Lodging

While I live just down the road from the mountain resort of Aspen, I’ve actually been getting to know the neighboring Vail Valley pretty well this summer. First, I had an incredible meal at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek earlier this month, then my family spent a couple nights at the Westin Riverfront in Avon. Just last week, a few other travel writers and I toured around Beaver Creek (including two nights at the newly renovated Osprey) and Vail, which featured a stay at the Vail Cascade, on the western end of town.

This wasn’t my first trip to the Vail Cascade; four girlfriends and I rented a couple of rooms here a few years ago for a quick weekend getaway. We chose it because of its renowned Aria Spa (one of the most popular spots for locals to enjoy a massage and a steam) and its easy access to Vail’s fabulous restaurants and shopping options in nearby Lionshead and Vail Village (just a free shuttle ride away).

Atwater on Gore Creek restaurant at Vail Cascade.

This latest trip to the Vail Cascade revealed some resort improvements — to the tune of a $30 million renovation, most of which was unveiled this winter. Here are a few new-construction highlights:

• The resort’s new Atwater on Gore Creek restaurant features seating in a window-filled dining area with rock-star views of the slopeside stream that flows past the property. In nice weather, guests are served on an outdoor patio, as well. We enjoyed a hearty weekend buffet breakfast (hot items included brioche French toast and ham & cheese frittata), as well as a yummy lunch, with a menu offering soups, salads, sandwiches and light entrees. (The crispy-thin nachos with a side of chili and topped with sour cream and guacamole were a big hit.) Dine off of “small plates” in the more casual “tavern” area, or sit down for the full menu in the more formal dining room (think rack of lamb, rib-eye, and striped bass).

• The entire back deck of the property, also facing Gore Creek, was totally renovated to include a pretty infinity pool that blends effortlessly into the natural environment. Guests can now gather in outdoor hot tubs or on rocking chairs around fire pits to enjoy views of the towering pine trees and the sound of rushing whitewater.

• All guests rooms now have air conditioning; there’s a new Cascade Market with coffee service, snacks and quick eat-on-the-go items; and the cozy Fireside Bar/Lounge — a popular place for apres-ski festivities — was given a face lift.

New infinity pool at Vail Cascade.

Outside of these enhancements, the 292-room Vail Cascade (which also houses guests in 80 condominiums) already had a lot going for it. In the winter, skiers and snowboarders are literally a few steps from the Cascade Village Lift, whisking them up to the trails on Vail Mountain in minutes. In the summer, cyclists, inline-skaters, strollers and runners flock to the Gore Valley Trail, the paved path that leads west to Donovan Park (with a huge playset for kids) or east toward the charming shopping and restaurant centers of Lionshead or Vail Village.

The Vail Cascade is no boutique property. It’s a major player in the wedding and groups market, with tons of meeting and ballroom space. Again, the Aria Spa is fabulous; I especially like the eucalyptus steam room and its lovely “sanctuary” for resting on comfortable lounge chairs in front of a gas fireplace before and after a treatment. Activity-filled Camp Cascade for kids ages 4 to 12 is open year round ($15/hour for first child), as is the 78,000-square-foot, top-of-the-line fitness center (strength-training equipment, outdoor tennis and racquetball courts are free for guests; fitness classes are $15/each).

But even though the Vail Cascade does cater to many hotel guests at a time (not to mention wedding receptions and professional meetings), I found the service to be quite good. The front desk staff was friendly and accommodating (they opened the Market for me after hours because I craved a Diet Coke), and our lunch server was super outgoing and happy to share personal favorites on the menu.

Finally, my spacious, ground-floor, king-bedded room (#85) was a treat since it opened onto its own patio and grassy area leading to the Gore Valley Trail and Gore Creek. ‘Twas fun to go to sleep to the sound of the late-spring runoff!

Photos courtesy Vail Cascade Resort & Spa.