prices, not just  lodging but lift tickets and lessons has dissuaded me again and again. From what I have read, what makes Snowmass great is the slopeside accomodation and access to Highlands and Aspen for variety. However, slopeside lodging goes for premium prices. Why pay $450 a night for a slopeside condo, suffer with an expensive and time consuming flight and pay $125 a day for a lift pass when I can fly cheaply to SLC direct, stay in a decent chain hotel in Ogden or Cottonwood Heights for less than $100, And purchase a lift ticket for less than $90? 

I made use of the Mountain Collective Pass to check out the Aspen mountains for the first time last March.  (Two included days plus the bonus day.)  Added skiing in Colorado onto a week in Denver with my non-skiing husband.  When he went home, I started skiing with my ski buddy who drove from Albuquerque to pick me up.  Our favorite destination is Alta and we have skied LCC/BCC as well as Snowbasin/PowMow, Big Sky, and JH in recent years.  He went to high school in Carbondale and skied at Ajax almost every weekend, but hadn't been back for a long time.

We only skied around Aspen for 3 days.  Stayed at the Carbondale Days Inn.  Late season the drive in was about the same as staying in SLC and driving to LCC.  We use the bus from Buttermilk for Highlands.  We got a late season powder day at Snowmass, but spring conditions at Ajax and Highlands.  

Bottom line is that I liked Aspen enough to want to go back sooner rather than later.  We'll be going mid-season with other friends this winter.  For my friends, skiing is the priority so we are sharing a house in Carbondale instead of paying extra for lodging in Snowmass.  The primary advantage of the extra effort of going to Aspen is that lift lines are essentially never an issue.  From what I understand that includes during holiday periods.  That can't be said for LCC or Park City.  Same advantage that Big Sky has because it's harder to reach.  I can understand why families and mixed ability groups are willing to pay a premium for a ski vacation at Snowmass, especially if constrained by school schedules.

Alta remains my favorite out west.  But I'm glad the MCP pushed me to check out Aspen/Snowmass.

bob wrote:

I'm more familiar with Summit County than Snowmass, but what I'm seeing in Summit county is rates that are up BIG from last year and HUGE from 3-4 years ago. I suspect the same at Snowmass.

On thing to consider is the effect that the Epic Pass has had. I would guess people who have that pass are more likely to return to Vail, etc rather than branch out. i think the Mountain Collective doesn't have the same effect because you only have a certain amount of days at each mountain, so there may not be the same HUGE increase compared to Summit Co.

johnfmh wrote:

Snowmass has been on my short list of places to visit for the past few years, but the difficulty of getting there (long drive from Denver or an expensive flight to Aspen with a change) along with the prices, not just  lodging but lift tickets and lessons has dissuaded me again and again. From what I have read, what makes Snowmass great is the slopeside accomodation and access to Highlands and Aspen for variety. However, slopeside lodging goes for premium prices. Why pay $450 a night for a slopeside condo, suffer with an expensive and time consuming flight and pay $125 a day for a lift pass when I can fly cheaply to SLC direct, stay in a decent chain hotel in Ogden or Cottonwood Heights for less than $100, And purchase a lift ticket for less than $90? 

I have only been to Aspen once for the same reasons you mention,  but three years ago I went and stayed at the St. Moritz in downtown aspen,  paid glorified Hostel prices ($60 I think) but there was no one else in my room, hardly anyone on my floor.

The reason to go to snowmass I think is because it is just so huge and varied, perhaps the best ski mountain overall I have ever been to.  Pricey yes though I got an $80 ticket from a guy in the lobby but one can't count on that.  It is also all the snobbery and stereotype that had kept me away from Aspen generally but snowmass is so huge that you can just get lost.  And the real locals are passionate and friendly, some of them showed me around for the morning after meeting on my second run down through some high trees.  I really loved it and want to go back and ski Highlands too next time.

eggraid wrote:

bob wrote:

I'm more familiar with Summit County than Snowmass, but what I'm seeing in Summit county is rates that are up BIG from last year and HUGE from 3-4 years ago. I suspect the same at Snowmass.

On thing to consider is the effect that the Epic Pass has had. I would guess people who have that pass are more likely to return to Vail, etc rather than branch out. i think the Mountain Collective doesn't have the same effect because you only have a certain amount of days at each mountain, so there may not be the same HUGE increase compared to Summit Co.

Loveland and A-Basin 4-packs are still available

Thanks to everyone for your recommendations. I am still looking for some reasonably priced lodging that will satisfy my wallet and my wife. We prefer a condo so we can cook.

snowsmith wrote:

I cannot believe how expensive lodging is at Snowmass. Most 1 bdrm condos I have checked out well exceed $3,000 per week. Does anyone have any recommendations for lodging at Snowmass. It is just me and my wife and we are low maintenance.

Thanks

How flexible is your schedule?  If you are willing to be sociable, the EpicSki Gathering is at Aspen this season, Feb. 3-9.  You might be able to find someone to share a 2BR condo with at Snowmass.  Note that people come and go during the official Gathering week.  I know of one man who may still be looking for someone to share with.  Happens to live in DC.  PM me if you want to know more.