Gateway Mountain Lodge, A Vail Resorts Property

The heater rattled loudly all night, and the toilet leaked onto the floor. Our SUV couldn't fit in the garage with its ski rack, so after checking in at 8 p.m. we had to park down the road and walk over in freezing weather.

The room had peeling paint, exposed wires, and several outlets that didn't work. Worse, the bathroom door couldn't be secured from inside, so anyone with the code could simply open it. The tub also seems to leak somewhere in the plumbing: after we showered, the carpet on the other side of the wall was completely soaked. We found the listing misleading, and the lift was farther away than we expected. When Keystone's parking lots were full, I asked if we could park a few hours before check-in, but was told no, despite spending hundreds on the reservation. This was the worst place I've stayed while visiting Keystone. Spend your money anywhere else.

It was a really nice, quiet place, but the elevator was out. It seemed to have been down longer than they let on, and hauling luggage up three floors was rough.

There was plenty of bedding, and the kitchen had dishes, pans, salt, pepper, and spices. It also had a coffee maker and one coffee pack, so bring more if you want more than one pot. The pool and hot tub were fine, though the welcome flyer mentioned pool towels and there weren't any. Maybe they have them during high season. For a staffless hotel, this was a good deal for the amenities and location, and I'd come back. Since it was early in the season, my room wasn't quite ready: the heater wasn't plugged in and the smoke alarm needed replacing, but both were easy fixes. Some parts could use renovation.