Winter Park survey

Hi Brian:

 

Quick note to tell you how great everything was.  It snowed the first 3 days and we had the mountain to ourselvers.  Winter Park has great skiing and I am officially spoiled by the ski in and ski out accomodations.

 

Your attention to detail for the arrangements made this unbelievably easy and enjoyable.  Thanks.

 

Also, wanted to let you know that the staff throughout Winter Park (hotel, ski lift, bars/restaurants, shuttles, etc.) were some of the most pleasant people I have ever met.

 

Beer and food quality at the "Cheeky Monk" were a treat.  Food, service, atmosphere and price point were all great at Deno's.

 

Included is a "sober" picture of my buddy Dave.  Please understand, catching him without one of the Monk's Belgian beers in his systems is about the same as capturing live video of a spotted owl doing a river dance...

 

Wouldn't hesitate to use you again.

 

Mike

Lone Eagle, Keystone Colorado ski-in, ski-out

Brian,

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back with you. Our accomodations were perfect and ski butlers couldnt have been better. Overall we rate our trip a 5 on a 5 scale, thank you.

Louie
Stayed in the Ski-in, Ski-out Lone Eagle condos Jan 2011

Click on picture to see spectacular details of the slopes.

Moguls in the Sun!

Aspen Mountain Lodge and a Great Aspen Colorado Review

Craig, Danielle and friends stayed at the Aspen Mountain Lodge for the X-Games, Jan 28 - 31, 2011   then traveled to Breckenridge

 

1)       your accommodations: 

We were all quite impressed with our accommodations right from the start.  The Aspen Mountain Lodge was a great location, and exactly as described - right on the main route in town, it was very easy to find.  Just a minute from the bus stop, and a short walk to all of the village shops, stores and restaurants, this cozy spot was great for everyone in our group whether going riding or shopping!  This quaint little ski lodge offered a killer complimentary breakfast every morning, a great spread to begin any day around the giant, cozy fireplace.  The afternoon experience began the minute we checked in: once we settled into our room, we threw on our slippers and joined our neighbors for the regular PM wine and cheese in the common area, which also proved to be more than welcoming to wind down to after a long day on the mountain.  The staff was knowledgeable and happy to help with any questions we had about the area.  Our room was just enough for the four of us, but would have been a bit more comfortable had we been able to store our riding equipment elsewhere.  We were plenty warm each night, and though the facilities were nice and clean there was no exhaust for the massage-worthy shower, which made for a few refreshing, but cold mornings.  

 

2)       the skiing

We boarded both Aspen Highlands & Snowmass during our visit, which were equally great mountains to ride.  Both good sized ski-areas, they offered a wide variety of terrain good for all levels of skiers & boarders but also have a great selection for the more experienced riders.  Highlands has a great, challenging bowl area accessible by hiking or a short ride on the snowcat, and some stunning 360 views from the summit.  The appropriately named Snowmass, also offers a great variety for the more experienced skier - with huge, wide open runs that had something for everyone.  Whether you like to ride fast turns, trees or bumps, it seemed so easy to find your pleasure just about anywhere on the mountain.  Both mountains had little-to-no lift lines on any of their lifts, which if you've ridden back east is quite the treat, especially at base lifts!  Finding food was always easy, and though a bit pricey they had plenty of atmosphere - I highly recommend the Nacho's at Venga Venga at Snowmass base lodge!

 

3)       restaurants, ski rental, car rental and activities that you enjoyed

Bad Billy's - though it is to be changing locations in the near future, was a great spot for pitchers, wings & pool!
Eric's/Cigar Bar - for the sheik and fashionable, this has a very modern-mountain feel to it.
Oy Vey Cafe - interesting cafe-style menu with creative, tasty dishes, laid back atmosphere and reasonable prices

Rental Car - Budget Rental, upon landing in Denver we were informed by our customer service rep that our small SUV was not going to be sufficient for four of us with bags and ski-gear.  Though I usually have little patience for up-selling (sometimes pushy) salesman, we worked a great deal for a larger 7-seater SUV (Nissan Frontier, nicknamed the Tank for the remainder of our trip).  Driving a compact car regularly, I was sure we would be all be able to fit in a Subaru Forester (or equivalent), but after a week of driving through the Rockies, I highly recommend going a size larger than you think you'll need.  Not only did we benefit from the extra room in this upgrade, but the larger motor helped climb the 4 hour haul with little effort.

 

4)       my service, documents received

All of confirmation documents were clear, correct  and easy to use. We referred to our emails (via cell phone) for everything, which was great not having to carry a bagful of printed documents through airports, etc.  

 

5)       anything else that you enjoyed or disliked about your travels

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our Aspen experience, and though the 4+ hour drive (after the flight) is a bit taxing, if your schedule allows, I recommend planning a half-way, lunch stop - Frisco is a great little town right off of Route 9, with plenty of great restaurants to break for a bite.  

Breckenridge Snow and Snowmobiling

Hey Brian,
Just sending you one of our photos from our vacation on 1-14-11 to 1-20-11 in Breckenridge!  We had such a wonderful experience.  EVERYTHING was superb!  There is nothing to complain about.  Our lodging was just gorgeous and the 43 inches of snow that fell was more than we could ask for.  We took a snowmobile trip on our last day during a snow storm and were just "blown away"!  lol  We hope to come back this winter and book with you again.  Take care and thanks for all your excellent work in preparing our dream vacation. Sincerely, Jim and Karen

Black Bear Lodge and Sunny Days in Crested Butte

Hi there,

Accommodations were great (cot was not there when we arrived, but it was delivered upon request – I am still waiting for a receipt for this…can you help?), skiing was great (until I blew out my knee of course), restaurants were great – Rt 66, Stash, Steep, the Chicken place, Wooden Nickel, black tie ski rentals were great (although they did say they were going to credit my account for the 2 days of skiing I missed and I have not seen a credit yet), your service was good – I didn’t work with you as much as Fred did though. Only thing I would suggest to you or the mountain would be a better description/details on how the bus service works…we had it down by the end of the trip, but it was frustrating in the beginning.

Regards,

Melissa

Breckenridge Dog Sledding and a Great Review

Stay in Breckenridge, CO

Location:  Our hotel was located right across the street from Peak 9 and very close to shops and restaurants which was so convenient. 

Hotel Staff: (Great Divide Lodge) The hotel room was nice and the staff was incredibly friendly.  There was a problem with the printer in the computer room (I had to print my flight info) and the staff did everything possible (including trying to fix the printer, having me send my info to their e-mail address so they could print it, etc.) to make sure I got what I needed.  The manager even came out to help and had me print my documents from his office.  The shuttle drivers were just as nice stressing that any time we needed a ride even if it was just a block away to give them a call and they’d be right there.  **The free shuttle is such a great service (especially when it’s a little colder than usual).**

Restaurants: (Mi Casa) If you’re looking for a friendly atmosphere, amazing service, knowledgeable staff/management and of course incredible food Mi Casa is the place to go! Our table ordered guacamole which to our surprise was made right in front of us!  I typically don’t eat guacamole, but was urged to try it by others at the table and needless to say I changed my mind about guacamole.

Snow:  Amazing!  Being from CT, I’m used to wet snow/icy patches/narrow trails/etc. but the slopes here were incredible; the wide open, perfect snow made riding a pleasure. 

People:  The people in CO are so friendly and laid-back.  I actually lost my cell phone on the mountain while boarding and immediately after noticing it was gone I went back and scanned the trail I had been on and couldn’t find it.  What I didn’t realize at the time was that someone had picked it up for me, called what I had as a contact of “home” in my cell and let my mother know that she would be leaving my cell phone at the guest services lost and found booth for me! 

Entertainment:  Even if ski-ing/snowboarding isn’t for you there is Plenty to do in Breckenridge.  Having recently injured my knee, I decided I would wait until the last day to go boarding which meant finding other things to do.  This was definitely Not a problem.  Little shops and restaurants line the streets providing hours of leisure entertainment.  Our group also decided to go dog-sledding (Good Times Adventures) which was an incredible experience.  Each member of the group was able to steer the dogsled and also take a turn riding in the sled while the rest of the group sat in a small passenger sleigh that was pulled by a snowmobile that was driven by the guide.  All of the dogs were extremely friendly and we were able to pet/play with the dogs before and after the ride.  It was a very cold day that we picked and we were surprised to see that the dogs were actually warm and would “cool off” by burying their faces in the snow!  As soon as the guide turned the snowmobile on, the dogs got excited and were ready to go!  Our group was also lucky enough to be in Breckenridge while there were snow sculptures to see; definitely an amazing surprise.

Five Star Colorado:  Brian was so helpful and made our stay in Breckenridge effortless and very enjoyable.  From the location of our hotel to restaurant recommendations, we couldn’t have asked for a better trip!

Beaver Run Resort, Skiing in January 2011

Brian,

 

I'd like to take a minute and thank you for your help in planning our recent ski trip!  WOW is all we can say! 
Everything worked out just great!  First is the Weather which as you know last Thursday-Sunday was unbelievable!  30-55 degrees is hard to take!  We were able to sit outside on the slopes at the 10 freedom lift and catch some rays!  Life doesn’t get any better than that!  Even though it did not snow while we were there the slopes were great and we never got tired of exploring the mountains! 

The room we got was perfect in building #2 and overlooked the slopes!  We had no problem getting to the locker and navigating our way around.  We used the hot tubs and pool twice and went to Spencer’s one night and Keoshias steakhouse in town one night and both meals were just great!  We enjoyed the Snow Sculpture event in town was a nice added bonus. 

At your suggestion we hit the supermarket in Denver and liquor store to get supplies while my Brothers flight arrived.  That saved us time to not worry about anything while we were there. 

The car worked out fine and we needed nothing more while we were there!   We made every breakfast and most lunches in the room, 2 dinners also.  That kept the budget in line so we could go all out on the two dinners out.  We also hung out in the Base 9 lounge a couple of evenings and shot some pool. 

Our Rentals were just fine and my brother decided to upgrade to the demo package. I know the weather is not so great now and we were lucky to get out of Denver!  We just left early Monday morning and it all worked out! 

Again Thanks from all of us and we are already talking about what to do next year!  You may hear from us again!  

Have a great day~!

Tom, Bill, Jonathan and Gary

Stayed at the Beaver Run Resort Jan 26 - 31, 2011

Beaver Run Resort, Kids Ski School

We had a blast!!! LOVED Beaver Run!! Perfect location for ski in ski out and everything all in one place. We are ready to start planning for next year. 

Allyson stayed at Beaver Run over the 2010 Christmas holiday.

Fresh Snow at Winter Park!

Another email from my Winter Park Ski Resort representative, rubbing it in my face about how great the skiing has been this week!!  I'll be skiing as soon as I'm done booking all of your ski vacations to Winter Park!!

Call now, so I can ski tomorrow!!  888-267-5475 x 19  Brian

Sorry for all the e-mails recently but I just thought I’d share some photos of today’s powder day!

We reported 4 inches (10.2 cm’s) at 5am this morning but it’s been dumping ever since – another 4-6 inches (10-15 cm’s) since then.

11 inches (27.9 cm’s) in the past 48 hours

12 inches (30.5 cm’s) in the past 72 hours

162.3 inches (412.2 cm’s) – season total

The skiing is fantastic and even more snow is on the horizon!

Family pic on top of the Keystone Ski Area

Brads family stayed in the Keystone River Run Village, Jan 5 - 9, 2011

1)       your accommodations: Good! Would love washer dryer unit only complaint

 

2)       the skiing  Was awesome! Like how they moved the gondal closer to River Run Village!

 

3)       restaurants, ski rental, car rental and activities that you enjoyed We ate at the Italian Restaurant Luigis was the name I think? Very good service and food!

 

4)       my service, documents received Your service was right on and you delivered everything you said you would do and your knowledge was great on everything! I would recomend your company. Very nice job!

 

5)       anything else that you enjoyed or disliked about your travels. I was amazed how friendly and helpful people were from the guy at the gas station to the lift ticket operator! Keystone should be proud! Very impressive!

Riverbend Lodge, Breckenridge Colorado comments

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.  We had a great time.  The accommodations were fabulous.  It was perfect for 7 people & the condo was very nicely decorated & clean.  Our only complaint was that there was only 1 1/2 rolls of toilet paper in each bathroom.  That's not enough for a week, especially with girls.  The ski-in/out was perfect.  I thought the snowflake lift might be crowded in the mornings, since it could serve all the condos around, but there was never more than 10 people in line.  The ski storage in the garage was nice, but out of the way & too far to walk.  We didn't use it.  The condo itself was very quiet, which was great and when we wanted to go to town, it was only an 8 minute walk.  The hot tub was awesome & no one group hogged it.  Most people just stayed in it about 20 min, so we always had it to ourselves.  I would highly recommend this condo & would stay there again.

The skiing was awesome, but we heard it was an unusual snow while we were there.  Good for us.  The slopes weren't crowded like we thought they might be, since it was the week before Christmas.  We never had to wait more than 5 minutes in a lift line.  We hated the food on the slopes.  We all tried different stuff each day & never found anything that was great.  I know you can't do anything about that, but just thought I'd mention it.  We had some really funny things happen to us and luckily no one was injured.  So we brought home some great memories that we can laugh about for a long time.

Ski Butler is definitely the way to go.  It's worth every penny.  This is the first time we've used them & we're hooked.  I will never go back to a store again.  After we booked our 3 day rentals through you & just before we went on our trip, the other 2 people in our party decided to ski for 2 days.  So I called them to make another reservation just for those two & they were so accommodating & nice.  A bonus was that the guys who came to drop off & pickup the skis were cute, cute & our teenage girls just loved it.

We went on White Mountain Tours for snowmobiling.  That was great also.  We did the performance ride & it was so cool.  We went above the tree line at the top of the mountain & rode full speed (well it felt like it, anyway).  Then we went back & forth through this valley.  Saw some avalanches that had occurred the night before.  Highly recommend this trip.  The only complaint was the exhaust fumes but I think that's a problem anywhere.  Oh, they also took professional pictures along the way & then you could buy the CD for $45 when we got back.  That was a good price when you have 2 families that could share it.

We went tubing in Frisco one night.  The place is very nice, but we can tell they're still tweaking things.  The runs were very fast that night, so they wouldn't let us connect 2 or more people together.  So that got a little boring when you're by yourself all the time.  Because of that I liked Keystone better.  We went to Keystone 2 yrs ago when we stayed there.  Oh, I almost forgot about the trip to get to Frisco.  We decided to take the bus, which was a disaster.  They weren't sure where to drop us off, because there wasn't an official bus stop at the tubing facility.  They dropped us at the hospital about a mile away.  We didn't realize it was a mile away until we walked it.  I called the bus people (forgot their name) & they told me they couldn't drop us off closer because there wasn't a crosswalk across Hwy 9.  They also said that the tubing place needs to work out a bus stop with the county, which they haven't done.  Then when we were finished tubing at 6:30 pm, the buses only come to the hospital every hour at 37 past the hour.  Needless to say we couldn't catch the 6:37 bus because it was too far to walk & therefore, we had to wait till the 7:37 bus.  A very long wait.  I would NOT recommend Frisco tubing until they get the bus situation figured out, unless you want to drive there yourself.

Now as far as you go....well.....I think you're awesome.  You're so pleasant to talk to & very cheery all the time.  It's nice to be able to talk to you any time of the day.  Thanks for all the goodies (maps, info, etc.) that came with the docs.  The directions for check-in & all the detailed instructions were great & it was so easy to get around.  Also thanks for the free margaritas at Mi Casa.  We met your wife.  She is so sweet & very bubbly like you.  We loved Mi Casa.  The food was sooooo good.  We'll definitely eat there again & recommend it.

Thanks again for all your help with our vacation.  I will keep your # & call you next time we decide to head that way.  Hope the above is helpful.  I attached a few scenery pics & one with Santa Clause on Peak 7.

Thanks,

Kathy

Comments on the River Mountain Lodge

We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation last week and rest assured you will hear from us again. 

1)  The accommodations were perfect for what we were looking for as a family.  Loved the location at the end of 4 O Clock run and convenience getting to the gondola.

2)  The skiing was awesome!  I believe we received 20" or so while we were there!  TBar was an awesome place to relax, eat and drink while the kids out skied/boarded us old folks.

3)  Restaurants in the area were good for the most part. Michael's Italian Restaurant was delicious, Motherloaded Tavern was good and fun, Denzaemon Cafe was perfect after a day of skiing but Jalapeños was horrible.  We noticed Jalapeños fliers in the lodge and other places but the food and service was not to write home about.  While we were waiting for the 'food' our daughter was posting a review on a website.  We were tempted to get up and walk out but refrained.  I am truly amazed that this would be a restaurant in Breck that one would want to advertise.  Think twice before recommending it to anyone. :)

4)  Excellent car rental at Hertz with the exception of the ski/board rack.  It did not lock and ended up cramming the boards into the Chevy Traverse with the luggage for our trip to and from Boulder and Breckenridge.