The Pines Lodge

If you and your family are traveling to Colorado, point your car in the direction of Vail and head toward Beaver Creek. The ski town is thriving during the wintertime, but it’s a terrific place to visit year-round, and one of the best places to stay on the mountain is The Pines Lodge.

With just 60 guestrooms, your family will snuggle right into its intimate, comfy yet luxurious surroundings, and if you need more room, the lodge has three-bedroom condos with kitchens, Jacuzzis and fireplaces for even more coziness.

© Jon Resnick, Vail Resorts

If you must leave your room to hit the slopes during the wintertime, the lodge’s on-site ski and snowboard rental shop will get you all geared up to shred, and the kind staff will even store your gear for you so there isn’t any need to haul it back up to your room. A boot room assures when you come back from a day on the mountain, your shoes are warm and dry — or slip on a pair of slippers and pad your way around the lodge as you make your way upstairs.

An impressive fitness center awaits those who haven’t had enough of a workout in the great outdoors and, just beyond, the heated pool and Jacuzzi are the perfect place to soak tired muscles to recover for the next day of fun. Though The Pines Lodge doesn’t have its own on-site spa, in-room massage treatments can easily be arranged for complete relaxation.

© Jack Affleck, Vail Resorts

The Pines Lodge welcomes our four-legged family members, too, so bring Spot along. Not only will he be welcomed with some treats, but he’ll enjoy his own rawhide bone turndown on his doggie bed that’s his to use during his stay with Pup Pillow Service. The staff at the lodge can help you map out dog-friendly hiking routes, and you can even check out a GoPro and harness so you can take a look at Spot’s point of view during his mountain adventures.

Needless to say, the hotel staff will do all they can to make sure your visit to Beaver Creek is just as you imagined, and will help secure lift tickets during the winter months, or set you up for hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting and more the rest of the year. All you have to do is ask!