There is something for everyone in the 'Boat, but here are my picks for the best three stays you can have in town: a luxury hotel, a cozy condo and quaint cabins.
Steamboat Grand:
Spoil yourself on the slopes, then do the same at the Steamboat Grand, just a short stroll from the base. The full-service hotel offers 327 luxury hotel rooms, including one-, two- and three-bedroom condos and penthouses. It’s truly one of the nicest places to stay in town, from gurgling fountains in the entryway to a full-service fitness center and spa, including steam rooms, heated swimming pool, and two Jacuzzis big enough to fit the town’s namesake: a steamboat.
Billed as the largest building between Denver and Salt Lake City, it also has 17,000 square feet of conference space; and 2,200 square feet of outdoor meeting space, including a 250-seat amphitheater. Each room offers alder cabinetry (trust me it's beautiful), granite countertops, gas fireplaces and views of the mountain or valley. Double Queens run $199 (early season), $339 (regular season) and $509 (holidays). The five-bedroom penthouse suite goes for $969, $1,269 and $2,799, respectively.
For vittles, select from fancy fare at The Cabin, including wild game choices of elk, buffalo and trout, and more than 150 wines by the bottle, earning it the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence four years running. Chaps offers more pub-like fare, and a coffee shop carries breakfast on the go. On Fridays, relax in the grand lobby to the muscle-soothing (not sleep-inducing) music of renowned pianist Paul Potyen. It also offers complimentary slopeside ski storage on top of its valet and bell services (make sure to inquire).
Perry-Mansfield Cabins:
Ski settings don’t get much quainter than the Perry-Mansfield Cabins, nestled in the hills of Strawberry Park just minutes from downtown Steamboat Springs. While the 76-acre site is home to the Perry-Mansfield Performance Arts School every summer, in the winter its cabins are open to skiers, letting you relax by a fire and reconnect with family and friends free from TVs, phones and the Internet (great for the holidays!). All feature rustic woodwork, as well as wood-burning stoves for added heat and ambiance. Bonus: don’t be afraid to bring your pets for an extra $35 fee.
The camp, whose alumni include the likes of Dustin Hoffman, came about in 1913 when Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield created a theater and dance camp in the Rockies. Nearly 100 years later, it’s recognized as the oldest continuously operating performing arts school and camp in the nation, drawing students from all over the world. But in the winter its aspen groves, snow-covered meadows and ice-covered alpine ponds are all yours. Choose from one of six two-bedroom, one bath, six-person cabins harboring mountain-themed names like Woodshack, Willow, Spruce, Pine and Aspen ($150-$300); the three-bedroom, two-bath Columbine cabin ($190-$350); or the 12-person Sagebrush ($210- $450).
The Ranch:
If a comfy family-friendly condo is more to your liking, saddle up to the 36-acre The Ranch at Steamboat, just minutes away from downtown and the mountain’s base. While it might not be ski-in/ski-out, it offers the next best thing: a complimentary shuttle driver at your beck at call 24 hours a day. Have it pick you up at the slopes so you can return home to a heated pool, one indoor and two outdoor hot tubs, and men's and ladies' saunas, then have it drop you off later at your favorite restaurant, or the hot springs downtown. In the morning, it whisks you right to the gondola (hint: if you already have a ticket, ask the driver to take you to the base of the Thunderhead quad).
Lest you tire of carting your skis around, it also offers rental discounts and free overnight storage at Terry Sports at the mountain’s base.
The Ranch offers 1 to 4 bedroom condominiums, which sleep four to 10 people and come outfitted with kitchens, color TVs, wood-burning fireplaces, electric barbecues, washer/dryers, direct dial phones and private garage. Each bedroom also comes with its own private bath, and private balconies let you use the outside railings as a personal snow report each morning.
The complex has five different rate seasons depending on time of year. In the value season between Jan. 4 – Feb. 10, one-bedrooms start at $215 per night, two-bedroom units $250, three-bedroom $300 and four-bedroom $420. In the peak season, two-bedrooms run $525 per night, three-bedrooms $605 and four-bedroom units $805.
Enjoy your trip!
Photo courtesy of Perry-Mansfield Cabins
