Whenever we book ski accommodations, we have one main feature that we look for -
location, location, location. I would rather be at a basic hotel on the mountain and near the lifts than a deluxe resort away from the mountain. My least favorite thing about skiing is the equipment. I quickly get bored of the lugging, dragging, and moving skis, boots, and poles. I would much rather get ready and start my day from my front door.
So we knew we could have stayed farther away at a much nicer place for less money, but for us, The Lodge was exactly the kind of place we were looking for. It is located in the center of Mountain Village (as the name suggests), and the back units sit right at the foot of one of the major ski runs. It was perfect: it was just a few steps away the lifts; surrounded by an ice rink, shops, restaurants; and even had a Jan Ski Rental outlet in the lobby.
There is nothing fancy or elegant about The Lodge. It has a small lobby with a fireplace and a few chairs. It has a small health club with a medium-size indoor and outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. It does not have a restaurant but is surrounded by many at the base. The Lodge offers valet parking for $7 a day.
We had a studio unit. It was long, narrow, and very basic. It had a fireplace, a small galley kitchen (well-stocked), a small bathroom, and a small dining area. It had a fold-out couch and a Murphy bed. I have to admit neither the Murphy bed nor the couch was very comfortable for sleeping. It was all very basic, and the decor was very 1970s: a lot of brown and beige and even a large macramé hanging from a wall. The unit did show some wear and tear, with torn carpets and tiles that needed grouting in the bathroom, but there was nothing severely damaged.
We did have a parking lot view. Many of the back units have great views of the mountain and the bottom of one of the runs. When we checked in, we called the front desk and asked if they had a room with a better view. We were told those rooms were not given to guests who purchased through airline packages (we had booked ours through Southwest Vacations). It was a little disappointing, but the real annoyance came during the night when the parking lot was being cleared of snow and the plow gave a beep, beep, beep sound every time it backed up. Just try sleeping through that right outside your window!
Overall, we were happy with The Lodge. The unit was small, but it was fine for four people. The staff was friendly. We made use of the pool and Jacuzzi. However, the location made up for anything else we may have missed at a more deluxe property. The location was for sure five stars!
From journal After the Olympics in Park City