Austria Haus Hotel

In a historic, Austrian-style building in the center of Vail Village, Austria Haus Hotel feels like a blend of mountain lodge with a European twist, craftsman-style home, and rustic Spanish villa. Its stucco walls, tile floors, and arched doorways point to the European influence, while the leather chairs, wood-burning fireplaces, and dark-wood accents remind you that you're in the mountains in Vail. With its distinctive orange-and-white-striped shutters and contrasting white and wood exteriors, the hotel is hard to miss.

Right in the heart of downtown Vail Village, the Austria Haus is accessible from the town's main drag, Gore Creek Drive (a charming cobblestone street lined with shops and restaurants). Some of the room balconies face the Village.

Perhaps the biggest perk of staying at the Austria Haus is its proximity to the slopes. The Vista Bahn lift up Vail Mountain is a mere hundred yards from the hotel (about a three-minute walk), making skiing easy -- or at least the getting up the slopes part. The Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum is also a three-minute walk away. The closest airport, Denver International Airport, is a two-hour-and-20-minute drive away.

The 25 rooms at the Austria exemplify craftsmanship and simplicity, with antique carved wood doors, understated real wood furniture, and simple homey decor. You'll find plush robes, humidifiers and fans, and, in some rooms, fireplaces and balconies with views of the mountain or the calming Gore Stream. Beds are comfortable and covered in plush linens. Rooms also feature exposed wood beams and warm colors -- red throws on the plush, white bedding, off-white walls, brown carpets and chairs. Bathrooms have marble tile, partitioned toilets, wood accents, and -- most impressively -- heated marble floors. Some have deep soaking tubs. 

Austria Haus is an older property with only 25 rooms, so don't expect the features of a larger hotel. There's not much on-site -- just a cramped (and worse, windowless) fitness center, a lounge/library/business center, and an outdoor pool and hot tub. The pool has a beautiful view of Gore Stream, but it's small, even for a hotel with so few rooms. Luckily, because the same company manages the Austria Haus as The Lodge at Vail (and because the hotels are vey close to each other) the Austria Haus is allowed full use of The Lodge's amenities, including its two outdoor pools, several whirlpools and 11-treatment-room spa. This access makes the Austria Haus a much better deal for the money than it would be otherwise -- if you're willing to walk the extra hundred yards. 

There isn't a full restaurant here, but the hotel does offer a free breakfast buffet each day. The generous spread typically includes eggs, bacon, sausage, cheeses, bagels, cereal, waffles, pastries, berries and Greek yogurt. Austria Haus has a heated, underground garage, but it’s valet-only, for a fee. The hotel's daily resort fee includes Wi-Fi, bottled water, and in-town transportation, among other things.