Vail Ski Resort in Colorado is on the I-70 route, about 100 miles to the west of Denver. Vail is the largest single mountain ski resort in the country. First opened in 1962, it has been expanded considerably since 2000, when the Blue Sky Basin was opened. Vail ski lodging is available and this article surveys the Tivoli Lodge in Vail village, and the Lodge at Lionshead (in Lionshead).
Vail Ski Resort has been open since 1962. With seven bowls, and the (525 acres, opened 2000) Blue Sky Basin area, it is the largest single mountain ski resort in the country.
The Blue Sky Basin is remarkable for having a back-country, natural landscape, unlike many other ski areas which have been completely cleared of trees. Skiers have much more freedom to roam wherever they like, rather than being restricted to preset routes. They can cross powder snow in meadows and glades, or stick to areas which have been groomed by the snow plows.
Unlike other Colorado ski resorts such as Aspen and Breckenridge the town of Vail did not exist before the development of the ski resort. The town has a population of about 4,500 and is reached by the I-70. Vail is about 100 miles from Denver along that route.
One possible accommodation in Vail is the Tivoli Lodge (62 rooms), in Hanson Ranch Road. All rooms either have views of the mountain, or the village. Rooms have ensuite bathrooms, additionally the Mountain View Rooms have a shower with body spray jets.
The Tivoli lodge has its own restaurant, and is also within easy walking distance of many restaurants and shops in Vail Village. The food choices in Vail are truly cosmopolitan, including all the European cuisines which one might associate with ski vacations in the Alps (French, Italian, German, Swiss), plus fast food eateries, Mexican, Asian and American restaurants.
Right next to Vail Mountain itself one can find Lionshead village. One accommodation option here is the Lodge at Lionshead, just east of Lionshead Plaza, and within yards of the Snow School and the chairlift and gondola stations. Accommodation at the Lodge at Lionshead is in studio lofts, 1-4 bedroom condos, and penthouses.
All condos at the Lodge at Lionshead have fully equipped kitchens (kitchenette in the studio lofts), cable TV, DVD player and balcony or patio. The lodge’s amenities include outdoor heated pools and hot tubs, saunas, and use of the fitness center.
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