What kind of lodging do you prefer on a ski trip?

[David Chaus]

How to answer these questions?

• There's what I typically do most of the time (drive 2 hours each way).
• Then there's what I do when I'm taking a ski trip (look for accommodations that Shamora would be happy with, which is usually a private unit of some sort, hotel/motel/condo, best if there's a kitchen but then part of the fun of being away from home is eating out).
• And then there's what I think would be the most fun but have never done (shared house with a bunch of ski friends).

FWIW for the Utah Gathering, we will likely stay at a Worldmark condo-type unit in Eden for the Snowbasin days, then stay with some of her family in SLC near Sugar House Park. Tentatively we will stay in a hotel in Ketchum for a few days at Sun Valley before the Gathering, and stay a day or two with family in Logan after the Gathering, then maybe to Jackson for a day or two and maybe Grand Targhee, then visit even more family in Rexburg, before heading home, likely staying in another Worldmark in either/both West Yellowstone and Couer d' Alene on the way home.

So: hotel, condo, house with family, house with family 2.0, hotel, family 3.0, and condo.
One of these days I'll do the Alta Goldminer's experience, or a shared ski house but not this time.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

I would have checked all the boxes - depends on who's going.
On most of my ski "trips" (other than the locals ) I am usually not even sure of first hill until on the highway. How long is usually decided about 4 days later.
However road trips aren't everyone taste so if the group is large and the destination is fixed, advance booking on hill makes it easier.
I always appreciate nice facilities but type or quality has never been important to me on a ski trip

 

[spoofer]

My Family and I stayed at a Townhouse this year at Holiday Valley. It was a ski in and out place, with the chair right there. It was super great to have that convenience, as well as 2 beds and baths for the 4 of us. It was nice to have a full kitchen as well as a living room with a fire place too. I was hoping to ski Holimont one of the days, but was to beat up from skiing 18 miles downhill the first day there and Xcntry skiing later that afternoon in the state forest near by. I'll go back and ski Holimont next time!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I like to go out and eat, experience what's around. We prefer a low maintenence room in more of a motel type setting. I do like a fridge and microwave for breakfast items/leftovers, etc. Not a fan of resort or chain type places. Like motels with character.

 

[Bad Bob]

I like staying somewhere I can use motel points that have been accumulated over the years. Most are at Best Western so somewhere in one of their chains.

Free is good.

 

[Wilhelmson]

I prefer some space but hotel motels are fun too. A kitchen is nice but so is a ski in out nice hotel.

Being with another family is fun too, just not all the time.

My cousin had a good thing where they stayed with friends but would make or buy nice meals. And they could buy a home no problem if they wanted to.

 

[Jersey Skier]

When I was young and single I always thought people who paid for slope side lodging were nuts. Once I had a family it all made sense. We still try to use Marriot rewards where possible as my wife accumulates those. Otherwise it's usually a condo rental, but only eat some light breakfasts in.

 

[JoeSchmoe]

Ski homes are great fun and are my preferred mode, especially for big groups, but they're a nightmare to organize. The hardest part is trying to ballpark the unit size. A couple years back I booked a place that slept 24 and had 16 beds, when we had 15 people committed (we like having our own beds). In the end 9 people went which made it very pricey per person.

Since then, I've found it far less stress to pick a hotel and get people to book their own rooms.

 

[crgildart]

Slopeside or > 100 yards walk to ski house. Grocceries and pot luck stuff with friends and their families. It's also gotta be under $100 /night per person. I've had no trouble finding that with Mid Atlantic Gathering parties. Western destination resorts and SnowShoe probably won't fit that budget though. I'll do cheap motel, dine out, and ski less at those places..

 

[my07mcx2]

we as family have always done either local lodging company or vrbo but in town away from ski in ski out mainy due to price. now that kids are on their own wife and I this year have done 3 ski in ski out condos probably due to restrictions on the mountain due to covid with restaurants shut down. next year hopefully back to normal we will go back to away from resort so we can take our two pups with us that allow dogs

 

[BC.]

Ski in/out.....the only regret is when I get the CC statement...

 

[Tricia]

My Family and I stayed at a Townhouse this year at Holiday Valley. It was a ski in and out place, with the chair right there. It was super great to have that convenience, as well as 2 beds and baths for the 4 of us. It was nice to have a full kitchen as well as a living room with a fire place too. I was hoping to ski Holimont one of the days, but was to beat up from skiing 18 miles downhill the first day there and Xcntry skiing later that afternoon in the state forest near by. I'll go back and ski Holimont next time!

This was a good bump, just after I started doing some research on a place in Colorado for late April/early May.

 

[JoeSchmoe]

Slopeside or > 100 yards walk to ski house. Grocceries and pot luck stuff with friends and their families. It's also gotta be under $100 /night per person. I've had no trouble finding that with Mid Atlantic Gathering parties. Western destination resorts and SnowShoe probably won't fit that budget though. I'll do cheap motel, dine out, and ski less at those places..

There's lots of cheap 3* ish places at the base of the canyons in SLC. It's tough to beat having a free hot breakfast cooked for you while you review the snow reports figuring out what resort you want to hit that day!

 

[Ogg]

Preference is ski in ski out but I've only really done that once, the first time I went to Snowbird and my first western trip. It has now become pretty cost prohibitive there. Second choice is house or condo with a kitchen and laundry, third is a cheapish hotel as long as it at least has a fridge and coffee maker. Last family trip was a boys try to Snowbird with my father and brothers. We rented a condo in Cottonwood Heights and a big SUV. I'm hoping we can get together a big family trip next season. My father has been sick and off snow for 5 years or so but is now doing much better and both my brothers are now raising a new generation of skiers. For that trip I'm sure we'd splurge for ski in ski out since there are toddlers and my father's deteriorated health in the equation.

 

[lisamamot]

Family trips are ski in/out condo - our son skis adaptive and only skis a 1/2 day. We need a place where we can get him back to, or pick him up from, since the rest of us ski a full day. All meals are in the condo except for one special dinner out during the week if we find a restaurant that inspires us to plan an outing. We are usually super comfy in the condo and the idea of rallying to go out after a long ski day isn't generally very appealing.

When it is just me, or the two of us, I am much more flexible on where we stay and don't need to be on mountain, although I still prefer something with a kitchen. If we are traveling to meet up with a group, I like a festive dinner or two, but otherwise I am happy cooking.

 

[spoofer]

I was looking at "cheap" places to ski out of....at $169 a night at Holiday valley mid week, is hard to beat for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath set-up. I also wanted a active ski town atmosphere with good restaurants etc. Granted it's not a huge mountain, but I want to go back. I think an all day lifty was $69.

 

[PowHog]

Usually rent flats for self-catering and the occasional eating out when going with the family. Nothing against travelling with buddies however prefer having a minimum of privacy for a sound rest and sleep at night.

 

[SSSdave]

Notice this is a resurrected 2017 thread.

Am not a destination skier but rather a decades old frequent skier of peon means now retired skiing midweeks. I'm fine with basic amenities. Reasonably clean without any odors, clean bathroom without signs of mold, hot enough shower, especially no smoke or chemical cleaning smells, reasonably quiet enough using ear plugs, cable tv, microwave, small fridge, cups for water, adjustable thermostat heating system that is not too noisy, and a few spare electrical outlets. Normally take along a spare lamp bulb as motels often use weak wattage bulbs to reduce power costs. After many ski days I am rather tired so just eat in my room from food bought at supermarkets. My average midweek lodging costs including fees/tax, tends to be less than $65/night.

A month ago created this quiet thread for those interested in staying in South Lake Tahoe inexpensively:

California/Nevada - how...google maps South Lake Tahoe lodging

I posted something about this a couple years ago and will do so again now as it may help working class skiing folks locate and reserve inexpensive lodging in South Lake Tahoe that is adjacent to Heavenly. Midweek at least, SLT an urban area with a 50k population, has an abundance of inexpensive...

www.skitalk.com

 

[neonorchid]

1) Ski IN - Ski Out.
2) close enough for an easy walk to and from the lifts.
3) Quick all day shuttle ride or not too bad of walk to lifts option.
3) Basic kitchen options.
4) Washer and dryer.
4) House or Condo.

 

[Tex]

* I did the shuttle, parking lot boot up, hitch hiking....in my younger days. Ski in Ski out is the only way I roll now.
* I like to do a combination of eating in and eating out.
* Sking with family, friends, or solo... I like a variety here, I like it all. Skiing with family is special, sking with friends is a hoot, but my favorite is to ski solo. I like to ski solo when I get serious. My last trip was with my daughter, and it was all about her, I skied what she wanted to ski. My next trip next week, I'm running solo, turn and burn baby, I'm getting stoked!!! Whooooohooo!!!!