A huge thank you to the staff at the Deer Valley Resort for hosting our stay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Park City, Utah is the kind of place that makes me giddy. Why? I am honestly not sure. I can’t ski. I’m terrified of mountain biking. But something about this picturesque mountain town knows how to make just about anyone exhale and appreciate. For me, it’s all about the perfect mix of mind-blowing scenery and upscale bars and restaurants. For others, it’s all about the ultra-posh Park City resorts, high-end ski chalets, world-class spas – and there’s a good amount of them despite Park City’s small size.
If you’ve ever been to, or researched, Park City, you may have come across Deer Valley Resort, a renowned ski-only resort that consistently ranks among the top ski resorts in North America. While there are several hotels in Park City to choose from, Deer Valley is loved for its high standard of customer service and amenities, like free ski valets, fine dining, and pristinely groomed slopes and trails that are maintained (for skiing in the winter, hiking and mountain biking in the summer) all year long.
Despite the high-end clientele and the countless amenities, you might be surprised (like I was) to learn that you can actually find a hotel room in Deer Valley, right in the middle of all the action, for under $200 a night. Crazy, right? Enter The Lodges.
RELATED: A First-Timer’s Guide to Summer in Park City
The Location
Park City is 38 miles, or about a 45-minute drive, from the Salt Lake City International Airport.
From Main Street Park City, the Deer Valley Resort is just 1.5 miles away, yet just going from point A to point B feels like entering an entirely different world altogether. While Main Street is sprawling with countless restaurants, boutiques, and bars, Deer Valley is a lush, wide-open haven. In the summer, you’ll find unbelievable greenery, lakes, and crystal-clear views of the mountain surrounds. In the winter, blankets of soft, pillowy snow transform the valley into a white, cascading paradise. The Lodges are at the center of it all, across the street from picturesque lakes and a short 10- to 15-minute walk to the Deer Valley Resort, chairlifts, and amphitheater.
To get around, the Lodges offer a free transportation service for guests, courtesy of Cadillac. If you didn’t rent a car for your Park City trip, you don’t have to worry. The front desk staff will take you wherever you need to go within Park City, which is super convenient if you don’t want to wait for an Uber or a Lyft to get there. When you’re out, you can easily call the hotel for a pick-up and they’re usually there within 10-20 minutes.
In addition to the Lodges’ car service, Park City actually also offers a year-round free bus system that you can use to easily get around the area. Check out the bus route and track bus times here.
The Lodges at Deer Valley Property
While it’s a known fact that Park City hotels and resorts are synonymous with some of the highest quality service around, The Lodges feel decidedly less over-the-top. Instead of exorbitant elegance and can-I-even-sit-here uncertainty, you’ll find cozy corners, calming earthy tones, and the rustic look and feel you’d expect from, well, a place called The Lodges. In many cases, the contrast of the rustic look of the property actually makes certain amenities stand out even more – the grand three-story floor-to-ceiling lobby, the giant outdoor jacuzzi, the Cadillacs primed and ready out front.
On the property, you have access to a heated pool and jacuzzis, a fitness center, and an on-site general store. In the winter, I’ve been told there’s a ski rental shop and ski storage for guests which makes it as effortless as possible to store and keep track of all your snow sports gear. In the summer, the staff can help with storing your bikes instead.
Outside the Lodges, just crossing the street is an experience in itself, because the hotel faces a wide-open valley of beautiful fields, lakes, and trails. You can spend the afternoon walking through the grassy fields, or head up the street to the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, where Deer Valley Resort hosts a Summer Concert Series that brings in artists for evenings of music and entertainment while onlookers get to picnic, BYOB, and enjoy. In the colder months, if you ski, this same quick stroll from the Lodges to the base of the slopes will take you the chairlifts adjacent to the amphitheater for a day of mountain time.
The Rooms
The rooms at the Lodges are simple, yet homey. What’s unique about staying here is that you can choose from a classic hotel room (like what I stayed in!) all the way up to a 3-bedroom suite that can sleep an entire family and then some. This makes a property like this especially perfect during the holidays when you’re traveling with relatives and wanting to all be together.
For my boyfriend and I, though, a hotel room was the perfect size. Our room had a snug layout with a kitchenette, desk, and reading nook. In the bathroom, there’s a jetted tub that was the ultimate night cap for me every evening after a long day of hiking and exploring. I’ve had tons of bad luck with hotels offering tubs and bath soap, but no jets, and vice-versa, so when I saw that the Lodges had it all I took the biggest bubble bath of my life that would have made even the little kid in me jealous! In fact, there were so many bubbles that I was probably a hazard to the property and nearly caused a tsunami in the process (but really, I bet you’d do the same).
Food and Drinks
The Lodges are home to an inviting little restaurant called The Brass Tag. It’s primarily a dinner and drinks spot (hours are 4 pm – 9 pm), but they do also open their doors for weekend brunch on select days throughout the year. I’d describe this place as American fare with a mountain twist – my bison meatloaf was the star of the show! In addition to that, we had some incredible chimichurri chips unlike anything I’d ever tasted before, avocado soup (which served as not-so-surprisingly good dip for the chips), decent fish tacos (nothing tops California), and finished it all off with key lime pie. And yes, this was all in one sitting. When I go out to dinner, I go OUT to dinner.
For more general provisions, there’s an on-site shop where you can pick up snacks, toiletries, beer, wine, and frozen food.
When you’re not at The Brass Tag and you need a lunch spot with a view, you can take a 10-minute stroll from The Lodges through the gorgeous grassy trails across the street to hit up the Deer Valley Grocery-Cafe, which has really delicious breakfast, lunch, coffee, cocktails, desserts, and to-go meals. Better yet? Their outdoor terrace has an absolutely picturesque view of a lake and the valley.
Tips to Know Before You Go
1. TRANSPORTATION: If you don’t have a rental car, getting around Park City is still a breeze. Ubers and Lyfts, while not as abundant as they are in Salt Lake City, can still be found within a 5 to 15 minute wait. In addition, there are free (or very cheap) busses and shuttles that most hotels and lodges offer to help get you around. On Main Street, there is a trolley that can help you navigate the long stretch of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques you’ll be dying to visit. And, lots of Park City hotels (like the Lodges) will provide a complimentary shuttle service for guests.
2. WHERE TO EAT: The Lodges at Deer Valley is home to The Brass Tag and the Deer Valley Grocery Cafe. In addition, I highly recommend Park City Provisions for breakfast, Tupelo for dinner, and High West Distillery for drinks and appetizers.
3. WHAT TO DO IN THE AREA:
- Enjoy the Deer Valley Concert Series in the summer, where live performances debut weekly on the Deer Valley slopes
- Go stand-up paddleboarding with Park City SUP
- Check out one of Park City’s countless hiking or biking trails
- In the winter, along with skiing, be sure to go snowmobiling with Red Pine Adventures
Watch:
While I love being close to the downtown area when I go somewhere new, coming back to a place and getting to relax and soak it all in is the best feeling. The Lodges at Deer Valley feel like a breath of fresh air that almost makes you forget where you are and not even want to remember. It’s calm and pristine and cozy and has all the ingredients of a perfect home base for adventures, whether you’re visiting Park City in the summer or winter months.
Ready to pack your bags? Book your stay at The Lodges at Deer Valley here.
Book Activities In or Near This Hotel Here:
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