Would you recommend the Grand Lodge during the off-season too. It looks nice, but it doesn't seem close to the town...is it walking distance or do you have to use a car for everything?
Thanks
I’m going to answer this question and offer up my personal opinion as we’ve been owners at both Grand Lodge on Peak 7 and Marriott.
First, no, Grand Lodge is not within walking distance to town. They do have a shuttle and there is also the gondola, which is a very short walk fro Grand Lodge and will drop you off on the opposite end of Main Street from where Marriott’s resort sits.
However, I take issue with the comment that Grand Lodge is superior to the Marriott resort. We were owners at Grand Lodge for ONE reason, as owners we were allowed to bring our dogs with (owners only, not exchangers). The hot tubs are superior to Marriott’s resort and there is an onsite restaurant. Grand Lodge also has more grills and overall has a larger footprint than Marriott, allowing them to offer more amenities. But that’s where the supporting ends. The units themselves may be larger, but the furnishings are inferior to Marriott.
if your looking for more of a resort feel then I agree Grand Lodge is a better choice. If your looking for quality creature comforts in the unit then Marriott is the better choice.
One other thing to keep in mind is Grand Lodges’s location. It sits at 10,000 feet above sea level whereas the Marriott is closer to 9,000 feet. The difference can be meaningful to some. Friends of ours did fine while in town but had symptoms of altitude sickness while on property at Grand Lodge. In town they did fine. Onsite at Grand Lodge they had issues.
We’ve since disposed of our Grand Lodge ownership and purchased at Grand Colorado on Peak 8. Mostly because the unit quality is closer to Marriott and, like Grand Lodge, we can bring our dogs.
Here are some links to our photo albums of Grand Lodge on Peak 7.
https://dougp26364.smugmug.com/Travel/TImeshare/Grand-Lodge-on-Peak-7-Sept/
https://dougp26364.smugmug.com/Travel/TImeshare/Grand-Lodge-on-Peak-7/
https://dougp26364.smugmug.com/Travel/TImeshare/Grand-Lodge-on-Peak-7-July/