The Steamboat Grand

We were here for Music Fest. The hotel is in a great location, centrally located and within walking distance to the village filled with great restaurants, famiy friendly winter activities, ski slope and perfect for the Music Fest. The room was comfortable and the fireplace was a nice touch.It would have been nice to have better dining choices and accommodations at the hotel but it was a perfect venue for the Music Fest.

I understand they are completely closing for remodeling over the summer through Dec 1st. It is in need of an update. The biggest issue is that this is not a ski in ski out hotel. You have to go down a set of stairs outside and walk 200 yards to where they store your skis. Your choice is to walk in your ski boots, hope to get a locker for you shoes or leave the shoes on top of the lockers and hope they are there when you return.

My issue with the hotel is only with their refund policy. We took our son and his family to Steamboat Springs in March 2023. We had a great time and decided to make reservations for a return trip in March of this year. Meanwhile my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. After a double mastectomy and radiation treatments we decided she wasn’t able to make the ski trip. So I contacted the Grand Hotel and was told we had to forfeit the deposit which was substantial. My wife’s cancer made no difference. I found this to be very poor business and we will not be staying there again.

So many good things about this property. My hope is that after the upcoming renovations (April-November 2024), things will improve. The Good: Convenience to the gondolas - Just a quick walk across the street. Ski storage at the base - Be sure to tip the staff. They are all friendy. Starbucks on the first floor. Valet staff were all great, if we could track them down. Free shuttling to town - also a bad. Note that we did not utilize the spa (one rough robe in the room), the pool, the fitness center, the lobby restaurant, but it was great that they were all here in the same building. Our room had a nice view and we could see the gondola lines. The Bad: At check-in, we weren’t really given much information about resort amenities. There was a hard-to-find postcard in the room with a QR code that gave a little more information but it would have been nice to have been given “pointers” when we arrived. Desk staff were nice but probably hadn’t been given much instruction. Coffee machine in the room was ok. No instructions but we kind of figured out how to make bad coffee. There were a couple of packets of sugar, non-dairy creamer, stir sticks. As much as I hate Keurigs, it would have been nice to have one in the room. I blame this on being understaffed but whenever we tried to call the valet desk to get our car, the phone just rang and rang. The two or three people on duty were always running cars to and from or delivering bags to rooms. It would be nice if the phones rolled to someone at the front desk. Cleaning services - The one day we took the door sign off to get the room cleaned up, we returned to see that the bed was made, the trash was emptied, and the well-worn towels were replaced. (Maybe they are waiting until after the above mentioned renovation to turn the towels into rags.) The damp floor mat was left behind and the sinks were not cleaned at all - maybe that isn’t part of the service? I only noticed because I remember accidentally dropping some lotion on my way out and it was still in the sink when I returned. Bathrooms were motel-quality. Shower heads could use some updating. No amenities in case you forgot something. While it was nice to have a mini-kitchen 36-inches away from the bed (NOT), we always had to fight over the one fork if we did have anything to eat in the room. Our room could have used better lighting for reading in bed but maybe nobody else cares. While it is great that the resort offers a free shuttle service, the app is not optimal. Getting into town was easier because we could just wait in the lobby. Getting a ride back, was not as dependable and next time we will use Uber/Lyft. One night at 7:14 pm, I requested a ride on the shuttle and was notified that it would be a 20 minute wait. When it got closer to 8 minutes, we walked to the pick up stop in case the app hadn’t refreshed and the driver was closer. We saw one van drive toward the resort but figured we would be on the next one. The next van drove by us and waved and came back 10 minutes later. It took closer to 40 minutes to be picked up. We realize that it is a free service but I would warn people that if you are planning to come back after dinner and it is freezing outside, just use a ride service app. It seems that this is the kind of place that multiple families will come to and let the kids sleep in their own rooms. A couple nights there were a lot of pre-teens running back and forth to rooms, slamming doors, screaming & giggling. I didn’t say anything because they were having fun but I don’t think any parents were around. Maybe the parents were out having fun, too. This is the type of behavior I have seen when traveling with my kids to soccer tournaments and staying at Hilton Garden Inns or Marriott Residence Inns. After a long day of skiing, I would prefer quieter surroundings so we probably won’t be back. The Ugly: Nothing too ugly. There are some tweaks to be worked out and I assume a lot has to do with seasonal staff and lack of training. The resort has a lot of potential but it will take some work.

We have been spoiled with a few fabulous swanky ski in/ski out excursions, so this 5 star rating should be considered. This is not ski in/ski out, but it is right across the street from the main mountain base….ANd you can ski your skis and boots for free at the base area. I wouldn’t call it “swanky” but the rooms are very nice and clean. The rooms have more of a condo feel than a “nice” hotel. The rest of the hotel is clean and beautiful. The staff is SO helpful and friendly! We were not satisfied with the couch sleeper, so they brought us lots of extra blankets for cushion and a roll away bed, which was so much better!! Location is great for skiing and super easy for several restaurants. Also, they provide shuttle service downtown for extra places to eat. Easy!!