Montage Deer Valley

This five-star ski lodge blends the grand ski palace tradition with a distinctly Western atmosphere and modern amenities to pamper today’s pickiest families and couples.

•  The fabulous spa with its stunning indoor pool and state-of-the-art facilities
•  The bowling alley and games galore in Daly’s Pub for a fun après ski family hangout
•  The on-mountain location away from the hectic base
• The Aprés Lounge, an orange and white yurt slope side with stylish fur covered couches and hors d’oeuvres paired with champagne

Montage is a relatively young luxury hotel company—its first property opened in Laguna Beach in 2003—but one with a major reputation for lavishing attention on very spoiled hotel guests in Southern California. So the owners of Montage Deer Valley don’t just aim to be the best ski property in the West—they need to live up to their brand’s own standards.

In Montage’s case, how you arrive at the hotel distinctly affects your impression. As a hotel guest, you drive high up the mountain to Empire Pass and pull up under a massive porte cochère with stone columns, soaring wood beams and flickering flame heaters. Valets usher you into the lobby, a Craftsmen show-stopper with wide wood floors and a bronze statue of a skier to remind you why you came. The hotel mascot, a Bernese Mountain dog named Monty, may also be present. Check-in is done in advance so you are whisked right up to your room, which has a residential mountain décor and fireplaces in every bedroom. The effect: a warm welcome. If you arrive from the slopes, however, what you notice is how massive the building is. The main building is ten-stories, with rooms, suites and residences across all floors. A ski valet will help you with your skis but you must climb steps in your ski boots to reach one of the restaurants or the lobby.

Among the draws for families are a pub with bowling alleys, dart boards, pool tables and video games, a kids’ club, indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, a sledding run and a 35,0000 square-foot spa (complimentary locker access to all 18+ and pool and fitness center access for all 16+). The sledding run can be rented out and the experience is complete with hot chocolate, hot cider and s’mores at the fire pit. A highlight is Paintbox, the kid’s program for ages five to twelve that includes games, crafts and movies and is open to entertain until 4pm, with Kid's Night Out on weekends from 6pm to 9pm. In the winter, the Paintbox staff will prepare the children for skiing before bringing them down to their lesson, returning at the end of the day with a report card and a map of where the child skied. In the summer, activities for all include hiking, biking and fly-fishing. Want to rent skis, book an instructor or buy gear? You can ride the elevator from your room to the ski shop, which provides lockers for all ski gear, warms boots overnight and will have your skis waiting out front for you.

The staff still has trouble managing crowds at peak times (to snag a table at Daly’s pub, you better arrive before noon), but they are friendly and plentiful. Touches like the superb hot chocolate served in the cafe (the secret recipe of the chef’s mother) that comes piled with mini marshmallows, whipped cream and chocolate shavings soften the frustration of the kinks. Well-selected coffee-table books and oil paintings of Western landscapes adorn the public spaces as well as the 154 bedrooms and 66 suites and residences that range from one to four bedrooms. The Western rustic décor continues in the guest rooms, all of which have patios or balconies and mountain views and feature signature Montage comforts like large stone bathrooms with heated floor tiles and Italian soaps, great linens and LCD TVs. The Vista Lounge, complete with stunning views of Park City and beyond, is perfect for an après ski snack, remote work or pre-dinner cocktails and features live music for après ski daily.

Overall, the Montage’s scale is imposing and unless it’s full of bustle, it can feel like you are alone rattling around in a cavernous space. However, the staff really knows how to spoil its guests and cater to families. In fact, it has the promise of becoming a great Western lodge, much in the vein of grand old family resorts, like the Greenbrier or the Breakers. Don’t miss the excellent, on-site restaurants, including Apex, Daly’s Pub & Rec and Vista Lounge.

Families who want five-star, on-mountain experience and couples who are happy staying on the mountain. Those who want quick and easy access to Park City may feel that the hotel is too far removed from town; it is a ten minute and winding drive up to Montage. Also those with young kids who are attending ski school may find the location a drive from the base less convenient than options closer to Snow Park like St. Regis or the Lodges at Deer Valley.