The Arrabelle at Vail Square

Character and identity

Planted on Lionshead's main square with its clock tower acting as a neighbourhood landmark, The Arrabelle commits fully to Vail's alpine fantasy: creamy stucco, rough-cut stone, timber Juliet balconies, and hand-painted murals across the façade. Inside, 81 accommodations split between traditional rooms and one-to-five-bedroom residences, all warm cream, russet and forest-green palettes with gas fireplaces and carved-wood headboards. Tavern on the Square anchors the ground floor as both dining room and après HQ, and the rooftop deck holds a year-round heated pool and mountain-facing hot tub. Service runs white-glove but unstuffy, with ski valets handling the morning rush.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're paying for is the address: gondola access, full residences, and ski valet under one roof, in a building that looks the part. Book a mountain-view room or, better, a residence if you're travelling as a group and staying a week. Avoid plaza-facing rooms during peak weeks, and arrive at Tavern's bar before 4 p.m. for an après seat.