The Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch: A Hotel Review

What a weekend! We realized last month that we hadn’t been to the mountains at all for the entire summer. For as much as we are a skiing family, summer or fall is actually my favorite time to visit the mountains. Families can get great deals, the days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool. Instead of a condo, we reserved a room at Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch.

Ritz Bachelor Gulch is located in a quiet area about 4 miles from Beaver Creek. From the moment you start driving up the road to enter the property, you know you’re in for a special experience. The road is very secluded and lined with pretty wooden lamp posts and gorgeous florals. The entrance to the resort itself is very understated, with a little sign that says “hotel entrance”. Driving in brings you to a beautiful courtyard with valets, where they help you unload. We were super impressed with the help and general friendliness when we arrived. The lobby decor is gorgeously appointed, with log beams, stone floors and a roaring fireplace. Right behind the fireplace is an enormous lounge/bar, with soaring ceilings, a huge picture window looking right at the mountain, and plenty of room to stretch your legs and relax.

Check-in was swift and we were immediately met in the lobby by a doorman with our luggage and whisked to our room. Since it was dinner time and we were tired after the drive, we chose to eat in the lounge area that night. The kid’s menu was perfect for families and Keith and I just had a simple salad. Our server was really friendly. We learned that the hotel is revamping one of the restaurants during the off-season so there were less dining choices than normal. Buffaloes or the lounge were the two main places open, but during the season, the terrace, the pool and two restaurants are available. In addition, the resort has the only adults only venue in the valley, Bachelor’s Lounge, which has an amazing outdoor seating area, lined by heaters so people can sit outside even in the dead of winter. There is also a small coffee shop to the west side of the lobby.

The entire hotel is appointed in large wood beams, giving it a definitive “ski lodge” look. The rooms are spacious and they offer anything from a standard room with two doubles to 2 bedroom units with kitchens and everything in between.The main draw for this resort is the activities, amenities and service. The spa is 21,000 square feet, and features 19 treatment rooms. It is a Forbes four star rated spa and absolutely beautiful. The hotel itself offers golf, skiing, naturalist programs, fishing and has a fantastic kids club. The kids were very intrigued and they usually shy away from kids clubs.

For skiers, the private chair life that serves hotel guests only is steps from the back door. And ski valets keep guest’s boots warm overnight. It could not be possible to have an easier ski weekend. Additionally, they have a ticket office on-site, so there are no worries about going into town to buy your ski passes.

Our visit was in the fall, but there was no shortage of things to do. The hotels offered a naturalist hike every morning at 10am, with a knowledgeable guide. In the afternoons, there were “sipping and painting” classes in the lounge area. A shuttle runs guests back and forth to beaver Creek village every few minutes in case one wants to go explore the nearby town. We weren’t bored for even a minute. The kids even made some time to go into the outdoor heated pool….surrounded by three hot tubs, framed by yellow Aspen trees. Every night, between 8pm and 10pm, S’mores are served around the roaring outdoor fire pit.

If your family is looking for an intimate ski experience without too many crowds, Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch is the place. We may ditch the idea of a condo for this coming ski season and spent a few days here to experience a true ski-in/ski-out resort. There is nothing better than walking out your back door and getting on a ski lift and I think Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch has it down perfectly.