Winter Park Mountain Lodge

The pro shop was the one great part of my stay at Winter Park Mountain Lodge. I’ve skied at Winter Park many times, and the rental gear from the shop in the lobby was the best I’ve used. The service was excellent even when they were busy. They fitted my boots perfectly, the skis were sharp and performed well, and the bindings were adjusted just right. It felt like an efficient operation with personal service. Everything else fell far below expectations. My group and others waiting to check in had booked weeks or months ahead, and I’ve usually found that advance reservations are ready around the expected arrival time. Instead, check-in took several stressful hours. The hotel had overbooked, and people who had paid for rooms were turned away. There was only one employee on duty, with no apparent resources, and management didn’t answer calls for help. He did what he could, including assigning rooms that were out of order or uncleaned. My room’s lock didn’t work. I reported it each night and never saw anyone try to fix it. Someone in our group had to repair a toilet that wouldn’t flush, and another room had a strong chemical smell that made its occupants feel sick. There was no parking available, so we had to pay $35 per vehicle for the garage. I could understand that as an upgrade, but with no spaces available elsewhere, it felt like a hidden fee we had no choice but to pay. While we waited in the loading area for room and parking assignments, the lift bus driver added to the stress by threatening to tow our cars without suggesting where we should move them. We were parked temporarily as far to the right as possible, and there was still plenty of room for vehicles to pass, as they did several times. I’d been told by the booking agent that breakfast was included, but on the first morning the clerk said it cost extra. I checked and confirmed that it was included. It was frustrating to have to fight for a burrito I’d already paid for, and there clearly wasn’t enough food even for my group. In the end I skipped it because it was such a hassle, so WPML is five burritos ahead of schedule. The hot tub had just one working jet, the water wasn’t very warm, and it seemed to have a film on top and need maintenance. At least one elevator was out of order during our stay. To use the stairs, you had to go outside; the stair door wasn’t locked or even latched, and the stairs were out of sight of the front desk employee. I don’t mind taking stairs, but with that open door, my broken room lock, and no view of who was coming and going, I didn’t feel there was any security against theft, robbery, or other crime. The bus schedule also limited mountain access. Service didn’t start at 7:30 as stated, so expect to arrive at the mountain at 8:15 or later. There’s no laundry or kitchenette, the restaurant has very limited hours, and the property generally needs maintenance and repair.

The mountain view and shuttle were the only benefits for me. The hotel is run down compared with how it used to be, and the website pictures don’t come close to showing its current condition. Rooms and bedding were filthy, towels were dirty, and the hot tubs were yellow and grimy. Check your credit card statements carefully. I’d stayed here back when it was a good-quality hotel, but now I’d rate it below three stars. The bedding was disgusting, with stains and only two thin pieces. The pillows were discolored and dingy, curtains had moth holes, and one bathroom towel was stained. There was some dried fluid on the lampshade, and the room phone didn’t work. I checked out a day early and was willing to pay for the extra night, but after the $100 incidental charge, my card company alerted me to another $250 charge. The hotel had been paid in full months earlier. When I called, they said it was “just an authorization,” but gave no actual reason for the charge. Find somewhere else to stay. The hotel’s quality has dropped dramatically from what the online photos suggest. The mountain view is nice, but it doesn’t make up for the negatives.

The location is great, and everything in the room worked, so it did the job. We booked that day and paid $180 after tax for a Saturday night in ski season, so the price felt fair, though I’d have been disappointed if we’d spent more. The place is dated and seems to cut corners. The walkways and stairs from the parking lots weren’t shoveled or salted, which felt unsafe and made it hard to carry bags and ski gear. Other little things added up: only two pillows, a thin sheet and blanket, and housekeeping trash bags left in the hallway when we arrived. We skipped the pool and hot tub because the chemical smell when we walked into the room was overwhelming.

The room was clean, and we had plenty of towels despite some reviews saying otherwise. The mattress was comfortable, though I’d bring your own pillow if you want to sleep better. The location was good, but mornings were noisy. Snowmobiles started around 6:30 AM, and the heater made enough noise to make sleeping in difficult. The hot tubs were lukewarm at best, not much of a relaxing soak. It’s a decent spot for a night or two, but I wouldn’t stay longer.