Dolphin

My husband and I are flying into Denver Aug 21, going to Estes Park 1 night and thru RMNP. We have 5 Days to spend at a base location. Vail or Breckenridge or maybe Steamboat Springs? We like more adult atmosphere (read:not a lot of children)
We are not into nightlife, just nice dinners and nice views from room w/balcony. Mild hiking and beautiful scenery.
Appreciate any help.

mikesmom

My husband and I just returned from six nights in Vail. We were there to celebrate our 30th anniversary. We absolutely LOVED Vail. We stayed four nights at the Sonnenalp Resort in Vail Village in a suite with a balcony and creek/mountain view. It was beautiful! Check out the Sonnenalp on tripadvisor.com

We also spent two nights at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch (Beaver Creek). Again, beautiful!

We actually enjoyed being in Vail Village a little better than the Ritz because we could just walk out our door and be in Vail Village. Lots of nice shops and great restaurants.

We took a ride to Breckenridge and thought that was a beautiful spot as well.

We had never been to Colorado and thought it was spectacular. I highly recommend Vail, it was great.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer.


Have fun!

BoulderCO

Go to Vail. Steamboat is too far away to use as a base location and doesn't have the dining and shopping options you would find in Vail or Breck. Vail has a very nice pedestrian only village with excellent restaurants, good lodging, plenty of hiking, and beautiful scenery. Breckinridge is OK but Vail is more upscale and likely to have fewer children.

Betsy

We just returned from the area and loved Beaver Creek, which is just west of Vail. BC is a gated community with the adult atmosphere you're looking for. We looked at Vail but preferred BC because it is farther off the interstate and quieter. An e-mail newsletter from Travelzoo last week had an offer by the Inn at Beaver Creek for $89/night. I'd snap it up in a minute! (travelzoo.com)

Betsy

Here's the URL for the Inn at Beaver Creek offer:
http://dir.travelzoo.com/Vacations.a...=515&id=155879

Dolphin

Thanks for all the quick responses.
Sonnenalp is a little too expenseive for us. We are willing to pay up to $200/night.
Is the Inn at Beaver Creek in a good location? Or should we try a condo?
It's so confusing.
We like amenities of a hotel but would really like a kitchen and a balcony with mountain views.

LN

Of all of them I'd have to go with Vail - the village is delightful with its horsedrawn carriages.

You might check out a condo if you'll be there for 5 days - we stayed at the Westin while we were there but I think it's changed names now.

mikesmom

The whole area is so nice it is hard to make a decision. While we thought Beaver Creek was very nice, we really enjoyed the atmosphere in Vail Village. There are many hotels in Vail Village other than the Sonnenalp (I agree, it is VERY expensive, but it was our anniversary, so we splurged).

We enjoyed going to the Gerald Ford Ampitheatre to see a classical concert, we had MANY good restaurants to choose from and didn't really notice too many children. It was just a delightful atmosphere.

I don't think you can make a mistake.

Betsy

We talked with a couple who were staying at the Inn, and they loved it. It's close to everything in BC. We were part of a wedding party that stayed at the Charter at Beaver Creek. The charter does have condos, so check it out. It's also convenient to everything. You'll be able to park your car at the Charter at no charge; don't know about parking cost (if any) at the Inn. BC has a shuttle system (no cost) that you can hail by pressing a button on your phone (at least at the Charter). You simply walk outside the hotel and tell the driver where you want to go.

BoulderCO

We have stayed at Beaver Creek many times but I really recommend Vail for a base location. There is just alot more activity there - restaurants, shopping, etc. The options in Beaver Creek are fairly limited and it is a pain to drive back and forth between BC and Vail. Check out the Sitzmark Lodge in Vail - they have nice, affordable rooms right in the heart of Vail Village - you can get a room with a balcony overlooking the river. Very nice.

gmin

Hello Dolphin,

I strongly second Vail and especially the Sitzmark. Stayed there a few years ago and loved it. Our room, which was not advertised as an upgrade, had two queen beds, a small fridge, a loveseat and coffee table, a remote controlled fireplace, and a nice balcony. So close to everything in the Village. My son lives in the Vail area now, so I get up there quite often, but no longer stay in the Village.

Oh, I forgot, the pool is outside on the roof--great place.