Taos - American Southwest - page 210

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your choice. Hotel rooms follow with the same luxury as the condos. Rooms are medium
size with comfortable beds and medium-size bathrooms. Check the website for a glimpse
of the rooms and other facilities. Underground parking, a full spa, an excellent restaurant,
and valet service for your skis add to the appeal.
106 Sutton Place, Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. & 800/I-LUV-SKI (458-8754) or 575/737-6900. Fax 575/737-
6995. www.edelweisslodgeandspa.com. 31 units. Hotel room winter $220-$440 double; summer $125
double; condo winter $275-$1,156, summer $198-$375 (ranges cover 1 bedroom/1 bathroom to 3 bed-
rooms/3 bathrooms). AE, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge; health club; 2
Jacuzzis; sauna; spa; Wi-Fi (in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer, Internet.

Powderhorn Suites and Condominiums Value A cozy, homelike feel and Euro-
Southwestern ambience make this condo-inn one of the best buys in Taos Ski Valley, just
a 2-minute walk from the lift. You'll find consistency and quality here, with clean
medium-size rooms, mountain views, vaulted ceilings, well-planned bathrooms, and
comfortable beds. The larger suites have stoves, balconies, and fireplaces. Adjoining rooms
are good for families. Like almost all the accommodations in Taos Ski Valley, Powderhorn
has been “condo-ized” so each suite has a distinct owner; thus the service isn't what you
would find at a full-service hotel, though it is still conscientious. There's no elevator, so if
stairs are a problem for you, make sure to ask for a room on the ground floor.
5 Ernie Blake Rd. (P.O. Box 69), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. & 800/776-2346 or 575/776-2341. Fax
575/776-2341, ext. 103. www.taoswebb.com/powderhorn. 17 units. Ski season $99-$165 double, $130-
$200 suite, $195-$400 condo; summer $69-$129. 2- to 6-person occupancy. MC, V. Valet parking. Ameni-
ties: 2 Jacuzzis. In room: TV, kitchenette, Wi-Fi.
Sierra del Sol Condominiums I have wonderful memories of these condo-
miniums, which are just a 2-minute walk from the lift; family friends used to invite me
to stay with them when I was young. I'm happy to say that the units, built in the 1960s,
with additions through the years, have been well maintained. Though they're privately
owned, and therefore decorated at the whim of the owners, management does inspect
them every year and make suggestions. They're smartly built and come in a few sizes:
studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom. The one- and two-bedroom units have big liv-
ing rooms with fireplaces and porches that look out on the ski runs. The bedrooms are
spacious, and some have sleeping lofts. Each has a full kitchen, with a dishwasher, stove,
oven, microwave, and refrigerator. Two-bedroom units sleep up to six. Grills and picnic
tables on the grounds sit near a mountain river.
13 Thunderbird Rd. (P.O. Box 84), Taos Ski Valley, NM 87525. & 800/523-3954 or 575/776-2981. Fax
575/776-2347. www.sierrataos.com. 32 units. Prices range from $79 for studio in summer to $414 for
2-bedroom condo in high season. DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Babysitting; 2 Jacuzzis; 2 saunas;
Wi-Fi (in conference room). In room: TV/DVD, hair dryer, kitchen.

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Snakedance Condominiums and Spa A $3.5-million renovation has trans-
formed the rooms of this former hotel into elegant condominiums. Skiers appreciate the
inn's location, just steps from the lift, as well as amenities such as ski storage and boot
dryers. The original structure that stood on this site was known as the Hondo Lodge.
Before there was a Taos Ski Valley, Hondo Lodge served as a refuge for fishermen, hunt-
ers, and artists. The Snakedance Condominiums today are privately owned units, so each
may differ some, though they are consistent in quality. All are bright, comfortable spaces,
with French-door-accessible balconies and kitchens with granite counters, ranges, fridges,
dishwashers, and microwaves. All have gas fireplaces. The hotel also offers shuttle service
to and from nearby shops and restaurants, and, at certain times, to Albuquerque and
Santa Fe.