Concierge.com's insider take:

Because it sits nearly in the lee of the Vista Bahn, Vail Village's main (and overly crowded) lift, the Lodge is the go-to property for skiers and snowboarders obsessed with leaving the day's first tracks. With a choice of 150 rooms that range from comfortable studios to bring-on-the-party three-bedroom town houses, the lodge has a dual clientele of powderholics and luxury hounds. Like many RockResorts properties, the design is more boutique than chain: The interior is accented in warm pine and festooned with the expected alpine-inspired decorations. Amenities for aching bodies (nothing like the first day back on the slopes to discover muscles you forgot you had) include a heated outdoor pool flanked by hot tubs, a fitness center, requisite sauna, and a full spa, completed in 2008. Rounding out the property are two of the Village's better restaurants, Elway's and Cucina Rustica. Note, though: Due to Vail Village's ongoing construction, you'll want to request a room with a pool or mountain view. (Village views will likely be of cranes and hardhats.)