The most expensive ski resorts in the USA
A new survey from CheapHotels.org ranks the most expensive ski resorts across the United States. After comparing 20 popular destinations, the survey found Deer Valley, in Utah, is the most expensive ski resort based on cost of lodging alone.
The survey compared 20 ski resorts in the United States, mainly selected based on the number of hotel rooms
The survey used the average price for the cheapest available double rooms in each destination, through the months of February and March 2019, to establish its rankings. Only hotels with at least 3 stars and located within a ski resort were considered.
Guests staying at Deer Valley spend on average $543 per night for the most affordable double room; in second place for most expensive ski destination, Beaver Creek in Colorado charges $416 for its least expensive double room. Rounding out the top three is Alta resort in Utah, at $413 per night.
The top 10 destinations are mostly found in Utah and Colorado, with California and Wyoming making appearances in the fifth, seventh and ninth spots. California’s Squaw Valley is fifth most expensive overall at an average rate of $302 per night, while the state’s Northstar is $264 per night and in ninth place. In Wyoming, Teton Village is seventh overall, at $292 per night.
The following table compares 20 ski resorts in the United States. The rates shown reflect the average price for the cheapest available double room, Feb. 1–March 31, 2019.
- Deer Valley (UT) $543
- Beaver Creek (CO) $416
- Alta (UT) $413
- Vail (CO) $307
- Squaw Valley (CA) $302
- Breckenridge (CO) $302
- Teton Village (WY) $292
- Aspen (CO) $283
- Northstar (CA) $264
- Park City (UT) $243
- Big Sky (MT) $242
- Keystone (CO) $228
- Telluride (CO) $197
- Snowmass (CO) $195
- Avon (CO) $183
- Steamboat Springs (CO) $176
- Crested Butte (CO) $174
- Mammoth Mountain (CA) $168
- Sun Valley (ID) $166
- Killington (VT) $157
Here I will put where I suggest you to stay in these top more expensive 5 ski resorts in the USA.
Stay in Deer Valley:
A luxurious ski in/out resort offering 6 restaurants and a full spa on site, this is the location where to stay in Deer Valley. 200 yards from the Ruby Express ski lift and also from the Empire Express Ski Lift.
Stay at the Montage Deer Valley
Stay in Beaver Creek
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort:
There are many newer hotels, but I am an old timer and I do like big hotels. I guess that we have to see how they adapt now to Covid19, but I do like the Hyatt and the Fairmont and the Ritz touch. I always loved coming into the main lobby of the Park Hyatt and seeing the massive antlers chandelier (not sure if too PC to say now, but maybe they are fake antlers!!??). You are by the slopes, you ski into the property, and is a full ski hotel/resort, with lots of amenities. Buckaroo Express is a 1-minute walk from the hotel, while Centennial Express-7 is a 3-minute walk away.
Stay at the Park City Beaver Creek Resort.
Stay in Alta Resort.
Alta is one of those classic resorts that should be on your bucket list. It is a skier-only resort. There used to be more resorts banning snowboarders before -if my memory does not fault me (and it really could be the case), I think that Deer Valley was also years ago a ski-only resort, but then it opened to boarders. Also, Ajax, or what is now called Aspen Mountain, used to be a skiers-only heaven. But it changed when I was living there, and I remember reading the headers on the local newspaper with angry skiers saying they were not going to return to the resort…finally all remained coming back as usual. But Alta resisted, and with its location in the Wasatch Mountains in the Little Cottonwood Canyon, it is guaranteed with pow. Snowbird is pretty near. What they have in common is, as I have just stated, AMAZING snow…. I went to visit once and got really bad rentals (not sure why), which I could not turn on the grooms at all. I remember being really annoyed as I was skiing with a group, and I could not make them wait longer for changing my planks – (this was during an old Mountain Travel Symposium at The Canyons (now part of Park City-Vail Resorts). But when we went to the top, there was some fresh snow on top of the pistes and the turning was effortless…only due to the snow!
I have written a post in the past of the Snowpine Lodge prior to its opening. This is a very good resort, but I have my heart with the Alta Peruvian Lodge, as it reminds me of the good ol’ stories of ski mags such as Powder, Ski and Skiing when I was much younger and dreaming where I was going to go and visit while growing up in Argentina. I used to receive my ski mags because my uncle got them for me (he was a very avid skier and who introduced all my family to skiing!).
The Alta Peruvian Lodge is not a ski in/out property, but you get free shuttle to the slopes. This is a European-style lodge, with private and shared rooms, really cosy, with amazing dinners and a great outside pool to relax after an incredible ski day.
Stay at the Alta Peruvian Lodge
Stay in Vail
There is plenty of lodging, from grand hotels, to lots of apartments in Vail. And you can stay in the main Vail Village, in Lionshead (towards the right if you are looking at the mountain) or in East Vail. Both Vail Village and Lioneshead have lifts up the mountain. There are also free shuttles going back and forth if you don’t fancy walking around.
Vail is a European-looking village, just cut through the I-70 (that goes from Denver to Grand Junction) and is around two hours from Denver International Airport (DIA) and like 30 or 40’ (cannot recall exactly, but much nearer) from Eagle Airport (EGE). It has been made from scratch (unlike other resorts in Colorado that used to be old mining towns), but is really pretty, and they have done a good job in planting lots of trees by the I-70 so you don’t hear the sound of a busy highway when you are in town. This is a town pretty much linked to Austrian roots, since great ski-racing Pepi Gramshammer was lured from Sun Valley, Idaho into Vail. Pepi built one of Vail’s first hotels – which is an authentic Gasthof that could be located in his native Innsbruck. Pepi also loaned his name to be used in almost everything. He was a perfect talisman for linking Vail to European’s roots, to get the ski-racing legacy to Vail, and to invite newcomers to invest and reinvent the dream.
You can read more of Vail’s history and the ski history of Colorado visiting the Colorado Snowsports Museum.
Here I am choosing the Arrabelle at Vail Square, a RockResort.
Located in the Lionshead base area, this resort is five minutes’ walk from the Eagle Bahn Gondola. The property is ski-in/out. They offer an outdoor rooftop lap pool, hot tubs and on-site bar and restaurant. Rooms offer Alpine décor and a fully functioning fireplace. Bigger suites also offer kitchens to cook a gourmet meal. The Arrabelle offers guest rooms, luxury residences, premier chalets, private homes and premium chalets.
Stay at the Arrabelle at Vail Square, a Rock Resort.
Stay in Palisades Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe (the resort used to be called Squaw Valley), also known as Olympic Valley is located 11 miles of the historic town of Truckee, Palisades Tahoe is a paradise for those wanting to ski steep and deep. Local home of old hero Shane McConkey; if he liked living there, you can imagine you had the goods. One of the Northern Lake Tahoe resorts, you can get very quickly if you fly to Reno (RNO).
Palisades Tahoe was the site of the 1960 Olympic Games.
You can either choose to stay in the village by the lifts, or maybe some 5 minutes away by free transfer at the Everline Resort & Spa.
I am choosing here the Everline Resort & Spa.
This hotel used to be called Resort at Squaw Creek and changed name recently, after the resort changed names. Now is part of the Hyatt group.
Served by its own lift, the Everline Resort & Spa is a fully-fledged resort with an 18-hole championship golf course, ice-skating rink and swimming pools. It offers rooms and suites, some with fireplace.
Stay at the Everline Resort & Spa
About the Methodology
The survey compared 20 ski resorts in the United States, mainly selected based on the number of hotel rooms. For each destination, the average price for the cheapest available double room was established for the following time periods: Feb. 6-9, Feb. 17-20, March 3-6 and March 20-23. Based on that data, an average price was established for each ski resort. Only hotels, resorts and inns rated at least three stars and conveniently located inside their respective ski resorts have been considered for the survey. Condos or other vacation rentals are excluded. Rates were established at the end of January based on research conducted on the hotel comparison website Kayak.
More info: CheapHotels.org
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Squaw Valley Funicular – Alterra Mountain Resorts. Squaw is number 5th resort in the list of more expensive ski resorts in the USA to ski.
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Aspen Mountain
Powder day
Tj David
Darcy Connover
Chase Demillner (SB)
Aspen is number 8th in the list of most expensive ski resorts in the USA. The most expensive ski resorts in the USA.
Featured Image: Deer Valley is considered the most expensive ski resort in the USA by a survey conducted by CheapHotels.org. The most expensive ski resorts in the USA.
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