Colorado (Breckenridge)
Trip Summary
Ever wanted to go skiing/snowboarding on some of the best slopes in the world? But the expense held you back? I had the same thought, but this most recent trip to the Colorado Rockies was by far our best skiing vacation yet, and I’ll give you the scoop so that you, too, can enjoy this luxury on a budget!
When I first started looking at skiing options, I wanted to find a place that offered a lot of intermediate runs (these are favorites for my husband and I), and I looked everywhere from other spots in Colorado to Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Vermont, and even Canada, but the best of all options in terms of cost, weather, proximity to the airport, and number of ski runs seemed to be…Breckenridge, Colorado!
Reviews for the ski area were excellent, the number of peaks to ski were plentiful, and the food/drink options were great, so I started looking for a place to stay…but as you probably know, ski lodging is EXPENSIVE and even more so the closer you get to the ski slopes! So I looked around for places everyone seemed to recommend, and the lodge that kept coming up time and time again was the Grand Lodge on Peak 7. However, the nightly cost of $450-$600 a night was far beyond our budget, so I was about to look for other options when I came across a deal…you could attend a 90 minute timeshare presentation with no obligation to buy and get the rooms for a fraction of the cost (and no resort fees!)…as in $100 a night for peak season! Well, sign me UP! After calling the hotel to double-check everything, we booked it for three nights and set off for Colorado!
After flying into Denver, we took a shuttle to Breckenridge (more on this later!) from the airport to the hotel, and sure enough, the hotel looked just like the pictures–beautiful and RIGHT on the mountain–so close, you could literally ski in and out with one of the main chair lifts right outside the back doors! We had booked a suite (the cheapest option available), and it was a nice space with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen area (with a stove, microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator), and living room area.
The hotel includes all sorts of amenities like movie theaters that you can rent out, ski lockers, restaurants, a spa, a heated pool (that goes inside and outside), and an adults-only hot tub area called “The Grotto.” There is also a free gondola that you can take up and down the mountain into town, and the bus lines that go around town are free to use as well. The hotel also has a free shuttle, though we did not use it as there were no drivers available during our stay (though, the options to use the gondola and downtown shuttles were more than adequate, and we just used those during our whole stay). The staff was also very nice (the concierge person was the absolute best and was the most helpful by far–loading us up with brochures, coupons, and restaurant recommendations–all while having the best attitude I think I’ve ever seen in a hotel staff person)!
And the slopes! The sloppppppppes! Some of the best you will see anywhere, and the number of peaks is truly impressive. While this hotel is on Peak 7, you can access Peaks 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, and they all have such varied terrain that you can ski different runs all day long and not repeat any of them twice!
The ski lifts are also in great condition, and the bigger ones even have copies of the ski maps on the pull down bars so that you can easily plan out your next run down the mountain. There are more ski maps posted at the tops of each mountain, and the signs pointing to the various runs are clear and easy to follow.
The ski patrol was also out in full force rescuing people, setting up fences near hazardous spots, and so on, so everything felt very safe. There are some parks available, too, if you like to do tricks. All in all–it’s just a dream place to ski, snowboard, and have a great time!
The only drawbacks were some of the staffing issues on the lifts (but there are going to be staffing issues everywhere in this time we are in) as many were supposed to be open and running at 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. but when we got to some of them, they were still closed. One of the restaurants on the mountain was closed, too, so that got a little frustrating, but overall, the place was amazing and was by far, one of the best places we have ever skied!
So let’s get to the main reason why this place gets an A and not an A+….and that was the dreaded timeshare presentation–or excuse me, the fractal property presentation. We scheduled this for the morning we checked out, so we took the gondola to Peak 8 at the Grand Colorado where the presentation was scheduled. We were expecting the typical presentation where a presenter talks to a big audience of people, so you can imagine our surprise when it was a one-on-one meeting in a cubicle. My husband and I knew we wouldn’t be buying a fractal property, but we were pleasant and asked questions. The person was nice and even called us “mellow people” but holy goodness, when the presentation wrapped up, and he asked us if we were ready to buy right then, we politely declined, and a flip was switched, and he became the rudest person ever! Without a thank you or goodbye or anything, he picked up his phone and said we had to be “escorted out” like we were some criminals. My husband and I even looked at each other like, is he serious? We had been nice and entertained him with polite questions, so the sudden shift threw us for a loop.
One of the steps to being “escorted out” was to go through another presentation with a different person about a more temporary vacation package, but she was new and didn’t know answers to any of our questions. The materials she presented us with also had errors and when she advertised great locations, she couldn’t tell us anything about the properties, when we could stay, or even where they were located, so it seemed like a pointless exercise. Then to top it off, she treated us with disdain for using hand sanitizer (because like it or not, COVID is still a thing) and when we left, shook our hands and said “Well, I am not afraid.” No one wore masks, distanced, or used precautions, so it was just another thing to add to an irritating experience.
So for the hotel itself, the slopes, the staff, and all the amenities, the Grand Lodge at Peak 7 gets excellent marks. The required presentation was unpleasant, and while I am very grateful for the discounted room price, the presenters there need to be more courteous and not shame people for being careful. To each their own, but let’s not be rude.
Grand Lodge on Peak 7: A-
I debated on looping in the hotel restaurant and spa in with the review or making them separate and decided to talk about them separately, because we ran into some people on the downtown bus who were staying at different hotels but were traveling to the restaurant or the spa, so it seems as if non-guests visit these places, too.
Let’s start with the Soothe Spa! The spa has lots of different amenities that you can use for free–including a steam room, sauna, and “Grotto” which is a big hot tub. We tried out the Grotto after our first day on the slopes, and I was surprised to see that the room didn’t look like any of the pictures I had seen on the website. Rather than a cave-like experience, it was more like a modernized brick area, and while the pictures showed a waterfall, it never ran the whole time we were there. The people up front said that it ran on a timer, but honestly, I don’t think it was ever on, because we never saw it run and we were there several times. The lockers also don’t work as I had to go to the front to get a key to get my belongings (then help several other people who were locked out of their lockers, too). It seemed to be an on-going issue as the front desk person said everyone was having trouble and that they would have to replace them soon.
But let’s get to the good part–the spa services! My husband booked us a couple’s massage as a late anniversary/Valentine’s gift, so after our second day of skiing, it was the perfect way to relax our muscles and get some rest! Both masseuses were professional, had strong hands, and did an amazing job in making the experience relaxing. The 50 minutes were over before we knew it and when they let us know that the massage was over, my husband and I were both sad that it was done! Those 50 minutes went by so fast!
The massages are extremely expensive (and for a shorter time frame than the typical massage), but I will say that they did a great job. I have a masseuse at home that I really like and no one has been able to compare, but Brittany at the Soothe Spa was a very close contender! She was wonderful!
So the Soothe Spa gets great marks for their masseuses, but loses some points for the differently advertised Grotto and broken lockers. The prices are also a bit steep (BUT you can rent out their comfortable bathrobes for free–we saw a lot of hotel guests with them and finally asked where they got them).
Soothe Spa: A-
The other spot we tried out at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 was their restaurant, Sevens. We originally were going to eat in town, but the gondola stops running at 5:15 (the bus runs afterwards, but only runs every half hour and drops you off at the neighboring hotel so you have to walk back to Grand Lodge on Peak 7). We were running short on time, so instead of eating in town one night, we decided to try out Sevens even though the online reviews weren’t exactly stellar.
Initially, we got some drinks at the bar, and when I balked at the prices, my husband joked that my blog would be more appropriately named “Cheap-Ass Teacher” rather than Touristy Teacher, but let’s face it, teachers don’t make a lot of money, so naturally, I was adding up how many hours of work was going to equal a drink, ha! The reviews I had read complained about the attitudes of the staff, and the bartender lived up to that claim–ignoring customers and seeming irritated at any question or attempt at conversation. So we just got one drink each. My husband’s choice–the White Christmas–was definitely the superior one of the two, so I do recommend that. When stirred together, it was tasty and was much better than the one I picked.
When we were seated for our meal, our waiter let us know that he was the only waiter for the entire restaurant, and sure enough, he was rushing and out of breath the whole night as he ran from table to table. I really felt bad for him, because I knew he was working hard, so we didn’t think anything of the 45 minute wait to get our appetizer and the meal much later. We got the cheese curds as an appetizer, and those were good–fried to perfection and served with ranch (though a pepper jelly typically goes best with cheese curds). For the entree, we each ordered a burger (they have a signature burger with Waygu beef and bison–and the price reflects it), and it was good, even if it was slightly undercooked.
So the restaurant gets points for its good food, my husband’s drink, and the hard work of the only waiter. The bartender was terrible, the prices extremely high, and the restaurant is just cruel to make one person serve the entire restaurant, so it loses points for that.
Sevens Restaurant: B+
So let’s get to the good food in town! The drinks! The stuff you don’t want to miss! Our concierge said that we had to definitely try out Giampietro Pasta and Pizzeria for its delicious Italian cuisine, and sure enough, we did!
We ordered a Sicilian pizza to go, so while we were waiting for it to be cooked, we sat at the bar and enjoyed a drink. The bar is in the back of the restaurant, so you pass by all the tables, and so many plates looked so tasty! Seriously, everything looked so good, so I knew we had come to the right place! At the bar, we sipped on a beer and cider respectively, and before we knew it, our pizza was ready! And it was massive! And heavy! We weren’t expecting it to be nearly as huge as it was, so as we carried it home, we thought about the dinner we would have (and multiple meals afterwards as we snacked on leftovers!).
For the amount of food, the price, while a bit high, was a lot more reasonable than some of the other food prices in town, so it was a win for us. Its delicious food, good ambiance, excellent staff, and prices earn this place a good score!
Giampietro: A+
Another place we stopped at was the Breckenridge Tap House. We knew that Breckenridge had its fair share of breweries, so we were eager to try out the local watering holes, and this place didn’t disappoint! They have a lot of beers and ciders on tap, so my husband and I each ordered a flight and were happy with the selection.
They have everything from light beers to IPAs to dark beers and ciders, so you have plenty of options no matter what you like. The place was also plenty busy, so you know a lot of people had also heard of the place and wanted to partake of this Breckenridge staple!
Food options were also varied and tasty, and even though my husband and I just shared an appetizer, all the food that passed by us looked delicious!
So for its plentiful selection, great atmosphere, and food options, this place gets my recommendation!
Breckenridge Tap House: A
One other watering hole we tried was the Breckenridge Pour House, but that was a bit of a disappointment. We have a place like this at home, and it is essentially set up with a ton of taps along the wall that you can sample and pay by the ounce. However, they said they weren’t doing that anymore due to COVID (understandable), but then the waiter couldn’t make you small drinks to try either. You had to either order a full flight or order a full sized drink which kind of defeats the purpose of the place.
The place was empty but even so, the waiter took forever, and we even debated leaving because he seemed like he had all but disappeared. Originally, we were going to order a meal, but due to how often the waiter would disappear for long stretches of time, we decided to just settle the bill and go.
This place had a lot of potential, but the wait was silly, and the limited options frustrating, so I would skip this place.
Breckenridge Pour House: C
One other place we stopped for lunch was at the base of Peak 7, a place called The Coop. It was a spot where you could order at the window then pick up your food and eat at any of the outdoor tables. They had an assembly line set up for quick service, so it was easy to pick out what you wanted, and you got your food quickly.
Their chicken tenders were good and tasted fresh, though they run out of their sauces quickly. You have an option of packaged chips and drinks to choose from, too, so the place definitely gets points for quickness and ease of eating as you don’t have to get out of your skiing gear to enjoy the food as people just sat out in the snow and chowed down before getting back out on the slopes. The prices were silly, though, and when my husband bought a beer then went back for chicken, he kept asking me, “How much do you think this was?” then laughed at how wrong I was. So bring your wallet!
So for its food, ease of ordering, and plentiful outside seating, it gets a lot of points. The lack of available sauces was disappointing and the prices are absurd, so just know that beforehand.
The Coop: B+
So there you have it! Breckenridge is a super expensive town, but there is no shortage of good food and drink to go along with the exquisite surroundings. If you are like me, you want to save at every opportunity, so I will give you two more ways to do that before wrapping up this post!
Number one…to get your ski/snowboarding equipment, try out Ski Butlers! Normally, we rent equipment from the nearest shop, but when I had called what seemed like every place in town, no one would pick up the flipping phone. Some places’ websites were down, others were closed, and some didn’t have anything available for the days that we were there. When I finally reached someone, it was a place downtown, and we would have to haul all our gear on the bus to and from the hotel, and that seemed like such a hassle. But then I came across Ski Butlers–a service where someone gets your equipment and brings it directly to you and then takes it all back when you are done! I thought that the price would be extremely high, but it was actually comparable to renting the equipment and delivering it all yourself!
When I called to ask, they said that they bring several different sizes to ensure a proper fit, so we went ahead and booked them, and we were set! You pay by the day, but they deliver your stuff to you the night before you need them so you can get on the slopes first thing in the morning instead of waiting in line at some shop! They give you an hour “delivery time,” but they actually come right at the beginning of that time frame, so it was nice to not have to wait around for the person to show up. That part actually ended up being an ordeal, though, because our delivery person kept changing where he was going to meet us with the equipment. First, it was going to be by the reception desk, then it was going to be in the locker rooms, then it was outside, then it was on the first floor. We were flying around the hotel like we were on some wild goose chase, and the most frustrating part of it all was that on the text chain, the delivery person could text you, but any responses went to the corporate office (you couldn’t contact your delivery person directly), so I was constantly calling the main office asking, where the HELL is this guy? I finally lucked out in asking every random person I saw if they were with Ski Butlers and finally, some guy said yes, and he led me to a different section of the hotel which was not where he said to meet. He didn’t have any kind of uniform or name tag on, so I could have just have easily missed him.
The pickup was almost as hectic, because he told us to leave the all the ski equipment outside by the hotel’s entrance and send a picture of everything to the corporate office’s text chain. So after we finished skiing on our last day, we did just that and let the office know where everything was. As soon as we called to let them know, they said to leave everything in the locker (after we had JUST hauled everything from the locker to the outside meeting place), and that’s when I just handed my phone over to my husband. He told them we weren’t hauling it all back and that everything was at the spot where we were instructed to take it originally. Of course, once it’s a man telling them that, they say, oh, that’s fine, and everything is all taken care of, so I was glad that ordeal was over.
So the concept gets amazing points as the idea of getting stuff delivered to you and picked up without the hassle of the shop is wonderful. The drop-off and pick-up procedure needs some work, though, as it was very difficult to contact the delivery person, and the locations for drop-off and pick-up kept changing. With skis, boots, poles, and helmets, that is a lot of heavy gear to be hauling around, and the constant change-up was more than annoying. So this is hard to grade–I will definitely try a service like this again, but I will insist on meeting at a very obvious place that won’t change every few minutes.
Ski Butlers: B
One last thing I’ll recommend is a shuttle over a rental car! Originally, we were thinking of renting a car, but the cost of a renting a car has skyrocketed since COVID and even when I called, none of the rental companies could guarantee a four-wheel drive car (and none of the cars had snow tires or allowed chains on their cars’ tires). This was a problem as the mountains had chain laws and we were traveling in the middle of a snowstorm, so when I looked for other options, I came across the shuttles! There are several main shuttle companies that travel from the Denver Airport to various resorts in the Rockies and the cost is much less than renting a car, so it was the best way to go.
Peak 1 Express allows you to book shuttles based on your flight schedule (and they give more than ample time–actually too much time in our case). For example, our flight got in at 12:30 p.m., and the soonest shuttle we could book was at 2:30 p.m., so we had lunch at the airport and prepared to wait around, but then we thought–let’s see if we can catch one of their earlier shuttles! And there was one at the meeting area! When we asked the driver, he said that he had extra room, so we hopped on board and were on our way!
Come to find out, it was actually the 12:30 shuttle we had hopped on and the passengers had been waiting more then an hour and twenty minutes for the driver, and they were all too happy to express how angry they were at the driver the whole drive over. He seemed just as angry back as he refused to stop for restroom breaks after a passenger pleaded with him to pull over, so it was a bit of an uncomfortable ride. Luckily, the drive back was better on our return trip to Denver as the driver was courteous and on time, though he took the Loveland Pass on the way back to Denver when we had a snowstorm forecasted, so that was a bit scary (snow-covered roads, very few guard rails, and often spinning tires because there was no traction).
So I definitely recommend a shuttle over a rental car if you are traveling to a ski location in the winter, though I might look around at some of the other shuttle companies. We got there and back efficiently, but the first driver was late, rude, and the second driver was a bit overconfident in how safely we could make the drive back to Denver. There are also limitations in drop-off locations as the shuttle will only pick up and drop off at the Denver Airport (on our way back, we had to then take an Uber from the airport to our hotel as we were going to be staying in Denver for a few more days). So the shuttle gets an okay grade.
Peak 1 Express Shuttle: B
Phew, if you are still reading this, you deserve a medal, because this post was a whopper! We still had Denver to experience, so stay tuned for that post! Overall, Breckenridge was amazing, and we had such a wonderful time skiing on the peaks. My husband is already talking about when we can go skiing again, so you know I’ve got my researching hat on to scope out the next place!
Favorite Experiences
We had gorgeous weather the whole time we skied, so the days on the slopes were the absolute best. We really lucked out, because just the previous week, the temperature was in the negatives, and when we went, it was in the high 30s, so we ended up shedding layers and never got cold. The sun was out each day, so the visibility was excellent, too, and you could see way out to the rest of the Rockies in the distance.
We stayed on the blue runs for most of the trip, but Peak 6 had just opened a new chair that we wanted to try out. The difficulty of the blues vary quite widely as some are almost greens while others are quite steep and could pass for black in some sections. The blues on Peak 6 looked to be pretty steep, so we decided to try them first thing in the morning when we had the most energy, but the lift ended up being closed due to low staffing, so we ended up going to some of the different peaks. We came back at the end of the day and found it open and running, so we decided to try it out (and to say that we skied ALL the peaks!). However, on the chair lift up, my husband nervously looked at the terrain and looked at me and said, “I regret this decision!”
Sure enough, while the top was a wide open space, it looked like a lot of effort to get down….and it was! Granted, it was a lot of fun, but our legs were just dead after that, and with it being the end of the day, we just did a few more runs after that as you don’t want to ski when you are tired (that is when most injuries happen). But the feeling of accomplishment was nice, and we felt satisfied at all the skiing we were able to do in just two days.
I don’t think the skiing could really have gone any better. We also skied on a Monday and Tuesday which meant the crowds were much thinner than on a weekend/holiday, so that made for a much better experience as you didn’t have to wait long in the lift lines and could go faster down the slopes without worrying about dodging too many people. It was a glorious time, and we would go back in a heartbeat!
What I Wish I Knew
While we did manage to save a lot of money in hotels, flights (thank you, miles and points!), and shuttles, there were opportunities to save even more. I am a planner, so I booked everything a while beforehand, but had I waited, I could have gotten cheaper lift tickets, rentals, and coupons. When you book a shuttle with Peak 1 Express, they offer you 30% off ski equipment rentals and offer to drive you for free to get your equipment, but that offer came in just two weeks before we left–way after I had already booked everything. Also, when you get your lift tickets, a lot of the restaurants on the mountain and at the base of the slopes offer a discount on dining, but that is not advertised anywhere and the staff never asks to see your tickets (though, just about everyone has them, so that was a little irritating to find out after the fact). We only found out because someone else in line asked us if we were using the discount, and we were so confused until he explained. Dining is expensive in Breckenridge, so that information would have helped!
Also, the fractal property presentation requirement had a lot of stress attached to it as they only required you to confirm five times beforehand that you were going to attend, that your spouse was attending with you, and that you met all the requirements for the offer. The number of confirmations made me nervous because if we didn’t do everything we were supposed to, they were going to charge full price. Then the front desk person was misinformed when we checked in and told us we had to bring paperwork to the meeting (there was no mention of any sort of paperwork). It was only after we spoke to the concierge that we learned that no paperwork was necessary. The presentation is also at a sister property–not at the Grand Lodge–which is about 1.7 miles away, and the bus doesn’t go to it. You have to take the gondola, but the gondola stops running at 5:15 p.m., so if you go, make sure your presentation is scheduled for the morning (ours was at 9 a.m.). Luckily, we did everything we were supposed to, but that constant threat in having to pay full price if we missed any steps inspired a lot of anxiety.
Another thing we discovered when we got back and were checking our charges was that the Sevens Restaurant owns most of the base eateries at the base of Peak 7, so when we saw more charges than expected from there, we found out that the chicken place is labeled as “Sevens” when they make a charge, so if you go, that is the reason why.
Oh, and if you visit, know that altitude is no joke up there! The peaks range from 12,000 to 13,000 feet in elevation, so drink lots of water to help prevent altitude sickness. I could notice a difference in having a harder time breathing when we first got there, but luckily acclimated by the first day of skiing, and I brought an inhaler (and used it!). So do the same, and that will help prevent any issues on the slopes as the biggest reasons tourists need medical attention are hypothermia and…you guessed it, altitude sickness.
All in all, though, it was a wonderful trip, and Breckenridge will always hold a special place in our hearts. If you decide to make a trip, there are lots of great travel forums out there like this one and this one, so check those out. The memories we shared here, the gorgeous days of skiing, and the beautiful mountain views are what made this trip, and we can only hope to find another place to ski that is this beautiful!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
TikTok: @touristyteacher
Instagram: @touristyteacher
Facebook: @touristyteacher
Happy travels!
