Dock Dogs competition at the 2013 GoPro Mountain Games.

We love the variety of friends who make the Antlers their home while here in Vail. As the official pet-friendly hotel of the Go Pro Mountain Games, we enjoyed many furry friends visiting over the weekend. Those furry friends included a skateboarding bulldog and competitors in the 2013 Dock Dogs competition at the GoPro Mountain Games. Most of those friends have checked out now, and our friends at the Colorado Children’s Chorale have checked in. Our condo arrangements (from studios to four-bedroom condos, all with full kitchens) make us an ideal home for families, or anyone coming for an extended stay.

The Colorado Children’s Chorale during their annual visit at the Antlers at Vail.

The Colorado Children’s Chorale is at the Antlers for their annual visit.  They are in town for a workshop designed to develop performance skills such as singing, dancing, acting and stage movement. Professional conductors and Chorale members work with attendees to share music and theater skills plus elements of teamwork and self confidence. The workshop concludes with a performance, Voices in the Valley, featuring workshop participants on stage with the Colorado Children’s Chorale at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater on Friday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Here’s a taste of all the fun we’re looking forward to at the Antlers at Vail Condominiums and Conference Center this week in a video of the Colorado Children’s Chorale Rehearsing in the Antlers at Vail Courtyard in 2010.

New stainless steel kitchen appliances and a new backsplash spruces up an Antlers at Vail kitchen.

Shoulder season in Vail is one of my favorite times of year. Things quiet down, the snow melts off, the sun warms things up, flowers bloom, local businesses offer great deals and things get spruced up for summer. Here at the Antlers at Vail, we have been busy doing some sprucing up of our own. It is a time of the year when our engineering, maintenance and housekeeping departments get busy improving units, and other areas of the property.

Antlers condominiums are individually owned, and we are happy to say that several of our owners are stepping up and making improvements to their condo quality, not just for their own enjoyment, but also for the enjoyment of our guests. We have everything from flat screen TV’s and stainless steel kitchen appliances being installed. We are underway with a couple of complete bathroom remodels, as well as new paint and light fixtures. Several owners have also replaced old furniture with new.

The housekeeping department is also busy doing some thorough spring cleaning of their own. So, when you arrive for your summer stay things will be in tip top shape for your visit. We are looking forward to seeing you soon!

Here are some great videos from past Adventure Film School Students in Vail and beyond!

If you are interested in participating in the school there are still a few spots available. For more information visit www.adventurefilmschool.com.

There is much to enjoy in Vail during the summer for locals and visitors alike

This beautiful sunny Colorado weather we enjoyed earlier this week has me itching for summer and all of the fun family activities that summer brings. We live in such a great place to raise family (or enjoy an extended family vacation), particularly in the summer when you can get out and enjoy fresh mountain air, sun and a multitude of activities.

Here are a few of the activities I am looking forward to enjoying very soon:

• Taking the kids into town to ride the free Town of Vail bus, playing at the pirate ship park, cooling off in the children’s fountain and then enjoying a treat. Warning to parents: A candy store conveniently located itself right next to the fountain, so be prepared to take your kids in for a treat.
• Taking a picnic and riding the gondola up to the top of Vail Mountain to enjoy some leisurely hiking and spectacular views.
• Coming into Vail to meander through the Vail Farmers’ Market, enjoy some free jazz, getting some balloons for the kiddos and then enjoying lunch on a patio.
• The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens hosts a butterfly release on May 24 at 11 am. Local school classes release the beautiful butterflies. It is a great opportunity to check out the gardens and play at the park adjacent to the gardens.
• There are a multitude of great hikes in the area. I’m looking forward to taking the kiddos up on some of the easier trails for some exercise and to enjoy nature and take in the views.
• Speaking of nature, Walking Mountains Science Center has all kinds of great family activities. I’m looking forward to checking out their Earth Keepers Preschool program and a nature walk.
• I have also put the Bravo! Vail family concert featuring the National Repertory Orchestra on my calendar. It starts at 10am on July 14 with an instrument petting zoo—lots of fun for the kiddos as they get to try their hand at a variety of instruments. Then the concert starts at 11am.
• Beaver Creek has some great activities too. We will make it over a couple of Fridays for their Fridays at the Park with free gondola rides, pony rides with Beaver Creek Stables, snow cones, roasting s’mores and more! The Beaver Creek rodeo  on Thursday evenings is fun too. They have a mutton-busting event that is pretty humorous.
• But, the thing I am most looking forward to this summer is hanging in my own ‘hood. I live in EagleVail and it is in my opinion the best Vail area location in the summer! We have a plot in our community garden just across the street. I am looking forward to taking the kids over to plant seeds and look after the garden, and enjoy grilling out with friends in the garden. Also, EagleVail has a new salt-water pool that is just 100 yards from our back door. I’m looking forward to relaxing at the pool with the kiddos.

The Vail area boasts a multitude of spectacular hiking trails for all abilities. Photo courtesy of Jack Affleck and VLMD.

What are some of your favorite Vail area family activities and events? Share them with us in the comments section below!

One of the reasons that I am so glad to be a part of the Antlers family is our involvement in the community. As I was writing this post, it dawned on me how many of these events we have a connection to. The Antlers is the official condominium hotel of the Bravo! Vail orchestras. We host Serac Outside Adventure Film School, which is also a very cool thing going on during the GoPro Mountain Games. We are a pet-friendly hotel so home to some of the Dock Dog competitors who come to town for the Mountain Games. We also host some of the Vail Jazz Foundation’s musicians. So, not only can I look forward to partaking in these activities but also in getting to meet some of the people involved!

Posted by: Liana, the Antlers’ marketing gal

Welcome to Future Business Leaders of America for Vail’s 50th anniversary!

The Antlers at Vail would like to extend a warm welcome to Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)! For more than 25 years, Future Business Leaders of America members have descended upon Vail for their state leadership conference and we are very happy to be able to host some of these young leaders here at the Antlers. The young leaders staying here at the Antlers come from all over Colorado. Though they are here to attend leadership workshops and to compete in business-related events in hopes of qualifying for the national conference in Orlando, we hope they manage to enjoy all of the fabulous amenities and activities that Vail has to offer. And, this year is the 50^th annual Colorado FBLA State Leadership conference. It is apropos to be held here in Vail for Vail’s 50^th anniversary.

After a visit from the Easter Bunny, kids enjoy a hunt for eggs in Lionshead.

Today I am marking my two and a half week anniversary here at the Antlers at Vail with my second blog post. This is my first experience working in the lodging industry and while I have had the fortune to work with the Antlers as the official condo hotel of both the Bravo! Vail music festival and Vail Symposium, there has still been a lot for me to take in.

I feel very fortunate to be working here as a part of the Antlers family, and to get to experience to some extent what our owners and guests get to experience. My first week here our Grand Poobah (aka Rob) shared an informal SWOT analysis with me. The top item on the strengths list was “location”. But I don’t think that does it justice. It is really more like the very best access to all that Vail has to offer, and that is a lot.

The antlers-bedecked cruiser bikes are free for guests. A fun way to tour the village!

Two weekends ago my family came into town for the Vail Rec District’s Easter egg hunt. We parked here at the Antlers, enjoyed the Easter activities and then stopped back in at the lobby to enjoy some conversation, coffee and hot chocolate for our daughter before heading home. Last weekend we took our daughter up skiing. Of course, everyone knows the convenient proximity of the Antlers to the gondola. Earlier this week I needed to run to the bank. Instead of getting in the car and driving, I grabbed one of the free antlers-bedecked cruiser bikes and enjoyed a refreshing ride through town. As a long-time Vail local, working here reminds me of all the reasons that I live here. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to bringing my hiking boots in and enjoying some impromptu Vail hikes this summer!

Posted by: Liana, the new marketing gal

The Antlers welcomes new Director of Marketing Liana Moore

You’ve already heard from our new Director of Marketing Liana Moore here on the blog, expounding on the joys of Vail pond skimming, but we thought we’d share the official news release about this exciting new addition to our Antlers team as well…

Vail, Colorado – April 10, 2013 – The Antlers at Vail has named Liana Moore as director of marketing, announced Antlers General Manager Rob LeVine.  In the position, Moore will oversee all aspects of marketing for the popular condo hotel in Vail’s Lionshead. “I’ve already had the pleasure of working with the Antlers in a different capacity for several years,” says Moore, who previously served with two local nonprofits – Bravo! Vail Music Festival and the Vail Symposium – for which the Antlers is official condo hotel. “I’m excited to get to don my marketing hat as a part of the Antlers team.”

“Liana brings an in-depth understanding of the Vail Valley to the Antlers,” says LeVine, “and her marketing experience includes everything from marketing research to public relations. We look forward to having her on our team and assisting us with the big picture as we continue to grow.”

In 1996, Moore began her work as a freelancer for Dallas public relations firms then moved to a financial company where she worked in marketing research. After earning a Master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship from Southern Methodist University, Moore launched her own business in the travel industry. She moved to the Vail Valley in 2000 where she served as director of marketing and public relations for Bravo! Vail Music Festival before founding Kaleidos Marketing to provide marketing strategy and campaigns, public relations plans and social media campaigns for clients. She was elected to the Vail Symposium Board of Directors in 2007, becoming executive director in 2010. She resides in Eagle/Vail, Colorado with her husband and two children.

Since 1972, the Antlers at Vail hotel has offered a unique Vail lodging experience in a relaxed mountain setting. With condominiums ranging from studio suites to four bedrooms, the Antlers provides fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, outdoor balconies, free Internet and free parking, and is conveniently located in Vail’s Lionshead area, steps from restaurants, galleries, shops, the free Vail town shuttle and Vail’s Gondola. For more information, call 1-800-843-8245 or visit www.antlersvail.com.

Because it was my friend Kim Langmaid (the new President of EVAS) asking, and because the Antlers has been the Official Hotel of EVAS and largely because Bob Vanourek was facilitating (who’s at the very top of my all-time business heroes list), I said yes.  It turned out to be the best decision I’ve made in awhile.

Fifteen of the brightest people I know, led by a genius, in an incredibly valuable planning session.  What’s more, it was actually fun.  Bob’s alignment process addresses everything from Purpose, Vision, Values and Goals, to Strategy, Structure, Action Steps and Communication.  Much of that is covered in his book Triple Crown Leadership, plus a whole lot more.  

We spent the entire day on the initial “high-level” pieces.  As a sidebar, when we were talking about the Purpose of the organization (what many call a “Mission Statement”) I was particularly struck by one of Bob’s slides.  It reflected the stated purpose of the United States Humane Society … Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty.  Wow … how’s that for powerful?  It made me think that every Mission Statement ought to be limited to four or five words.

At the end of the day, I admitted to feeling somewhat guilty that I had only spent half the time thinking about the future of EVAS, and the other half applying it all to the Antlers. I can’t wait to put it into practice.  Happily, EVAS has already started to.

Rob

Early Vail ski instructors line up for photo op (credit: Vail Resorts)

Celebrating  Vail’s 50^th remains the name of the game for the 2013 Vail ski season, right through its April spring skiing finale, with plenty of special late-season festivities – many of them free. The fun ranges from a new Nordic twist on the venerable Taste of Vail’s 22^nd year through a tricky closing day event featuring “floatable athletes” launching from snow to icy pond. To keep all those good times company, the Antlers at Vail hotel is offering a 30-percent discount on its lodging rates for the month of April, bringing the rate for a studio suite below $200. The insider Vail travel experts at the Antlers also recommend these five reasons to enjoy their home resort this April:

1)    Taste of Vail – the iconic spring food and wine festival turns 22 this year, showcasing the area’s finest chefs and nation’s top vintners. A new Nordic Wine Tour kicks off the Taste with cross-country ski/snowshoe wine and cheese stations on the Vail Golf Course. April 3 – 6. Event tickets start from $50.

2)    Spring Back to Vail Celebration – a week-long end-of-season bash in honor of Vail’s 50^th, featuring free live concerts including reggae legend and Grammy-winner Jimmy Cliff, performing April 14 at the Solaris Plaza in Vail Village. April 8 – 14.

3)    50^th Anniversary Film Night – a look back at Vail’s 50 years in film from Roger Cotton Brown, who created the first ever promotional film about Vail in the early 60s. April 4 and 11. Show is free with ticket, available at Lionshead Vail Welcome Center from 9 a.m. on the day of the show only. Film starts at 5:30 p.m.

4)    Skiing Heritage Week – a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame induction ceremony April 13 is a highlight in a week of events that also includes the Ishpeming International Film Festival of classic ski movies. April 8 – 14. $350 for the All-Access Pass.

5)    Vail World Pond Skimming Championships – thousands watch as costumed skiers and snowboarders vie for fame and glory as they attempt to clear a 100-foot, ice cold pond in this wacky annual close-of-season event. April 14. Lake Golden Peak at Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak Base Area. Free to watch; $75 to participate.

Antlers at Vail’s April discount includes 30 percent off regular rates for the month, with a $285/night studio suite available for $199. Check the Antlers at Vail website calendar or chat with Antlers staff for additional events – from family snowshoeing to a Segovian pig roast – to accompany an April Vail visit.

Left, photo © goodluz – Fotolia.com; The Antlers at Vail hotel, center, is close to many of Vail’s walking paths and trails; the hotel’s hard-to-miss bikes, right, are free for guests to borrow.

When someone tells you to “take a hike” you’ll be thankful if you’re in Vail, Colorado, where the area’s abundant trails and paths are suited for people of all ages and athletic abilities. The Antlers at Vail hotel is a conveniently located home base for exploring Vail by foot or with one of the Antlers’ free loaner bikes, and summer rates start at just $168 for a studio suite.

The Antlers at Vail’s friendly staff is happy to recommend nearby trails and provide directions for guests who want to explore the area. These are some of their favorite jaunts close to the hotel:

Creekside Sauntering

The Antlers is located on Gore Creek, which winds through Vail and has a paved walking and biking path that’s perfect for exploring the area. Head east and enjoy a shady, easy walk to Vail Village, or head west to Donovan Park, a fun children’s park and play area.

Art Walking

Vail’s public art collection includes forty works ranging from paintings and sculptures to murals, playground components and site-integrated art. Art in Public Places offers free summertime guided tours including discussions of the history of the Vail Valley and the importance of site-specific art. For dates and times, visit www.artinvail.com.

Mountain Ambling

Just 200 yards from the Antlers at Vail hotel, the Vail Gondola is ideal for those who prefer downhill striding to uphill climbing. Ride to the top and enjoy a scenic walk down the mountain trail, enjoying the Rocky Mountain vistas and wildflowers along the way.

Nature Rambling

Just east of Vail Village, the Vail Nature Center offers a variety of summertime nature walks, guided hikes and back country treks. For more information visit http://www.vailrec.com/hikingprogram.cfm.

Rover Romping

The Antlers at Vail is a dog-friendly hotel, and Bighorn Park just east of the Vail Racquet Club offers over seven acres of leash-free terrain for canines and their owners. The northern half of Stephens Park in West Vail is also an off-the-leash zone.

Since 1972, the Antlers at Vail hotel has offered a unique Vail lodging experience in a relaxed mountain setting. The Antlers is the proud recipient of the Platinum Service Award Winner from the Vail Valley Partnership and was named the Vail Valley Green Business of the Year in 2009. With condominiums ranging from studio suites up to four bedrooms and plenty of space to spread out, each room at the Antlers offers all the comforts of home including fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, outdoor balconies, free Internet access and free parking. The Antlers Vail is conveniently located in Vail’s Lionshead area with numerous restaurants, galleries and shops within walking distance, and the free Vail town shuttle stops just footsteps away. For more information, call 1-800-843-8245 or visit the Antlers web site at www.antlersvail.com.

Media Contacts: Rob LeVine, General Manager, The Antlers at Vail, (970) 476-2471, RLeVine@antlersvail.com or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, (307) 734-5335, darla@wordenpr.com.