The Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch: A Luxurious Winter Wonderland

The stylish Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, open year-round, is a cocoon of warmth, service, and seasonal happenings in winter. Dramatically set in the Beaver Creek ski region of the Vail Valley in the heart of Colorado's Rockies, this wood-and-stone lodge is unpretentiously elegant yet very practical, offering good value for your luxury dollar and seasonal deals and promotions.

The U.S.-based Ritz-Carlton hospitality brand is renowned the world over for its trademark, extraordinary Ritz-Carlton five-star hotel service. This Rocky Mountains hotel is no exception. When you stroll out a slopeside door, a ski concierge greets you and carries your skis to the lift. 

Beaver Creek is a 20-minute drive west of Vail Resort, with more relaxed ambiance. This luxury property sits at the foot of Bachelor Gulch, one of Beaver Creek's three base areas for skiing. The Ritz-Carlton is 100% ski-in/ski-out, which means you don't have to drag yourself and your gear to a lift. You just glide over on your skis. 

The skiing surrounding this hotel is as good as it gets in the Rockies, and that means world-class. But there's more you can do at this outstanding resort. You can soothe sore bodies in the warm, jetted waters of the hotel spa's rock-lined grotto; be treated like royalty staying on the Club Level; relish fine dining and trendy pop-up restaurants in the hotel; smoke a cigar or hookah pipe in Bachelors Lounge; hang out "apres-ski" (the Rockies' answer to cocktail hour) at the outdoor fire pit, washing down oysters with a bespoke Bloody Mary, while your youngsters enjoy the Ritz Kids' Club and hot cocoa bar.

This is a refined Rockies resort, with a clientele that's well-heeled and well-behaved. Most are experienced travelers, and many are addicted to the Ritz-Carlton brand. The lion's share of guests are American, but you'll also hear Spanish and a sprinkling of the other languages

In powder season, the resort attracts skiers of the upscale variety They're a range of couples, families, girls' and guys' getaways. In spring, summer, and fall, the resort draws nature lovers.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch pet-friendly hotel policy permits up to two dogs per room for a one-time fee of $125. The hotel is so canine-crazy that it has its own dogs: Scout, a Bernese Mountain Dog and Bachelor, the resort's own Saint Bernard.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch may be your ideal Rockies perch if you: want to be slopeside to a network of intermediate runs (with easy cruising to Beaver Creek's wide range of beginner to extreme slopes); want access to award-winning private resort golf courses in warmer weather; need a hotel where kids are welcome and have their own club; seek a hotel with an indulgent spa.

The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch may not be your ideal Colorado getaway if you: want to be steps from all the restaurants, galleries, and shops of Beaver Creek Village; want immediate access to the chairlifts leading to more advanced and expert slopes; seek a lively, eclectic nightlife scene; or prefer the cozy ambiance of a smaller boutique hotel.

This property is large for a ski resort, with 180 rooms and suites spread over eight floors. The hotel also rents one- to three-bedroom residences with full kitchens.

Rooms are a spacious 450 square feet and done in wood-accented contemporary mountain chic. Beds (king or two queens) are ultra-comfortable, with posh duvet-covered down quilts and extra pillows. Marble bathrooms have a soaking tub, separate showers, and partitioned john. Tip: request one of the hotel's 69 rooms with a gas fireplace. (The resort won't guarantee you get one, but if you do it won't cost extra.)

The hotel's 55 suites are twice the size. They feature a separate living room and an additional powder room. The pinnacle of the resort's accommodations is The Ritz-Carlton Suite. It's a whopping 1,800 square feet, with a massive rock fireplace.

This resort goes all out with the five-star hotel perks. Complimentary perks in every room include bottled water and a Keurig pod coffeemaker; lovely-scented Asprey Blue Water bath toiletries laptop-size safe; robes and slippers (of course); impeccable housekeeping, with evening turndown service as well. 

The property has a daily resort fee on top of your room rate: $50 in winter and $30 in summer (in 2017-2018). This charge covers in-room wifi, fresh snacks delivered to your door, a non-alcoholic minibar with beverages and bites; free access to the spa's baths circuit; ski valet service; and other services.

Parking is not included, and pricey. But guests discover that if they're flying in for a ski vacation, they don't need a car.

Attention, foodies: this resort is a gourmet go-to, with an array of great-looking and good-cooking restaurants.

WYLD is the resort's signature restaurant, showcasing the rustic beauty and culinary bounty of the Rocky Mountain State. WYLD's rustic yet glamorous interior features gleaming local aspen wood, and its menu gather Colorado-sourced meats, freshwater fish, seasonal garden vegetables and wild-foraged herbs. Since opening in late 2016, WYLD has become known as one of the Vail Valley's most inviting and satisfying places to savor a leisurely meal with Colorado's best ingredients and hard-to-find global wines.

Rustic-chic Buffalo's, with a bar framed by a massive stone wall, serves up bison (and spicy bison chili), prime beef, chicken and more, all from local farms. Vail Valley rivers and streams produce the delectably fresh pan-seared trout.

Bachelors Lounge is the resort's sophisticated indoor/outdoor lounge. It's popular from apres-ski time into the wee hours. Here you'll find a deep selection of Scotch, bourbon, and tequila; global wines; plus classic and creative cocktails mixed by expert bartenders. The food is upscale pub grub and bistro classics. Bachelors Lounge features the Vail Valley's only cigar bar, featuring the world's most expensive cigar ($2,000). Patrons can also smoke a hookah bubbling with aromatic tobacco flavors and savor a Vaportini.

Anderson’s Cabin (shown above) is a unique dining experience, was introduced in 2017 for private dining/events. It hosts private yet very social dining. Guests can book the entire cabin or reserve solo seat Anderson’s Cabin on select nights for a convivial communal meal. The historic cabin, over a century old, belonged to John Anderson, one of seven bachelor brothers who originally settled Bachelors Gulch.

Daniel's Bar serves all afternoon on an outdoor slopeside terrace nearly year-round. It's known for its custom-composed burgers and Colorado craft beers.

Wintertime is spa time at the resort. Its super-high-end 21,000-square-foot spa warms the body and soothes the soul. Its extensive treatment menu offers classic and contemporary services for face and body. Couples' treatments are a spa specialty; one favorite is a seductive, skin-smoothing, aromatic soak in a copper bathtub.

Another highlight: the coed rock-lined grotto (shown), with bubbling warm water that's bliss for ski-sore muscles. The grotto pool is just one element of the spa's hydrotherapy circuit of fountains, jets, baths, saunas, steam, and more. The circuit is complimentary to guests.

This resort is a spectacular base for travelers who want to explore Colorado's mountains any time of year. For Rocky Mountain beauty and outdoor adventure, there's no off-season here. Many vacationers people mistakenly believe that the Colorado Rockies are great only during ski season. Fact is, the Colorado Rockies are great 12 months a year, with outstanding recreational and cultural options in every season. 

The benefits of a summer vacation in the Rockies are many, and the drawback amounts to one (no powder). Summer visitors can expect: lower hotel room rates; promotional pricing at restaurants and attractions; glorious summer sports like mountain biking, rafting, ballooning; festivals and outdoor events galore. See what goes on during the summer in Vail, Beaver Creek, and Bachelor Gulch.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch celebrates the warm months with its Summer Wildflower Program. Guests enjoy seasonal offerings that honor the Rockies' brilliant summer t wildflowers: "Perfectly Paired:" a wildflower-accented chef's picnic lunch in a blooming mountain glade; wildflowers in floral arrangements and in cocktails at the resort's Buffalos (like lavender, wild orange blossom, elderflower); wildflower essential-oil massages in The Spa; hikes with the resort's naturalists, to find (and Instagram) blooming beauties; or mountain walks with the resort's own Saint Bernard (​Bachelor) and Bernese Mountain Dog, (Scout).