Montage Deer Valley Turns on Summer Charm

Woof! Some hotels welcome guests the traditional way—you know, with doormen and concierges. But at Park City’s newly opened mountain refuge, Montage Deer Valley (montagedeervalley.com; rates from $250), a well-behaved Bernese mountain dog named Monty does the honors.

When my friend and I visit, Monty (right) greets us, tail wagging, at the front door, and after one snuffle of his wet doggie nose, we’re ready to follow him anywhere. For now, we let him accompany us to our suite that overlooks the Wasatch Mountain Range.

As the hotel’s official canine ambassador, Monty spreads the love. He roams the halls at prescribed intervals for social time with guests. At the end of the day, he stands guard at Compass Sports to pose with energized hikers and bikers for a post-exertion photo. Dog-loving guests—and everyone we see falls into that category—check him out for a ramble, romp or Frisbee throw. Some simply run their hands through his thick black and white fur as they pass by.

Those who don’t get enough Monty time—and are old enough for an adult beverage—can further channel Monty with one of the hotel’s private-label beers, this one a Belgian white ale that bears his name and toothy image. After drinking our bottle, since we can’t take Monty home, we tuck the empty into our suitcase for a souvenir. “He’s quickly becoming the hotel’s most prized keepsake,” says Dan Howard, director of public relations.

Even without Monty, Montage Deer Valley would be a metaphorical keepsake.

This isn’t your ordinary lodge-style hideaway. Positioned in mid-mountain within Deer Valley Resort, the hotel’s back doors open to an outdoor playground. S-turn right from your room to the slopes in winter, and take one laced-up hiking boot step out the door for summer rambles amid the pines.

Outdoor pools collide with the mountain peaks. Indoors, find a gastropub with nostalgia-inspired bowling lanes, billiards, darts and arcade games. There’s a library, a humidor and a sprawling 35,000-square-foot spa. The hotel even has its own beekeeper—and honey, a ubiquitous accompaniment in each of the hotel’s five eateries.

Ruggedly earthy, detailed with Craftsman motifs and abundant with art created in Utah, Montage roots into its locale like a native plant. Though immense at first glance, Montage is a warren of intimate spaces.

The Vista Lounge and Terrace, as grand and expansive as a king’s coronation hall, overwhelms us at first. But once we sit in front of the fireplace, the space shrinks to embrace us. We order Monty beer, sit back and admire the scenery. Through the window flows an extravaganza of emerald.

Squadrons of kids dash about. Monty waddles through. Some folks don elegant evening wear, while others repose in hiking or biking gear, beer and appetizers in hand. Anything goes here: It’s casual and smart, social and serene, tranquil and pulsing with energy. As if to test the place, urged on by a smiling concierge, we walk through Vista clad in bathrobes en route to the pool. “Can we?” we giggle nervously.

“Of course,” he says.

Our biggest problem is deciding what to do: take a splesh in a serenity bath (left), take a high-speed lift to the top, bikes in tow, for a single-track biking adventure down? Or, try our hand at fly-fishing along the Provo or Green rivers, where each square mile of water teems with trout? Here, you can sail, kayak or white-water raft. And hiking trails abound—more than 300 miles of them. 

Which explains why the oft-repeated adage in Park City, “Come for the winter, but stay for the summer,” rings true.

Summer Events

Deer Valley Music Festival. Utah Symphony and Utah Opera’s summer home; July/August; deervalleymusicfestival.com.

Big Stars Bright Nights Concert Series. Outdoor concerts by artists at the Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park Amphitheater; ecclescenter.org.

Last Friday Gallery Stroll. Artists, special exhibits and art events; May 27, June 24, July 29, Aug. 26; parkcitygalleryassociation.com.

Getting There

Daily nonstop flights to Salt Lake City on Delta and United Airlines and from Dulles International Airport and on Delta Airlines from Reagan National Airport.