The Lodge at Blue Sky - An Auberge Resort Review

Our Verdict

The Lodge at Blue Sky Review

The Lodge at Blue Sky is your mountain luxury home away from home. Located just 35 minutes from the Salt Lake City (SLC) airport, the location is easy to get to but a world away from everything else. The 3,500 acre retreat in the Wasatch Mountains is the perfect place to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect with nature.

The Lodge at Blue Sky, an Auberge Resort is rather boutique and intimate with 46 total guest rooms. The accommodations are split into three categories: Sky Rooms & Suites, Earth Suites and Creek Houses. There are 19 Sky Suites that are 1 and 2 bedroom suites located in the lodge. There are 16 Earth Suites and 6 Deluxe Earth Suites; these are freestanding villas near the lodge, but not attached. And there are 5 Creek Houses about a 5-minute walk from the lodge and are located along Alexander Creek.

Earth Suites

Creek Houses

The Lodge at Blue Sky is the ultimate private nature retreat featuring signature restaurant Yuta, Bar + Lounge, fitness center, iconic infinity pool, Edge Spa, and plenty of outdoor activities.

This review is based off of our personal stay in August of 2020. And don’t forget, if you are planning to stay at the The Lodge at Blue Sky, book through Virtuoso to take advantage of exclusive complimentary extras like a room upgrade (subject to availability at check-in), $100 USD resort credit, daily breakfast and a welcome amenity. To request Virtuoso rates, just visit liveluxetravelco.com/virtuoso.

From the moment you step foot into Sky Lodge, you will feel like you are right at home. The design and architecture of this property is very modern, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t feel warm and welcoming.

The lobby of Sky Lodge features large picturesque windows, dramatic tall ceilings and plenty of areas to lounge.

Our Room

During our stay at The Lodge at Blue Sky, we stayed in a Sky Room located in the Sky Lodge. No matter the accommodation at the Lodge at Blue Sky, they are all unforgettable.

From the moment you open the door to your room, you will be surrounded by luxury. The Sky Rooms are quite spacious at over 570 sq feet with a 115 sq ft outdoor patio. The Sky Lodge rooms feature a king bed or two twins, an open-concept layout, living area with sofa and chaise, private terrace and ensuite bathroom. And these rooms have sunrise or sunset views.

Our Sky Lodge room, 14, had a sunset and canyon view, which wasn’t bad to look at. With the way this property was built, there isn’t a room without an incredible view.

At The Lodge at Blue Sky, it’s the little details that really make all of the difference. How long has it been since you stayed at a 5-star hotel that gave you a real key to the room instead of a key card?

The bathroom was very spa inspired. It featured a large counter with dual vanities, an oversized soaking tub, a large walk in shower and a separate water closet. The bathroom featured tile that was carried throughout all of the walls and around the tub. The water closet had a high-tech toilet that flushed with the waive of your hand above the tank.

The toiletries at The Lodge at Blue Sky were a hand crafted Mountain Blend featuring fir, sage and other natural ingredients.

The rooms also feature a Nespresso machine (which has become one of our favorite in-room amenities), a complimentary snack basket and mini fridge that which are replenished daily.

Amenities

The Lodge at Blue Sky has plenty of amenities for a small boutique property. The Sky Lodge features a fitness center and movement studio on the second floor.

The fitness center had 4 treadmills, 2 ellipticals, 2 Peloton bikes (another thing we now look for at hotels and resorts), a few cable machines, plenty of free weights and the Mirror. There is plenty of equipment to get a good sweat session in, but you won’t want to make it a quick workout with the incredible views.

There are two pools at the resort. The main pool which is located just off the outdoor dining patio of Yuta and the second pool is at Edge Spa.

The main pool features an infinity edge with breathtaking views of the canyon and Alexander peak. The main pool is great because there is food and beverage service and plenty of chairs.

If you’re looking for a more private and quiet pool experience to read a book or lay out and get some sun, then head to the Edge Spa pool.

While we didn’t have any treatments done at Edge Spa, we did tour the facilities and the treatment rooms were very nice offering views of Alexander Creek.

Dining

Whether you are a foodie or just looking for a delicious meal, you will definitely find it at Blue Sky.

Helmed by James Beard Award-Winning Executive Chef, Galen Zamarra, dining at Blue Sky is inspired by—and revolves around—the incredible ingredients found throughout our lush mountain landscape.

Yuta's menu draws inspiration from a deep reverence for the land and the many cultures that have passed through this lush mountain region. Yuta, meaning mountain top in Ute, delivers a regional cuisine based on the cultures that historically inhabited the area.

During the first night of our stay, we dined at Yuta. And we had one of the best dining experiences that we have had in some time. The service was incredible, the food was incredible and the ambiance of Yuta makes for the perfect meal.

If you like spirits, start with the Indian Paintbrush cocktail. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing. For our actual meal we tried the Blue Sky burger and the crispy trout filet with cilantro lime rice. Both were solid options.

If you aren’t a morning person, the breakfast at Yuta will make you want to get out of bed in the morning. For breakfast we started with the pastries, coffee and then each ordered an entree. Everything we had was delicious.

Breakfast is on the lighter side, so if you are a big eater, you might want to start with the pastries or order some sides to go with your breakfast.

Service

As we drove up to the front drive at The Lodge at Blue Sky, we were greeted at a distance with a wave. We were then greeted by name when the car doors were opened.

The staff really made an effort to get to know us during the check-in process and during a tour of the property. We had the best waiter when dining at Yuta on our first night. He was really friendly, wanted to get to know us and made sure our dining experience was tailored to us. We never once felt rushed or like it was taking too long to eat dinner.

Even if The Lodge at Blue Sky is more of a relaxed atmosphere, the service is still top notch and what you would expect when staying at a 5-star property.

How are they handling COVID?

If you’re like us, when traveling to another state you are always curious what the regulations are going to be and how strictly they in-force social distancing guidelines.

The Lodge at Blue Sky is adhering to all state and local government regulations and following the Auberge Health and Services practices. All employees were wearing masks, there were hand sanitizer stations located in the lobby, in the fitness center, at the pool and in the hallways that lead to Sky Rooms & Suites.

There were plexiglass partitions up at the front desk to protect guests and staff during the check-in process.

Facial coverings are required in any public space on property unless you are eating, drinking or working out.

Overall Impression

We can’t wait to plan a return visit to The Lodge at Blue Sky. A luxury mountain getaway is the perfect way to relax and explore nature. Especially with COVID, it’s nice to visit a boutique property that limits your exposure to others and offers plenty of place to socially distance.

Our entire stay was incredible. The hospitality was outstanding, we felt safe, and most importantly we enjoyed our stay as we were able to do as much or as little each day as we wanted.

And we almost forgot to mention that The Lodge at Blue Sky is pet friendly. And it’s a great place if you bring your four-legged friend to get out in nature.

Needless to say, The Lodge at Blue Sky will likely will become a yearly destination for the three of us.

Extra Perks

And don’t forget, when you book The Lodge at Blue Sky with Live Luxe Travel Co., through our Virtuoso partnership, you’ll receive a $100 resort credit to use on dining or at Edge Spa, daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade and a welcome amenity.

Waldorf Astoria Park City

The Waldorf Astoria Park City is a luxury ski resort located at the base of Canyons ski area. And this posh mountain resort is just 4 miles from Main Street and Downtown Park City.

Waldorf Astoria Park City

Park City has more to offer than just skiing. Utah is truly considered a year round adventure destination with skiing, fly fishing, mountain biking and hiking. And Park City is the heart of that adventure. The Waldorf Astoria Park City makes a great home base for those adventures. The hotel has a gondola it shares exclusively with the Wyndam Residences across the street. The gondola goes to the Canyons Village base.

The property only has valet parking. But unlike most resorts, the valet parking is included in the resort fee, which is an extremely nice touch.

The Waldorf Astoria Park City is a gorgeous property and the beauty starts when you first arrive in the lobby.

The lobby is grand and extremely impressive with a sweeping staircase, a 300 year old imported mantle for the lobby fire, and a large baccarat chandelier.

Rates can be expensive during prime ski season. But for our stay, the Waldorf Astoria Park City offered great value for redeeming Hilton Honors points. At just 80,000 points per night, the paid rates were well over $700 a night. That means we got a value of almost 9 cents per point Hilton Honors point which is incredible.

You can also book the Waldorf Astoria Park City through a travel agent, like Virtual Travel Gurus, and get extras like room upgrades,  breakfast and an $100 spa credit.

Our Room

While we are Hilton Diamond members and we enjoy occasional upgrades, we are still pleasantly surprised when those upgrades occur. And the upgrade we received at the Waldorf was amazing. We were excited to find out we had been upgraded to a bi-level suite. And the room was amazing.

The main level of the room had a living room with fire place, dining room, full bathroom and a large high-end full kitchen with Viking appliances.

Adjacent to the living room was a large outdoor patio with an outdoor fire place with views of the pool.

The bedroom was located on the upstairs level of the bi-level suite. The bedroom's furnished with a king size bed, several sitting chairs, dresser and had another fireplace.

The master spa like bathroom has a large walk-in shower, tub and double vanities.

The Waldorf Astoria Park City offers Tuscan Soul toiletries.

Our suite also contained a laundry room with a washer and dryer which would definitely be an added bonus for families taking a skiing trip or longer vacation.

DINING

Probably one of the most surprising facts about the Waldorf Astoria Park City is that the hotel and resort only has one true dining option. We had breakfast one morning at Powder and we had avocado toast which was okay. The avocado toast tasted like it hadn't been seasoned much and we had some service issues at the restaurant. But honestly, this was our only complaint during our entire stay.

Gold and Diamond Hilton Honors members do receive $15.00 per person (up to two people) per day for breakfast.

Amenities

If you don't want to leave the resort, there is plenty to do at the hotel itself. The Waldorf Park City has a large outdoor heated pool and several hot tubs. We enjoyed relaxing in the hot tubs while breathing in the mountain air several times during our stay.

We also utilized the Waldorf Astoria Park City Spa one afternoon and received spa treatments and enjoyed the spa facilities including tea in the relaxation lounge and steam room.

And the Waldorf has a large fitness center with several daily classes including yoga.

One of our favorite activities at the resort was roasting marshmallows and making s'mores around the fire pits. Each evening, the hotel puts out a cart full of marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers. And we took them up on making s'mores both nights of our stay.

Overall Impression

The Waldorf Astoria Park City is a luxurious resort within minutes of skiing and just miles from Downtown Park City. The hotel has luxurious rooms, offers plenty of activities and overall the service was excellent. While the resort can be expensive during peak skiing season, you can often times find very good value using Hilton Honors points for your stay. After staying at several hotels and resorts in the Park City area, we can definitely say that we are already planning our next trip back to the Waldorf Astoria Park City. And when you book with Live Luxe Travel Co. through our Hilton Impresario partnership you will receive a $100 credit, room upgrade, and daily breakfast for 2.

Ready to book your stay?