Vail Mountain Resort Reviews

This is a terrific resort, with tons of options for all levels of skiing and a very well run place, given the huge draw. Would definitely recommend.

EPIC Vail Australia has the worst customer experience. I tried to cancel my EPIC pass because I lost my job but they credited my Mastercard regardless. I was happy to for go the $49 early bird advance fee. However, EPIC wanted the full $1250.00 and do not reply to emails and have the money but I cannot go Skiing this year. I will never go to a Vail resort again.

Vail Resorts at Mt. Sunapee. Attempted numerous times to book a private first time ski lesson for my grandson. Two times my information was taken and I was told I did not have to online book and that their representative would get back to me in one day. Or I was sent to manager of ski shop and I only get answering machine. I do not recommend attempting to book any ski lessons at this resort. It will only waste your time. The booking systems is even more a hassle than its worth. I would recommend finding a ski area that cares.

Sign a very sad grandfather and disappointed six year old grandson!

get out there early and head to the back bowls to beat the crowds, esp at Blue Sky Basin. Enjoy bavarian food and drink at Sonnenalp for Apres!

I have been a customer of Vale for 15+ years.
We have spent close to a hundred K over that time as a customer getting Epic passes every season for our whole family, using their ski schools etc.
I lost my job and per to the refund policy I am allowed to get this seasons passes refunded.

But they have a 30 day loophole that prevents you from getting the refund.
The insurance company sends you to Epic. Epic says they have no control and send you back to the insurance company.

An absolutely DISGUSTING way to treat long term valuable customers and spread ill will about their company. They should be ashamed of themselves.

We stayed at the Tivoli Lodge and skied 3 out of 5 days in Vail. We booked everything online prior to our trip and did not buy the epic pass. Based on some review we read, it was clear that calling customer service to do anything would be a frustrating experience.

So we didn’t have any experience with the call center. In person, the staff at the ticket window ( had to add a day to our ticket cards) lifts, ski school, and dining facilities was great. A totally different experience than what you are reading about epic pass refund or customer service issues. The people that work on the mountain are fantastic. The skiing is some of the best in the country.

The village was so charming and all of our dining experiences were perfect. Reservations are required for dinners and a safe play for lunches as well but you can still find walk in first come first server lunches at most all village restaurants. Here is our list of awesome places to eat:

Fall Line
Mountain Standard
Bol ( we ate at table then bowled)
El Segundo
Up The Creek
The little Diner (lions head)
The Big Bear Bistro
Vendettas Pizza

Everything closes at 10, totally fine after a long day of skiing. 💤

Highly recommend the Tivoli Lodge, great access to Riva Bahn Lift and Gondola 1 for quick morning mountain and bowl access. Awesome staff!

Lift lines were minimal, we went the week after New Years which helped.

Don’t need a car, most things are walking distance but transportation form Eagle is expensive. Best you will do is $120 each way plus tip if lucky. Book this ahead, we didn’t and almost had an issue getting to vail. Uber/ Lyft unavailable.

This is a review for Wildwood Smokehouse at the top of Vail resort. Top quality smoked BBQ food and for vail, reasonably priced. This was the biggest surprise because in the city you pay more for comparable BBQ food. Well done to the chef for not compromising on quality and continuing a fine US tradition in BBQ food. Totally worth the visit. In my week visit, I went there 3 times for lunch, it was that good

I had another great trip to Vail skiing with friends.
I'm writing this review to point out that Vail has curtailed having hosts at the peak during week and the signage is poor, of what lifts are open or when they'll open.
Still a fabulous mountain to ski with fresh snow.

The views are so pristine, you just have to experience it for yourself! I was left feeling both peaceful & exhilarated

We had a ski week lined up this March for Saturday to Saturday which is typical for family ski week. We checked web site to determine status on Friday before departing and Vail Company indicated open for business but keeping an eye on developments. On Saturday we ,like many others, flew in , rented a car and drove to resort only to find out it had closed a few hours earlier. Certainly understand caution around the virus and need for closure perhaps but the way this was done indicated little thought to customers in way it was handled. The Vail company knows Saturday is big transition day for out of town guests and if they had provided notice of closure or even likelihood for closing as late as the Friday before it would have saved customers a lot of effort and money making the trip for nothing. Shows company lack of respect or consideration for customer.

DO NOT PURCHASE AN EPIC PASS!! I purchased an EPIC pass knowing I was dealing with the devil, but I did it anyways and of course got screwed out of almost a thousand dollars after being told a full refund would be given if I couldn't travel to Canada due to COVID.

Apparently, if you pay a $49 they will take the rest of your money for the pass even if you can't ski the next season. I don't plan on skiing 9 months pregnant, and they still want to take my money.
The customer service rep even argued with me on the phone "why would anybody pay $49 if they could just cancel?"
Errr... because they wan's a good price on the pass and most people actually WANT TO SKI. Seems pretty obvious, but he was clueless. And who talks to a customer like that?
Mind you, I'm happy to let go of $49 as my non-refundable deposit, no harm/no foul.

Vail has beautiful places to ski! But I am astounded by their lack of competent customer service.

In the interest of full disclosure, we are native east coast skiers and this was our 2nd trip skiing out west (Park City was the first). I don't think I could be happy skiing anywhere other than Vail! The size of the mountain and the diversity of trail options were perfect for my family (kids ages 12 and 13), all different levels and types of skiers. Great mix of green, blue, and black diamond trails, trails that are groomed, trails that are not, trails that have trees, and trails that don't, and then there are the "bowls"! We got lucky with good conditions. We also did a private family ski lesson that was super helpful. You can teach an old dog new tricks! Also helped to be in the ski school lift lines. We were there over the xmas/new years break so the main gondola and the main lifts to the top (Mountain Top) and back bowls were crowded. The crowd thins out after that. Yes, Vail is expensive. Was it worth it? It was for me.

There is also the procedural aspect of Vail that I appreciated. If you are a first timer and staying in Vail, know that there is beauty in being able to valet your skis at the base, so no need to walk around town lugging your gear. Our condo building used Ski Haus and it was great. See my review of Ski Haus for more details.

Tread lightly when making purchases of the Epic pass. First off they make it INCREDIBLY hard to refund. I bought a 6 day pass and in under 24 hours, I changed my mind and wanted to change to a season pass, before using any of my tickets. They would not allow me to upgrade to a season pass. However, that's not the worst of it - they worst of it is that automatically opted me in for auto-renewal of my 6 day pass, hidden under a collapsed tab. This september, i was auto charged for 6 more days for the 21/22 season with NO OPTION TO CANCEL. I noticed teh charge immediately and filed a refund

Vail has everything for everybody! All ranges of accommodations, restaurants, activities, and access to over a half dozen other ski resorts within 45 minutes.

I work in the ski industry as an instructor. My son and I planned for the first time to go out west.......So I got the Epic Pass assuming with the insurance that things would be okay. But they were not. He could not travel as he was in college and I could if I quarantined for 14 before and after.....that means not working. So we did not use the passes but assumed I would get at least some part back....BIG NO. Not only that but as a 2019/2020 I get the same discount as everyone, no discount as a pass holder.....Looking at the Ikon Pass.

It's huge! It's fast! It's fun! But it's not for beginning level skiers. The green lines could be blue lines in other resort. Another tip: rent the equipment in Vail outside of the resort and get them cheaper.

I think Vail has a front side but for us it was merely an access point to the back. Skied in Europe and some out west but have never seen anything like this place. Even over Presidents weekend, there is so much terrain, it rarely felt crowded. The glades were a dream - WFO and Skree Field were the family favorites. Already planning for next year. We packed most of our lunch and ate at Two Elk Lodge each day- the soaring ceilings helped it feel spacious even when packed.

I purchased an Epic pass & skied 7 days before Christmas. I fractured my hip on an icy run.
Vail customer service politely told me that there are no refunds or credits issued regardless of the circumstances.

Suggest all who are thinking of Epic pass should avoid Vail & ski at areas that share responsibility with their customers.

Bought the epic pass and traveled to Colorado for a week. Skied at vail and loved the trails….that was the only thing. Ran into someone due to vail not labeling a blind spot with a warning sign. After a few minutes a patrol woman skied by. She decided to get our info. I then got scolded by the man(in front of the patrol woman) and decided to defend myself and say please don’t call me that sir. After that the woman jumped into interrupting our conversation and told me to shut up. She even almost used the F-word but she held it in. I then proceeded to cooperate and give her all my info. After everything was done I got an email the next day saying my epic pass was suspended. Called vail and they said cause of my attitude towards the guest and employees…. My mouth dropped….did they suspend the wrong persons pass? Lol long story short the patrol woman lied to her boss and said I was very uncooperative, I yelled at the guest who called me stupid and was rude to the patrol woman all when I was just trying to talk to the man who called me stupid.
STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO NEVER GO TO VAIL MOUNTAIN

Thanks for this spectacular Ski Event. My dreams come true. The week was a mixture of all what a Winter can bring. And we Used all days to have good times, Great skiing experiences and fun ......

Vail is one of the world's finest ski resorts for advanced skiers. In my opinion this is not the place true beginners should be laying first tracks. Beginners should start with someplace less intimidating that has magic carpet type lift service, slow chairlifts, small vertical drop, lots of visible ski patrol, inexpensive lessons, etc.

I only skied two weekdays at Vail and four days at Beaver Creek. I wish I had at least a week for each resort but, alas, time was limited.

I heard Vail gets crowded on weekends. I was not present then. I had only one day of full sun skiing during which I hit all of the bowls except Outer Mongolia. The other day (Thursday) it was snowing all day. I skied exclusively the frontside Thursday while demoing skis... no point being in the bowls with such limited visibility, hidden creeks, rocky ledges and other obstacles.

I definitely intend to return to Vail. It is terrific for the high intermediate or advanced-to-expert skier. The quality and quantity of off-piste skiing is extraordinary. Beginners are likely to feel overwhelmed by Vail, so why spend the money on such a high level resort for first-timers? (My opinion only... so take that for what it is worth.) The quality of Vail's black diamond and off-piste terrain in late January really was second to none! It's an amazing place to demo skis.

First of all its pretty basic for a ski mountain to staff their lifts so they can be open. Second of all, do your maintenance on the lifts/gondolas before or after they are open. Don't wait for the busiest time day of the day to shovel the top off, shutting down the lift. Third of all the "#1" ski Resort in the country show be able to handle a great powder day, not shut itself down because they got a good dump.

I am pretty disgusted with Vail.

Vail is beautiful in the summer, walk around the shops, go for a walk on the trails around the village. Window shop or pick up a tee shirt. The Betty Ford gardens are beautiful and an easy stroll from vail village, for more adventures take one of the gondola up the mountain.

Vail is a shame company. After being assured if I purchased a 20-21 ski pass that I would be fully refunded if not used , after submitting claims twice with their ACM Insurance Company, I have received no refund and only rude and unhelpful responses from ACM and Vail. DO not trust this company!!

We’ve visited Vail 16 out of the last 21 years. We always seem to come back over other resorts because of the true European charm of Vail Village and Lionshead, the great dining experiences and options, and the unparalleled ski terrain options available.

Our kids grew up skiing Vail and went through the ski school from age 3 until 16. The instructors are top notch and my kids ski like experts on steep, bumps, trees, cliffs and deep powder. For the last three years my kids have skied with Todd Novak who teaches advanced kids and teens in the Black Diamond club. If your kids are level 7+ and want to have a great day skiing all over the mountain sign up for an all day group lesson in Lionshead ski school and try to ski with Todd.

We typically visit during President’s Day week and have never been disappointed in the conditions- it blows anything away that we’ve skied back home on the East Coast.

Can’t wait to come back again.

You'll run into visitors from around the world at Vail Mountain Resort. Staff is helpful and passionate. Covered with amenities and attractions, you'll never run out of things to do in Vail.

Vail is a great place to go skiing whether you're a beginner or an expert. Every lift is high speed and hardly any lines at the lifts, The front side has all the trails, while the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin are the bowls. Except for the fact that there are a lot of flat spots and traverses, Vail is definitely one of the world's best ski resorts.

You can’t beat Vail for great skiing and conditions! Personnel could not have been more courteous and helpful throughout our week. A couple of heavy snows helped provide variety and challenges.

Booked Scorpio #302 for 4 nights. Looks nothing like pictures. See real pics below. No air??? This was cleaned before I arrived? Out of here tomorrow.

As others have written. The Epic Pass customer service is a joke and they refuse to refund money even when THEY close a facility. I specified a SPECIFIC facility and SPECIFIC dates for their "Epic Coverage", yet they refuse to provide a refund even though THEY decided to close the facility. Dealing with Customer Service was a nightmare and in the end- they refused to refund these passes. Yes - the passes are cheaper, but the limitations and inability to get a refund are just not worth the risk.

Epic pass is a total scam.
I’ve been promised mine is arriving for several weeks.
I want to use a partner benefit in France and have been told via online chat (Impossible to find 99% of the time) that I just need proof of purchase.
I’ve found three different links to what you have to do.
1. proof of active pass and ID
2. Actual pass and ID
3. You must register your visit on the Three Valleys site 10 days before.

Well, I don’t have a pass to show and have no idea how you register your visit on the Trois Vallees site - No details given.

Vail is amazing even in the summer!! There are a lot of things to do provided your willing to spend the money. We enjoyed the gondola trip to the top and hiking the mountain.

Yes it is expensive but it is worth it. On a powder day you can’t beat the back bowls. A pro tip is to purchase a season pass in the fall, which includes 10 other resorts around the country and pays for itself in less than 4 days.

Great place but....NEVER BUY INSURANCE WITH American claims management !!!
Keystone ,the resort closed, reservation canceled, never used the ski pass for 2019 -20 !
I was thinking i'm lucky with the ski pass insurance i got , NO NO NO...
so far American claims management reject to refund

I have had the chance to ski several mountains in Colorado, Utah and Lake Tahoe and rank the Vail mountain among my favorites. Lots of challenging and varied terrain with efficient gondola and lift services with little wait time. I would recommend visiting during the week like I did because on the weekend it is very busy. The town of Vail is pretty cool also. I was at Breckenridge earlier in the week and it is a good mountain but would definitely choose Vail. Lift tickets are expensive so if you plan to ski a lot get the Epic Pass.

I am the Trip Director for a Ski Club in Michigan. We booked a trip with 46 participants back in June 2020. We were advised by Vail Resorts that they would no longer honor our group lift tickets per our contract and that we needed to purchase EPIC Day Passes. We all did. Our trip has been cancelled due to lodging restrictions put in place by Eagle County due to COVID. We searched for alternative lodging to no avail and had to cancel the trip. Another casualty of COVID!
EPIC passes come with EPIC coverage, an insurance so to speak that is supposed to cover you for cancellation due to COVID. Apparently, cancelling an entire week-long ski trip is NOT COVERED by this insurance! Really?
I have approximately people trying to get their refund back on their EPIC Day Passes ranging in price from $448 - $539! We have waited on the phone sometimes well over an hour just to reach customer service representatives that are extremely RUDE, NASTY and don't belong in a customer service setting!
Our club has been in existence since 1961 and has visited EVERY Vail Resort in the West...some we have been to many times. Our trips are week long trips with anywhere from 40 - 80 people! Huh...That's a lot of $$$$ in VR pockets! Well, guess what...we will NEVER visit another VR! This has been frustrating, and extremely disappointing especially in this day and time when we look to the kindness of others to make things just a bit better. Vail is going out of their way to make us even more miserable. We have all faced loss and sadness the last year and are looking for just a glimmer of hope. Good luck to all of you...you're going to need it!
~Signed One Very Unhappy Trip Director & Ski Club

I would not recommend Vail for skiing and definitely not for snowboarding. This resort is more for rich people who aren't interested in real skiing. Terrain is mostly flat and very tame. Too many people. Artificial village. And crazy prices. Double the price of comparable resorts.

I wouldn't go to Vail again ever.

Great instructors, emphasis on safety up and down the mountain, plenty of staff asking if they can help, great skiing, excellent experience every time.

Lessons at Lionshead

It's always the luck of the draw as to what type of instructor you'll get and this time, we were lucky enough to meet nice group mates and take lessons at a time when the weather was amazing.

As for the location, Lionshead is a great location for newer skiers and the price of lessons are on par with other Vail resorts. You can purchase one day of lessons or three days of lessons for the price of two. Also, the early season promos were buy one get one free for non EPIC pass holders ($314 -375 for 2 full days of lessons, lift tix and equipment rental).

Having taken lessons at other Vail resorts (Whistler Blackcomb and Wilmot), I was rather disappointed at this experience. School starts at 9:45a. Our group did not get started until 10:20a and we were the only Level 1-2 group (ski or snowboarding) to spend the ENTIRE day at the bunny hill and magic carpet. We were there so long that the guy operating the magic carpet asked me if I would try the "lift" that was less than 75 feet away, to which I responded that our instructor said we would NOT go on day 1, we could move on the next day. We pretty much had this area to ourselves. Had we not noticed that every other group of first timers/new skiers were further along and "learning" elsewhere, we would have believed that Lionshead instructors teach at an ULTRA slow pace.

After our 10:20 start, our teacher wanted to break for lunch at 11:15. We asked to keep going until 12:15-12:30p. Two of our group mates skipped lunch to practice more. They also opted to keep practicing when our lesson ended.

While I'm still scratching my head as to the reason we learned so little especially in comparison to others, I was reminded that our instructor mentioned at the outset that he would encourage each of us to take at least a second day of lessons. When the five of us piped up to say we all had purchased multiple days, he could have limited the lesson knowing that we would be returning for lessons with him on day 2 and/or 3. What he didn't know was that we wanted go with someone else in hopes of a better lesson. Hahaha. ...............The only problem with going with someone new was that we were taught FAR less than other level 1-2 groups.

The experience on the slopes is fantastic. The Back Bowls and front side have plenty of runs with differing vibes so that everyone in your group can have a great time. The rental places for skis are close enough to the lifts that putting on boots and getting in line is not a big hassle. Transportation throughout the village wherever you stay is well choreographed. We even took a free bus to Beavercreek and skied one day as they are sister resorts. The reason I left off the last star is that the epic pass and website and ski tracking updates with regard to grooming reports and all other updates are just too slow and inefficient and appear to be 10 years old. vail resorts inc needs to spend some more money updating this experience. Christy Sports offered great service at the rental spot, but there are other options as well. If you’re looking for big-time nightlife, you’re not gonna find it here as the apre’ lasts for a bout two hours or less and then everyone is cozied up in their own private spots/pub/condos getting rejuvenated for the next day. We found the streets rather empty, which was a surprise but now we understand why as it is a devoted ski area and the mountain is huge and can be tiring. Make dinner reservations. Do not rely in the epic pass gps tracking for any meaningful info. Go to Georges for local vibe. Ask the blue coats any questions as they are very friendly.

Home to the best skiing I have ever had in my life. All the staff were friendly and helpful whenever we had a question, always available to help find the best route to where you wanted to go. We found the epic passes to be of good value for money as we managed to visit Beaver Creek on our visit as well, we made good use of the photo service and have some beautiful pictures from this.

The epic coverage process is a scam. They'll leave you pending for weeks without telling you they denied your request and will nitpick for any trivial reason to deny your refund. Their guidelines are ridiculous enough to begin with and they'll still screw you over after making you go through whatever ludicrous process they ask you to. Never purchasing anything here again.

Absolutely terrible. At this stage I have been waiting 8 months now for my refund with no response from Vail. I want my $1050 back and I am sick and tired of having to harass them for something I am legally owed.

There is something for nearly everyone at Vail. The ski area is vast, the lifts are plentiful (if crowded at times), there are many restaurant and warming options, and the snow is very well maintained. We spent two and a half days cruising the groomers and hardly skied the same run twice. Blue Sky Basin is a long trek, but worth the effort.

Our visit took place over Christmas. It was a true winter wonderland. The lights and ice sculptures were amazing.
If you are a skier/snowboarder this mountain does not disappoint. The runs are amazing offering different levels for the range of skiers.

The place is huge, with very varied skiing terrain, that everyone in the family can have fun. Love the back bowls with their pristine snow, and the access to a lot of steeps.

We purchased 13 Epic passes and the insurance. We had planned on making a few trips to ski. Some of us went in January to their Okemo Resort. We went back in in mid-March to the Blackcomb Resort. Because of the Covid starting at that time we called to confirm they were going to be open. We arrived at the airport to get an email saying the resort was closed. So we had 3 people with multi-day passes that never got to ski. We had the insurance and tried to the info to file the insurance. We were told the insurance DID NOT COVER A PANDEMIC!!! We lost over $2000. As if that was not painful enough, you CANNOT GET ANYONE TO ANSWER THE PHONE to talk with you. You will get emails asking for MORE MONEY!! Stay away and get a pass when you get there. They are GREAT SCAM ARTIST!!!

Our first time at Vail - overall, very happy with the conditions, the mountain, lifts, gondolas, etc.
Very strict Covid protocols in place, especially surprising while waiting in line for the lift. If you are wearing skis/snowboard, you are automatically 6 feet from those in front or behind you. It is up to the riders to let others ride the lift with you (not your immediate family).
My son was yelled at and threatened to lose his lift ticket because his face covering slipped off his nose. That was too much.
Also, BRING $5 cash for the lockers (if you want to use one). The whole resort is cashless, but you need to buy a token for $5 for the locker and the machine only takes cash. I did not bother bringing small bills, as we are in Vail after all. After several attempts to get change from my $50 bill, the nicest lady at the gift shop gave me some.
We went on Wednesday and there were lines, but nothing longer than a few minutes.

Any company does not care about their customers does not deserve any star at all. We have been coming here for years, and have been on the season pass automatic renewal program for years. However, when Vail comes up a new marketing campaign / discount, they do not even bother to inform their loyal customers. They sent us the bills at the same time when they were offering their new discount program, why couldn’t they inform us the discount available in the same email? Obviously, marketing, i.e. marking themselves look good, is more important than taking care of customers.

Without epic powder Vail is just a so so resort. Spent a lot of time on cat tracks to get to lifts. For the size of the mountain they do not have enough lifts.

Don’t recommend sending groups here for meetings. I have been treated terrible yet I brought business to them. No communication and sitting on commission now with my group that stayed there for over 4 months! Avoid sending groups there for business.

Every place have something! Vail great mountain but lift tickets are super expensive!!!out of this planet

It may be heresy, but I find Vail overpriced and overrated. Once you get past the $170 lift tickets and the $40 charge for parking and finally get on a lift, you’ll discover the resorts main attraction...the Back Bowls....face the wrong way, due south. Now, if you catch Vail in a n extraordinary early season, with lots of snow and cold weather, the conditions can be quite good and the experience is extraordinary. And that’s why I cane this year. But most often, the strong Southwestern Sun and moderate temps are ruinous on the south facing bowls.

Also, once the season is in full swing, it can be very crowded, especially on weekends. finally get on a lift, you’ll discover the resorts main attraction...the Back Bowls....face the wrong way, due south. Now, if you catch Vail in a n extraordinary early season, with lots of snow and cold weather, the conditions can be quite good and the experience is extraordinary. And that’s why I cane this year. But most often, the strong Southwestern Sun and moderate temps are ruinous on the south facing bowls.

Also, once the season is in full swing, it can be very crowded, especially on weekends.

On the plus side, all the lifts are high speed and the grooming is extensive and excellent. But honestly, only come if it’s shoulder season (when lodging prices are reasonable)and the conditions are truly excellent.

We had to drive a bit further to get to Vail Ski resort but it’s worth it! Probably my favorite in Colorado. After snow days, the condition were outstanding. I had fun doing blues and blacks. A bunch of trails, I probably still missed some despite being there several time. A bunch of memorable moments I had with friends

Have skied in Montana, California and Utah and am always happy to return home to ski Vail. It's my favorite mountain to ski in the US.

We bought 2 Epic Passes for myself and my wife.
1. My wife was was diagnosed with a shoulder problem and required surgery - She met all requirements posted on the Epic Pass web site and submitted the correct documentation. This took several tries getting the right documentation they requested. Now 10 days later they want a signed doctors note. If this was just posted on the web site I would not have wasted my time or theirs and been done trying to get a refund. Clearly they do not want to give a refund and have a very painful process in place.
2. I also came down with Flu A and supplied the needed documentation and was not able to ski. This was denied so I have a useless pass that never was used

Not sure I would buy an EPIC PASS again.

Skied at Park City, plenty of snow but ski lifts continually stopped because of maintenance issues. In addition very little onsite grooming of Park City side of mountain. Haven’t groomed Prospecter or Assessment runs!

We hike here a few times a year (husbands favorite) and we really enjoy it. Lots of terrain for both beginners and experts. They do have a nice underground parking garage which is great for a snowy day but they charge you for it. Plenty of restaurants inside the village to Apres!

I have grown up going on snowboarding trips and to various resorts in Colorado and Utah and Vail is by far my favorite one. It is very diverse compared to most resorts and is HUGE, there is enough space to spread out that it feels much less crowded than other resorts. We went during the Christmas season and it still had this feel. The back bowls are so much fun for experienced skiiers and snowboarders, but despite the gnarly runs in the back they have plenty of beginner runs towards the front of the resort and near the main Vail Village which can be comforting for beginners when they see that buildings and familiar sites are nearby rather than just the snow covered mountains.

This is a review for the Vail Resorts pass, not Vail ski resort per se. I bought a ski pass for $600 last July. I ski every year and have bought their passes and assumed this year would be no different so I did not buy insurance. Surprisingly I got pregnant (was not thinking it would happen so soon) and my doctor told me under no circumstances could
I downhill ski- a potential crash was too risky (even though I’m a very experienced skier). So I called them up and asked them if I could get a refund. Nope. Could I use the pass next year? Nope. How about giving it away to someone else since they fee was already paid? Absolutely not. I was livid. They clearly discriminate against women. How did I know I’d get pregnant and need pass insurance to cancel? No way of knowing! So then I called back and asked since I’ve already paid and I am still going to Whistler (annual family vacation) could I at least use the money I paid towards renting snow shoes or cross country skis? No way.
So in summary Vail resorts is a money sucking vampire and has horrible customer service. I will not be skiing at the Vail resorts next year with my family and I urge any families considering getting pregnant to NOT buy ski passes from them.

In Dec 202-Jan 2021 I tried skiing at Vail, Breckenridge, and Keystone. I had expected a lot better job of safety during Covid. What I found were packed lift lines (so much for using reservations to limit numbers) where there was no line distancing enforcement. Worse, on the chair lifts they will seat unrelated parties 18 INCHES apart next to someone breathing heavily, wearing a useless mask (if they keep it on at all). I sent in an email complaint and received no response. Finally I was provided the online site for requesting a refund. They immediately made my pass inactive into mid February then provided a very limited number of standard medical/relocation options for actually getting a refund (after they already cancelled my pass!@). In an online chat with customer service they refused to deal with me and basically said they would not elevate my concern.

We went a perfect time. About 50-100 people on the mountain while we were there. We had the snow nearly to ourselves. Good groomed powder and nice trails. The Gondola up was great, Made it to two of the three bowls there. IT was gorgeous and the staff there is top notch! Just wish the cost was a bit less.

Early September we visited for a week including Labor Day weekend. OK the views and the walks spectacular but basically the place was closed. Very little choice of dining given the restrictions. Most shops closed hard to even get a coffee and breakfast forget it. Hope they make a living ski season because this time of year they clearly missed the boat. But then again the prices are so over blown they probably survive on one mug a year. Very disappointing.

Despite the obvious lie that Vail resorts would refund the Epic pass if certain criteria were met I bought a pass for 20-21. In December it was obvious that all the resorts I wanted to ski were already full with reservations. Epic opened a very small window from around December 3-7th saying that if you could not make a reservation at a resort you could apply for a refund. I submitted my claim showing that I could not ski at Stevens Pass Saturday December 12th. I followed all their rules and as of January 20th they will not refund my pass! Saying I did not have a qualifying reason. The current CEO needs to be fired! Very disappointed with the Epic pass. Thanks Ikon I am your customer for life.

Vail and Epic Pass have horrible business practices. They will lie to get you to come ski there because they "offer coverage" for a variety of reasons including covid but they will never actually give you your money back or credit your account. Huge disappointment. Was looking forward to visiting but will never give them another dime of my money.

Extremely poor customer service. Decided to get an Epic Pass this year. They used my photo from my last Epic Pass 5 years ago that is outdated and ugly. I requested to upload a new one online. They flat out refused. My only option is to go in person and get a new picture taken. Such an inconvenience for something so simple. I understand why they don't want people changing photos throughout the season so you can't swap passes, but they let new passholders upload photos online, so I see no reason why I shouldn't be allowed the same convenience after 5 years. If their customer service department can't accommodate me for something so simple, I'd be afraid to see how they handle anything more significant.

Superb ski domain, very pricey, caters to intermediate to strong intermediate or experts looking for nice conditions but not necessarily a challenge... much tamer than Whistler for example. They get light snow storms followed by sunny days, if the weather cooperates its amazing. For us (solid experts), the back bowls and blue sky basin were amazing and fun even if not difficult, just a little snow lasts for a day in the bowls and a few days in blue sky. We read about cat tracks and it wasn’t bad at all as long as you dont need to avoid experts terrain.

Epic journey to Vail was all we expected for the slopes. The village itself was under Covid restrictions and so the village experience itself was average. If you can find a place such as the Wren, to stay near the village and walk and not rely on shuttles the better off you’ll be. Make sure you make reservations well in advance for dining options Apre ski as well as on the mountain for your lunch break. The disappointment for the ski trip was the entire epic app. It is slow, not modern, does not keep track of things very well, and just is not user-friendly. Use the app skitracks if you want accuracy. Dig on the street taco menu at Los Amigos for dinner. Best value in all of vail. We rented a car and drove from Denver and did not take the shuttles. Saved money that way, the drive was not bad, but most importantly it allowed us freedom when the flights were canceled for two days as we extended the rental car and explored the Rocky Mountains instead of being stuck at the airport hotel.

Anticipated much more crowds and was pleasantly surprised to find average lift lines, but excellent skiing!
There are so many trails that you could always find plenty of space to ski. Add to that beautiful sunny days and mid 30s temperatures made for excellent skiing.

The town is packed after lifts start closing down, so we never had the opportunity to grab a beer or food. They took reservations and we didn't want to wait so headed back to rental house.

Excellent free bus route so if you're staying in West or East Vail, it was easy and convenient not having to drive and park.

We've skied several mountains in Colorado and Vail is one of our favorites. The mountain / ski terrain is massive and they have terrain for all abilities. We skied green's, blue's and blacks and we were fortunately to have fresh snow powder 3 of the 4 days we were there which made the trip excellent. Amazing enough the lift lines were not long at all and we waited no more than 5 minutes for each lift and often skied right on. The staff was very friendly and all in all Vail great place to go for snow skiing. The only negative is it is expensive.

Skied at a lot of mountains but nothing compares to Vail. Perfect mountain for any level skier. It really is “like no place on earth!”

Vail Resorts is a terrible company. I bought an Epic Pass for this 2021 -2022 season, and with the purchase I also purchased their insurance policy to cover several contingencies a 76 year old may encounter, especially medical. Unfortunately I was bitten by a mosquito with West Nile Virus, nearly died, and am slowly recovering my ability to walk. Skiing is out of the question. Vail Reservations referred me to their claims processor, ACM. They flat out stone-walled me for weeks. Vail’s executive management has completely isolated themselves from customers. You cannot contact anyone in Broomfield by phone or email. Their culture will eventually catch up with them. Hello Alterra.

Vail is always a great place to ski. Huge mountain, charming village at the base, lots of shops and restaurants, great snow.

Well there is one word to describe Vail Mountain Resorts. Spectacular! We I have been coming here as a couple for 15 years and I have been coming to Vail for 20 plus years. There is no better place to ski then Vail. The upgrades on the lifts to move more people has been tremendous. I believe it’s 11 new lifts in 10 years. Even when it’s busy the lines move fast. There is so much terrain to ski and all types of terrain from beginners to expert. The staff at Vail is second to none. There is no better place to go then Vail.

Epic pass vail resorts has the worth costumer service especially for military dependents. I have been calling 2 a mint for 3 months to gwt thing sorted out and no one. Has been able to get my partner verified even after ive provided them with all the documentation they wanted. Now its too late to buy a pre season pass and prices have sky rocketed

I have skied many resorts in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico. I still come back to Vail. Secret: ski midweek, travel on I70 against traffic. Terrain at Vail is unbelievable. Back bowls are amazing. Apres ski is amazing. Lots of smiles here. Unless you want extreme chutes on terrain that may not be covered with snow well due to rocks and cliffs (Jackson hole, Taos) —yeah they are steeper but lift lines at JH usually worse ! Downside is food and lodging are expensive. Upside: water is free and a few energy bars in your pocket for lunch at beautiful two elk at 11,200 feet looking out into China Bowl can’t be beat

Ski trip with family and friends does not get better. Busy holiday weekend but skiing on the incredible back bowls never feels crowded. Third trip to Vail but as the lift brings me up to the Summit I am in awe and it feels like the first time. Tons of snow and first tracks, some sunshine and mild weather make for a glorious trip.

Customer service is atrocious. Agents can barely speak English. Do everything you can to avoid speaking to them on the phone.

Vail Mountain Resort is just okay. My family and I went on a ski trip from Monday-Friday in February. On the first day we skied, the conditions were exactly like east coast conditions (bumpy and icy). On the third day, it finally snowed the night before. We woke up, got to the slope before it opened and the gondola one line was all the way throughout the village- so ridiculous. We waited in line for 35 minutes before being able to get on the gondola. As we finally got off of the gondola, most of the trails were not groomed (it snowed about 1-2 feet the night before). The powder was great, but very very heavy. It is NOT champagne powder they receive here in Vail. I have skied in a lot of conditions, and these conditions were by far the worst (coming from an east coaster- this means it was pretty bad). It was difficult to have a good time when you are knee deep in powder trying to get down the slope. I am an intermediate-advanced skier as well as my family members. The lift lines were extremely long while we were skiing and there is a TON of flat terrain in Vail. On most of the green trails, you are practically walking.. it is a nightmare. The whole ski area feels small, crammed and stuffy especially the gondola area. The only thing that makes this resort bigger than other resorts in Colorado is the back bowl area.

The atmosphere is fine in Vail. The resort is right off of the highway which does not give the mountain an isolated feel, which is not that relaxing. The village is full of shopping and great restaurants, but extremely overpriced with high end shopping and what not. There is an ice rink and the whole village gives you a European feel. Overall, we had nice family time, but had the worst skiing experience we have ever had. My father has been skiing all over for over 50 years and said the same thing. We would choose Steamboat over Vail any day.

This place is huge. Even with all the fresh powder the lift lines were reasonable and there was plenty of room on the mountain.

As a ski mountain Vail is great - huge amount of runs for all skill levels. But for a place to bring kiddos its not so easy and there's limited things to do beyond skiing compared to other mountains. Lions Head has a top of the mountain magic carpet that was fun, and a "discovery center" yurt that has a few things in it. And Golden Peak has a few other magic carpets but takes some walking/shuttling to if you are not staying at that location.

While touted as "ski-in, ski-out", it's probably better to state that Vail is "walk a lot, ski, walk a lot". Most people use ski/boot storage services to avoid the extensive walking. But realize that shuttle service requires a long walk to get from the bus stop to the lifts. It's not convenient unless you store your gear near the mountain. So be forewarned if you go, either get a place near the lifts, or get a boot/ski storage place near the lifts to save all the walking in your boots!

We tried a lot of the famous places in town for dinner, and they were good, but most seem overrated in terms of quality, service, or value. And plan on making reservations or you may not be able to find anything, which is another hassle with Vail. And overall service seems to be spotty, with a bit of an attitude. The staff at most places seems to be harried, i.e. customers are a hassle, and waiting is the norm. Thanks Vail.

Knowing the above, we will probably look at other mountains next time before heading back to Vail.

We stopped in late October before the ski runs were operating, but 70% of the store and 60% of the restaurants were open. It was 60-degree weather, not crowded and pleasant walking through the village shopping, and enjoying lunch at the Alpenrose.

How can I say anything bad about Vail Mountain. It is a great ski experience and the lift folks keep lines moving quickly. Cannot wait to ski here again

Buyer Beware. If your purchase an Epic Pass and get sick or injured and are unable to use the Pass - be sure to do this:
Have the doctor write in the discharge notes that you cannot ski for a minimum of 30 consecutive days from the date of diagnosis.
Otherwise, Epic Pass will not honor its Refund Policy, no matter what your injury or illness is - even if it is painfully obvious that you cannot ski for that period of time. Epic Pass does not care; they rely on their fine print that no one reads to avoid refunds.
Last season we purchased several ski passes for the family for a week-long trip to Keystone, Colorado. I am a volunteer firefighter and EMT and rarely get ill. Unfortunately, I came down with pneumonia the morning after we arrived. After two visits to the local hospital, I was hooked up to an oxygen machine for the entire week. When we left Keystone and descended to Denver, where I could breathe without an oxygen machine, we had to remain in Denver for a week until a doctor cleared me to fly home.
After we finally returned to Maryland, my wife contacted Epic Pass to request a refund for my unused Epic Pass. We provided Epic Pass with the needed medical documentation signed by the doctor showing the diagnosis, my hospital stay, and the need to be on oxygen continually until we descended to Denver’s lower altitude, along with the clearance later to fly.
This documentation was insufficient; the person at Epic Pass first did not understand why I could not go up the mountain with pneumonia to a higher altitude and ski with an oxygen tank - I am not kidding. They then requested a note from the doctor saying I could not ski that week. After pointing out the discharge notes, which stated that I was to engage in no physical activity (no problem, I could barely breathe), they told us that I could come back later that season and use the Pass, which was absurd considering the cost involved and the fact that I still needed to recover fully.
We went back and forth with Epic Pass, and they finally said they wanted a letter from the doctor in Colorado stating that I could not ski for 30 consecutive days after the diagnosis. They could have started with this, but now it was months later that they pointed out the fine print, so how did I now get that from the doctor in Colorado? If I had known this upfront, I could have had the doctor write this in the notes. They had no intention of ever refunding the money.
Considering how much money I paid for my entire family to ski for the week, it is appalling that EPIC would treat a customer this way. I am not sharing this information because of the money but because people need to know what type of company Epic Pass is and be warned.

Vail is a huge ski resort with countless runs, a modern lift system, and great snow. It has lots of moderate terrain great groomers and caters to the wealthy skiers who flock to its village. There isn’t a lot of steep terrain and prices for lift tickets, food lessons and lodging are excessive. $209.00 for a one day lift ticket, $1,100.00 a day for a private ski instructor $18.00 for a hamburger. There are less expensive resorts with everything Vail has to offer. If you love the shopping, want to be seen with the rich and famous and can afford it, you might want to go there. You will have a great time but it will cost.

Huge resort with great bowls. Of all the resorts I've skied at, I do think this one trends to the more advanced and has fewer "green" runs than others.

The customer experience is a horror show....took me 50 minutes to order 3 4 day passes for aldults....horrific, and pathetic. I don't care abou tthe mountain, the snow, whatever, the customer service experience is the worst, and gets worse every year.....I choose to go elsewhere

This course is not for beginner skiiers. Please know what you are doing when you come here. It is not easy.

Reservation to ski, reservation to use the hot tub, reservation for village connect, reservation for lunch on the mountain, reservation for dinner, reservation to breath Vail Resorts air and you're lucky to even get a reservation. Don't dare think about walking anywhere besides the house/condo/hotel room you rent without your mask over your nose. Even if skiing/boarding on Vails slopes with no-one around.

Nice Mountain. Vail is known for being a great place to ski. But this resort is probably the most expensive place to go skiing in the US. Current lift tickets are $209 per day & parking is $50 a day. All lodging in the area is very pricey.

The village is write nice but lengthy. Every kind of shop you might want related to skiing, eating, lodging, etc.

This resort is quite large & very spread out.

Vail is what you expect. A huge spread out mountain with something for everyone. Activities. Shopping. Spa. Biking. Running hiking. Skiing. Boarding. Excursions. And although large and accommodates a lot of people. It still feels quaint. And the ambience makes you smile. A must do.

Alas, Farewell Vail. For more than 20 years, we have celebrated my birthday at Vail and regret that I won’t be celebrating my 90th this year at Vail due to Vail Resorts, Inc. lack of empathy and ethics.

Last year, due to COVID, we did not ski Vail once. In the spring of 2020, we renewed our Epic Passes to meet the Vail deadline since it appeared that COVID might be improving. The information given by Vail looked as if we could have refunds if necessary and we had their insurance. That fall, Vail automatically charged our credit card for the full cost of EPIC passes, approximately $1,500.

As the season progressed, we were advised not to travel due to our ages and other problems. We obtained the necessary documents from our physicians and submitted them to Vail’s insurance company which refused to refund. We discovered later that Vail Corp. wrote the insurance company’s claims protocol which made it almost impossible to receive refunds.

For many years we have gone to Vail one week each month: Dec., Jan., Feb., March. We have spent many $1,000s on hotel, meals, equipment, clothes, etc. Never again!

After receiving our claim refusal, we sent registered letters to each Vail Corp. board member and CEO. Not one person responded to our letters. We offered to extend our passes to this year. Again, no one bothered to reply.

We’ll miss our stays at the Tivoli Lodge and all the memorable meals, both on the mountain (really enjoyed the 10th) and in town. We’ll miss sitting at the sushi bars, Osaki and Yama, and the warm reception at Lancelot Restaurant.

Barbara Lenssen
Keith Anderson

Family with grown son not teenager. I didn’t have choice of (Family only) to mark. The Eagles Nest is absolutely Beautiful! We rode the Gondola up from Lionhead and had lunch up there. Don’t miss going up and seeing the views.

Pretty pricey for a day pass at this mountain.
Probably due to them having lots of people at the gate scanning your lift pass.
Beautiful Alpine village nevertheless

Complete Scam! I was robbed $300 in light of CDC mandate to not travel! No refund, claim denied and no transfer of pass for next year! Terrible customer service! Got hung up on 3x!

Being from Florida, we had no clue what we needed. Autumn at the private lesson desk was great. She took her time explaining what we needed and hooked us up with instructor Charlie Clarke, who was awesome! He was kind and patient with us all and made sure to accommodate my husband and son who took to snowboarding in like 10 minutes and to my daughter and I who were a bit more hesitant. Amazing experience!

You don't need to read reviews to know that Vail is world class and with a visit.

Just plan your hotel or VRBO early as the valley had limited places during high season.

We've skied at Vail several times and always have a good time. The resort is huge with a lot of terrain for every level of skier and boarder. This trip, we skied Vail twice midweek. It's a very popular resort and gets crowded on the weekends. The snow was very good even though they didn't have fresh snow the nights before. The food at the lodges for lunch is incredibly overpriced and is mediocre at best.

This was my second time at Vail, 2019 being the first time. My daughters and I are beginners and signed up for three day group classes. My 9 year old got the hang of it quickly and moved up to higher level by day 2. Although I had a slow start, felt confident on second day as well thanks to my amazing instructor Jill. She only teaches first time and beginner skiers. She is knowledgeable and patient and provides feedback each step of the way. It’s not easy teaching 40 year old adults to ski for the first time, but she has a talent for it. The resort itself is quite large with runs for all types of expertise levels. My husband got to ski the back bowls this time and absolutely loved it. Vail never disappoints… can’t wait to return.

Have been to Vail/Beaver Creek summer (mostly) and winter once. Loved both seasons. But we are seniors, from Florida, so enjoy coming in the summer to escape Florida heat. We are NOT in great shape, and have several serious medical conditions, but we acclimate to elevation fairly well, mostly by drinking tons of water. Vail and Beaver Creek are such beautiful villages, with so much to do in summer. We’ve bike from Vail pass, gone white water rafting, took a Segway tour, and rode gondola up Vail Mountain for spectacular views and a fun activity center with zip lines, tubing, rope courses and a mountain coaster. Rode lift up Beaver Creek mountain for awe-inspiring views and a great lunch. Plus, great shopping, dining, festivals galore.

Amazing snow well groomed with terrain for everyone in the family! The staff are everywhere and top-notch - always ready to answer a question. The parking at Vail in the Village center is $30 per day but we felt it was worth it. You can shuttle from many hotels, but we liked the flexibility. If you park in Vail Village on level 3 you enter through a Mexican Cantina near lockers and restrooms for your final preparation.

Pepe’s has great live music from 4-6 and 7-9. Acoustic guitar and a fun mix of
Music - bar food and good drinks. Bistro 14 was great for a nice lunch and a warming drink. Plenty of choice for vegans at many restaurants.

The EPIC pass provides access to both Beaver Creek and Vail. We reloaded the evening before to save a few bucks. It gave us the flexibility to assess who would and would not be skiing each day rather than fully commit to the multiple day tickets.

Beaver Creek lifts are open a little earlier (8:30) and stay open until 4. Whereas Vail was 9-3:30 for the last gondola. In either case it’s fantastic terrain with choices for all levels of skiers.

If you are tried and sore after several days of skiing I recommend the Yampah Spa and Salon in Glenwood Springs. It’s about 50 minutes and is a cute town to walk around, visit local craft shops and have a local craft beer. But the spa is the star - it is historic and amazing! The vapor caves are great to sweat out toxins, then relax in a mineral water bath to wash away those worries and sore muscles. Finish it off with a massage from very talented staff. They provide towels, robes, flip flops and refreshing lemon/tangerine water. I’m pretty sure I skied better the next day!

It is unbelievable to me how terrible the customer service for the Epic Pass is! There are no options for people who were not able to use the pass even once due to the challenges of COVID. They don't even have the decency to put you in touch with someone that can take your information. I would have purchased the pass for ten more years, now I won't ever purchase one again!

Had a terrible experience with Vail's customer service and promises made and not followed through on related to the epic pass. Very disappointed in the resort and their business practices.

They DO NOT SHIP the passes!!! They just charge you and then every time you call they tell you the passes are "on the way". I STILL have not received the passes I ordered back in APRIL 2019 and now it is MARCH 2020!!! Vail gave us the run around for a year. It is deplorable. They say you can just check in at the resorts to collect your Epic Pass but this is not the case. We were turned away in Sun Valley and left to buy new passes on our own. A dispute with the credit card company was successful. Vail failed to respond to American Express. They assume you will never follow up to seek a refund. Strongly advise against buying Epic pass after our experience.

As a passholder for 20yrs this year the reservation system is a nightmare. You are unable to talk to a person as every time I call it states their system is experiencing a high call volume and then it hangs up on you. The chat line is just as bad with a 750 min wait time!! You can only make reservations for 7 days at a time. It appears that you have to use all the days before being allowed to make additional reservations. It is impossible to make lodging reservations ahead of time if you don't know if you will have a ski reservation. It seems like we will be forced into last minute lodging which will be expensive. This is a nightmare for locals who are working and have to plan. Customer services is horrible. After 20 years of being a customer we are being treated awful.

We always love skiing here. We changed it up a bit so get ready. We parked at Vail Village ( not Lionshead) on level P1, this way you only have to walk up 1 flight of stairs. It is a good 10 minute walk to the gondola so we do NOT walk in our boots. Instead we have backpacks with all of our gear. Walk to guest services, get a basket for $10 and head straight to the Gondola from there. The conditions for skiing were not great due to lack of snow at the time we were there, but I am sure it is better now. Vail does a great job with their grooming so arrive early to get the best snow. Lunch reservations are not really needed, there were always tables available. You do need to wear a mask and show proof of vaccination ( get the sticker on your pass) The bathrooms could have used some service, but could be due to lack of staff. Food that day was fair. We were there on a Saturday so super busy, returned on Tuesday and had the mountain to ourselves.

Their customer service at Epiq Pass is extremely poor. They will not work with customers and the experience I has seems like they’re not concerned with keeping or adding new customers. We will be taking our ski and snowboarding business elsewhere.

Incredible ski lesson with Kyle Ruhter. My friends and I did an all-day group lesson with him. Keystone resort (a Vail resort in Keystone, CO) has great Greens, carpet, and learning areas from my experience. Groomed and great conditions. With Kyle, I finally got turning down (which previous instruction at another resort didn't through to me!). His techniques just make sense. He has almost 25 years of ski instruction experience to back that up! He gave each person in our group lesson individual attention and specific, actionable feedback. Not only that, but he is kind, patient, and truly cares. Through sense-based instruction, Kyle can convince even beginner skiers to make this a life-long sport! He certainly did that for me. 11/10.

Vail, though pricey, always is a treat. Plenty to do for any occasion and the mountain is special for all types of skiing.

Never regret coming to Vail and will always be a destination for my family!

Vail is a fantastic mountain with so many options for all levels. I can go with my friends and family or hit up the steep slopes and trees when I want to get more intensity

Excellent place to visit. The downtown market has varieties of local outfits and gifts shops. The nature around the area is worth visiting

This world class resort is great for skiing in winter, but don’t miss it much n the summer.
There are flowers everywhere, and it is gorgeous. Dine on one of the many patios, featuring stunning flower boxes, and some are on the creek. Hike, bike, enjoy!

Don't pre buy the Epic Pass! The deposit is non refundable and is actually a commitment to buy the full pass! You credit card will be charged. This is just a scam to sell the cancellation insurance.
No consumer protection! Keep my deposit and release me from the commitment to buy the Epic Pass.

Staying at the Marriot for a medical meeting. At lunch took the gondola at Lionhead up the mountain. 20 min , not too crowded but enough activities for all , kids adults and the air is so fresh and the 360 view of all the peaks just wonderful. Unfortunately I only have 1 hr and need head back to the meeting

We had a wonderful time on our weekend away in Vail.
We stayed in the village which made our walking so much easier.
The restaurants, bars and stores kept us busy. There was also a jazz and food event to add to the entertainment.
We would definitely recommend the area for the summer hiking and biking.

PATHETIC SERVICE AND Policies ---vail resorts "Epic AustraliaPass for the 2021 season was a complete waste of money unles you were a local. As i wasn't and with all the borders being shut, they wait until early october to tell you they are holding your money to purchase a pass for next year, but the best part was they are giving u 5 days to use the credit or you will have to pay the balance for the price rise that is happening- so unfortunately i will use it- but unfortunaetly they will lose 3 x adult full passes for the next 25 years plus a younger adult , so that will be 50 years = Roughly 100 thousand dollars - KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK IN RIPPING PEOPLE OFF..

Excellent grooming, courteous staff and a great lift network. We were pleased to return after a 12 year break.

If I could give them 0, I would.
I purchased 2 passes, one epic, one Whistler local pass. To make a long story short, the epic pass was an error and I have been trying to contact someone since September of 2020 to deal with this.
When the refund was announced earlier this year, I applied for refunds for both passes, because I was unable to use either, being on Vancouver Island.
I actually received a refund for the Whistler local pass.
But I am STILL waiting on a refund for the epic 3 day pass.

Vail, epic, ACM, and Whistler have been absolutely ZERO help. (Neither has M/C to boot)

This is just highway robbery and I will NEVER spend money at a vail resort ever again.

DO NOT BUY THE EPIC PASS!! If you do be careful, make sure you do not auto renew! Last season I bought the epic unlimited pass for my family. Wife and two kids. We live in Arizona and did not maximize the pass. As I am putting away my ski gear (May 1)I realize that I have been auto renewed for next season. completely my fault. After speaking to Vail Mountain Resort to try and fix my mistake, I was told that regardless of any details Vail Mountain will charge my credit card $3000 for next year’s passes. 3 levels of “customer service” has told me that regardless of what is right I’m stuck with buying a pass.. no refunds,, my mistake, may1st for next year! I have bought my family vail mountain passes for several years but I’ll never plan my trips around EPIC mountains again! I bought the insurance last year for my pass and was told to contact the insurance company!! I’m not the guy to lie to the insurance company. I made a mistake by checking the auto renewal. I’ve asked Vail to refund the $308 renewal and not to charge me for the passes 2019-2020 because they do not fit my needs. This is not right. THIS IS FOR NEXT SEASON!!!

Vail is a special place. The base lifts are among the easiest to access from the parking lot. The tree skiing is the best in the area. Lifts are fast. I was there on MLK day and never waited in line.

Congratulations Vail, every single staff person I interacted with was friendly, helpful and personable. Lift ticket agent x 2 (Cody!) (Sorry I can’t remember the other person’s name, so so helpful, read me the information because I had forgotten my reading glasses!!) Super Information people in red coats, helped with directions while standing in cold snowfall. Yes, Vail, you charge too much, yes you are corporate, but you have not completely lost track of us humans. Thanks for making it easier to ski this beautiful mountain.

Epic Headache

Epic Headache: I bought two of the Epic Passes for a University of Illinois Winter Ski Trip to Breckenridge. The University canceled the trip due to COVID. I have not received a refund, and now have received a letter stating that Epic Coverage did not cover the cancellation. I have never been able to reach anyone by phone. Literally sitting on the phone for hours. I spent a lot of time putting together the information that documented the canceled trip. Still the letter says it is not refundable. Now I have contacted Citibank my credit card company to see what they can do. I have taken 2 other ski trips and used the Epic card. My advice, do not buy in advance and do not trust the "Epic Coverage" for COVID refunds.

Snowboarding at Vail was so much fun! There were a ton of runs and the views from the mountain were incredible. Would love to go back!

Always a lovely time skiing in Vail. Allow plenty of time to see the whole mountain and to get between the 3 bases.
There is a great free shuttle service that runs through the village too so if you do end up on one end and your friends on another end it is easy to catch up via the shuttle.

We stayed in Lionshead, good vrbo walking to the gondola. It gets very busy , starting around 7:30 am to get in line for the trip up the mountain.
I found the back bowls to be fun, frontside was good. Place has a weird vibe. I was surprised at the amount of people from other countries on the mountain. Truly an international destination. Bart and Yeti’s was a good stop. Everything is wildly overpriced, don’t think we will be back.

Great hiking with a great guide, Ben H. He also apparently does mounting bike guiding and the 4x4 guiding as well. Very knowledgeable, keen sense of humor. If there is a plant or animal he doesn’t know about on this mountain I would be surprised. Great with kids and adults.

This is a very clean, posh, attractive and pedestrian-friendly site. Great shops, restaurants, cafes and more. Something for everyone. Seems to be a place for locals (ie the public library is nearby along with some religious centers and hiking/biking trails) but mainly a place for visitors who can shop/dine/drink to their hearts' delight. She local art dons the property - very charming. Parking may be a challenge - be prepared to pay for parking if you can't find it for free. Great place.

Vail is the worst company I’ve every come across!! Everything about this company is designed for them to get your money!! The Epic pass is the biggest rip off!! We didn’t get to use our passes at all this year saving up our few days for Spring Break but were canceled due to COVID-19. I feel we should be getting a FULL refund, not a partial credit toward another waste of money Epic Pass! NEVER AGAIN!!
I was sooooo disappointed when Vail bought Crested Butte, all they did was Jack up the price and made everything much less customer friendly! They’ve ruined it!! Sooo sad!!!

I suppose I will add to the long list of complaints about Vail’s total lack of customer service.

Vail is a beautiful place, and Mother Nature has not been kind with snow this year. That is understandable. What is not understandable is Vail’s refusal to limit lift tickets to the point that skiing is outright dangerous, even for experienced skiers.

Lift lines were 30 minutes or more everywhere with the wait for lifts on the beginner hill at Lionshead even longer. It seems that lack of true beginner terrain and ridiculous lift lines encouraged some beginner skiers to venture onto runs for which they were not prepared. Crowded runs, stopped skiers, and other skiers/boarders flying way too fast created an absolutely miserable ski experience. There were just far far too many people for the amount of open terrain.

I have never seen a mess like this on a hill in over 25 years of skiing. I skied one run today, got plowed down by an out of control boarder and called it quits. It’s the first time I have ever felt unsafe on a hill due to overcrowding. I would have tried to speak with management, but that line was also so long that it just wasn’t worth the wait, plus I seriously doubt they would have cared. They already got (a lot) of my money and that is their only concern.

I understand that there isn’t much snow, but I do not understand why Vail did not limit ticket sales to a reasonable number of people on the mountain. Its absolutely unacceptable. I expect Vail to be expensive, it is Vail after all, but I also expect a reasonable level of service and concern for pass holders. This was, however, the absolute worst mountain experience I have ever had. I will not be returning, there are far better places to ski with management that cares. Vail has gotten so big that they have forgotten about service and only care about profit.

These people are the absolute worst. We moved out of our Epic Pass report town and needed to cancel the auto-renewal of our passes. After trying for months to get through via phone (experience from August 2020 until now has been "higher than expected call volumes, call back later" and sending multiple emails to which we never received a reply, I finally got through today after waiting for 45 minutes on hold. The rep - Jason - was rude from the first word of the conversation, said they did not have a record of our attempts to cancel within an acceptable time frame and refused to refund our money for Epic passes we won't ski a single day on. And we've been trying to reach them since August.

Jason the "customer service" rep then hung up on me when I calmly asked if there was a supervisor or someone else I could talk to.

Disgusting. This corporation has lost its soul.

Customer service at Vail Epic pass is pathetic and they don’t care AT ALL about the customer!!!! I am disgusted and hope they go bankrupt with the path they chose!!!

EPIC PASS
This is a HORRIBLE company to work with. I purchased a ski pass for my son and it was sent to someone else. After spending 4 hours on the phone with HORRIBLE customer service, nothing was fixed. I now have no ski pass to give to my son for Christmas and he will not be going skiing. Please purchase from anyone, but Epic!!

After reading some of the other comments, I guess my experience was better than some. But it is not what it used to be. The snow and mountain were great. But the overall experience was not. I've been to Vail many times and have always been satisfied with the amenities and customer service. Now it seems like they've cut back in many ways as the price of a lift ticket continues to go up. There are no tissues to be found anywhere on the mountain, but the much bigger issue is that there were fewer people working on the slopes. There were no ambassadors to answer questions, no one to coordinate the crowds in the lift lines, no one to help load equipment on the gondola, and no one to help when there was a problem. A pass for one of the people in our group that worked in the morning did not in the afternoon. The lift scanner responded with an attitude, and we were told to go inside to take care of the issue. After waiting in line for nearly 45 minutes and spending another 15 to fix the issue, our group returned to skiing, but without enough time to go to the higher elevation as we'd planned. We were stuck with the crowds in the lower elevations on a very crowded day. Our group of 5 lost an hour each of ski time due to Vail's internal problem and lack of staff to handle the issue (the payment for the pass was linked to an old account). The whole experience left our group feeling ripped off. I have always loved Vail, but not sure I will go back.

Absolutely amazing skiing and a great experience overall. This was the first experience my kids (8 year old twins) had on a big mountain and it was perfect for them! We stuck to green and blue trails and just barely scratched the surface of this vast wilderness; the kids in particular loved the Kids Adventure Zones which are side glades off the green trails full of intro-level groomed terrain amidst the trees. The staff was always friendly and helpful. The gondolas are great and the dining options on the mountain itself were wonderful. We came away looking forward to skiing Vail again, and I was impressed with Vail as an operator.

Great ski resort! I skied with friends at Vail and it is a vast mountain with great skiing! The length of many runs is 2-3 miles. It is very busy sometimes! Be cautious, I was nearly run over by another skier. Other than that it was great. I do recommend taking a free ski tour which leaves daily at 10:30. It was a great way to see the mountain with an expert.

How does every other mountain in Colorado have a top to bottom but vail? This mountain gets worse every year with management. It’s been obvious over the years of being here that there has been a strong lack in management and accountability. How about stop opening up runs at the top and make a run out to both villages so you stop hurting the business in Lionshead. And I know about the set backs and at this point with all the natural snow fall you have nothing more then a child’s excuse.

Vail Epic Pass insurance is a scam. - I have been an epic season pass holder for years. I renewed my pass with the American Claims Management insurance - which clearly lays out that Quarantine is cover. When I placed a claim in December- I waited moths to get a denial. I appealed twice - heard nothing. Finally called and got someone to expedite a review - denied again. Filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau - they denied on that one. Each time they make up some other excuses - generally related to pre-existing condition in some way (which is why I was advised by my physician to quarantine (which the doc attested to TWICE). This company has clearly mastered the are of insurance fraud. To put this in context - I also purchased the IKON pass - they were AMAZING to work with - gave me full credit and I just used that to renew that pass for the 21/22 season. Vail is a horrible company.

Total bait and switch regarding Epic Pass. Was told that I could get a refund if I was unable to ski for the 2021 season. Filed a refund request in January of this year. Have heard nothing back. Vail Resorts refuses to deal with this. ACM claims is supposed to be handling it, they do not answer the phone or when you get through till you somebody will get back to you but never does. Totally disappointed.

We've been to Vail a few times before but it's been several years. We had a great day at Vail! It's a huge resort with something for every level of skier. We skied 27,000 vertical feet that day without pushing ourselves too hard. Vail was much more crowded than Beaver Creek so there were some lift lines but not too bad. The back bowls are a lot of fun.

We had a three day ski experience where we enjoyed two very sunny and not too cold days and my friends and I had skiing all around the mountain

I do not know who comes up with covid rules but there is no logic to many of them. Not talking about masking. They had police tape on the drinking fountains to prevent covid. Instead they filled up disposable cups and had them sitting out where you come in and in the line to get food. Somehow glasses sitting uncovered is more sanitary then giving me a cup to fill up. Also not sure how ice spreads covid but apparently it does because I could not get ice to save my life. Theses are just a couple of the many things they are doing that have no logic to them

Vail is awful. I hurt my knee the first week of Jan and applied for insurance. I got a $32 credit. I could've skied all of April but bc I could get no information I decided not to bc I thought I would at lease half of my pass back.
Not only was it a tiny refund it could only be used as a credit!

Expensive!!! 22 if dec and 65% mountain close 40 min lines waiting and again $$$$$$$ never get back after 40 years

Vail is nice but Epic pass is kind of a scam. This company has terrible practices, I purchased a ticket that was never able to use, not because I couldn't travel, I actually did but their website and customer service was terrible, misleading information, slow and congested system, it was a disaster. We went to a ski resort where we couldn't ski. What a waste!
If you try calling they will keep you waiting for hours, literally. I was promised a call that should have happened more than a month ago, I am still waiting for that call or email. They keep sending me marketing emails. Think twice before you purchase those Epic passes.

IM not a skier ( yet), but shopping in the villages was great. The re are several places to eat. We ate at the red lion and the burger and blt were great ! Highly recommend!!

I bought the Epic pass online in Nov, 2020 for a Mar, 2021 trip for my daughter and me, paid the shipping cost and all other fees. After a month, I received via mail my daughter's pass, but not mine. Every email that I sent was answered the same way, it looks like a machine-generated response, but it's not. It says: "Don't worry, you can go to any ticket office in the morning to get your pass".

If I wanted to pick my pass at the lifts, I wouldn't buy it 4 months in advance. In addition, if you call Vail Resort, the automated system will tell you right away that if your pass wasn't delivered, you pick it up at the ticket office. There is not even an option to talk to someone about it. When I finally got a call back, the person told me that they have a lot of delivery issues, that I should pick my pass up at the ticket office - very helpful.

Long story-story short, don't buy it online.

Terrible customer service and Epic Pass Coverage does not work. As another review wrote, it is a rip off!

I only purchased my Epic pass because their website stated they would provide refunds (Epic Pass Coverage) for COVID-19 related cancellations. In reality, they do not answer their online petitions for refunds, or their phone, and it has been impossible to get a response on my refund request.

They are great at announcing their Epic Pass Coverage in order to sell, but in practice it does not provide 'Coverage'.

Ok so we took the gondola up based on some research we did on the world wide interwebs to participate in the Highest Altitude Happy Hour. We’re from WI.....we like Happy Hour ! We got so much more 👍

Activities abound! Rock climbing wall, trampolines and the Alpine Coaster. Not to mention the spectacular views and 🥶🍺🥶.

It was at the conclusion of our time atop that we wished our 11 yr old was with us. Amazing weather, peak color and lots of families enjoying all that was on offer.

Alpine Coaster 👍👍

Day 👍👍

We will return with our son! See you soon.

I bought a pass last year and could not use it because of travel restrictions. I submitted a refund request at the end of December, and got a message in JUNE saying that my refund request was not approved and that I could enjoy the pass for the rest of the season... IN JUNE. This was also too late for the request to roll over my pass for the next year (which I also wasn't informed was an option). Just pay for a ticket at the damn ski hill and know the extra $20 is your investment in not being scammed by Vail.

It's pricey but the attention to detail and customer service is second to none. From figuring out the best combination of lessons, rental equipment and lift passes to recommendations at restaurants, every detail met or exceeded my expectations.

This is home base for me and my go to boarding destination! Love what Vail has done with the Epic Pass allowing me to take advantage of all the resorts they own and operate. Love going to Vancouver and Whistler every season as the powder on that mountain and the snowboard park is EPIC!

On a very busy Feb, Vail did not feel overly crowded. Beautiful village and excellent skiing. Not cheap, but well maintained.

We have enjoyed skiing the Vail resorts for over 30 years. As with everyone else who bought a pass this year we were forced to purchase "pass insurance". Travel from Massachusetts to CO requires a quarentine on return. Unfortunately hospitals are at capacity and can not afford to have staff out for additional time. My husband(anesthesiologist) sent documentation from his hospital stating the requirement for staff to limit personal travel. He received a lovely form letter that in addition to a bunch of other nonsense stated "Epic Coverage also does not provide refunds for apprehension or inconvenience related to COVID-19." I'll be sure to let the next patient I'm speaking with who is suffering from ongoing shortness of breath etc that COVID-19 is merely an inconvenience and nothing to be apprehensive about. The final straw in the insurance scam. I initially submitted a claim under travel restriction but suffered a torn retina before providing my documentation. I submitted the note from my physician stating I was restricted from exercise and air travel for 4-6 weeks. I got the same form letter as my husband. No one even bothered to read what I submitted. It's obvious Vail is concerned with only it's bottom line and is unconcerned with it's loyal ridership. ICON here we come

We bought a 4 day pass to Whistler for the family and we could not go due to COVID restrictions in Canada. Vail resorts refused to refund our tickets even though we could not use them. If you don't want to get screwed by Vail Resorts, do pre-order lift tickets or passes. They have no problem with screwing you over. I refuse to go to another Vail resort.

I skied growing up and have been to several resorts in Colorado. Vail is the best. The runs are fantastic and the snow is great.

This group is terrible! They promised that my Epic Pass, if not used (due to CoVid 2020-2021 season) that I could roll it over to this season (2021-2022). They did not mention that this had to be done by April 4th!! Terrible customer service.

BUY IKON pass would replaced my pass with zero questions.

Their environmental record is terrible too 😡
Spend you hard earned dollars elsewhere!

I had my unreasonable biases going in. I have skied extensively in Utah, Nevada, California, Taos, and back east. I assumed Vail would be snooty and unfriendly. Wrong! I loved it. It was late season spring skiing, but we just simply had an excellent time. Everyone from the bottom to the top of the mountain was friendly. I was so glad to be wrong and am looking forward to next year.

Great mountain with lots of trails for every level. The lifts and staff are great. Our son spent several days taking snow board lessons and really enjoyed the program. Mountain side restaurant and amenities are convenient and well run. Parking can be tough so go early or plan on walking a bit. Vail is pricy but worth the money.

Spent a few days here in January. Came from out of state and spent a bundle of money. Despite what the official Vail website says, you essentially WILL BE FORCED to ride lifts and gondolas with unrelated parties. Poor mask enforcement in lift lines and gondolas.
Was so uncomfortable that I left early and preferred to lose money than to risk catching the virus.
Recommend you pass.

I rented a condo at Keystone through VRBO. Epic pass states that my rental is entitled to a 20% discount. Not true, unless the condo is booked directly through Vail Resorts. If the Epic fine print discloses this, I'm not able to find it. My condo is not available except through VRBO, so there would never have been the discount that Epic falsely represented I could get. I paid a 20% penalty due to lack of transparency and a false impression. Never again.

We had another fabulous week of skiing in Vail. The snow was fantastic, the trails well groomed and well marked. The mountain personnel were hospitable and helpful. We hope to return next year. See you soon Vail Mountain.

My son and I spent two days here last June. We took our bikes up but didn't end up using them. Parking in the summer is free in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures. You pull a ticket and insert it to exit. You can't leave your car overnight or you'll be charged $25.

We did the Game Creek zipline tour, which was expensive but probably worth it. The ticketing situation at the bottom was not ideal because the line took forever and there was still confusion about various policies, although the girl who helped us was very sweet. It was $440 for my son and me to do the ziplining tour, use the gondolas, and have access to all the activities at the top. If you do this, be sure to hold firm to the idea that you can come back the next day to do the activities because they realized if the ziplining tour finishes at say, 3, you can't get your money's worth of activities because they close in an hour or two. Even many of the staff weren't aware of this policy. We kept our bracelets on, and came back the next day.

Ok, so, ziplining! Our guides were beyond great and there were some superlative zips, including the second longest in the world. It was incredible, soaring like an eagle over the forest. If you do this, be sure to bring warm clothes; I was freezing. We bonded with the people who went with us and the tour guides. It was something you won't forget, seeing all that back country so beautifully.

We did both gondolas: Gondola One and Eagle Bahn Gondola. We hiked Eagle's Loop, a mile-long ridge-top loop with great views of Mount of the Holy Cross, and great informational signs and things with which to experiment, and Upper Fireweed, a beautiful 1-mile hike between the gondolas that took about 30 minutes, one way. We checked out the Nature Discovery Center, which was probably geared a little too young for my 13-year old but we learned about what would be a highlight the next day: a bird walk with Walking Mountains, a science center in three locations. We did the mountain coaster and adventure courses, which were ropes obstacle courses that were fun and scary. There is also a climbing wall, miniature golf, and tubing which was closed when we were there.

Overall, we spent a boat-load of money, but have a boat-load of memories.

This is the worst customer service I ever had in my whole life!!!! All I want to do is to change my pass. I was able to reach them once after dozens of calls. Then they told me it's taken cared of, but it may take a couple weeks. After 2 month, when the ski season is about to start, nothing happened. Besides that, I can't reach anyone, not through phone (I literally stayed on hold for 5 hours), most of time they just told me to call back later and hung up. No one replies the email. Online chat system is a lie, they kick you out of their waiting line when I get close to my turn (this is without fail after trying for a dozen times). I'm not going to ever buy epic pass again until you go out of business.

Bought lift tickets in advance. When our date to ski arrived, 95% of the mountain was closed - no snow. And the 5% that was open was terrible conditions. They refused to issue a refund, despite the fact that we didn't even attempt to use the pass. They just hide behind their overly legalistic terms and conditions. Complete garbage and total waste of money!! I will never ski at any of their properties again.

Epic Pass Coverage is a rip-off. When submitting a claim, drop-down menu includes “Personal Medical Quarantine” and “Stay at Home Order”. Submitted a claim due to COVID exposure resulting in quarantine and therefore inability to travel. It was denied stating that government travel guidance such as “general quarantines” do not prohibit the use of the Pass and is not covered. After 35 years of family skiing, will ski outside of Vail Resorts in the future. Did you really win in this?

This was my first trip to Vail, and I was very impressed by the views. There's a wide variety of terrain for skiers of all levels. My trip was a bit marred by altitude sickness, otherwise, I think I'd have had a lot of fun.

Beautiful mountains. Beautiful village. Great ski terrain and dry powder snow. Lots of terrain ro explore. Super helpful lift operators.

some of the best terrain is closed in bly sky due to closing earls lift (1/3 of terrain) and some of the best skiing over christmas weeks due to employee shortage.
should transfer yellow jackets and ticket checkers to provide the skiing people are paying for.

Extremely poor crowd and mountain management. They had 30” of snow and can’t manage it! Obviously only care about the dollar. 2 hour wait in lift 5 and 3000 people minimum waited 2 hours! Where are the mountain ambassadors like every other resort to help you? While I fully understand safety and avalanche control they all hid behind that excuse. Reminds me of HIPPA! I had a very poor experience as did my family and thousands of my “new friends!” Not to mention the amount of dope smoking (not legal on government land!) Of course there won’t be a response but I will be hard pressed to spend my hard earned dollars to return to such a poorly managed entity

Vail is huge!! Back bowls are without a doubt legendary!! People are nice and the staff offer lots of nice touches. (As I walked into Two Elks Lodge, someone was standing at the door with tissues! So considerate. Great snow this year and huge acreage. Just be sure to bring your wallet as everything is pricey.

Vail is not for family skiing. It is for expert skiers that like black, double diamond runs. Green runs are super flat that require major exertion and caution as most black runs are right off the green runs. Most of their runs also cross over other level runs, which makes it hard to do a complete green or blue run from top to bottom. Chalets and customer service are nice, but they do not like people bringing in their own snacks/food. Small snack bag of chips and a bottle of water was $10.
Parking is $30 and you must walk through the town to get to the ski resort - no wagons or assistance available.
Town is cute, with buildings done in swiss-german architecture. Nice to visit with beautiful views, just not the best skiing option for families.

IF you are a skier then go. The mountain is over 5,000 acres and has every terrain you could want. Long runs and mucho vertical. Go for it

the skiing is great there is so much terrain to ski and lots of places to stop and refresh oneself on top of the mountain as well as below

The gondola itself is wonderful, roomy and fast! Once at the top you have many options....ski down, take another chair up or ski to the back bowls,have lunch and a 'beverage', (the food is terrific with many options). Vail Mountain Resort never fails to impress!

Vail Epic claims is a scam. We have been passholders for years and felt confident when Vail assured us that they had us covered in the event we could not ski in 2020. We couldn't use our passes at all due to government imposed travel restrictions and yet they denied our claim, even though our passes were 100% unused. Don't fall for this like we did! Terrible customer service. Don't purchase a pass unless you are super sure you can use it.

I have skied at Mt Snow (now owned by Vail) with family and friends for years - I've also taken school groups, and purchased thousands of skis, clothes, and ski passes for myself and family members. Since Vail has owned Mt Snow they have fraudulently taken money for passes they never provide, while promising I will have the pass thru the mail by early Dec. They are a corrupt fraudulent company. Several calls to get the purchased pass or an equivalent have resulted in nothing but rude responses. Their ski" insurance" also is a fraud. Recommend you ski elsewhere - there are plenty of honest, excellent family owned ski areas in the Northeast and mid West that don't resort to lying and fraudulently stealing your money.

This was our third time out west and it didn’t disappoint. This mountain is endless, trails are huge and at one point we got lost in the back bowls but couldn’t complaint. I would definitely come back again to this mountain hopefully after Covid ends. Hate wearing that mask every where. Other than that I would recommend it.

The skiing conditions were great this year! Great snow, beautiful terrain and short lift lines (during the week). But, be warned that finding a decent lunch on the mountain is difficult. They are having staffing issues this year. Several of the restaurants require reservations and some are not even open. Two Elks is still pretty good but Eagles Nest was not.

If you want a good lunch, plan on going into Lionshead or Vail Village!

Our group of 25 was totally blindsided by Vail and their Epic passes which are falsely advertised as providing a level of protection should someone get Covid or your plans are messed up because of Covid restrictions. This is a scam and Vail Resorts should be ashamed. Countless hours of emailing and sitting on hold and we are emptyhanded. I have skied Vail Resort properties annually since the 80's and will go out of my way to avoid them in the future.

In this year was the most incredible snow that I saw. All the mountain is open and the powder was amazing, you really need to go on march before the spring break. The mountain is not full.

Vail can be a wonderful treat or overwhelming. That depends on your orientation. The summer has almost every activity one could hope for; all you have to do is imagine it. But, the downside is, if you imagine it, so do large amounts of others. And, Vail is expensive. The winter is a skiers’ paradise, and again to enjoy your time, you’ll have to be prepared to pay for it.

Like anything that has been touched by Epic pass, Vail is ruined. If you want to go for the sake of saying you went to Vail have fun, but if your goal is to actually enjoy the sport you came for there are now many other better options not far away. Hate writing reviews, especially negative, but the experience here is dead. Your money is better spent elsewhere.

I took my son skiing this past week. Vail Resorts have clearly put a lot of effort into snowmaking to open as many runs as possible early in the season. We had an amazing week!

The Epic Pass insurance offered by Vail Resorts is not worth the paper its written on and is, in my opinion, a complete scam and fraudulent. I bought a Epic 5 Day Pass (with insurance) in the spring of 2020, for the 2020-21 ski season. I used it once, then came down withCovid19 and a resulting lung infection in January 2021. My doctor recommended that I not ski for the rest of the season. Accordingly, I filed a claim with American Claims Managemet, who administers the insurance for Vail. The Claim Form (which, btw, I submitted 4 times !) is signed by my doctor, and expressly recommends that I not ski. When I did not hear, I called and wrote Vail and ACM numerous times,with no results. Vail said they could not do anything and I had to go through ACM, even though this is a Vail product. At one point I was told that my claim was decided, but that they (ACM) could not tell me what happened becasue the file was closed ! Another time they said they would have my claims aduster call me, but that claims adjuster had previously left ACM ! And another time they told me it was denied, but again could not tell me why because the file was closed. I was told 4 times that my claim would be "escalated" and someone would call me, but no ever did. I finally received an email a few days ago, almost 4 months after I first submitted it, stating that my claim was denied because it did not qualify for an Epic coverage event. It said that "Epic Coverage provides refunds for certain personal events, such as illness..." Which is precisely what my claim was for, illness ! No other explanation was provided. A total scam. I would avoid Vail Resorts at all costs.

Everything about Vail is amazing...like a dream!! Sure it’s expensive but worth every penny to be in a wonderland. I can’t rate everything about this place high enough, I feel very privileged to have been able to go here and look forward to coming back in the future! I have been to a few ski resorts across Europe and Canada and this is the best place on earth. Nowhere else lives up to it.

The back bowls are amazing!!! This is the best place to ski in Colorado, hands down. I wouldn’t go anywhere else but here.

Every year I go I stay disappointed. Ordered a pass for myself and my wife. 1 pass was shipped to me and my wife’s pass was shipped to another address where I didn’t live for 6 years. The order number clearly states my new address. What’s interesting is the pass I received for myself had also my ex wife name. I call customer service and they tell me they can reissue the pass to the address I have but it will cost me $4. After asking them why they come up with an excuse about fraud protection. I ask them to void the $4 fee because the messed it up and they say no. This is my last trip to Vail ever

Vail is autorenewing my season ticket and charging me monthly even though I've called 3 times to request it be canceled. I even spoke with a manager that insisted i woudnt be charged, but i have been. This company is such a scam.

Yes it's expensive. But it's huge. There's something for everyone. All the lifts are fast and properly staffed. Much better than most resorts these days.

We have it all in Vail ;) ...powder, black bowls, downhills ...it is heaven on earth for skiing!
Besides you have great spots to stop by and eat and if you want you can have a day in Aspen and In Breck...great houses for renting and stay with friends with everything.

Too corporate! Lost customer service. Why would I go back. Passes too expensive and mountain has gone away from offering the best of the best. Too many internationals.

We took the Gondola at Lionshead up for some great views, rode on the coaster, and hiked across to Gondola One back down to Vail Village. The must thing to do while in Vail is to see that panoramic view on the top of the mountain.

We come here every year this year was 11 days. We love the mountain the service everything about vail resorts is top notch and spectacular. Highly recommend if your an avid skier or just to enjoy a magical place

Only 16% of the mountain was open, but it didn’t stop us from two extremely full days of enjoying new terrain. It was great not dealing with lines, crowds and the other inevitable parts of the busier parts of ski season. Will have to come back to hit the famous back bowls, but enjoyable nonetheless.

We moved away from Colorado in 2013 yet we still consider Vail Mountain to be our home hill. We have been buying Epic Passes since 2004 -before they were even known as Epic passes. We come back here every year and we also manage to enjoy other Vail Resorts (Beaver Creek, Park City.)
We love all the high-speed lifts. A lot of days we are able to ski 20,000 verticle feet from 9 AM to 11 AM. Spending more time on the snow is key to get that verticle. If we find long liftlines at one lift (I talking about you #11 Northwoods) we'll just head to another part of the expansive mountain.
The most important information that I can leave with you is to buy a Season Pass. There are too many choices for me to list but I can tell you that if you wander up to a ticket window to buy a day pass you may go into shock. Even if you are only going to ski 7 days (at Vail or any of their resorts) you will save money by purchasing a Pass. You can seach vail.com or Epicpass.com to see the many passes they have available. We even use ours in Europe!

Vail is HUGE. Despite what other reviews say, there are plenty of runs for beginner or intermediate skiers. If you are worried about getting stuck near a black diamond, I advise using the Epic Mix app or looking at the maps (beforehand or at the top of the lift) to plan out your run. We found ourselves stopping at the maps along the way to decide where to head down the mountain next. It actually gives you a good break and meeting point to catch up with everyone in your group. We are intermediate skiers and I loved that there were some blues on the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin that let us experience the whole mountain. The lodges on the front side are clean, the staff is friendly, and the food is great. The prices are a little expensive, but not that much more than any other big ski resort (also... it's Vail. did you think it wouldn't be high end??). Because there is so much skiable terrain, there are lodge-looking / out-house style bathrooms. We used these at the bottom of Blue Sky Basin by Dawg Haus (a must for great hot dogs!) and they were pretty clean and a little heated. We skied all day every day until our legs were shaking. My only regret is that we didn't take a lesson because the instructors looked and sounded great.

Nice large resort with plenty of ski runs to choose from. I found some of the blue runs to be a bit challenging. But I thoroughly enjoyed China Bowl! Great selection of tasty healthy food options. Very efficient rental operation with large basket storage rentals available.

I am being very generous since when the pass works, it is convenient. Epic pass operates as if they are a monopoly so don't expect them to do reasonable things. I ordered a physical pass which is required at quite a few of their partner resorts and they canceled my order because I skied at a resort that didn't require this. Now I am stuck walking a mile to a customer service counter when I go skiing. I paid extra money for them to mail this to me and the customer service rep only apologized and agreed to refund me. This is really terrible customer service!

After a kid hit me from behind we stopped made sure we were both okay dad is laughing we are both fine. But now a yellow jacket on a power-trip wants to take MY pass... after I got hit. Upon ignoring him because he approached me with “take out your pass!” he proceeds to get a flock of yellow jackets at the base to try stop me from getting off the mountain with my pass I assume. Because right when I get to the base 3 yellow jackets start chasing me! I won’t be back to vail resorts any of their mountains as long as slow signs and yellow jackets,and Kong’s lines run the place

Amazing spot for any skier. We are a family of four with different abilities and all of us were happy here.

Our young daughter (7) went to 3 days of ski school in Vail at the Golden Peak location the week before Christmas. We were lucky enough to have Jebbie for 2 days and Frank for 1 day. Both were incredible instructors who genuinely love children. They were both very enthusiastic, kind and motivating. Our daughter improved from Level 3 to Level 4. Our rental skis were too long for her and Jennie had her skis traded out immediately. No cost, no drama and our daughter was on the slopes quickly. Everyone we met in the program was very helpful and encouraging. We can’t thank Vail, the ski school, Jebbie, Frank and all of the staff that made our visit memorable and a huge improvement to our daughter’s skiing level. Can’t wait to come back!

Too many Karens. Other than that, the skiing and views were great. It takes a while to get around the mountain, so know where you want to go ahead of time.

We have been skiing at Vail for more than 20 years and love the mountain, however it is clear that Vail Corporation is all about profit at the expense of user experience. The Epic pass has made the crowd excessive on big ski days and the safety on the mountain has deteriorated. There used to be attention to details and there was large corps of volunteers who added to the experience. Bistro 14 used to be a sit down restaurant, but has been turned in to a expensive cafeteria. 10th Restaurant, was nice when it opened, but has also turned in to a high end fast food restaurant. Vail will not refund tickets, even though they claim to have insurance for refunds. My son could not snow board due to back spasms and my wife was moved down by a hit and run skier. They both went to the same chiropractor and got a statement confirming that they couldn't ski/snowboard. My sons ticket was refunded and my wife's rejected, go figure..This year i had got our tickets mixed up and bought too many days for one and too few for another. Vail flatly refused to transfer the days. Consequently I had to pay a day pass at USD 313!! It goes on and on like this. For comparison if you ski Aspen on day passes, then Aspen will refund any unused days, no questions asked. Finally we have a grandchild with autism who requires adaptive ski program, with private tutor. Vail corporation charges USD 1.000 for this service, plus an adaptive ski pass. Profitting on peoples handicaps is beyond the pale.We have reached the end of the road with Vail after having been loyal for year. Fortunately there are still options.

Great places to ski. Big enough for every type of skier! Try the back bowls and blue sky basin on a good powder day!

I have been coming to Vail for thirty years. It has it all: steep and deep, blue groomers, and wide open bowls. They are grooming some of the runs in the back bowls so more can experience the terrain. There are very few places I'd rather ski. Bring your own lunch, however, the food is pricey.

This resort is a notch above the rest. The Epic Mix app helped to identify lineup wait time. The mountain has a variety of terrain with a good number of groomed terrain. The staff are very friendly and helpful. There is service to help load and unload skis at the gondola and guides to help with trails at the summit. If you’re looking for acres upon acres of natural powder, this is the place to be!

$1000 down the drain.

Not happy with Epic pass. We purchased our passes in September 2020, this is our first season doing so. At the time of purchasing it was shown on the website the opportunity to transfer the the pass to next season due to this Covid situation. Not knowing in September that Covid would still have government restrictions during the ski season 2021 we purchased and assumed we were protected to transfer our pass to next season. I have not used my pass once this season, have not traveled. I am not asking for a refund, I am asking for them to extend my pass to next season. It is not possible, I
am getting nowhere with them. $1000 down the drain.

Great town for those who ski or don't. There is a lot to do any time of the year. Vail is one of our most favorite ski areas in Colorado. The town is a perfect size, not too big, not too small. It is located conveniently 2 hours from the Denver area and near the Eagle Vail airport. Great shops and wonderful people in Vail.

Ski instructors are top notch. Great experience with a number of people at Vail Resorts. Barb (Anita) was our instructor for three days and she was top notch Through everything.

very dissapointed no more riding to the top to eat at restraunts and riding down to take pictures of vail village at night thats gone no.2 no more ski biking at night down born free thats gone no.3 all shops in village shuts down earlier now Snow mobiling was bad dont get of the trail and stop to look at moose tracks too much come on !!! i ve been going there since 2000 its the new management from what i was told going other places not colorado anymore now i found out they dont let people vote for who they want to vote for in their state just 4 lawyers control the voting wow !!!!! Dan Davis Texas

Rode the Lionshead Gondola to the top (Eagles Nest). The staff, operating the gondola, was very professional. At both the bottom and the top they recognized the need to slow the gondola so my wife could enter easily. Post hip surgery, she walks with a cane. Very thoughtful and much appreciated. During the ride up and while at the top, you are treated to some of the most majestic views available. Truly amazing. A word of caution: we sat on the third floor at Eagles Nest, which also houses the Market Place Restaurant. The Market Place is a very convenient stop for skiers to get a quick bite to eat before returning to the slopes. As such, we got to observe many of the offerings at this restaurant. Suffice it to say we were tempted enough to order a cheese burger with fires. I purchased the burger with a credit card and never bothered to look at the receipt until I got back to the table. While my wife was enjoying the meal, I asked how she liked it. She responded, "it's okay". To which I responded, it better be more than okay, it cost $23.90.!! She almost spit the burger in my face. Suffice it to say, the locals know better. They bring snack bars with them. However, by the looks of the crowd at the Market Place, you've got either very well to do clientele or a host of visitors who don't know any better.

We bought an epic pass to ski in whistler, but later they put restrictions to travelers and even cancel flights. For that reason, we could not use our epic pass. We have been trying to contact them for the refund (THEY PROMOTE THEY WILL MAKE A REFUND) but nobody answers and its impossible to contact them.

Do not buy EPIC PASS- IS A SCAM!

Zero lift lines the week prior to MLK weekend. Pricey lift tickets...should have purchased a seasons “Epic” pass over the summer. Cannot wait to return to Vail.

We were staying at Breckenridge and took a day trip to Vail (as the lift ticket was included with our EPIC pass). We headed straight over to the back bowls and Blue Sky Basin and had a great time. This is an extensive resort so 1 day doesn't do it justice but with the sum shining on some perfectly groomed slopes and a bit of soft snow in the glades and bowls it is definately a place we'd like to return to. Note that signposting on the trails could be better so make sure you have a map!

We prefer Vail to all other Colorado resorts. Even on crowed days we can find powder stanches and short lines. Beaver Creek gets too crowded and Is small

A year ago I bought five Epic 4-day packs for me and my family.
One of my family members was not able to travel to the US because the Sputnik vaccine was not accepted by the US Government.
After 6 months of following up on my refund request, I've just received a response from EpicCoverage at sedgwick denying the refund request with an invalid reason: not being vaccinated is not covered. But that is not the case!
I just did a google search and found out that many people had problems with their refund requests. I really wish I would've done this before buying.
Bottom line, don't trust Epic Coverage, and be prepared to loose your money if you can't use your pass (and a lot of time following up on your request).

Despite large weekend crowds especially Saturday still the place with the largest variety of terrain. The price of the lift tickets and the epic Pass continue to go up faster than inflation When you ski here you have to have a plan in mind otherwise especially on Saturdays you will get caught in longer lift lines even with the expansion of mountaintop and Northwoods chairs. During the week you will have the place to yourself. Blue sky basin is still my favorite destination on the mountain especially when there is less visibility making the open bowls hard to navigate.

The kids running the lifts are just that, kids. They should observe and learn from the Deer Valley staff. Also, lift ticket office at Grand Hyatt, another display in complete ineptness; too long to write. It wouldn’t be that difficult to correct these issues, but get the feeling management doesn’t really care, you’re going to come and ski no matter. Bad position for management to take.

I'll be honest... I expected to hate it here. Couldn't have been more wrong - while it is expensive, it is absolutely worth it. The place is ENORMOUS and offers most anything anyone could want. Lifts and service were top quality. Loved it.
BTW- Food here is stupid expensive, but you do get high quality and large portions. Bring your own if prices aren't your thing.

We have been making family ski pilgrimages to Vail for years. This review is based on my wife's and daughter's experiences because I had knee surgery and am out for the season. It is a fabulous ski area. Vail Resorts does a great job of investing in the mountain be it lift capacity, snow making or grooming equipment equipment. The one problem area that my family mentioned nearly every day was that there were regular problems boarding the 6-pack chairs. It seemed to be a combination of skiers sorting themselves out in groups of six, confusion on the part of skiers in the singles line and a need for "traffic cops" to help keep the flow of skiers organized. Vail is truly one of the great ski areas. It is easy to avoid the crowds even during President's Week once you know your way around the mountain. Terrific ski school, too. They invest in teaching the instructors and it shows. The veteran's season pass rates are very much appreciated.

Vail is a vast mountain with lots of terrain for all levels. I found there was not enough black runs without bumps. They barely groom the mountain so be prepared for lots of bumps. Spanish seems to be the #1 language spoken at this resort both from a staffing and a visitor perspective. I must admit I found the village lacking in ambiance. There's no real vibe to the place.

Vail has become a very expensive town not like the old days. Skiing was meant to be a family activity, at Vail prices either you have a very small family or a huge wallet. A day pass will cost you somewhere around $200 plus rentals. With that amount of money you could ski in Europe for a week. Also, the mountain police and staff have grown accustomed to people flying down the mountain allowing the same to happen in green runs. Furthermore, the are disorganized and not safe as the are pushing alcohol in the slopes. Hopefully someone at vails reads this and makes changes

CONS: Marriott sucks and all my worst dreams are coming true with Marriott taking over and ruining Starwood. The takeover technology platform is an absolute nightmare, they were supposed to have it all down and working when they merged in August and they're still having massive problems including not even being able to receive emails from their highest level ambassador guests. Horrible organization and LONG wait lines, rooms are NEVER ready when they say. I've never ever particular hotel is absolutely shocking, $900+ a night and they don't even provide you a humidifier, that's a first in my 51 years of traveling the world and staying well in excess of 100+ nights per year. PROS:. I'll let you know.....3rd day, NOTHING so far.

What an amazing day of skiing we had. Not only are there so many runs to choose from but the most accommodating staff I’ve ever seen. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and made the day very enjoyable. The gondolas are the only way to ride up a mountain. We are so spoiled now that Arizona skiing will be a little disappointing ;)

Amazing views, friendly staff, great service, incredible pistes/tracks, what more can you ask for?

how about great people to share with.

I have been trying to get a refund for my 2020 epic pass due to a knee replacement and I cannot get anyone to call me or acknowledge me. They denied my first claim due to insufficient information. I have opened a second claim and they are not responding. This is so frustrating making call after call with the results always the same. Nothing is happening. I have documentation from contacting them at least ten times to NO aVail!!!!

Beautiful mountains ! Incredible views! The legendary bowls were epic! Once in a life time experience! So beautiful view that you just wanna sit at the top and stare through the beauty of the mountains.

While staying in Breckenridge we took a day trip to ski at Vail. The fact it was a Thursday (midweek, so few lines) and a perfect, sunny day added to our enjoyment.

The slopes are wide open and well groomed. The lifts run very quickly and efficiently to keep lines moving.

There are various base and peak dining options ranging from table service to cafeteria/ food court style.

We parked in Lionshead where there is an easy access restroom at the info center and elevator to a walk through the retail area to the lifts. Parking was $30 for 4-15 hours.

Our weekday lift tickets would have been $199 each (adult) had we not been eligible for a “buddy pass” from our daughters season EPIC pass. So, it’s not an inexpensive day, but the skiing is great and views spectacular!

While the vertical is similar to Breck, the base lodges and peaks are each about 1000 feet lower at Vail. So, good for those who have difficulty with altitude. 1000 feet does make a difference. For that reason we skied here our first day as a warm up for Breck.

Both Lionshead and Vail Village Gabe shopping, dining and lodging.

1st time visiting in summer was spectacular - equally as good as winter snow. New walking track was beautiful (cabin trail), plenty of options for hiking & mountain biking.
The gondola is fun & the views of wildflowers are breath-taking.
Definitely recommend a visit.

Plan your trip well and you shouldn’t have to deal with lift lines and the skiing is unique. It’s all about the back bowls for me!

I tried talking to customer service but they were very rude! They sold me a ticket I never even requested and then wouldn’t reimburse me for it.

I write this as a devoted Vail Mountain skier. Our family has been going to Vail to ski every year, multiple times a season, since 1996. We love the mountain; Vail has brought us endless fond memories. Nonetheless, we spent a week at Vail in December and were horrified by how Vail Resorts is shirking its responsibilities to customers and employees.

Let’s start with dangerous. Skiing is a dangerous sport but Vail has amplified these risks through its reckless mismanagement. It was immediately evident how understaffed the mountain was. Chairlifts that should have been open by the third week in December were closed, several chairlifts that were open were manned by only one person, and it was obvious the chairlift staff were inexperienced. In the past, one frequently saw Vail staff all over the expansive mountain; now few were in sight. We rode up the lift with one staff member and when we asked what was going on, he replied that the mountain usually has 230 staff members at this point in the season (Christmastime) and only had 110. He reported Vail was trying to hire people to man the lifts and were running evening trainings for anyone they could hire. This information was confirmed by other mountain and medic staff we spoke with during the week and by what we witnessed. We saw two different incidents in the same day where the lift operators were unable to successfully manage dangerous situations. In one incident a father made a heroic save, somehow scooping his child off an already turned chair with one arm when the operators didn’t turn off the lift. We saw a woman tear her ACL waiting in the lift line because there were no staff manning a very busy lift line and she was tangled up in a throng of skiers in the mayhem.

The anemic staffing levels at Vail Mountain place additional burden on the mountain medic teams, as they assume much more of the everyday safety responsibilities and have to respond to more incidents due to Vail’s delinquency.

Poor pay and expensive living conditions were cited as the problem. Is Vail Resorts unaware we are in a record low unemployment market and they will need to pay adequately to secure staff? How greedy is Vail Resorts? Lift tickets are $219 per day (yes, I know many people are on EPIC passes); private ski lessons are $1249 (at window) and $1119 (online) a day, of which the instructor is paid an hourly wage which is inappropriate and only sustained because Vail assumes the customer will make up for the inadequate pay with an ample tip.

Inhospitable: The dangerous comments are so much more important but it is worth mentioning that the mountain used to have a very different vibe – warm, friendly and inviting. Lodges had more comfy chairs to sit in, pullies were open and manned so older, younger or simply cold and exhausted skiers could amble from one point to another, employees were present to answer questions, greeters at mountain lodges handed out tissues on freezing days and welcomed you inside to warm up, the cookies were large, fresh and homemade and overall the number of staff made you feel welcomed. There were fewer mountainside eating places, like Pete’s hot dog house, open.

So here are my questions. Why doesn’t Vail respect their customers by ensuring appropriate levels of well-trained, fairly compensated staff? Why doesn’t Vail Resorts value their long-term key employees, like the medics? Shouldn’t an expensive family experience also be a hospitable one? And the most pertinent question, given the snow is very often better at many other ski mountains, (Utah, Jackson Hole, Tahoe, the Alps, etc.) how long will Vail’s customers put up with this?

I had an excellent visit to the resort with powder conditions. Great terrain and amenities. Overall I would recommend the hill to all levels of skiers.

While staying in Beaver Creek we decided to spend the day in Vail! I am so glad we did! We loved the diversity of terrain, from the huge back bowls to the tree-line skiing and multitude of lifts! Crowds were small and the village shops and restaurants did not disappoint after either!

Busy but great. The lines were long but the people who work at the resort are so nice. Conditions are nice and it is beautiful.

After many ski trips to Beautiful Colorado, I strongly recommend you do not engage with anything connected to resorts and mountains that are under the Vail Resorts EPIC Pass. Because of the changing Colorado covid restrictions, we were forced cancel our lodging reservations. Was not legal for us to stay there under these restrictions. Had to un-bundle the trip. All o.k. except for all the money all six of us spend on EPIC pass under Vail Resorts. Not one penny of refund, Not one penny of forward credit. They took all our money for absolutely not one penny in a credit or re-use credit. I will not have to join the class action lawsuit against Vail Resorts and Epic pass. Cannot believe this is happening in the U.S. and especially Colorado.

We traveled up Gondola Two and hiked over to make the down trip from Gondola One. Was a beautiful hike.

Vail is on the top worldwide in lift ticketing price (this year over $200!!), we came to this wonderful ski resort knowing that the quality of the snow is premium at this part of the year.
But without any warning half of the resort is closed, seems they didn’t think wasn’t as profitable as they are accustomed, because there isn’t many skiers.
Well, we paid for a whole thing but we received half of what we have had paid for.
It’s an obvious lack of business ethics.
We have spent a huge amount of money to come here, hotel + food (both, with sky rocking prices) plus ticket planes expenses.
A simply and plain fraud.

I hadn’t been on skis in 42 years, but finally took a friend’s invitation to visit and had a blast. Took an intermediate group lesson for adults and found it all coming back pretty quickly. Buying the lesson with gear rental and a lift ticket was a good deal. The 190+ ski runs are highly diverse with 18% for beginners, 29% for intermediated and 53% advanced. The whole place was a bit overwhelming, and everyone seemed pretty focused on themselves, but had a great day nonetheless. Looking forward to my next visit (definitely sooner)!

Went skiing with my wife, was a great morning, plenty of people there but easy to spread out on the big mountain. Lift lines went fast and were well run, trails were clear and well groomed. Really enjoyed it. Expensive, but worth the cost.

The lift ticket here will give you a heart attack at the price, but the skiing is world-class. Especially the back bowls. The EPIC pass is a great deal, if you do a moderate amount of skiing.

Shady... so in June, I buy 4 passes putting down a down payment for each. come September a family emergency arose where I had decided not to pay the balance and just lose the downpayment.

Well, something at Vail resorts changed and they automatically charged the balance.

In years past, I was able to walk away from paying the balance. they changed something and have since asked a third-party company to handle their refunds.

We went up on Tuesday after 3:30PM it is free then. Great view and nice place. The staff that operates the gondola are very friendly.

Very very poor client experience and worst wait time at a lift ever. It took us 90 minutes fighting the crowd to get out of this mess (see picture) without any warning or whatsoever not even an excuse. The day pass is north of $200 and this is the sort of thing you can get in the way of enjoying the place.

What a great day w had at Vail. With having an epic seasons pass it made it worth the drive from Dillion. though it hadn't snowed in 4 days they had the mountain groomed perfectly. We enjoyed zero lift lines and the chairs did not stop once.
We will be back again for sure.

We definitely lucked out. The weather has been amazing, making the skiing even better. Vail is now grooming more of the back bowls which makes it nice if you want to head out back and get all kinds of skiing in. From carpet like snow to moguls. I’ve skied many resorts in United States, Vail is my favorite.

This was our first time skiing at Vail or in CO in general. It was the most amazing experience! The skiing is wonderful. So many trails for every level of skier. The process is so streamlined and easy. They have thought of everything to make it easy for you to just go and ski all day. From renting skis to getting to the mountain, and everything in between it was seamless. I took a half day lesson and it helped me so much that I was able to ski the back bowls that are mostly for the advanced skiers, without any trouble. The trails are long and wide so they didn't get too crowded. Loved this trip!!
The only down side was that the restaurants were very crowded around noon, so I would go earlier or later.

Vail has many options to stay and ski. A large number of places to eat with all kinds of food and some less expensive options as well. I have being a few times as a kid and as a father, both amazing.

Today the skiing was really fabulous. I’m excited to ski in the powder tomorrow I Recommend larkspur in the Golden peak lodge!

As an Epic Local Pass holder from 2019/20 I was reluctant to sign up for a pass during pandemic. VAIL Epic (same thing) bombarded me with email indicating my pass would include insurance if skiing unavailable. Bought the pass. Travel restricted. Sought to credit pass for 2020/21 season due to COVID restrictions: DENIED.
VAIL owns or controls beautiful ski areas, however they will lie and steal your money in the blink of an eye. Avoid them like the cancer (or more appropriately, COVID-19) they are!

First time to Vail. It is definitely HUGE! It was a little hard to judge how amazing it was because it snowed almost 18" in the 16 hours we were at Vail. Tons of fresh POW, but visibility was terrible, making for some tough skiing. Lifts at Lionshead we're packed in the morning, but it was easy to spread out. Runs are all well marked and are incredibly long. Very easy to string together great runs over varied terrain. Wasn't super impressed with the facilities (bathrooms, restaurants, etc.) compared to places like Breckenridge. Can't wait to go back on a bluebird day!

Bought my Epic season pass and they didn't mention the development wreck that their Reservation system is. It fails in many ways that can be ascribed to the system development: server capacity, internet service, and software development. To claim the system was getting hit heavily and thus failing, is a result of bad development on a very predictable customer volume. This failure then leads to their chat cue being filled with hundreds of people and their phone line having customers on permanent hold. They will not refund me my money at the same counter from which they took my money nor will they answer on the phone line which is the only path by which I can be refunded.

Do not buy an Epic Pass for the 2021 Australian Ski season. Epic Pass Australia has gone into a shut-down mode and is not replying to any enquiries either by phone, email or whatever means of communication one may think of.
Epic Pass is encouraging us to purchase a pass with "peace of mind" by including in its current refund policy a "stay-at-home-order" lasting 30 consecutive days or more, which is exactly those of us living in the in the Greater Sydney area are experiencing at the moment and by the look of it it is unlikely that any of us will even set foot on the mountain this year.
I have been trying to get a refund for my son's pass using all the available means from the Epic Pass web page including. All what I got so far are the meaningless self-generated emails telling you that will attend your request within 5 days. Well after more than 30 days, 4 emails and having filled the refund form available from their website I got NOTHING. The lines have remained dead silent. Epic Pass is ignoring its customers.
Make no mistake. Given the current situation one could easily be tempted to empathise with the Epic Pass team as if they were a couple of enthusiastic locals operating the ski lifts on the ski slopes of the Australian resorts but no. Epic Pass is the property of Vail Mountain Resort a multi-million dollar profit company based in the United States. I have now no other choice than referring them to Fair Trading and I would encourage anybody in a similar situation to do so. Meanwhile stop buying their passes.

Lovely village, but do make your dinner reservations well in time. Unfortunately we didn’t have powder so then the whole area is quite predictable and unexciting. The back bowls look perfect for powder hunting, but absent that it’s all rather Melli’s and groomed. Perfect for young families with kids in lower school. Absent the powder it’s just too shallow and predictable to excite experienced skiers.

I threw my back out before the season started and saw a few doctors. I kept hoping it would get better but never did. At the end of the season I filed a claim and it was rejected. I was told I needed to file the claim within 60 days of the injury. Seems petty. I wanted to ski that’s why I bought the pass. The season is long. Anyway, I won’t be back so there goes a lifetime customer.

STAY AWAY! Not only is it unsafe to ride the lifts there, but the employees could care less about what kind of experience you have. Good or bad, the bottom line is they are charging way to much for what you get. Go to the Cottonwood canyons, you will be more safe, and have a better time.

I lucked out this week and skied Vail with fresh powder ... what an amazing experience! It snowed on and off all day, which meant that we had trouble seeing and unfortunately weren't able to enjoy the amazing views that we know are normally available from the top of the mountains. Being unfamiliar with the resort, it was a bit challenging to find our way from one section of the resort to another because a) it's so very large, and b) the snow and lighting conditions made it difficult to get your bearings. But there were quite a few people in Vail jackets that we could ask for help. We tried out the "legendary" back bowls a bit. Challenging terrain but the powder helped keep you in control. My overall impression is that there is lots of extremely challenging terrain and not much for the beginner skier. Everything was super expensive. I paid $30 for parking, which kind of stinks when I am used to parking for free at other resorts.

Don NOT buy your epic pass until you are 100% sure you can travel during the booked time. You can NOT get any refund if you can not travel due to local government travel restrictions. The epic coverage is a joke!!!

My husband and I brought two epic-4-day passes and reserved 4 days of ski on 12/15, 12/16, 12/18 and 12/19/2020 at Beaver creek ski resort. One of the major reason I booked the trip was because on their epic pass website they included an epic coverage that they promised to give a refund when the trip was canceled due to mandatory stay at home order from county/state/county. Several days before our trip, our local government (City of Chicago) issued an emergency travel order that restricts us from traveling to Colorado during our booked time. In that emergency travel order, Colorado was listed as one of the highest level of restricted states.

I immediately tried to cancel the trip. However, no one was answering the phone when I try to call vail for cancelation and refund. I end up waiting for 6 hours in the online chatting room and eventually they send me a link to submitted all required documents to get a refund. After several weeks, however, I received an email saying that "Government travel guidance that does not prohibit the use of your pass such as general quarantines and lodging restrictions are not refund events under the Epic Coverage terms and conditions. Epic Coverage also does not provide refunds for apprehension or inconvenience related to COVID-19."

What a joke! Now that my travel was canceled and I can not get any refund. I would give 0 stars if I can. Avoid travel to any vail resorts this year at all cost.

We arrived just before the big storm hit... got a couple runs in before we decided to hunker down before the storm hit. The next few days were awesome. For some strange reason, it was a ghost town up there. Lift lines were nonexistent. Lots of runs to choose from!

First time at vail. Love the skiing, the town was so-so. Probably got more hype than the actual amount of stuff to do. I think I prefer Breckinridge as I enjoyed their town a bit more. Will consider other places

I am 40+ year skier with many rocky mountain resorts visited in years past. This was my first time to Vail and I must say the town and the mountain both delivered on and exceeded my expectations. The village certainly had the "glitz" that Vail is known for with it's high end shops and slope side condominiums - but who doesn't enjoy these? The restaurant choices were varied and excellent. Walking tours, skating rinks, museums and great history packed into a small village. And an exceptional mountain as the main attraction! Very impressed by the varied terrain options including groomed, back bowl and glade-type skiing at the Blue Sky Basin area. Super friendly staff and ski schools available for the novice skier in your party. Worth the trip in every respect!

We have not skied Vail for 40 years. We decided to come back this year and see how it has changed. The slopes are just as fantastic as we remembered and their number substantially increased. Loved Blue Sky Bowl! They are as efficient as we remembered in moving skiers up the mountain. Very helpful and friendly staff. Lots of groomed slopes to choose from. Plenty of tree skiing for those who prefer to ski off the path. The back bowls are still as massive as we remembered.
The views from the top of numerous lifts are spectacular. They remind us why we love skiing so very much. It has been a fantastic week. We will definitely be back.

If you plan on going to the resort and having any sort of food that's gluten-free, keep in mind they have cross contamination issues at every single one of their restaurants. I have yet to not get sick from any of their food. The staff acts rude the second that you mention a change in gloves and 90% of the time will be touching glutenous foods in between the start and end of your order. They obviously never train their staff on cross contamination, added to the fact that most of what they say is gluten-free isn't and you have to have something similar but not nearly what you wanted.

Snow was crisp up the mountain

The mid mountain lifts get crowded

The 10th is an added lunch stop
Worth booking

Main complaint the price has got way too high
Is it because of the all season passes?

Getting your ticket is a little complex and the multi day discounts are a joke as is the $10.00 off booking the night before and then waiting 30 minutes in line to get the ticket!

It’s not for the budget based anymore

We bought Epic passes and made reservations to ski at Vail but had to cancel because of Covid travel restrictions. No problem because we live in Utah and each pass came with “insurance”. So we go up to Park City to use our passes but they said our epic passes we being “cancelled” and was in the hands of the insurance company. I ask them to uncancel because here we were there at that moment. And you can’t even make a reservation without having bought a pass abs they could see we had bought passes. They gave me a number to ask the insurer to “uncancel” the cancellation. That’s when it just got worse. The guy on the line acted like he didn’t have any authority to do anything. So I asked the ticket window people to talk to the insurer to work it out but they refused. “Customer service” people were sympathetic but said it was out of their hands. In fact, no one had a clue what to do. Total nightmare. The problem was of their own making. So tonight I disputed the charge with the CC company. That should have been my first choice and I urge everyone else to do the same.

They DO NOT issue refunds for Covid even though they make it seem like they do. I've bought my pass the last 8 years and never will again. Their resorts are overcrowded anyway. Buy the IKON!!!! They understand that there is a Pandemic going on.

Spent $1800 in April for Epic Passes. They supposedly shipped to an address that was not even in my account, tried to charge me for a reshipment of the passes the erroneously shipped to the wrong address, and have still not shipped out the passes after finally putting in the reshipment order. Customer service is quick to say "I'm sorry" and then wring their hands as they give you phone numbers that just hangup on you or general email inboxes for you to vent your frustration to the ether. Any lawyers out there because this is sounding like a great class action brewing.

Beautiful village awesome skiing and snowmobiling. Great experience. We stayed at the Marriott and it was excellent except for the restaurant they have inside (avalanche) stay away from this place

Vail has figured out how to be a huge mountain that makes it 'work' for families with varying ski interests, They even have the food service down pretty well for the thousands that show up at Two elks!

We've skied at Vail many times and it's always good. Unfortunately, the week we were there was warm so the snow softened during the day and froze hard at night. The conditions were like Tahoe. There's something for every ski level at Vail. The 6 person lifts can be challenging. Some skiers get confused and some of the people managing the lift lines don't do a very good job of organizing the skiers.

Easily the best ski resort in Colorado if not the world. Yes, ticket prices have gone up in recent years, but so has visitor and ski traffic, so a price increase is to be expected. Avid skier and recently purchased the epic pass so will look to travel to other mountain resorts under the Vail umbrella.

Excited!

We spend the winter in Breckenridge and mostly ski there, but for my birthday we spent a few days at Vail. We were amazed at how huge this mountain is and how many areas there were to explore. We especially loved the Legendary Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin area.

The snow has been better already this year than at any time last season. Early December and Vail was 90+percent open! Back bowls were great.

Have been coming here for 5 years we enjoy our stay every time!! Snow is great and the trails are endless!1

I took my 2 youngest children on a week long (6 days of skiing) ski trip to Vail after returning home from a deployment overseas. We stayed at Timber Creek 8b which is a 2 bedroom (sleeps 4) lodge. In town transit bus is only 5 minute walk to the bus stop from the lodge. The transit bus takes about 15 minutes to get to the resort. Wonderful accommodations which includes access to Aria Spa which has a nice hot tub to relax in after a long ski day.

My kids are beginning level skiers and we spent most of the time skiing the Sourdough lift (chair 14) which has 4 nice green runs that are very nice green runs and not crowded (no long lift lines). We had a private lesson for 4 on day 2 with Stacy Deck (excellent teacher) who really helped the kids with their skiing ability and my 19 year old daughter improved enough to be comfortable on blue runs by the end of the week.

Great skiing vacation. The kids loved it.

When skiing Colorado always consider Vail as one of the best mountains in the world! Great skiing and a great town for after skiing with friends and family many great restaurants to choose.

Having never been to Vail in the winter, I was unprepared for just how great it is. Snow is awesome. Soft, light, fine snow! Grooming was amazing, runs are large and wide, if a bit easier than other resorts I have been to. While I’m sure it was full of people, it is so darn big that you never feel crowded. I never waited in any kind of a lift line (granted I was here during the week). The back bowls are amazing. Huge and beautiful. It is VERY pricey.

Vail is the best resort in the world. I’ve skied in Europe and Japan nothing compares to Vail. The ski school is the best ski school in the world. Everyone is friendly from the lift operators to the staff. I would recommend anyone thinking of going don’t think twice. Yes it’s expensive but you get what you pay for.

Vail mountain has the best interconnected lift system in the Rockies. But the Vail marketing guys made promises, in writing, and then said " too bad it's over" and refused to do what they promised, after I'd spent my money.
You will enjoy the mountain and town. Just don't believe what the Vail resorts guy's tell you untill you have it in hand.

Hopefully it will snow nonstop for the whole winter 350 to 500 inches of fresh power come on snow🤙❄️

Terrible customer service from VMR, Epic Pass and their insurers Sedgwick. Six months back and forth by email (with each reply taking 3-4 weeks) just to request a refund…which ultimately was declined anyway.

In addition to emailing the insurers, I also wrote separately to Epic Pass and Vail’s new CEO but did not even receive an acknowledgment. Woeful treatment when you have lost approx $1600 and have been a loyal customer travelling to Vail from the UK annually, for the last 20 years.

Sadly, we won’t be returning and would encourage others to think very carefully before buying an Epic pass.

Dear Vail Resorts

I will never ski at a Vail-owned resort again as a consequence of the breathtakingly poor service and support I received across the 2020-2021 ski season through Epic Pass:

Situation Summary: I purchased 2 full Epic passes (approximately $1,800, with insurance) for my girlfriend and I for an annual 14 day trip to Whistler Blackcomb. Because we were not allowed to leave the United States through a mandatory ‘do not enter’ (Canada), we thought it the responsible thing to do to not book time on Epic because we could not enter the country, and it was disrespectful to take up space for other Epic skiers.

American Claims Assessment. Because we did not ‘book time’ on the mountain at Whistler, we were not allowed a credit.

Impact: With little doubt, this denial of claim affords Vail and its insurance company a chance to exploit customers like us for cash. Our response will be as follows: While I have spent at last $15,000 per year at Vail resorts for at least 12 years (totaling $150,000+), I will never spend another dollar with Vail. I can only imagine many others feel the same.

In partnership with its insurance providers, Vail has made a wildly short sighted decision. IKON, in contrast, gave us immediate credits (we were not able to get to Canada to visit’ IKON’s Mont Tremblant resort either).

Bad karma, Vail. You may have ‘won’ $1,800 from me, but you have lost a customer for life.

We’ll be sure spread the word, too.

Snowboarding for over 30 years and this is hands down the worst experience ever. Hardly any coverage this December. Only about 10% of the runs are open. And the runs are crowded, brown and horribly icy in spots. Lions head and Vail Village were dead on a Friday for apres ski. Way way better vibe in Mammoth, Whistler, Park City etc. Sadly don’t plan to come back unless someone can seriously sell me on this place.

My mother bought a season ticket, and before she could use it, she died. I reached out to Vail to get a refund. And they will not respond to me. She has skied and bought season passes for over ten years, And this is how you treat her. Way to go, Vail. I would recommend you think twice before you purchase anything form Vail.

Horrible customer service. I never received passes ordered in early November. All I was told by customer service was to wait. Will NEVER use this service again.

Still don’t have the passes to go anyone but the review made me add a date. It never happened because I never got my passes

Epic coverage is a joke. They make it as difficult as possible. Claims are handled through sedgwick so they can avoid providing basic customer service. Once you are denied Epic and sedgwick will provide no support. They are just waiting you out until the pass's epic coverage is expired. For reference my pass was never used.

We were here the Friday of presidents weekend and the skiing was fabulous. We like to get the Vail before 8:30 so that we can park in the main parking garage and walk to the gondola. We made lunch reservations at 7 am of the same day which is a must if you want to warm up inside. Food is still grab and go. The back bowl was open and we spent our whole afternoon skiing in the fresh powder. Vail resorts does a nice job of keeping you safe and making sure everyone is wearing masks at all times. Please remember to tip your ski instructors they work hard to keep your children safe and happy. They are only paid minimum wage and as we all know living in the Vail area is very expensive. Vail is truly one of my favorite places to ski!

WORST BUYING EXPERIENCE EVER!! BAR NONE!!!
We decided to take a combined family vacation with my sister and her family and go skiing this Christmas. I went online to purchase some epic passes for everyone. Something that should have bee a 15-20 minute exercise. I started in mid-October, today is November 30th - and we still do not have passes. Everything has been paid for, all photos have been upload, all liability releases have been signed - and nothing. In fact, I just received an email from epic pass over the weekend telling me that "action was required" and that I needed to upload photos and sign releases...?! Both of which have been done for at least 3-4 weeks (and I logged into my account to confirm it). So I did what most people would do, I attempted to call and straighten it out - LOL - forget that. You cannot get ANYONE on the phone. NO ONE - ANYWHERE. PERIOD. How can a company operate like that??? So I moved to the chat function on their website - it's no better than the phone. I was 700th in line with an estimated wait time of 5.5 hours. Now maybe there are people out there that have nothing better to do for 5.5 hours - but I'm not fortunate enough to be one of them. PLEASE - DO NOT BUY FROM EPIC PASS OR VAIL RESORTS. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

I’m currently dealing with an issue where Vail is charging a credit card I did not authorize them to use (it’s new and I didn’t add the information myself) for their season pass. They are claiming that I did it myself, but refuse to provide any related information to corroborate, and I want to warn others to watch out for related fraudulent charges with regards to the epic pass!

I should have listened to my friends and gone with the Icon Pass! Save your money and save your sanity!

Bought multiple full passes last year. Tried to buy 4 passes this year for 4 day sessions. Added 2 in my name by mistake and non transferable. The person walking me through could not speak English! Now I have 3 days I can use.... No customer serve at all. Really bad business and the site sucks! I'll find a new place to ski ... never at Epic property again!

We had a great day on the mountain yesterday. Since my traveling companion was on crutches, we opted for the "Mountain Tour" a 4X4 "tour" of the mountain. The tour was supposed to be an hour long but, in reality, was 45 minutes long. The tour was a drive in an open air 4X4, which was cool. We saw some of the mountain we wouldn't have seen. However, it was certainly less than advertised and therefore a bit of a disappointment. The guide was great though.

Beautifully groomed trails over 5,000+ acres, 37 lifts, 2 gondolas, helpful staff and well maintained equipment. You'll figure out fairly quickly the reasons that this resort is so expensive. Streets and sidewalks are heated and buses are free.

Visited for the first time and I must say Vail did not disappoint. Was super happy I did, the skiing instructors Shawn and Santiago were so warm and welcoming made my first time skiing exciting and fun. I’m definitely going back!

Four seasoned skiers visited Vail last week. I experienced almost the best skiing of my life.
We had fresh snow, sun and enormous scope to ski. I mean ENORMOUS!
I returned to Vail after 40 years thinking it would be my last visit.
Not so! The food isn't exciting and everything seems expensive for the poor Aussie dollar but I can attest it was worth it

Even without much snowfall by the time we were there, Vail had lots of terrain open. Their snowmaking must be one of the best in the world. Very varied runs and something for everyone. Fantastic views and a true joy to ski.

I am so so SO frustrated. I bought Epic Pass purchases for myself and my family last winter. Then I encountered an unexpected and awful medical situation that had me on bed rest and antibiotics for six months and eventually in surgery. My two boys and their dad decided not to ski for the winter since I wasn't able to go with them and skiing has always been something we've done together.

And so I applied for a refund of our passes, which they advertise when you purchase as including full coverage "across a range of qualifying personal events." But my request for a refund was denied because I had included in my request that we 'did not have money to waste on passes we would not use' and I was told "insufficient funds" was not a reason for a refund, totally ignoring the medical situation and documentation that I included.

Now here we are at the beginning of a new ski season and all I want is to be able to use the $3000 I did not use at all last season toward this season. But a manager at Vail Resorts told me, "I'm sorry. These were non-refundable, non-returnable passes, which was clear, and there is nothing we can do." That was FAR from clear, and mine is simply a sensible and JUST request. We paid money. We didn't use. We want to use it now.

This policy doesn't even make sense for the company!!! We are paying customers, willing to come back season after season with our friends, as well as give a skill to our children who will then ski for years as well on the Vail Resorts slopes. Letting me use my $3K toward this years' passes is a drop in the bucket compared to the money we will pay Vail over the years as customers—all of which Vail will lose if I remain as angry as I am today. Vail's policies and the way I have been treated is criminal. I still deeply hope they will recognize this and reverse their decision in our case and in other cases like ours.

It was busy & we felt the resort tries to hard to cater to the elite rich.
Shame as the skiing is great, so if you’re a real skier, try to ignore all of that and having an amazing time in the back bowls

I did a lot of research to find the perfect resort for us, we don’t ski, and this one was just the best. Honestly the ski area is so amazing we almost considered skiing! It’s amazing, has all levels and is just a beautiful resort. You can walk everywhere, they have free bus shuttles... yes it’s a bit pricey but it’s supply and demand. We checked out Aspen and Breckinridge which are both nice but Vail was just better for us. We liked being able to walk everywhere from the hotel.

Epic pass is a scam plain and simple. Was not able to use it ONCE due to Covid this past season and couldn't get any sort of refund. I plan on never skiing at Vail resorts again.