Silvertree Hotel, Snowmass Village

We (a family of four; two adults, two kids) stayed at the Silvertree for 5 days in the off-season. The hotel itself shows signs of wear and tear - completely mismatched public areas outside the Snowmass Mall, worn pools (3 out of 5 times the pools were closed, and the front desk couldn't say why or when the pools would be open) and outdoor areas, very tiny in-room bathrooms that are very difficult for regular-sized adults to maneuver around (in fact, my child got hurt because of the small space), loud corridors, etc. Front desk staff, while projecting a smile when dealing with guests, is hit or miss when it comes to reliable service and info. After filling out a comment card I figured that it would just get thrown in the recycle bin like they usually do. Instead, the manager called us up and wanted to discuss all of these points I had jotted down, which was actually very impressive that he really listened. As a general rule, customer service is iffy anywhere, but those at the Silvertree who took pride in their job definitely stood out. While there are many summer activities and the Silvertree boasts recreation choices on their website, getting more information on suggestions for family outings from the concierge is another story all together. So definitely either go with an open mind about activities, or have a list of specific things you'd like to do and go from there. Also because it was summer in the off-season, most surrounding businesses in the mall would only open on the weekends. The Silvertree has the best location in Snowmass and is within easy transport to Aspen, whether you drive yourself or take the shuttles from the mall. I can easily see the draw for skiers during the Winter season. And while prices are somewhat lower in the Summer, you're still paying for the 'view,' even though our view was of the port-a-potties lining the hill for the Snowmass summer concerts.

Location and ease. Once you go ski in ski out there is no turning back. We stayed at the silvertree hotel a couple years ago, and it was an excellent hassle free vacation. We are headed back to snowmass Feb. '07 and we didn't hesitate in booking our room at silver tree once again.