Lion Square Lodge

The ski access is hard to beat. The Eagle Bahn Gondola is right beside the building, just a few steps away, and the ski valet is outside near it. You get a numbered card when you leave your skis and poles, then hand it over in the morning to pick them up. When you return from skiing, the valet is just to the left as you enter the village. You drop off your gear and get another card. You do have to wear your ski or snowboard boots between your room and the valet. On our last day, we skied after checkout, left our car in the free outdoor lot, and used the locker room to change afterward. We had no trouble finding a space. Our hotel-style room had two queen beds. There are larger units too. Ours smelled a little odd, but not enough to make me ask to switch rooms. It had a microwave, mini fridge, toaster, coffee pot that didn't work, and a fan that was great for white noise. It felt homey. Staff were really nice and helpful, and the property seemed well thought out. There were fresh chocolate chip cookies at 3 p.m., though they were gone within about 15 minutes. We got there at 3:30 on Friday, then went to the 4 to 5 p.m. happy hour with drinks, charcuterie, and desserts. After skiing we'd take off our boots and snow clothes, then head to the lobby for tea, hot chocolate, coffee, and Oreos, which were available around the clock. We also had robes in the room for trips down to the two hot tubs. Towels were in the locker room, and you need your key card to get into both. Charter Sports rents gear on the second floor. The lobby is on the third, while the spa, pool, and locker rooms are on the first. It was handy to rent gear there and take it upstairs to the ski valet. The village on this side is a bit smaller than the main village, which is under a 15-minute walk away, and there’s a free bus too. The lodge also has a free shuttle whenever you need it, and you can call for pickup when you're in the village. I'd stay here again on a Vail trip and recommend it to people I know.