Checking In: Vail Cascade Resort & Spa

Rest. Relaxation. Luxury. That was my light at the end of the SIA tunnel. Six days of tradeshow is fun but exhausting. Instead of leaving Colorado tired, I opted for a relaxing vacation that was well worth the wait. The invite to experience Vail Cascade Resort & Spa in Vail, Colorado couldn’t have come at a better time.

Two nights and three days was the magical number for a quick vacation, enough time to put you at ease and explore your surroundings. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and were warmly welcomed at the staff at the resort. Instead of dragging our heavy luggage to the room, we opted for baggage valet and took our time. When we found our room on the Terrace side of the hotel, we opened the door and were greeted with a beautiful large room complete with built-in bookcases, a couple comfy leather chairs with a footstool, plush beds with a warm inviting gas fireplace. It was exactly what we needed after traveling and tradeshow time.

The next morning I found out exactly how ski-in/ski-out the Vail Cascade truly is. Just outside the door of the Terrace side of the resort is the Cascade Village #20 chairlift. Literally just feet from the ski shop and hotel, you are greeted by the lift waiting to quickly whisk you up to Vail Resort. I was already looking forward to  spending Friday getting my snowboard kicks at Vail Resort to experience the best of the mountain before I head back to Washington State.

Day two of the vacation started with a delicious breakfast buffet in the Atwater Restaurant in the lobby of the resort. There are plenty of options to start the morning right and you can enjoy views of the lifts while enjoying breakfast. I enjoyed the miniature Monte Cristo sandwiches because those are a personal favorite. I filled my plate with a mixture of fruits, eggs, sausages and bacon to kick off the morning.

As I explored the resort and eyed up the saline hot tubs and pools, I realized there is no way you can’t relax here. Relaxation surrounds the resort experience. Aria Spa is located just across from the resort, you can shortcut outside or take a long walk around in the hotel to end up in a whole other world of fun. A world of wellness awaited me with 78,000 ft. fitness center with indoor basketball, tennis and racquetball courts, a swimming pool, indoor track, weight rooms, steam rooms and hot tubs. I found my way to the Aria Spa to check in about their services. I ended up scheduling the Rocky Mountain Foot Treatment since the tradeshow really did a number on my feet.

Once I robed up and put my slippers on, I was greeted with fruit, water and comfortable couches by the fire so I could read magazines as I waited for my appointment. It may have only been a half hour treatment but it put me immediately into relaxation mode with the foot massage. After the foot treatment, I was able to retreat into the showers, steam room and jacuzzi to take it easy .

After my time at the spa, I stopped into the market cafe in the resort to pick up lunch. $15 later, I had two cans of soda, tuna wraps, strawberries and dessert for the two of us to share. I really liked the ease of the market cafe and sport shop next door to it. It made for quick bites, necessities and special gifts you could grab on the go during vacation.

After lunch I enjoyed a walk outside of the resort to explore the surrounding creek and walk by the outdoor saline pool, which was creating a beautiful heat mist. The water was warm and inviting with the mist and comfortable pool chairs.  I kept thinking even for a non-snowboarder or skier, you can still have a good time here on vacation with so many fun things to explore around the resort.

Before dinner last night, it was the optimal time to hit up the outdoor Terrace hot tub. We put on our comfy hotel room robes and headed outdoors to get in the bubbly warm water. It wasn’t long before we were joined by other guests and ended up chatting about the saline water in the hot tubs instead of chlorine and the mountain experiences.

For dinner, we stayed in and went downstairs to experience the Atwater on Gore Creek Restaurant in the resort. At 6pm, it was quiet with only a couple other people dining in the restaurant but a great time for a quiet dinner for two. I ordered my favorite Rainbow Trout, paired with a Stella Artois beer and ended the night with coffee and a White Chocolate Cheesecake. The meal was amazing, to die-for and pictures don’t even do it justice. The dinner was worth the price and the quantities were much bigger than anticipated, usually when you spend up to $30 a plate you tend to receive less for more.

The evening ended with a full stomach and a comfortable quiet night in bed watching a movie. As the darkness fell, I looked out the window to see the first snowflakes of the latest winter storm falling in Vail. Can’t wait to spend Friday on the slopes, exploring Vail Mountain and adding to this dream vacation. I couldn’t ask for more relaxation and comfort that Vail Cascade has given me, it was the ideal relaxation experience in a perfect mountain setting.

Many thanks to Vail Cascade for hosting us during our stay. We can’t wait to come back!