DEC E M BE R 2022

Finds Travel
By Erin Rottman

The Wait isOver inMammoth

Micro Resort
Opens in Tahoe

The hotel that housed John Wayne
during film shoots in the Mammoth
Lakes area has reopened as therustic modern, mid-luxury Sierra
Nevada Resort, an Outbound Hotel(thesierranevadaresort.com, from $199).
It’s a welcome addition to a ski resortarea that has not seen a new hotel open
in 15 years, says managing director
Brent Truax.
The canine-friendly property consistsof standard rooms; suites with sofa
beds, fireplaces, and kitchenettes;
and multibedroom chalets for larger
families and groups. There’s a wine barin the lobby—a communal space with alarge fireplace—and the former Rafters
restaurant is now Bar Sierra, featuring
a variety of contemporary Californian
dishes and beer from June Lake Brewing
and Mammoth Brewing Co.
While the Sierra Nevada offers a free
shuttle to the ski area, Truax also hopes
to offer guests tips on finding lesserknown cross-country ski trails and hikes
near Shady Rest Park; the back side of
Obsidian Dome, which was formed fromsolidified lava; and more. “We’ll help
you find gems,” he says. “We understandwhat this town is about, and we’re goingto tailor an experience for you.”C

het Pipkin’s first trip to Lake Tahoe was a road trip
some 40 years ago. “When you go over the last summit
and the basin opens up before your eyes, it’s one of themost beautiful sites that anyone can ever experience,”
he says. Hoping to share his love of the mountains that he calls“majestic, formidable, inviting, and daunting all at the sametime,” Pipkin has opened Desolation Hotel in South Lake Tahoe(desolationhotel.com, from $279).
A collection of nine hotel rooms with kitchenettes, one onebedroom suite, and 11 townhomes with private garages andelectric vehicle chargers, the dog-friendly Desolation Hotel sits
between a private beach on Lake Tahoe and Heavenly Ski Resort.
After a day of skiing, riding, or winter hiking, Desolation provides
several spots to recharge: the hot sauna and cold shower plunge,soaking tubs on the balcony of every room, and Pipkin’s favorite,
the outdoor deck at Maggie’s restaurant and bar, which offers
everything from burgers to branzino.
For every night’s stay, Desolation Hotel contributes to the Sugar
Pine Foundation to have a tree planted in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

54 DECEMBER 2022 / 805LIVING.COM

Visitors to Mammoth
Mountain Ski Area
have a new lodging
option: the Sierra
Nevada Resort hotelin Mammoth Lakes.

TOP, LEFT GROUPING: BRAD SCOTT VISUALS AND DESOLATION HOTEL; RIGHT: MILES WEAVER

A fire table (below)
warms an inviting
outdoor gathering
space beside thesaltwater pool andjacuzzi at Desolation
Hotel in South Lake
Tahoe (right).Finds Travel
Guests of theGoldener Hirsch
in Park City, Utah,
can raise a hot
toddy and a fondue
fork to celebrate
the season on asnow picnic.

Old World Meets
Contemporary
in Deer Valley

FColorado’s Riverfront Lodge at Beaver
Creek (eastwest.com/property/riverfront-lodge, from $422)
couples space and amenities with
its available one- to three-bedroom
condominiums and access to the spa,
fitness center, and restaurants at The
Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, justa couple of minutes’ walk away.
Furnished by the owners, eachof the modern 36 residences isdifferent. Some have high-end
espresso machines and grills on
the balcony; others feature floorto-ceiling windows with mountainviews and entries with cubbies tostow ski and snowboard gear easily.
All have the touches that feel likehome, such as premium kitchens,
cozy faux-fur throw blankets, coffee
table books, and unique art.
“The Riverfront Lodge is nota hotel,” says property manager
Alex Ferenczyova. “You’re renting
a home.” A complimentary shuttle
runs to Beaver Creek and Vail, orguests may walk a few minutes tothe ski valet and Riverfront Express
Gondola to Beaver Creek.

56 DECEMBER 2022 / 805LIVING.COMWhistler’s
Next Level
ServiceOne recent Christmas Eve, a family staying
at Four Seasons Resort and Residences
Whistler (fourseasons.com/whistler,residences price upon request) forgot
to organize something for the holiday.
The scramble ensued. A bellman found
one of the last Christmas trees in town,
purchased decorations hours before thestores closed, and hurried back to the office
to wrap presents and install the tree withhis team in time for morning.
“We do whatever we can to make ithappen,” says Sabrina Offers, director ofprivate residences and owner relations.
Personalized service is part of what makes the newly
renovated residences so unforgettable. Inspired by nature,designers outfitted the two- to four-bedroom apartments withmaterials like wood, stone, natural fiber textiles, and leathers
in a neutral color palette to promote relaxation and calm. The
residences have their own entrance, and parking, a pool, and a
hot tub are separate from the hotel. Please check CDC and local guidelines before traveling.

Private residences
at Four Seasons
Resort Whistler,
British Columbia,
are designed withelements of nature
for a relaxing vibe.

TOP: AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION; RIGHT GROUPING: FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND RESIDENCES WHISTLER; LEFT: EAST WEST HOSPITALITY

Homeand Hotelor many years, the Eccles family traveledannually from Utah to ski in Austria, where theyfell in love with the Hotel Goldener Hirsch inSalzburg. Eventually, they wanted to bring thefeel of that charming European chalet back home. Theyasked the owners if they could borrow the tradition, andthe Goldener Hirsch was born in Deer Valley in 1992.
Now, with the addition of 40 one- to threebedroom residences in two new buildings, the Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Resorts Collection(aubergeresorts.com/goldenerhirsch, inn from $899, residences from $1,049) offers guests thechoice of an old world inn with ornately carved wood furniture from Austria or a modern alpine
resort that blends concrete, steel, and reclaimed wood. “This makes this property special,” says
general manager Ekrem Tercanoglu. “For one stay, [people] like to try the inn; for the next visit,
they like to stay in the residence, to have both experiences.”
Either way, guests can complement the stay with a snow picnic, complete with fondue, warm
alcoholic beverages, and piles of plush pillows and blankets.