Pokolodi Lodge Rating: 2.0 Pearls

Snowmass Village, Colorado, United States

The buildings of the Pokolodi are laid out along the sloping mountainside, with the lobby at the top of the hill and the rooms tiered down below it. While the exterior is reminiscent of older condo properties, it is clean and well maintained. Beautiful aspen trees line the building on the street side, while striking panoramas of the surrounding valley can be viewed from the rest of the grounds, including the lovely pool area with large outdoor year-round pool and Jacuzzi.

Stunning vistas can also be viewed from the lobby, thanks to wide windows that let in a lot of light and give the space a bright and airy feel. The sizable lobby houses the breakfast bar and a small dining area. It also features a stone fireplace and flat-screen TV, surrounded by a couch and armchairs, but the furnishings look more mismatched than homey.

Even though the lodge is fairly small, the maze of hallways leading to the guest rooms can be a bit confusing at first. Some guests may want to walk to their room before lugging baggage to it, since there are no elevators.

The Pokolodi offers free transfers to and from the Aspen Airport during certain times of the year, but parking at the hotel can be an issue. The lodge shares a lot across the street with the city of Snowmass, and parking fees are charged in the winter.

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The Pokolodi Lodge is one of the closest properties to the Village Mall, which is the happening spot in Snowmass, as it is just a one-minute walk away. The drive to the lodge is up a long and winding mountain road, which in the winter can be a difficult trip, although it is kept plowed.

Snowmass Village is a small town about nine miles outside of Aspen. Snowmass has its own ski area with the most vertical feet of skiing in America, a large seasonal shopping mall (with coffee shops, restaurants and bars), and a shuttle system that runs back and forth to Aspen every 30 minutes until late night. The Village Mall is basically the top of the Village, with most lodging and hotels laid out below it, down the hill. As for getting to Snowmass, most travelers fly into Aspen Airport directly and forgo the four-hour drive from Denver, but flights are often delayed due to winter weather.

• 4-hour drive to Denver International Airport
• 10-minute drive to Aspen Airport
• 1-minute walk to the Village Mall with restaurants, bars and entertainment
• 3-minute drive to the Village Market for grocery and resupply
• 18-minute drive to Aspen
• 35-minute drive to Maroon Bells Scenic Wilderness Area

Technically only two room types exist at the Pokolodi -- Standard Lower Floor, and Standard Upper Floor, but some rooms are minimally larger than others, and laid out a bit differently. Overall, the rooms are spacious for this price, and offer standard amenities including mini-fridges and sofa beds. Free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs with cable channels are another plus. Some rooms also include balconies or patios.

In some aspects, however, the rooms are definitely no-frills. The bedspreads and pillow shams are dowdy, and the decor often clashes. Even the framed prints of photos by Ansel Adams and other renowned artists look a bit off, as the bright red frames don't match the earthy tones of the duvet covers and other furnishings.

The bathrooms are partially updated, with newish-looking granite countertops, but they are a bit on the small side.

• Flat-screen TVs with cable channels
• Free Wi-Fi
• Sofa beds, mini-fridges, and coffeemakers
• Bathrooms are on the small side
• Some rooms have balconies or patios

• Outdoor year-round pool and Jacuzzi with beautiful views
• Free Aspen Airport transfers (seasonal)
• Free continental breakfast, no hot items
• Parking is across the street in the Snowmass Village lot, with permit fees charged in winter
• No fitness center or spa
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