The Montage Deer Valley — Source: HospitalityRenu

If you love adventuring outdoors, Park City, Utah might just be your ultimate vacation. I lived in Park City while working for an ultra-luxury resort, where I helped assist them with elevating their guest experience. I fell in love with this beautiful spot during my time there and its lively outdoorsy energy.

I reached out to some of my contacts in the area to get insider intel on some of the city’s top luxury properties. I hope with their insights, you’ll feel ready to plan a Park City getaway of your own at one of these luxurious spots.

The Lodge at Blue Sky: Family-Friendly Luxury

Part of the Auberge Resorts Collection luxury hotel family, the Lodge at Blue Sky was voted the #1 Utah Resort of 2021 by Travel + Leisure Magazine – and with good reason. Auberge Resorts boast award-winning chefs, innovative spas, and once-in-a-lifetime excursions.

This winter, the Lodge at Blue Sky is debuting its beloved summer camp programming during the ski season, with tons of outdoor activities for kids of all ages. Little Vaqueros Club activities include the opportunity to test your navigational skills with nature scavenger hunts and geocaching; visit the nearby Olympic Park in Park City; learn about the local landscape, history, and wildlife on a hike; or try your hand at painting. Meanwhile, parents and older children can snowshoe to a yurt for yoga or mediation; relax at the alpine-inspired Edge Spa with energetic body and skin treatments; engage in a tasting at the property’s High West Whiskey Distillery; or carve the backcountry slopes with heli-skiing. Sleigh rides through the Ranch, or even dogsledding, allow the family to enjoy the wintery landscape together. When the day is done, fuel up at one of the Lodge’s fantastic restaurants. If you’re there before the end of January, you may even get to make your reservation at Usu-Zan, a three-Michelin-Star culinary experience with a seven-course tasting menu, born from famed restaurant SingleThread.

Just 35 minutes away, guests of the Lodge at Blue Sky can enjoy amenities at sister property Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Resorts Collection in Deer Valley. Designed in the spirit of an Austrian ski chalet, the resort’s mid-mountain location offers direct access to over 100 miles of perfectly groomed ski runs, available for half and full day excursions.

For family togetherness and unmatched activities in a winter wonderland, there’s no better place to begin than the Lodge at Blue Sky.

The St. Regis Deer Valley: Apres-Ski Subtlety

Everything about this Marriott Bonvoy property feels like taking a deep breath by the fire after a crisp winter day. From its tasteful décor and convenient ski-in/ski-out access to exquisite terraces overlooking the slopes and year-round outdoor dining options, this property is the epitome of subtle elegance, timeless class, and utter relaxation in Park City.

This year, St. Regis Deer Valley is debuting the Vintage Room on the Grand Lawn, a new slope-side experience featuring libations and light bites in a gorgeous clear-walled setting, so that guests can enjoy panoramic views in an après space that’s refined yet full of warmth and good humor. 2021 also welcomed the Sundance Film Festival back to Park City, and St. Regis is ready to embrace this international event with brand-new residences known as Snow Park. A short funicular ride to the Lower Resort brings guests to these newest accommodations, which are nestled next to both the hotel and the Kid’s Ski School; a perfect location for families during ski season and ideally situated for taking advantage of all the cultural events Sundance has to offer. The residences enjoy all the amenities of the hotel as well as a brand-new bar and dining venue.

In the evenings, join the St. Regis staff on the stunning Mountain Terrace and welcome the sunset each night with a traditional champagne sabering ceremony. You’ll learn the history of this storied event and enjoy a toast with champagne or sparkling cider, all complimentary. Follow with a perfectly crafted cocktail and delicious meal at one of the St. Regis’s multiple top-tier restaurants or bars – anything from seafood to prime rib, French comfort food to upscale BBQ. And of course, end your day curled up cozy by the fire pit, complete with a St. Regis Signature S’more.

The Montage Deer Valley: An Elevated Escape

They say you can’t have it all, but the Montage begs to differ. This property provides the height of luxury to Park City visitors, vacationers, and full-time residents. With glamorous amenities and top-of-the-line offerings at every turn, the Montage meets every need you didn’t know you had.

Start your day at the Montage with any number of outdoor activities. After spending time on 7,300 skiable acres, families and friends can try their hand at the likes of archery and horseback riding, participate in a “Fun at Four” 4pm activity, or enjoy the Montage’s proprietary bowling alley or snow tubing hill. More adventurous visitors can indulge in a Montage Expedition. The Montage partners with a firm that creates locally inspired day trips to nearby national parks, developed and hosted by professional athletes and local experts. For more relaxing activities, the Montage has a partnership with Cadillac, offering complimentary chauffeured transportation by luxury car to local shopping. The resort’s premiere boutique, Pique, is the exclusive home for several designer lines offered nowhere else in Utah, with meet-the-designer trunk shows presented to guests throughout the year.

After a long day out and about, the Montage boasts an enormous 35,000-square-foot spa to settle into, complete with redwood saunas, steam rooms, jetted whirlpools, deluge showers, and a full salon and wellness center. The spa uses non-invasive techniques in its wide range of offerings, and ingredients are locally sourced from the surrounding alpine terrain.

Retiring to your room is just as enjoyable: accommodations boast giant fireplaces in every room, stunning mountain vistas, and options for suites with private outdoor spaces and top-tier furnishing. For those who fall so in love with Park City they never want to leave, residence options are also available on the top floors of the resort! Pendry Residences Park City is also a new luxury offering by Montage, featuring 152 fully furnished, luxury condominium residences in a ski-in/ski-out alpine setting. I have personally toured this location and would highly recommend if you’re looking for the ultimate in mountain luxury living.

The resort experience in Park City truly has something to offer every traveler. I’ve always found that there’s something about the mountains that brings you peace of mind and wellness, which is so important to me when I consider travel experiences. If you make it to Park City for ski season, I’d love to hear how you enjoyed your stay. If you decide to plan ahead for spring or summer, I know you’ll find just as many outdoor activities and restful getaway opportunities that you won’t soon forget. Here’s to a new year full of travel – first stop, Park City!