A Ski Resort in Summer? Montage Deer Valley Delivers in Every Season.

“Get Out There” is a column for itchy footed humans written by long-time Paste contributor Blake Snow. Although different now, travel is better than ever. Today we visit one of the finest mountain resorts in America: Montage Deer Valley.

Fire. Mountains. Pools. Adventure. S’mores. These are all things that embody a typical summer vacation. As one of the best luxury resorts in America, Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah, exemplifies all five of these things. But it is anything but typical. 

Let me give you an example. 

After returning to our room from a memorable night of onsite pizza, popcorn, “dirty” sodas, unlimited arcades, and bowling, my wife and our two sons discovered little touches you don’t see elsewhere. The cleaning lady had put tiny placemats under all of our personal effects and toiletries. Sunglasses were placed on a felt wiping cloth. Charging cords were organized with newly provided silicon straps. More than just being “turned down,” everything in our room was tidied up and beautified. 

In that way, our inanimate objects were brought to life by a considerate hand. Our inviting room was literally waiting for us, seemingly saying, “Someone knows you’re here and will take good care of you.”

This was a delightful and repeated theme throughout our stay. And it proves that Montage Deer Valley is serviced by some of the best trained staff in the entire hospitality industry, if not luxury travel, which is known for impeccable service. 

Here’s another example. 

Because I’m boring, I eat oatmeal everyday for breakfast. Even on vacation. On our first morning, I ordered steel-cut oats topped with walnuts and raisin compote. Nothing special. But I’m pretty sure the raisins were homemade. If not, they were at least pampered by a knowing chef to transform them into something more—something that transcends the everyday. Same goes for the side of milk that came with my meal, which tasted as if it were freshly squeezed by a local farmer. 

When someone pays that much attention to commonplace, everyday, and “boring” things like placemats and cord organizers and oatmeal and raisins, you know they don’t skimp anywhere else. Montage Deer Valley doesn’t skimp. Anywhere. 

The whole property—six restaurants, two pools, floor to ceiling tile spa, and its many creature comforts, perched high on the top of Park City—is ultra in every sense of the word. Sophisticated but not out of touch. Never flashy but every square inch is refined.

“This is the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in,” my wife remarked, having accompanied me on previous reviews of Ritzes, Four Seasons, and Fairmonts around the world. (These hotels won’t review themselves, people!)

First opened in 2010 and the recipient of several awards and national rankings ever since, Montage Deer Valley recently renovated its room and suite interiors to be brighter, warmer, and more stately. They also added back patio fire pits to keep the warmth alive. 

But again, the details tell everything. And the details are this: Montage Deer Valley is the finest property in a ski resort that’s known for being one of the best in the country. The setting, lobbies, common areas, restaurants, rooms, and staff—everyone from the front desk and concierge, to the chefs and servers, bartenders and room attendants—are outstanding. They clearly know what they’re doing, and what they’re doing is clearly working. 

In between summer staples such as s’mores and swimming, nearby horseback riding and rafting, lawn games and card games, I couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing summer getaway. The only thing my party couldn’t decide on was how to spend our “après” nights: by the massive fireplace in the imperial Vista Lounge with live music and bottomless snacks, the gigantic hot tubs and terrific terraces, or in the cozy confines of our mood-lit room, which we were never in a hurry to leave. 

Montage Deer Valley must be magic during the winter ski season. But it produces equally memorable moments when the crowds are light and the mountain air is quiet in the slow green months of summer. 

If this isn’t a destination hotel, I don’t know what is. 

Blake Snow contributes to fancy publications and Fortune 500 companies as a bodacious writer-for-hire and frequent travel columnist. He lives in Provo, Utah with his wife, five children, and one ferocious chihuahua.