Location, location, location. The house is a 10-minute walk from the Gondola base and is a 5-minute walk to one of Steamboat’s best restaurants La Montagne. In fact, we had so much fresh powder the week we were there, we soon figured out how to ski directly off the slopes to the front door. The grocery stores and the ski rental shops are close by, and the free shuttle stops in front of the house every 15 minutes, or as requested.
The beautiful house easily accommodated our extended family of 15. There were even a couple of empty beds and no lines at the bathrooms. The main floor with its open space, warm fireplace, cathedral ceilings and spacious loft was always the gathering place each evening. The pool table in the loft was always busy. We loved the heated floors and the open kitchen layout. For meals the family would gather near the kitchen while sitting at the breakfast buffet or looking on from the living room.
The hot tub is on the main floor’s deck and has great views of Christie Peak and across the Yampa Valley for the sunsets. Because of the location of this house at the end of a row, its views are awesome.
Still, all of that is what anyone would expect for a high-end rental home in a beautiful ski resort. Here’s what brought our rental property experience from an, A to an A+ week: the details. I could go on for pages listing and describing the exceptionally thoughtful and pleasantly surprising details. Having constant access to a responsive, patient and talented on-site caretaker was great (John, you made everything easy and smooth). The kitchen was stocked full of basic food staples (spices, sugar, olive oil etc.). There was an abundance high quality platters, baking, cooking and serving utensils. The appliances and equipment, everything needed for complex gourmet meals for a big crowd, was available, quality and attractive. In fact there were cupboards stocking many, many more glassware, silverware etc. than needed for our crowd of 15, which made meals and cleanup easy. Small details such as first aid kits, plenty of extra towels, and a humidifier in each bedroom were great. The sheets and blankets were top quality (loved the Crate and Barrel sheepskin blankets in the kids’ rooms.) The entrance offers plenty of cubbies for outerwear and helmets. I could go on and on. But you get the message. The house is fantastic: beautiful, inviting, comfortable, accessible. Enjoy!