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Five Diamonds in the Rough

Experience world-class comfort and skiing at Utah’s Stein Eriksen Lodge.
By Mary Brown Malouf |



Utah’s Stein Eriksen Lodge is one of the most luxurious ski resorts in the country. But it takes more than good snow to be world-class.


WINDING UP FROM THE VALLEY, WE saw the ski resorts clustered above Park City like a latter-day acropolis of apartment complexes. But once we turned on the little road to Stein Eriksen Lodge and into its twinkle-lit courtyard, we found the illusion of remoteness we were seeking. That, and the best snow in the world spread out over the mountains behind and above.

A third of the events in last year’s winter Olympics were scheduled in Park City, and the anticipation inspired buffed-up ski resorts all over the Wasatch Front. But none can compete with the one that bears the name of an Olympian (Stein Eriksen won gold in Oslo in 1952 and three world championships in ’54) and was recently awarded five-diamond status by AAA, making it one of only two ski resorts in the country to receive that rating.   

Over the past five years, the Lodge has laid out $50 million to upgrade, refurbish, expand, and redecorate. Then the staff was retrained to suit the setting. So when we arrived at the door, they were expecting us: a valet parked our car in the heated garage, and a ski valet took our skis, giving us a locker number that would be ours for the rest of our stay. Then we were escorted to the front desk and shown to our room. And what a room—stone fireplace, triple sheets, plush robes, down comforters, and oversized tub. We almost forgot we were here for some invigorating, outdoor exercise, and not just for a long winter’s nap.

That evening, all we had to do was gear up for a gourmet dinner. It was a short walk over the heated sidewalks to the Lodge’s star dining room, Glitretind.   

Stein Eriksen Lodge has perhaps the best restaurant on the Wasatch Front, which, Utah being what it is, means one of the best restaurants in the state. The setting, with low ceilings, lots of windows, warm colors, and a big fireplace, is more cozy than obviously luxurious. But Glitretind is a restaurant as complex, satisfactory, and cosmopolitan as any in New York.

Our dinner started with bread from La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, followed by a first-course carpaccio of local buffalo garnished with buttery blue cheese from Point Reyes, California, and tiny microgreens—lettuces so young a vegan would have mercy. We ate them with no remorse and sipped our half-bottle of Saintsbury Pinot Noir, which lasted into and perfectly complemented the salad course, a burgundy-hued toss of red lettuces and local goat cheese in a Pinot and fig-infused vinaigrette.

The chef is Zane Holmquist, and he and sommelier Cara Schwindt (the only female sommelier in Utah) work together to produce a harmonizing menu and wine list. The food is gently New American and the wine list is not too long—300 selections—because, as Schwindt says, “Too many choices are not a luxury.”

She’s right—making choices is work. But finally we succeeded in selecting our entrées: braised short ribs of beef (rich and tender as osso buco) with a barley risotto and the chef’s signature tea and pepper-crusted duck breast with moo shu pancakes filled with duck confit fried rice. Both entrées foiled the outside cold with the help of some Australian Shiraz. Of course, we finished with Armagnac by the fire. No decision there.

In the morning, by the time we had feasted on breakfast and finished our coffee, the temptation to continue down the pampered path was overwhelming. The Lodge recently completed a 4,000-square-foot, European-style spa offering warm mud treatments, hot baths with eucalyptus oil, honey body polishes, high-altitude massages, and even acupuncture. Other treatment packages include stretching, hiking programs, and massages to get energy flowing, because, according to spa director Kathleen Hahn, some people “don’t know how to relax.”   

We were not having that problem. In fact, the opposite. We were there to ski—no question about that. Average snowfall in the area around Park City is 35 inches, but temperatures are usually moderate, skies blue, and the air dry. Though there is no snowboarding at the Lodge, 10 minutes away are several resorts equipped for snow punks, and the staff is happy to deliver you there. Instead, the Lodge offers the full Scandinavian snow experience—cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, tubing, bobsledding, sleigh rides (with dinner, if you arrange ahead), and dog-sled rides. And did we mention the fabulous, glittering powder just outside the breakfast buffet? Hard to resist.

Plus, there’s Eriksen himself, who, at 74, still skis every winter day and heads up Deer Valley’s skiing school. On the other hand, gold-medal-level shopping lurks in nearby Park City. And the heated pool beckons.   

Though we got a little fuzzy-headed trying to decide whether to schedule a four-layer anti-aging facial or a blue run, the powder finally won and we headed to the ski locker room—reputedly the most luxurious in the country. We didn’t have time to ponder the oxymoronic implication of “luxurious locker room” because Jorge, the Argentine in charge, was ready with our boots and skis, not to mention recommendations of a good starting run for our leisurely frame of mind and body. Other, more determined skiers were already returning from the slopes, tramping from the lift a few yards away into the carpeted room. They were greeted by ski valets who took their skis and handed them hot cider, then stashed the wet boots in their personal lockers equipped with warm dryers, so the next time the skiers ventured out, their tootsies would be warm and cozy.

Meanwhile, a valet was buckling us into our boots. Then, all we had to do was ski.

 

Photo Courtesy of Stein Eriksen Lodge

 

JUST THE FACTS
WHERE TO STAY 
Stein Eriksen Lodge
7700 Stein Way, Park City, Utah 84060
800-453-1302 or www.steinlodge.com
Rates for December 7, 2002-April 6, 2003: deluxe rooms start at $670; luxury suites start at $1,200.

HOW TO GET THERE
American Airlines flies daily nonstop to Salt Lake City. Call 800-433-7300 or visit www.aa.com for reservations. The Lodge is 45 minutes away from the airport, and shuttle services run every half-hour to and from Park City and the airport.

THINGS TO DO
Skiing (downhill, snowboarding, cross-country, cat-skiing, and heliskiing), snowmobiling, snow-shoeing, and dog-sled rides. In the summer, enjoy mountain biking, championship golf, outdoor concerts. Spa treatments are year-round. 

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