B IN VAIL
BPR recently took a trip to one of our – and North America’s – favorite ski towns, Vail, for ski season’s opening weekend. We enjoyed hitting the slopes, tasting the local fare and cozying up in our sleek accommodations so much, we thought we’d share our experience. This is B Public Relations’ guide to Vail:
Where to Stay
The BPR team enjoyed the bespoke modern accommodations at Solaris, one of only two Forbes Four-Star hotels in Vail. These spacious accommodations, which range in size from studios to six-bedroom penthouses, feature gourmet kitchens, washers and dryers, fireplaces, outdoor patios with killer views, and Crestron smart home controls with video monitors that give real-time video footage of Vail Mountain and traffic conditions on I-70, so we know which peaks are crowded, when to hit the slopes and how to time our drive back to Denver. When visiting, we’re always sure to take advantage of Solaris’ world-class amenities as well, including its indoor heated pool and hot tub, ice skating rink, spa, Nobu restaurant, bowling alley, movie theater, shopping and more. Solaris also features a top-of-the-line fitness center, although we have yet to personally put it to the test! To top it off, Solaris also offers Personal Assistant services, meaning we can call ahead with requests for grocery shopping, spa and dinner reservations – whatever our hearts desire! The Personal Assistant team at Solaris has orchestrated lavish marriage proposals and holiday children’s surprises, and responded to special requests worthy of celebrities.
(Our Solaris residence)
We drove to Vail Friday night, enjoyed a cozy night of cooking in our residence, and were up early to hit the slopes Saturday morning – made simple by taking advantage of Solaris’ ski valet, who had our Folsom Custom Skis ready and waiting for us, and gave us a quick lift to the gondola. One of North America’s first and only fully-custom ski companies, Folsom customizes each pair of skis it makes to the rider, from the flex pattern, stiffness and camber profile, to the tip and tail design and graphic. Each pair is then hand-built in Denver. Our particular skis (we both ride Folsom Blue Notes) feature Lichtenstein-inspired pop art interpretations of us! You can rent your own pair of Folsom skis to demo in Vail at Bridge Street SkiHaus.
(Our Folsoms make the journey up the gondola)
Where to Shop
Speaking of Bridge Street SkiHaus, Chris Cremer and the team there helped us outfit ourselves for the new season with some 2014 Eider gear. As it was opening weekend and not much terrain was available, we skied for a few hours, posed for some awesome Epic Mix photos, then took a leave of absence from the mountain for a few hours and went on a shopping spree. From hats, gloves, pants and coats, to goggles, helmets and après wear, SkiHaus has it all – and we bought everything!
(Awesome Epic Mix photo)
While off the slopes, we visited Zoe & Guidos Pet Boutique to do some Christmas shopping for Henry, our canine office greeter, and official BPR mascot. This sweet store, just steps from the slopes, has everything a spoiled mutt like Henry could ask for. Still putting the finishing touches on our new office, we also popped into Worth, a trendy home furnishings store located within Solaris’ retail outlets. We lusted after geode bookends and glitzy bar carts, and cuddled with Worth’s own canine office greeter before heading out for some après ski festivities.
Where to Play
A longtime BPR favorite, the Red Lion is a Vail institution. We cozied up at a table front-and-center to catch Phil Long’s regular live performance, and enjoyed draught beers and greasy burgers while we waited for the more die-hard skiers in the bunch to join us. It turned out they were more committed than we thought, so we had time for another après stop before dinner, and chose to sip some margaritas at the slope-side Los Amigos. After a few cocktails and some sinful queso, we were sure we wouldn’t have room for dinner (yeah, right!).
(Phil Long-approved refreshments at the Red Lion)
Where to Eat
One of our all-time favorites, Vail is home to one of only five Matsuhisa restaurants in the world. Created by celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa, we love to sit at Matsuhisa’s “see-and-be-seen” bar, showcasing views of the mountain, and sip Peruvian Margaritas while we wait for our table. Our group enjoyed numerous courses of family-style japanese treats, like Nobu’s famous Miso Black Cod, New-Style Sashimi and Shishito Peppers, washed down with warm sake served from a bamboo carafe. From the restaurant’s home in Solaris’ lobby, it was a quick trip back upstairs and to bed after a long day of playing in the snow!
(See-and-be-seen bar at Matsuhisa)
Before heading out the next morning, we stopped in to Yeti’s Grind, also located in the Solaris shopping complex, and enjoyed some locally-roasted coffee and breakfast burritos while watching ice skaters in the Solaris plaza. Then, we headed back to reality, and back to Denver!
(The Yeti himself)
The next time you visit Vail, share your experience via Instagram at any of these stops with the hashtag #BInColorado. Also, be sure to check out some of our other favorite spots, such as Bol, CineBistro, Terra Bistro, Sweet Basil, Big Bear Bistro, and Cos Bar!