Shimmering Christmas trees, brightly lit wreaths, and garland galore — plus an entire walk-in gingerbread house composed of more than 2,000 edible bricks — set the tone for a magical holiday season at The St. Regis Deer Valley in Park City, Utah.
My husband and I spent three nights at this slopeside property in early December, just as special seasonal festivities were ramping up. We were able to thoroughly enjoy plenty of holiday cheer as well as the superb dining, amenities, and spacious digs that are available year-round. Here’s the scoop.
Holiday Festivities at The St. Regis Deer Valley
Just after Thanksgiving, this luxury resort begins its transformation into a winter wonderland with special decorations and events to mark the holidays. As Christmas Day nears, The St. Regis Deer Valley explodes with festive cheer.
We couldn’t help but immediately feel the holiday spirit on arrival, as the trees surrounding the hotel’s entry were adorned with hundreds of white lights, and life-sized nutcrackers and giant wreaths with bright red bows flanked the front doors.
Complimentary morning coffee and free afternoon cocoa with all sorts of sweet add-ons were set up in the lobby’s gingerbread house (which I fully admit to walking through regularly during my stay because it smelled so good!). Guests can participate in ornament making, candle crafting, and cookie decorating with the whole family. Special events like singing carolers around the lobby fireplace, reindeer visits, and appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus also take place during this time.
Amenities and Activities at The St. Regis Deer Valley
Some resort rituals take place all year round, not only during the Christmas season. For example, complimentary morning coffee is standard in the lobby — it’s just not served in that sweet-smelling, confectionary gingerbread space once the holidays are over. Traditional nightly Champagne sabering happens all year round; guests listen to the history of the dramatic sabering ritual and enjoy a sample of the bubbly stuff. Afternoon make-your-own s’mores are also a regular occurrence.
Complimentary morning yoga classes take place in the fitness studio six days a week. Guided meditation with a sound bath happens on Sunday mornings, and the session is also free to guests. (I highly recommend to help start the week with intention.)
The clean fitness center was well stocked with current cardio and strength-training equipment, including a couple of Peloton bikes. My favorite resort amenity? The two-level, slopeside, heated pool with adjacent hot tubs. I loved soaking out here early in the day (before it got busy after the ski lifts closed) to watch people schuss down the hill.
The St. Regis Spa was divine. I spent a full hour before my scheduled treatment soaking in the ladies’ locker room hot tub, relaxing in the steam room, and sweating in the sauna. (The men’s side has the same facilities.) I loved being able to fully loosen up muscles before my rubdown. I’ve likely had more than 250 massages in my lifetime, and I count my 90-minute Performance Massage among my top 5 massages ever.
Professional massage therapist Mackenzie listened to my needs, and the treatment was equal parts restorative and therapeutic — just what I needed after a 4-mile, hilly snowshoe hike the day prior! (For an adventure away from the resort, book a guided snowshoe tour with All Seasons Adventures; we had a great time with friendly, knowledgeable guide Lucas.)
At the spa, a women’s relaxation area had tea, infused water, and snacks on hand. Couples who are enjoying a treatment together can meet downstairs in a quiet sanctuary with a floor-to-ceiling window view of the outdoors.
Spacious Suites at The St. Regis Deer Valley
Rooms at The St. Regis Deer Valley range from 435-square-foot guest rooms to multi-bedroom residences. My husband and I stayed in a Deluxe King Suite with a valley view: That meant in the evening from our balcony we could enjoy all those festive sparkling lights at the front entrance, plus the mountains off in the distance. We spread out in our 900-square-foot space with a living room, dining table, fully equipped kitchen with bar seating, two fireplaces, two balconies, and two toilets!
The bathroom featured a tub with a separate shower with a rain showerhead, as well as nice extras like cleansing face gel in addition to your typical shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, and hand soap.
Dining and Drinking at The St. Regis Deer Valley
My husband and I ate and drank at nearly all of The St. Regis Deer Valley restaurant and bar venues. Brand new Chef de Cuisine Larry Abrams is putting his imprint — and his Dominican background and interest in Cajun cuisine — to the menus here. Some of our favorite dishes included burrata and sunchokes at La Stellina Italian restaurant, the lobster roll at Brasserie 7452, and the blackened Maine scallops at RIME.
We loved fueling our day with breakfast at RIME and via room service. The Kodiak protein pancakes, chorizo huevos rancheros, and three-egg omelet with crispy smashed baby potatoes were highlights.
Don’t miss a 7452 Mary at The St. Regis Bar. Each St. Regis property puts its spin on the standard bloody mary; after all, it’s said the vodka-and-tomato-juice cocktail was created at The St. Regis New York in the 1930s. At the Park City resort, the signature drink is made with local vodka and topped with cloudlike celery foam, while the stemless glass is rimmed with black lava salt, a nod to the area’s history as an old mining town. While sipping your savory drink at the bar, take in the moody mural, “In The Mines,” another homage to Park City’s mining legacy.
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One seasonal venue we were bummed to miss, since it opened in mid-December just after our departure, was The Vintage Room: a 1,600-square-foot, clear, heated tent decked out with chandeliers, cozy lounge seating, and a 30-foot wooden bar. It’s the place to see and be seen for skiers and non-skiers alike, as the après destination serving up food and fun cocktails is easily accessed via skis along Deer Hollow Run, from the resort’s main building, or via the funicular from the resort’s lower level (also where La Stellina is located).
If The Vintage Room is too boisterous, another spot to kick back for afternoon and early evening libations is the adjacent resort terrace with a magnificent fire garden and view of Deer Valley’s distant slopes.
The Bottom Line
The St. Regis Deer Valley is especially festive in December when holiday decor brightens public spaces, and special seasonal activities take place. But its quintessential St. Regis service is standard all year long. I’ve stayed in dozens of luxury resorts over the years (decades!) and can count the attentive and friendly staff at this Park City property among the most welcoming I’ve ever encountered.
My husband and I had such a remarkable stay at The St. Regis Deer Valley this winter, we want to return in the summer months for hiking and other warm-weather mountain adventures, plus more relaxing spa time and delectable meals.
The St. Regis Deer Valley charges a $50 per night per room resort fee, which covers a welcome beverage, morning coffee, fireside s’mores, local transportation, yoga classes, and nightly Champagne sabering, among other inclusions and amenities. In the winter, you can store your skis, boards, and boots in a spacious equipment room, which houses guests’ golf clubs and bikes in the summer.
Valet parking is $50 per day; an electric car-charging station is available. Pets are allowed at this slopeside resort. Maximum pet weight is 50 lbs, and there’s a non-refundable fee of $150 per stay.
The sublime service and accommodation do not come cheaply. Rates vary seasonally, so the least expensive Superior Guest Room can run about $1,500 per night during the ski season, but can cost twice that (or more) in the days surrounding Christmas and New Year’s Day.
If you’re looking for a relative bargain, consider a stay in the off-season, for example in the spring once the ski lifts close, and you can pay as little as $400 nightly at this deluxe resort. You might also find a better rate if you book through Hotels.com, Expedia, or another online booking site.
Hotel review by Kara Williams. Photos by Kara and courtesy of The St. Regis Deer Valley, which hosted her three-night stay. As always, all thoughts and opinions are her own.
