AUG 2025 CO Visit - Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon or Sheraton Steamboat Springs?

[jpa2825]

We are travelling to CO and have reservations at both locations. E-biking and light hiking, interesting sites along with good food and drink are the only factors. Just really looking for some downtime in a neat place we've never really explored. (We are not skiers so we are not scouting for a future visit in the winter.)

Flying in/out of DEN so I know Avon is about an hour closer each way. Not a huge deal as we are not pressed for time as we arrive AM and depart late afternoon.

Any suggestions appreciated.

(I think I read that Mountain Vista does not have A/C but Steamboat does so if the forecast is for hot weather, that will have a huge impact on where we stay.)

 

[rickandcindy23]

I love Steamboat Springs. The river is lovely for a walk. The falls at Fish Creek Falls is a nice little hike (tough going uphill back for me), and there is a botanical garden that is free and gorgeous, several themes, lot of hills and waterfalls and easy to walk. I could spend hours there. Avon is very commercial. Steamboat is gorgeous. AC is a must for me.

We loved the restaurants in Steamboat. Decent prices. We still did a lot of cooking.

 

[sponger76]

We are travelling to CO and have reservations at both locations. E-biking and light hiking, interesting sites along with good food and drink are the only factors. Just really looking for some downtime in a neat place we've never really explored. (We are not skiers so we are not scouting for a future visit in the winter.)

Flying in/out of DEN so I know Avon is about an hour closer each way. Not a huge deal as we are not pressed for time as we arrive AM and depart late afternoon.

Any suggestions appreciated.

(I think I read that Mountain Vista does not have A/C but Steamboat does so if the forecast is for hot weather, that will have a huge impact on where we stay.)

As far as the overall areas, both have lots of fun outdoors stuff to do. I tend to alternate visits to those areas, along with some others in CO.

If it's a first time visit, I would probably go with Steamboat. Steamboat has hot springs in and near town, whereas Avon you have to drive, closest would be Glenwood Springs. As for the towns themselves, Steamboat is a little more enjoyable to my family than Avon. But if you want to see very upscale resort shopping/dining areas, Vail/Lionshead as well as Beaver Creek are very close to Avon. For the resorts and in particular the rooms, Steamboat is a lot better, especially if you have one of the Morningside villas. Also as mentioned previously, Steamboat has AC and the properties in Avon do not. It usually doesn't bother me, especially if we open the sliding door to let in the outside air in the evenings, but I can understand those who'd rather have AC.

 

[tamu_bu]

List of mountain resorts and A/C.
Updated compilation.

Colorado
S. Mountain Vista - no
W. Riverfront - yes
S. Steamboat - yes
M. Mountain Valley - no
S. Lakeside Terrace - no
M. Streamside Evergreen - yes
M. Streamside Birch - no
M. Streamside Douglas - no

California
M. Grand Residence - yes
M. Timber Lodge - yes

Utah
M. Mountainside - yes
M. Summit Watch - yes

 

[jmhpsu93]

We picked Steamboat for next August based on a recommendation from a work colleague who lives in Denver and is up in the mountains all the time.

 

[craigc]

We are heading up to Avon tomorrow for a few nights and then the Steamboat mid Sept for 4 nights, both are great. Avon offers great restaurants in Beaver Creek and Vail is only a couple of miles back. We are going to try Fatoria tomorrow night, its a short walk from the resort. If you go to Vail, try Montauk @ Lionshead, you will not be disappointed! Breck is only 45 minutes away, great hiking and an awesome mtn town to hang out in for a day. The Breck gondola is free in Summer, Vail is not. If you want to river raft, Glenwood Canyon has you covered. If you select Avon, check out the Gerald Ford Amphitheater to see if any bands are playing when you are there and if you are into gardening, check out the Betty Ford Apline garden, my wife drags me there every year We dont think the lack of AC is an issue, open the windows at night and enjoy mother natures AC.

Steamboat is a nicer resort in my opinion but thats not to say that Avon is bad. The local bus is a short walk from the resort and that will take you downtown where there are plenty of places to eat and a great main street to shop. They do a sunset happy hour at the top of the mountain, hoping to do that in Sept.

You are correct about drive times, Steamboat is 3 1/2 + hrs, Avon 2 /12. If you are coming from sea level......hydrate, altitude sickness can catch people off guard. Try not to drive I70 on the weekends, it can be a shix show with locals and tourists. And bring a jacket, it can chill down at night.

I would not rule out both.....if you have 7 nights, maybe do 3 in Avon and 4 in Steamboat. Enjoy!

 

[vail]

Avon is only a place to sleep and buy groceries.
Vail is 9 miles away --all interstate driving and takes less than 10 minutes.
Beaver Creek is even closer.

Beaver Creek and Vail have much finer dining options if that appeals to you?

Both are much higher end than Brek or Steamboat.
Much nicer villages..etc.

Everyone has their own opinion, but when I read the above posts , I wonder if any of them actually left Avon--which is much lower end.
Sheraton in Avon is nowhere near as nice as the Westin....no comparison.

 

[jpa2825]

Decided to go with Steamboat. Thanks for all the feedback.

But, the plot thickens. Waitlist for Ritz Carlton Aspen Highlands just hit for WED & THU night. Today is our check-in day at Steamboat so I’m guessing we can’t get the 250 points back if we leave Steamboat on Wednesday to go to Ritz. Not a huge deal as all of the points in CO are very reasonable this time of year.

Sooooo - stay in Steamboat all 4 nights and cancel Ritz before WED (800 pts w JAN 31 final expiration returned to us) OR 3 nights in Steamboat and 2 nights at Ritz? (We’ve never been to a Ritz property associated w MVC so kinda interested in “how the other half lives.”

 

[Ski-Dad]

Do the 3 nights Steamboat and 2 nights Aspen Ritz. We want a full report back to we plebeians in this thread.

 

[sponger76]

Decided to go with Steamboat. Thanks for all the feedback.

But, the plot thickens. Waitlist for Ritz Carlton Aspen Highlands just hit for WED & THU night. Today is our check-in day at Steamboat so I’m guessing we can’t get the 250 points back if we leave Steamboat on Wednesday to go to Ritz. Not a huge deal as all of the points in CO are very reasonable this time of year.

Sooooo - stay in Steamboat all 4 nights and cancel Ritz before WED (800 pts w JAN 31 final expiration returned to us) OR 3 nights in Steamboat and 2 nights at Ritz? (We’ve never been to a Ritz property associated w MVC so kinda interested in “how the other half lives.”

You wouldn't be able to get the points back for leaving early after checking in. But if it were me, wasting 250 points would be worth it to go to the Ritz, assuming you're able to do everything you had wanted in the Steamboat area by Wednesday. I've stayed at the Ritz in Vail, which was awesome, and have been wanting to try the one in Aspen Highlands but availability has never matched my schedule thus far. The town of Aspen itself is also very nice, lots to see and do and very walkable. Just a little more pricey than Steamboat. If you can swing it, get a sightseeing ticket to go up the Silver Queen gondola, it's very nice up there in the summer, to me more so than the top of the Steamboat gondola.

 

[craigc]

Aspen for sure! We were just up there last week for a wedding and had a great time walking around. As Sponger76 said, take the gondola to the top for some amazing views! I think we paid $38 return trip but worth it. We are off to Steamboat for 4 nights Sept 14th, hope to see the start of Colorado's fall colors.