1300 Westhaven Drive, Vail, CO 81657, 800-282-4183,
Rates: Standard rooms with one king or two queens start at $399 a night. Overnight parking is $25 per night. One-bedroom condos start at $710 a night, parking included. To celebrate recent renovations, the resort is offering a “Light My Fire” package, which includes overnight accommodations, breakfast for two, a three-course dinner at the new Atwater on Gore Creek restaurant and a reserved seat for two around one of the firepits, along with a signature blanket to take home.
Stay here if you: like to be a bit away from the hustle and bustle of Vail Village or Lionshead, but still able to hop on a lift within walking distance, or ski-in/ski-out, if you’re staying at the condos.
It’s close to: the Cascade Village Lift, which offers the no-lines experience and easy access to Eagle’s Nest, which gets less traffic and great powder.
The rooms are: remodeled with warmer, richer tones, more throw pillows and heavier fabrics, granite and stone tile, which gives them a more upscale feel without sacrificing coziness. Deluxe rooms have little sitting areas with small sofas and leather chairs. The Liftside condos are the real deals, though, with plenty of space for sharing and full kitchens, with the added bonus of being mere feet from the lift.
They put all of the money into: a $30 million remodel, which gave the resort a beautiful infinity-edge pool and hot tubs, as well as three firepits just outside the snazzy new restaurant, Atwater on Gore Creek, a renovated lounge and four new meeting rooms. They also put in a new Market and Cafe that offers a nice selection of cheeses, baked items and other picnic-style groceries, as well as Starbucks coffees, and a cute little dining area with games where folks can hang out and use a computer. The lovely Aria Spa & Club, where it is possible to get a mean deep-tissue massage, also got a touch-up on its locker rooms.
The bottom line: The Cascade has further enhanced its status as a spot where guests can park themselves and possibly never leave, except to participate in outdoor activities such as skiing and mountain biking. And Atwater is a worthy meal stop for anyone on their way through the valley; I had grilled salmon for lunch that was spot-on, arriving hot at the table but still moist and cooked just medium, topped with a mild pineapple-black-bean salsa and sided with rice pumped up by a cilantro pesto.
Kyle Wagner
