I've visited Beaver Creek only a couple of times before, and tagged along with ski buddies that knew their way around. Being that it is now the heart of ski season, I recently accompanied out-of-state guests to Beaver Creek ski resort. Beaver Creek's motto "not exactly roughing it" says it all.
Beaver Creek has pay parking that is more than convenient. Simply park in the Villa Montane parking structure at Beaver Creek Village, walk through a short hallway and voila, you are within steps of the ticket window. Two outdoor escalators take you up to the slope, so there is no walking around in heavy ski boots. You can literally go from your car onto the lift in minutes. Nice! We were there on a Saturday, and there were (as usual) no lift lines to speak of. Double-nice!
As we got off the lift, there were attendants who not only answered questions but were also giving out refreshments. Ahhh.....this is the life! The slopes were impeccably groomed and fresh corduroy abounded. After skiing a variety of trails, we headed over to the Ritz Carlton and the Buffalo Bar. I had it on good advice to get there around 11:30am, in order to get the pick of tables. Once we were seated at our table, we were offered a selection of newspapers to read, including the Wall Street Journal. Have you ever had the perfect cup of hot chocolate? Try some at the Ritz, because it is perfection. The food was absolutely astonishing, and the service is second to none. We actually tried to see if we could drink the water in our glasses before the waitress came to fill it up again......it was simply not possible. Now that's superior customer service.
After refueling, we headed up for some more skiing. The views at Beaver Creek are astonishing. While it must certainly be true that the views at most ski resorts are good, I have to say, the views there were even more spectacular.
Beaver Creek is famous for their chocolate chip cookies, which they hand out for free at 3pm each day. Yum! What more could one ask for?
We ended the day shopping and visiting the ice skating rink. The ice skating rink is open daily from noon-9pm and is located in Beaver Creek Plaza. I don't think there could be a prettier atmosphere in which to go outdoor ice skating. For the non-skaters, there are comfortable cushioned, spa-like chairs and tables in a variety of locations around the rink, where you can easily watch. The rink also offers Riedell rental skates, which are the best on the market.
A few steps back to our car and we were on our way back home, having enjoyed some awesome ski conditions, spectacular views of the mountains, great food, good company, shopping, and ice skating. What more could one ask for? So, if you want to ski in luxury.........visit Beaver Creek.
- Jenise Jensen