"Why book? Located in the heart of Vail Village, Gravity Haus Vail puts you steps from the mountain’s Golden Peak base area. An in-house coffee shop, stylish bar for après, and a massive gym and spa for recovery make it a dream stay for adventurers. A membership element means out-of-towners are always mingling with locals.
Set the scene It’s happy hour, and Slope Room, the hotel’s sexy bar-restaurant, is buzzing to the soundtrack of The Weeknd and Post Malone. Skiers and snowboarders decked out in technical apparel from Arc'teryx and Mammut have just come off the mountain for craft cocktails, microbrews, and locally-made kombucha. The late 20s to early 50s crowd is a mix of local ski bums, Denver techies working remotely, and vacationers. Rococo crystal chandeliers and a Louis XV cast gypsum cement fireplace mantel are nods to Vail’s European history and add a Versailles-inspired elegance to the cabin-like wood elements of the space. An oversized black-and-white David Yarrow photograph of a bear ordering a drink at a bar anchors the space. You won’t find shotskis here. Groups kick back in blue-velvet banquettes sharing large-format old fashioneds and bottles of small-batch Oregon pinot while noshing on Korean fried chicken wings and charcuterie boards.
The backstory This is the second property from hotel-membership club, Gravity Haus. The first property opened in Breckenridge in December 2019. You do not need to be a member to stay there, but members get discounts on room rates, gear and activities, ski lockers, and food and beverage as well as access to the gym and co-working spaces. Jim Deters, the founder of Galvanize, a coding school-co-working space concept, is the brains behind the brand and he’s brought on a smart team from travel brands including Inspirato, Freeskier magazine, and Under Canvas. The brand is also building a collection of partner hotels, such as the Gilded Iguana in Costa Rica and the Madeline, an Auberge Collection Resort, in Telluride, which will offer members perks/discounts. Vail Haus is located in the former Vail Mountain Lodge and includes an 18,000 square-foot gym where many local athletes train.
The rooms Guest rooms have a boutique-y mountain feel without going overboard with the cheesy alpine-chic decor. Instead of faux fur throws and antlers, each room has a glossy landscape photograph of Vail hung from a basil-hued wall. Framed antique mirrors and custom leather headboards provide an urban touch. The hotel offers room configurations for families and groups of friends. The Switchback, for example, is a two-bed, two-bath suite with one king bed and a private bunk room with two twin-over-twin bunks and a twin sleeper chair.
Food and drink Coffee snobs can rejoice; Gravity Haus owns the in-house coffee shop, Unravel Coffee, which roasts in small batches on a zero emissions Bellwether Roasters. Pop in for your caffeine fix and a housemade pastry on your way to the slopes. Health nerds will find every alternative milk option imaginable and super-food drinks like the Malabar latte, spiked with ginger, turmeric, black peppercorn, lemongrass, and licorice root. Slope Room is seriously committed to sourcing from local purveyors and no matter the meal, the menu offers both indulgent (elk bratwurst on a pretzel bun) and healthful options (the veggie-filled Gravity Bowl). The dinner menu marries the French bistro and Western steakhouse: the Colorado wagyu hot stone app is a crowd pleaser as is the lobster mac n’ cheese. Wine connoisseurs will be impressed with a 100-plus bottle list that includes cult labels like Château Lafite-Rothschild and small, indie producers like Scar of the Sea. Each room has a mini fridge stocked with local wines, beers, and snacks like elk jerky and Honey Stinger waffles. Instead of plastic coffee pods, rooms have Steeped coffee sachets, a nod to the brand’s sustainability efforts.
The spa It would be hard to improve on the original Vail Mountain Lodge spa but Gravity Haus has, introducing new recovery-focused treatments. Non-guests can also book spa treatments and that gives them access to outdoor hot tubs, sauna, steamroom, and the solarium. Whether you’ve had a big day on the mountain or just flew in from the East Coast and are struggling to acclimate, the High Altitude Recovery treatment will revive you.
The neighborhood/area Gravity Haus is in the heart of Vail Village, steps from the Golden Peak base area. Guests are walking distance to the restaurants and shops of the village. The Colorado Snowsports Museum is a five-minute walk from the hotel, tucked away at the top of the Vail Transportation Center. The museum is free and shares the fascinating history of the 10th Mountain Division (America’s elite mountain soldiers of WWII who trained in the area) and the evolution of skiing and snowboarding throughout the years.
The service The staff feel like locals and happily share their deep knowledge of the best trails to hike, bike, and ski. Warm, fresh-from-the oven chocolate chip cookies are put out at happy hour in the lobby next to the local paper. Members have access to the Haus Quiver, an all-access pass to the latest demo equipment like splitboards and touring skis.
For families It’s not unusual to see kids and pets (the hotel is very pet friendly) at après ski. Bunk rooms and condos are great options for families.
Eco effort The company touts its sustainability efforts and they deliver on their promise. Beds feature Parachute synthetic-free linens, chemical-free Wink Beds mattresses and Newly Cross Super Soft throws made from 51 percent recycled cotton and 12 water bottles worth of plastic. Latex-free Gaiam yoga mats are in the rooms. Bottle filling water stations replace plastic water bottles and the coffee shop is sustainable and works directly with farmers in Ethiopia.
Anything left to mention? The gym could double as a Red Bull training center with a turf field, Peloton bikes, and even a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for recovery. Classes range from yoga to circuit-focused strength. Remote workers will love the zoom rooms, which can be booked for work meetings. The brand owns Colorado Adventure Guides and guests can enquire about off-resort activities like rafting or backcountry snowboarding and members get discounts on activities." - Jen Murphy
