The Best Places to Stay and Do in Vail

Ski-in-ski-out access is the whole pitch here, and Four Seasons Vail delivers it without apology. The hotel holds Michelin's 1 Key and a Forbes Four Star, runs from elegant rooms up to six-bedroom private residences, and sits squarely in the middle of the walkable village. The spa was fully redone recently and has the largest treatment rooms in the valley. Après-ski at The Remedy draws locals, which is usually a good sign.

The doorman in a ten-gallon hat sets the tone at this ski-in, ski-out resort at the base of Beaver Creek. Timber and stone outside nod to the national park lodge tradition, while inside the rooms run to leather chairs, dark wood, and beamed ceilings. The mountain-family itinerary is generous: fly fishing, an outdoor pool, golf, and slopes right out the door for anyone who came for the obvious reason.

A Michelin Selected hotel that keeps Vail Village as its front yard, The Sebastian sits close enough to the lifts that a ski concierge handles the logistics without the stiff formality that tends to creep into the older names on the mountain. The vibe skews younger than its neighbors, which in Vail is a genuine act of rebellion. Après-ski dining and nightlife are a short walk from the door.

Mid-century modern lines and a quieter perch on the west side of Vail set this upscale resort apart from the slopeside scrum. Skiing, mountain biking, and a yoga studio cover the recreation, while the 10th Mountain Lounge, a partnership with the Colorado distillery, gives drinking here a local anchor. The flagship restaurant blends American West cooking with Alpine mountain fare, which is exactly the overlap you'd want at this altitude.

Ten luxury tents on a thousand acres of ranchland a few miles west of Vail, open summer through early fall only. Each tent comes with rain showers, wood-burning stoves, and enough plush linens to make you forget you're camping, which is sort of the point. The lodge handles breakfast and dinner, from a self-grilled BBQ setup to a full tasting menu. Horseback rides, fly-fishing, and mountain biking fill the days; actual Vail is thirty minutes if you need it.