Planning a family vacation can be stressful enough without agonizing over the perfect hotel. These eight family-friendly choices will help you get the most out of your getaway.
Park City is home to dozens of hotels, every one of them looking to attract your attention with a unique combination of location, accommodation, amenities, and service. There is a niche for everything here. Do you want a wellness-centered spacation? There is a hotel for that. A quiet getaway in a quaint, historic boutique hotel? There is a hotel for that too. What about the family vacation? There are lots of hotels for that. To help you get the most out of your family-focused trip, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best properties in Park City for those guests who are bringing their gaggle of short-stacks along for the ride.
We chose our top eight based on several criteria. Kid-friendly amenities are a must. Pools, free breakfasts and childcare services go a long way toward enhancing the family stay experience. Value can be a big help. Many families are trying to have a good time on a budget, and every dollar saved without sacrificing fun is precious. Proximity to the slopes is also helpful. It can be hard enough to wrangle kids across the driveway into the car, let alone all the way to the lifts. Every hotel below has a standout combination of these features.
#1 – Grand Summit Hotel
The Grand Summit Hotel offers plenty of both convenience and comfort. As a ski-in/ski-out property in the heart of Canyons Village, it couldn’t possibly be easier to get the kids onto the slopes or into the shops. It will be easy to herd the flock onto the gondola, with minimal opportunities for strays or delays. That also means a much faster return to the room in case of worn-out troopers or unexpected tantrums. No half-hour drive with a wailing banshee in the back seat. In addition to the location, the Grand Summit offers an awesome outdoor pool and three hot tubs with a nice view of the village as well as a childcare center for those mommy and daddy outings.
#2 – Montage Deer Valley
The Montage Deer Valley is an incredible family choice for those looking for a luxury experience. The Montage has an entire program for children age 5-12 called Paintbox, which offers games, crafts, movies and activities that will help keep little hands busy all through your stay. There are plenty of all-ages activities too, like s’mores by the fire pit, bowling, arcade games, sleigh rides, concerts, picnics and more. They even have an official canine ambassador, Monty the Bernese mountain dog, who is always happy to greet young guests during his twice-daily visits to the lobby. In addition to their commitment to family activities and amenities, the resort is a ski-in/ski-out property. No shuttle rides or cars are necessary. Head up to, or back from, the slopes in the blink of an eye. No more weary walks in full gear for little feet here. The stay is well worth the price.
#3 – Silver Baron Lodge
When the Montage Deer Valley is a touch out of the price range, but you are still looking for a luxury Deer Valley family vacation with great amenities, try Silver Baron Lodge. With access via skier shuttle rather than direct ski-in/ski-out access, you will save a considerable sum. Some of the Silver Baron Lodge’s stand-out features include the excellent on-site concierge, complimentary hot breakfast during the winter and the outdoor heated pool, complete with water slide. There are still plenty of supervised activities for children, and access to the slopes is just a short walk or an even shorter shuttle ride away. What you lose in convenience and a bit of opulence, you more than make up for in savings over a more decadent property like the Montage.
#4 – Sundial Lodge
Another property in Canyons Village, Sundial Lodge is a well-respected condominium hotel offering high-end ski-in/ski-out accommodations right in the middle of the Village. The upside to a full condominium, rather than a hotel room, comes in the convenience of being able to really relax in a full-sized living area, cook in a full kitchen, and enjoy the privacy of a bedroom. In addition to the mountain living, Sundial Lodge has fun amenities like third floor hot tubs and a nice, heated pool. Once again, the proximity to the lifts and the access to village shops take all the hassle and headache out of your trip, and allow you to vacation on your terms.
#5 – Hyatt Place Park City
A new hotel, the Hyatt Place is just downhill from the Canyons Village base area. A good value, the Hyatt Place also features a comfortable sofa sleeper in every room. For those not looking to grab a whole extra room to stow the kids in, this makes for a great way to expand the available beds to accommodate a family stay. The free breakfast is a delicious plus, and pools are always popular. Just because it is closest to Canyons Village base area, the hotel is conveniently located on the main highway running into town, giving guests a quick route to either Park City base area or Deer Valley Resort.
#6 – The Lodge at the Mountain Village
The Lodge at the Mountain Village is a classic property sitting at the bottom of Park City base area. With the lifts literally right outside, it is a ski-in/ski-out paradise. The bunny hill and ski lessons are less than a stone’s thrown from the Lodge, making it easy to get young students up and skiing in no time. The older nature of the building makes it less of a shiny luxury experience than, say, the Montage Deer Valley, but the rates are very attractive, with all the same convenience of those big-ticket hotels. The Lodge at the Mountain Village boasts great community features like an outdoor ice-skating rink and on-site shops, in addition to proximity to Historic Main Street, giving families a very wide array of potential fun and activities with minimal driving or shuttles.
#7 – Zermatt Resort
Located in the Heber area, Zermatt Resort is an unusual destination brimming with fun and quirky activities. With attractions like a carousel, a natural crater containing a geothermal spring, miniature golf, shuffleboard, tennis courts and more, there is no way you could possibly run out of things to do together. All of that comes before mentioning popular on-site businesses, including several restaurants, an excellent spa and a tasty gelateria. Zermatt is approximately 20 minutes from Park City, but still close enough to have plenty of fun on the slopes before returning to sample the delightfully whimsical offerings of this unique property. Events change with the seasons, but include everything from nearby snow tubing to spooky haunted hay rides to free concerts to holiday celebrations. Nothing else on this list offers the sheer volume and variety of odd and endearing family activities you can find at Zermatt Resort.
#8 – Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Ultimately, sometimes a family vacation comes down to budget. In Park City, especially, it can be hard to keep the price down and the fun up. Fortunately, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Park City makes a great choice for the family on the lookout for a good deal. Special credit is due for being an especially pet-friendly property for those bringing the furriest members of the family with them. Located in Kimball Junction, it offers easy access to a host of shops and restaurants, including the Tanger Outlets. Don’t forget to wake up each morning to a complimentary breakfast for everyone in the family before tackling your day.
If your family is more on the furry side, be sure to check out the 10 Best Pet Friendly Hotels in Park City or if you are looking for the stay of a lifetime, take a glance at the 10 Best Park City Luxury Hotels.
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