Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 - (Page 46)

THE ARRABELLE offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities all throughout the year. chillier months. Of the resort’s 36 rooms and 66 condominiums, consider the Private Residences for those traveling with kids in tow; they consist of two to five bedrooms, full kitchens and open spaces. Although The Arrabelle opened in Vail Square in January, the resort has already become a fixture in the community. Prime example: The property’s brasserie-influenced restaurant, Centre V, is a local favorite. We enjoyed two meals in this establishment—a hearty omelet with fresh herbs to start our day and a farewell dinner, where our group feasted on an appetizer of gougeres (cheese puffs). Thanks to rave reviews by General Manager, Jeannette Schulze (jschulze@vail resorts.com; 970-754-7780), we opted for the Berkshire pork chops with apple-cabbage, macaroni gratin and mustard jus as our entrée. We were told the restaurant’s pommes frites were amazing, so we left room to try a few of the guilty pleasures. Other nearby favorites include The Game Creek Club (970-479-9280) for a true luxury experience at the top of the mountain, and Blue Moose Pizza (970-476-8666), a family favorite. For those clients who love adventure travel—or simply want to revel in the majes- tic Colorado landscape—a nature hike could be just the ticket. Assisted by guides Paul and Thomas, as well as a sturdy walking stick, we drove several thousand feet up a mountain to the starting point for our 700-foot vertical hike. Along the way, our group stopped to take pictures and listen to Paul and Thomas’ insightful stories about the indigenous vegetation. We were also introduced to the local wildlife—on our journey we spotted the skeleton of an elk. If the thought of Colorado brings to mind cowboys and images of the Wild West, point your clients in the direction of 4 Eagle Ranch (www.4eagleranch.com), a working cattle ranch that specializes in group functions. Our group enjoyed a barbecue dinner and marshmallow-roast around a bonfire. Another highlight of our stay was a whitewater-rafting outing. Since swimming isn’t necessarily this journalist’s forte, we had our reservations about this excursion—almost backing out entirely—but instantly felt in good hands with our guide Mike. The level-three rafting experience (there are five levels total) had us soaked in the Lower Eagle River’s 40-degree waters, but it also lent us the perfect opportunity to gaze out on the mountains. When your clients have had their fill of climbing challenging peaks and barreling down wild rivers, they can soothe their sore muscles with a visit to The Arrabelle’s spa. Although the 11-treatment room spa’s most popular indulgences are the 50- or 80-minute Arrabelle Massage, and the signature treatment, the Vin Chaud, we were content with a Swedish massage by our masseuse, Jake, who worked wonders on our tired limbs. Parents will be happy to know that treatments are available for the kids; however, a consenting adult must accompany children under 16 in the treatment room. Luxury travel advisors should book treatments for their clients ahead of time. The spa director is Toni Maggiore (tmaggiore@vailresorts.com; 970-754-7754). Although Schulze is the general manager, luxury travel advisors should direct questions to Kelli Kostroski (kkostroski@vailresorts. com; 970-754-7780). —Mackenzie Allison 46 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | August 2008 http://www.4eagleranch.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Maui Dubai Cape Town The Capella Resort and Spa, at Pedregal Cabo San Lucas Ritz-Carlton Cancun Presidential Suites The Palazzo, Las Vegas The Water Club Arrabelle at Vail Square Ferntree The Spa at Half Moon Fall Foliage Cruises New England Strong Travel On the Horizon: Luxury Travel Expo The Pulse Traveling Shopper Leaders Speak Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

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