A Night at the Montage Deer Valley with Fall Travel Deals

I love running, but I'll be the first to admit that a half marathon is far! On October 13 I ran The Pink Series Half Marathon for the third consecutive year and was again taught that distance runs are a mental game than anything else, but that pressing to the finish is worthwhile. Knee problems plagued me in 2012, so I was elated with my 2:19 finish time since I was unable to train far.

 I have long been hoping to visit the Montage Deer Valley, and since we were coming to Park City for the race, the hotel was kind enough to offer an overnight stay for my friend Rachel and me. I knew from photos that the Montage was beautiful, but the service provided throughout our stay is this hotel's crowning jewel.

The drive to the Montage from Park City is gorgeous during fall. As we rode higher and higher on twisting roads to the resort, we were treated to an expanse of fall colors leading to the stately front drive. Valet attendants opened our doors and insisted on taking all our baggage saying, "Your vacation starts right now." We were ushered inside and greeted by Megan, a Montage employee who escorted us to our room on the 3rd Floor.
Word travels faster at the Montage than in a small town, and she wished us luck on our half marathon, even though we had said nothing about it.

Accommodations
Our spacious room featured two queen beds, a balcony facing Deer Valley's ski slopes, large fireplace, walk-in closet, and bathroom with a large tub and shower.


A bowl of fresh fruit of all varieties and a kind note from the Public Relations Director, Dan Howard, awaited us when we walked in. Dan also included a new pair of running socks to use for the next day's race.

I also learned that children of guests get to pick a stuffed animal from a stocked sled to keep. Such a wonderful way to welcome gift!

When the valet brought our bags to the room, he showed us how to operate the TV-based controls for the room. Technology amazes me. I couldn't believe I could turn on or off the lights, adjust the temperature, and turn on the fireplace with a TV remote! Better yet, the wake-up call system turns on the lights and TV station of your choice instead of waking you with a phone call.

Another hotel staffer brought a chilled bottle of sparkling lemonade, compliments of the hotel.

Large bottles of high-quality shampoo, conditioner, lotion, bath salts, and even a brush for bathing were provided too.







Daly's Pub
After we settled in, we ventured UPSTAIRS (lobby is on the 5th floor) to explore the hotel. We stopped in Daly's Pub first and played shuffleboard and darts. The staff taught us the rules because we appeared clueless. There is also a small bowling alley, vintage arcade, and Wii games to entertain the young and old.

Though we didn't have an opportunity to experience them, free activities are offered outside each day like guided hikes, archery lessons, volleyball, croquet, and much more. Activities change seasonally, but even in winter sledding is available.

Bowling Alley

Montage Spa and Indoor Pool
Next we visited the 4th floor Montage Spa next. This spa is Utah's largest at 35,000 square feet, and it takes up the entire 4th floor. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to take advantage of a complimentary barre fitness class, so we opted to try the sauna, steam room, pool, and hot tub instead.

When you check in, the spa provides everything you need including a locker, robe, sandals, combs, brushes, hair dryers, new gossip magazines, and healthy snacks. My favorite amenity is a chilled cucumber-soaked cloth to put over your eyes, presumably while you sit in the steam room or sauna. The spa staff were attentive and polite, and did everything possible to assure we enjoyed our visit.

The cozy woman's lounge inside the spa features plush chairs, curtains for privacy, hot tea, and tasty treats like granola bars and dried fruit. This is a perfect place to relax before or after a treatment.

We visited the indoor pool next, and were beyond impressed by this space. The long pool is a shallow 3 feet 7 inches, but is great for swimming laps or lounging. The oversized hot tub and balcony offer a spectacular view of the resort. If you need a snack or meal, you can dine poolside from the Montage delivery menu.

Local Spa Deals
If you're a Utah local and wish to experience this spa for yourself, you can get FREE all-day access to the facilities when you book a treatment. Or pay a $40 day pass fee and pamper yourself all day long. Right now, all spa treatments are 20% off, and this offer is good until December 7, so it's the perfect time to visit and indulge.

The currently featured treatment is the Autumn Facial, which is a high-performance luxury organic facial that regenerates, oxygenates, and calms skin while balancing moisture. It's customized for the skin type and uses professional products like a lemon-balsam creamy cleanser,  a nourishing, skin softening honey-derived lactic acid & honey-goji berry exfoliant  mask, a rose-cucumber hydrosol and more. The treatment also includes massaging of face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and feet. Normally priced at $230, this 90-minute facial is available for $184 with the discounted pricing.

The spa shop sells a variety of great gifts from Lululemon clothing to candles to bath products.

If you prefer to be outdoors, another pool and a few hot tubs are also available outside. Unfortunately we came on a particularly chilly day so we only ventured out to look at the pool, not to swim in it.

Apex Restaurant 
After returning to our room and changing back into "mountain casual" attire, we ventured upstairs for a dinner reservation at Apex. This restaurant is famous for its cuisine and has a wonderful atmosphere. We couldn't get enough of the acoustic songs from a talented musician throughout the evening. For drinks, we opted to try the beer brewed especially for the hotel, the Montage Mountain Ale.

To start for dinner, our waiter brought out two puff pastry biscuits and a delicious sample size cup of soup, compliments of the chef. We also added a fresh tomato soup paired with bread covered in toasted cheese to our menu. The heirloom tomatoes gave it a great flavor, and we ate every bite before our main course arrived.

We'd made a special request for pasta, which wasn't on the evening's menu, so we could carb-load in preparation for our race. The chef created huge portions of pasta for each of us with fresh vegetables on top and real parmesan reggiano cheese on the side.

We skipped the tempting dessert offerings at Apex and headed straight to the complimentary fireside S'mores bar outside the Vista lounge.

S'mores Bar
This bar offered artisan marshmallows in flavors like cinnamon, peppermint, and my favorite, caramel. We roasted them on provided sticks then smashed them between graham crackers and Hershey's chocolate bars. A rainstorm and stuffed stomachs kept us from staying as long as we wanted, but this daily event was certainly one of our favorites.

Turn Down and Departure
Upon returning to our room, we found our beds turned down, slippers placed at the bedside, relaxing music turned on, and chocolates and a water bottle with glass placed by the bedside. This put us in relaxation mode instantly and I spent the remainder of the evening camped by the fireplace.

After a restful night's sleep, we woke up early to chilly temps and readied ourselves for the big race. Beginning race day without coffee is never ok, so we wandered through the Vista lounge on our way to the in-house coffee shop, Buzz. But we stopped short of reaching it when we found coffee, cups, and all varieties of milk awaiting us for free in the Vista lounge. Nice gestures like this make me love the Montage all the more.

Other perks like a complimentary shuttle to Main Street, parting gifts of Montage Deer Valley hats, and free archery lessons made me see a value in the cost.

DEALS ON FALL VISITS
If you can't resist checking out the Montage Deer Valley for yourself, fall is the time to do it. Rates are the lowest of the year as the summer visitors are gone and skiers have yet to arrive. Rooms that can cost upwards of $900 a night in winter run just $240 now. Other offers are also available like free valet parking, a gift card for the Apex Restaurant, and much more. View the specials here.


Want more luxury? Now through October 31, guests who book a suite (Vista Suite or larger) at Montage Deer Valley are given the keys to a Mercedes-Benz to drive throughout their stay.