After almost three years of thwarted travel plans to this elegant alpen hideaway, the stars recently aligned for a visit to The Lodge at Blue Sky. I can say confidently that it was more than worth the wait! Located just outside Park City, it makes a great base for a ski trip (Deer Valley, Sundance and Park City are all mere minutes away from the resort). But for this trip we had other winter sports at the top of our to-do lists. Namely, snowball fights, snow angels and sledding. Atticus and Archer have been missing the snow and were so looking forward to revelling in it.
SERVICE
You only notice good service by it's absence, and here at the Lodge it was definitely in abundance. Loved the little touches like the full team welcome and greeting upon arrival, the itinerary concierge that helped curate the most perfect stay and calendar of activities based on our collective interests, and how caring and helpful they were when our boys experienced some mild altitude sickness
VIBE
I would describe the overall feeling as luxe mountain hideaway. If you choose not to see anyone during your stay you can easily spend your time in nature (enjoying the 3000 acres of trails and raw beauty) or hanging in the elegant and spacious suites or book a Creek House for complete privacy and serenity. But if you're after a bit of an Après vibe, the bar and restaurant are lively in the evenings.
ACTIVITIES
The options are endless and are season dependant. We'll definitely return for a summer or Fall trip where we can mountain bike, ride horses, hike and swim under the high desert sun. But this winter trip we enjoyed snow-shoeing, daily morning yoga, geo-caching, a cooking class with the head pastry chef, landscape painting class for the kids, sporting clays and our boys absolutely loved the Little Vaqueros children's camp - offered 6 days per week. The on-site guides are all fantastic and so knowledgeable.
ROOM
We opted for connecting Earth Suites - which I highly recommend. They were well-located to optimize views and access to the main lodge and spa/pool for daily late afternoon hot-tubbing. They felt completely private and also very grand with tall ceilings and floor to ceiling sliding doors that open to a stunning contemporary terrace with fire pit (call down to the front desk to have s'more kits sent to the room).
SPA
I got to spend an afternoon at the Nordic-inspired Edge Spa. It was a stylish mix of clean and contemporary concrete walls softened by shearling rugs and pillowy treatment beds all set against a backdrop of mountain views from every floor-to-ceiling window. I had a hydra facial which was definitely more clinical and made to specifically address anti-aging by using their patented Vortex-Fusion technology to hydrate with an infusion of peptide serums, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. My aesthetician had such magical hands, I was lulled right to sleep.
FOR THE LITTLE GUESTS
How a hotel treats their littlest guests can say so much about their hospitality in general. The level of care and attention provided to Atticus and Archer was above and beyond. From tailored programming to their age, stage and interest level, accommodating kitchen staff and a caring front of house hospitality team who made sure every detail of their stay (and by extension OUR stay) was looked after, we were all floored. If you have wee ones, cribs, sleeping teepees, baby necessities and connecting rooms are all available to ensure everyone's stay is comfortable. Babysitting services can also be arranged upon request.
DINING
There was enough variety on-site for a long weekend that we didn't feel the need to leave the property. We enjoyed a special dining experience on our first night in the AplenGlobe - a transparent igloo perfectly poised on the patio to take in the epic mountain views and enjoy some stargazing above. Service was very personal and attentive. Breakfast is either served in the main dining room at the Lodge or in your suite. We sampled both in-room and restaurant menus and can confidently say they were 5* for quality, freshness and heat retention (an important qualification of room-service in my books). Lunch was craveable salads, sandwiches and warming soups with rotating daily specials. We enjoyed dining in the casual bar area while our kids had their packed lunches while out with the Little Vaqueros guides. Dinner offered a refined menu of new classics and local fare. One night Atticus and I indulged in the Chef's Tasting menu and had fun critiquing each delicious course. If you felt like venturing out, The Refectory, is a bustling restaurant located in the High West Distillery just down the road from the Equestrian Center and a brisk 10 minute walk from the Lodge (the front desk would also be happy to drive you down the road if you prefer). Obviously a must are the high-west whiskey craft cocktails but they also have lots of local Utah beer on tap.