Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa

At the risk of stating the obvious, a Park Hyatt in a place like Beaver Creek, Colorado is a very different animal from more typical Park Hyatts — it’s not exactly Lost in Translation. But the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa is proof that they’re just as skilled at Rocky Mountain luxury resorts as they are at Shinjuku skyscrapers.

For purposes of orientation: Beaver Creek is about fifteen minutes to the west of Vail, and it’s the newer and somewhat less developed of the two, though it’s not at all less upscale. The Park Hyatt is placed right at the foot of the lifts, at the top of the Beaver Creek village, something of a cross between a massive stone castle and a rustic Rocky Mountain lodge.

We know “oversized” isn’t really a style, but maybe it should be — in its public spaces the Park Hyatt is like a ski lodge for giants, all high ceilings, enormous antler chandeliers and massive stone fireplaces. Rooms certainly aren’t small either, though they’re a bit more delicate in style, with carved wooden headboards where maybe you’d expect a Flintstones-esque granite slab. And following a major renovation, completed in November of 2013, it’s all presented with the usual Park Hyatt sophistication.

It’s in the services and facilities that this Park Hyatt really flexes its muscles. It’s got a couple of pools, a plush spa and fitness center, and a well-staffed and thoughtful kids’ program. Of course the main event, the mountain, is just out back, and in summer this is the site of some of the best golf in the Rockies.