The Woodlands (Houston), Texas — Benchmark is expanding its Colorado portfolio with the addition of Manor Vail Lodge in historic Vail. The year-round resort is at the foot of Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak. Manor Vail Lodge is now a part of Benchmark’s Gemstone Collection, joining Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in Colorado Springs and Tivoli Lodge, also located in Vail.
Benchmark now manages more than a dozen mountain resorts in nine states, from New York’s Catskills, Vermont’s Green Mountains, and Virginia’s Blue Ridge Range to the Colorado Rockies.
In 1965, just three years after the resort town of Vail was launched, the Manor Vail Lodge was built as Colorado’s first condominium resort. With 876 acres of skiable terrain, Vail grew into America’s largest ski resort and the Manor Vail Lodge emerged as a pioneer in Vail’s development as a world-class ski destination. Today, the chalet is a hub of activity year-round. A wide range of services and amenities are offered at Manor Vail Lodge, including a spa and fitness center, ski valet services and rentals, a complimentary town shuttle, and access to Vail’s sightseeing, shopping, and recreational activities.
With 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting and special event space, the resort offers boardrooms and meeting rooms in its dedicated conference center. Additional entertainment areas are found at the Fitz Bar & Restaurant and mountain flowers bloom in several outdoor event spaces in view of the peaks of the Rockies.
The accommodations at the Manor Vail Lodge are designed to meet the diverse demands of today’s guests, from families, vacationers, and skiers to corporate meeting attendees. Manor Vail Lodge combines the privacy and convenience of a modern condominium with the amenities and personalized services of a luxury resort, with 100 guest accommodations in a mix of studios, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom condominiums as well as luxury penthouses. All condominiums include fireplaces and fully-equipped kitchens. Individually owned and decorated, the condominiums are furnished in classic Western style with accents of local artwork.
The Fitz Bar & Restaurant serves contemporary American cuisine with a Western vibe, from a breakfast buffet each morning to dinners incorporating fish fresh from mountain streams, Colorado beef and lamb, and popular local dishes such an Elk Chili and Colorado Mushroom Soup. The resort’s large vegetable garden is supplemented by local suppliers, enabling the Manor Vail Lodge’s kitchens to serve fresh produce at any time of the year.
The Manor Vail Lodge’s approach to food dovetails with Benchmark’s approach to food and experiential travel, with culinary education programs and events for everyone, from budding kiddie chefs to seasoned cooks. “Our culinary classes are perfect for those with an appetite for learning new skills in the kitchen and incorporating the freshest Colorado ingredients,” said Executive Chef Kenneth Butler.
