Slope-side Comfort and Exceptional Globalist Benefits: A Grand Hyatt Vail Review
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Nestled at the base of Vail, one of Colorado's premier ski destinations, the Grand Hyatt Vail offers the perfect balance of mountain access and peaceful retreat. With its own ski lift and ski valet service, you're minutes away from the slopes. Located by Gore Creek, guests enjoy direct access to scenic trails and a genuine Colorado atmosphere.
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When planning my ski trip to the Rockies, I was flexible on which resort to choose, as long as it was part of the Epic Pass and available for points redemption. The Grand Hyatt Vail turned out to be the ideal choice, and I couldn't have been happier with our decision.
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What is the Grand Hyatt Vail?
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The Grand Hyatt Vail, part of the World of Hyatt loyalty program, offers guests a seamless blend of ski resort access and upscale resort amenities. With 285 rooms and suites, there’s something for every traveler, from standard studios to spacious two-bedroom suites. Many rooms boast breathtaking mountain views, private balconies, and cozy fireplaces. The resort also features multiple dining options, a variety of on-site activities, and year-round access to a heated pool and hot tub.
Though the Grand Hyatt Vail is a favorite among skiers and snowboarders in winter, it’s also a fantastic getaway for nonskiers, with ample indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy.
We didn’t visit during the warmer months, but the Grand Hyatt Vail is an enticing choice for those seeking a summer retreat in the mountains, with numerous hiking and walking trails nearby.
As a member of the Hyatt hotel chain, guests can enjoy World of Hyatt perks, earning and redeeming points within the program during their stay.
How to Reserve a Stay at the Grand Hyatt Vail
The most rewarding way to book a stay at the Grand Hyatt Vail is by using your World of Hyatt points. As a Category 7 property in the World of Hyatt award chart, the hotel costs 25,000 points per night during off-peak times, 30,000 points for standard dates, and 35,000 points for peak season. The entire winter season (mid-December to mid-April) is considered peak, while May, October, and November are off-peak. The remaining months fluctuate between off-peak, standard, and peak pricing based on specific dates.
If you're planning to visit during ski season, expect to redeem 35,000 World of Hyatt points per night. With TPG's July 2024 valuation of World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents per point, this equates to about $595 per night. This is an excellent way to redeem points, especially considering the paid nightly rates range from $650 to $1,500 during winter.
Using your World of Hyatt points also means no resort fees, saving you $55 per night at the Grand Hyatt Vail. However, if you're traveling in spring or fall, room rates can drop as low as $300 per night, so it’s worth comparing the costs to determine if redeeming points is the best option.
If you have a Category 1-7 free night award from reaching the 60 or 100 Milestone Rewards thresholds, you can redeem it at the Grand Hyatt Vail, even during peak times. This is how I booked my two-night stay when nightly rates were 35,000 points or nearly $1,000 per night.
When booking any Hyatt hotel, it's a good idea to use one of the credit cards that offer the highest points earning rates for Hyatt stays, as well as those that may provide automatic World of Hyatt elite status for additional perks. These include:
- World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent on eligible Hyatt purchases; enjoy automatic Discoverist status; and receive five elite night credits annually toward a higher status tier.
- World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar on eligible Hyatt purchases, plus up to 5 additional points per dollar spent at Hyatt; automatic Discoverist status; and five elite night credits toward a higher status tier.
Location of the Grand Hyatt Vail
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The location of the Grand Hyatt Vail can be a bit of a mixed bag, depending on what you’re looking for. Situated in Cascade Village, the furthest village from the slopes on a trail map, it’s a bit removed from the action. There’s no traditional 'village' with shops and restaurants right outside the hotel. However, the hotel runs a shuttle service to both Vail Village and Lionshead every 15 to 20 minutes. While I didn’t personally use the shuttle, others reported that it runs quite smoothly. If you prefer driving, both villages offer free parking for up to two hours in the morning and after 3 p.m.
On the flip side, this quieter location has its appeal. The property offers a peaceful, serene setting, where the backdrop is simply the mountains rather than busy streets and crowds. With plenty of amenities on-site, you might find yourself never needing to leave the property.
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For those spending the day on the slopes, the chairlift right outside the hotel is a major convenience. Exclusively for hotel guests and those staying in nearby condos, it offers lift access without the hassle of long lines. In fact, this lift allows you to bypass the base area of Vail entirely — if you prefer.
However, if you have young children enrolled in ski school, you may need to take the shuttle or drive them to the ski school, as it’s not directly accessible from the hotel. This means you'll need to plan extra time in the morning and miss out on the full ski-in, ski-out experience — one of the key benefits of staying at this property.
During our two-night, three-day stay, we never ventured off the property after skiing, and that worked perfectly for our family. We would visit the villages during the day for a quick ski break, then take full advantage of everything the hotel offered after a long day on the slopes. If we had stayed longer than four nights, we might have preferred a location closer to the village. But for our short stay, the location was ideal.
Rooms at the Grand Hyatt Vail
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The property offers a wide variety of room types, so you're sure to find one that fits your needs. Standard rooms — available with points — are 340 to 360 square feet and feature either two queen beds or one king. Upgraded options include mountain view rooms and deluxe mountain view rooms, which are the same size as standard rooms but boast better views and, in some cases, balconies. Premium rooms are larger, at 540 square feet, and come with mountain views, a fireplace, and either two queen beds or one king. There are also several suites, with the largest being a two-bedroom presidential suite.
During our visit — which coincided with Presidents Day week, a peak season — I overheard several guests being upgraded to deluxe and/or premium rooms, suggesting that the property is quite generous with its upgrades.
As a Globalist member, we were upgraded to a mountain-view Grand Suite, which included a separate bedroom with a king-size bed and a living room. While the upgraded suite was premium and had two distinct areas, we found the space a bit tight for a suite. However, having a separate bedroom for us and the kids was a huge benefit. The living room had a pullout couch, and we also added a rollaway bed, allowing each child to have their own bed — a true game changer when traveling as a family.
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The room featured a spacious, cool-toned bathroom, with a partition separating the marble-tiled shower, toilet, and vanity. This thoughtful layout was particularly appreciated, as four people were sharing the space.
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We were assigned a ground-floor room with a patio instead of a balcony, and we actually enjoyed this feature. It gave us direct access to the outdoors, and the kids had a blast playing in the snow. Plus, we were just steps away from the creek, which created a relaxing atmosphere while we sat on the outdoor chairs.
Our room was also conveniently close to one of the hot tubs, making it easy to pop in and out without having to trek through hallways. That said, the ground-floor rooms can get chilly, and we had to turn up the heat a bit. If you tend to feel cold easily, you might want to avoid the first floor, but personally, I loved the convenience of stepping right out onto the patio.
Dining Options at the Grand Hyatt Vail
With numerous dining options available at the Grand Hyatt Vail, meals were a breeze throughout our stay.
Gessner Steakhouse & Bar
Gessner Steakhouse & Bar serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This was our go-to spot for breakfast every morning, offering a large à la carte menu and a full buffet. I typically ordered off the menu, but the buffet looked tempting, especially since you can get an omelet with it. As a Globalist member, breakfast was included in our nightly rate. Without this benefit, the buffet is $22 per person. My kids loved the pancakes each morning, which would have cost $19 without the complimentary breakfast perk.
Gore Creek Market
For breakfast or a variety of snacks, pastries, sandwiches, and more throughout the day, the Gore Creek Market is your go-to spot. We found it to be a convenient grab-and-go option, perfect for quick breakfasts, post-ski snacks, and even late-night ice cream. The market also carries everyday necessities like Advil, razors, and water bottles. If you're looking to keep your food expenses low, especially for breakfast, this is the best place to shop.
Fireside Lounge
Located just off the lobby, the Fireside Lounge offers the perfect spot to unwind while enjoying music and scenic views. With a cozy fireplace warming the space, guests can order drinks, appetizers, or full meals. Cocktails are priced around $18. After 4 p.m., the lounge becomes a lively and social hub, featuring a patio at the back with steps leading down to the pool deck.
Makoto Vail
For a truly indulgent dining experience, especially if you're a fan of Japanese cuisine, you can't miss Makoto Vail, the new restaurant from acclaimed chef Makoto Okuwa. We dined there one evening and were thoroughly impressed by both the food and the atmosphere. The prices were surprisingly reasonable, too — we tried dishes like ramen ($15), edamame ($8), and a salmon avocado roll ($16). Our family of four enjoyed a meal for around $130, including tip, which was about the same as the cost of our room service the night before.
Activities at the Grand Hyatt Vail
Ice skating, sledding, and daily treats
Though we planned to spend most of our time skiing, the hotel offers a variety of activities for the whole family. For the kids (and the young at heart), there’s an ice skating rink with free skate rentals, sledding, and a daily treat at 4 p.m. From cookies and milk to s’mores, it made for a perfect après-ski experience. Plus, there are several fire pits around the property where you can relax and unwind.
Pool deck
The hotel features a pool deck with a heated pool open year-round and a hot tub. Additionally, there’s a quieter, more secluded hot tub at the rear of the property, right by the creek. After a long day of skiing, this was a perfect spot for our family to relax and unwind.
Game room
Adjacent to the market shop, there’s a cozy game room featuring two foosball tables, a giant Connect Four, and a TV lounge area with video games. My kids had a blast here after skiing, enjoying the freedom to unwind and have fun on their own.
Topgolf Swing Suites
One of the highlights of our stay was definitely Topgolf, which offers a variety of interactive games like golf, soccer, hockey, dodgeball, and even carnival-style activities.
Located right on-site, the Topgolf Swing Suites provide hours of entertainment without ever having to leave the property. With four time slots available each day, you can enjoy a suite in the morning, afternoon, or evening. At $150, the price felt reasonable, and even though it was just our family of four, the suite can accommodate up to 12 guests.
Each suite is staffed with a hostess who will show you how to play and bring you food and drinks throughout your time there. The menu is similar to the regular restaurant offerings, with plenty of food and drink choices. This was a fantastic non-skiing option, and even my daughter, who was initially unsure, ended up loving it.
Ski valet at the Grand Hyatt Vail
A standout feature of the hotel was the complimentary ski valet service. Conveniently located within the hotel, the valet service eliminates the need to step outside to gear up. Your skis and boots are stored overnight, and in the morning, the boots are returned to you warm and ready for use. Plus, there’s ample seating and wire baskets to store your shoes or other personal items while you're on the slopes.
The ski valet also offers ski rentals with a variety of package options, making the entire process incredibly seamless. Although we brought our own gear, I observed that renting skis was straightforward and easy. You can even opt for a day-long demo if you prefer to test the equipment first.
In addition to the ski valet, there’s a small on-site ski shop. It was a lifesaver when my daughter realized her ski socks were too small. The prices were on par with those at any local ski store, which made it easy to grab what we needed.
Just outside the boot room is the Cascade Village lift, which takes you halfway up the mountain. From there, a green trail leads to the Pride Express lift, which takes you to the top. Even though the hotel is situated on the far side of the mountain, we found it surprisingly easy to reach Vail’s iconic Back Bowls — some of the best skiing we experienced during our stay.
Keep in mind that when skiing back to the hotel, the trails are mainly blue and black. However, if you're looking to avoid the more challenging runs, you can always take the Cascade Village lift to get back down easily.
Globalist benefits at the Grand Hyatt Vail
Guests with Globalist status — Hyatt's highest loyalty tier — enjoy exceptional treatment at the Grand Hyatt Vail. There are numerous perks that enhance your stay. My husband and I have held Globalist status for over 15 years, thanks to the World of Hyatt Credit Card and our frequent travels.
Since we booked our stay using points, we didn’t have to pay the resort fees. However, even if we had chosen to pay for the room instead of using points during a less busy period, our Globalist status would have still waived the resort fees. Additionally, Globalist members receive complimentary parking during award stays. At the Grand Hyatt Vail, valet parking costs $55 per night, so by having this fee waived, we saved $110 during our stay.
One of the perks of having Globalist status is the complimentary breakfast for up to two adults and two children. At check-in, I was informed of this benefit, which can be redeemed at the breakfast restaurant, for room service, or at the market — with no spending limit.
We took full advantage of the sit-down breakfast both mornings, mixing menu orders with items from the buffet. On one morning, my son opted for some selections from the market instead. This combination worked perfectly for our family and gave us a hearty breakfast before hitting the slopes.
As previously mentioned, the hotel appeared to be quite generous with room upgrades for those with Globalist status — or honestly, for any level of loyalty member. Despite visiting during a busy school break when the hotel was nearly full, they still offered us available upgrades, including a premium suite.
Accessibility
The Grand Hyatt Vail provides six accessible room types, all with a minimum clear width of 32 inches. These rooms range from standard accommodations to one-bedroom suites, all featuring roll-in showers for ease of access.
The hotel is designed with accessibility in mind, offering wheelchair-friendly spaces throughout, including the lobby, various public areas, restaurants, and even the swimming pool, which has a lift. Additionally, the elevators feature braille, providing extra convenience for guests with vision impairments.
The hotel has a spacious feel, with wide hallways and doorways. I thought about my father-in-law, who uses a wheelchair, and felt confident that he would have no trouble getting around the hotel and using the elevators if he had been with us.
In addition to valet parking, the concierge team can assist guests in booking accessible transportation for an extra fee, as long as you give advance notice.
Alternatives to the Grand Hyatt Vail
If you're not flush with Hyatt points and are considering a different hotel — but still want to use points — there are a few alternative properties to think about.
- If you're loyal to Marriott Bonvoy, you might want to check out The Hythe, a Luxury Collection Resort in Lionshead Village. It's conveniently located within walking distance of the gondola. However, we found the rates to be on the higher side, and even when using points, there's still a significant resort fee of $50 per night.
- Another option is the new Residence Inn Vail. Although it's not ski-in, ski-out, it offers a complimentary breakfast and a free shuttle to the mountain. Booking with points tends to be more affordable, and there are no resort fees.
- If you're a Hilton Honors member, the Highline Vail — a DoubleTree by Hilton is worth considering. While it's a little farther from the mountain, it provides a free shuttle to three different drop-off points, making access to the slopes easy.
A common question is whether to choose the Grand Hyatt Vail or the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, as both resorts are part of the Epic Pass and are less than 20 minutes apart. Both mountains are exceptional, and while some skiers have a clear preference, if you're impartial and deciding between the two Hyatt properties, here's my take.
The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek is a Category 8 property, which means it costs 10,000 more points per night compared to the Grand Hyatt Vail during peak winter season. That alone made the Grand Hyatt Vail more appealing for me, though I've stayed at both resorts.
That said, both properties have their advantages and drawbacks. The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek boasts a superior location at the base of the mountain and is near a ski school, which is a major convenience for families. It's also just a short walk from the village, where you'll find a large ice rink surrounded by shops and restaurants. However, in my comparison, I prefer the Grand Hyatt Vail. While both are fantastic, the Grand Hyatt Vail has a more relaxed resort atmosphere, and its outdoor spaces — including the pool and hot tubs — are exceptional.
In conclusion
For a short getaway of two to three nights, I would definitely stay at the Grand Hyatt Vail again. The experience was fantastic, and the luxury amenities were top-notch. However, for a longer trip or one where I'd like to explore more, I might choose a location closer to Lionshead or Vail Village.
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Evaluation :
5/5