Tons of incredible talent will be showcased at the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah come January 17, but the event also seems like an excuse for the rich and famous to take yet another vacation. With gorgeous vistas and white slopes aplenty, Park City offers some of the best skiing in the country—and for the celebrities attending Sundance, this is a time for them to get some press while lounging in the best luxury villas in the area. True, some stars might opt for low-key lodges, but most will be staying at five-star resorts and private residences. So, just what does Utah have to offer for the stars coming into town? Let’s take a virtual tour of where they will be hanging their ski hats for this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
SKI Dream Home
The SKI Dream Home located at the top of Little Baldy Peak in the gated community of Deer Valley Resort was conceived around the idea of being the ideal ski vacation home. Elevated at 8,000 feet, this majestic winter wonderland boasts enormous windows and rests on huge stone pillars. Offering panoramic mountain and lake views, everything here is bigger than average. Inside are massive wooden beams, vaulted ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling stonework. The curvature and breadth of the wooden staircase alone is breathtaking.
All necessary amenities are accounted for, including a golf simulator, trout aquarium, and multiple Sub Zero refrigerators, ranges, ovens, and dishwashers along with fireplaces in the master bedroom. A professional grade media room is perfect for pre-screenings, and there is also a steam room, sauna and day spa for when the celebs aren’t feeling nearly relaxed enough.
For the skier in the group, it has direct ski-in/ski-out access. Outside entertainment is managed by a heated outdoor pool and waterfall, two fire pits, grotto, and hot tub, as well as 4,500 square feet of heated decks and patios. Hosts can gather their beautiful friends and family on the dance floor and around the DJ booth, with a custom glass elevator waiting to give a quick lift upstairs after a long night. The 14,000-square-foot home is priced at $16,500 per night, and even includes an onsite dog spa so no one feels left out of the fun.
Photo courtesy of SKI Dream Home
Red Cloud Estate
The Red Cloud Estate is also situated within a private gated community in the Deer Valley Resort. The 9,600-square-foot residence has eight bedrooms, all with private baths, and three extra bathrooms to spare. Of course there’s ski-in/ski-out access, a home theater, full bar, wine cellar, ski prep room, pool table, and fitness room inside this gated community mansion.
The interior décor heavily emphasizes the rustic outdoor setting with wooden accents in walnut-colored floors and exposed wood beams. The stone fireplace is the focal point of the room, with a flat screen mounted above for unwinding with a movie next to the crackling fire. Dramatic mountain views can be seen from nearly any large, picture window in the house, as well as from the outdoor hot tub. The Red Cloud Estate can play host to up to 20 guests and rents for $12,000 a night.
Photos Courtesy of Luxury Retreats
Westgate Resorts
For the stars who prefer the atmosphere of a resort but with some added privacy, Westgate, in Park City, offers a four-bedroom, 2,150-square-foot luxury villa. It accommodates up to 14 revelers with four bedrooms (all with king beds) and three queen sleeper sofas. The private master is outfitted with a jetted tub surrounded by stone trim and a steam shower, but the rest of the guests will have to share the three other bathrooms around the villa. Inside this cozy home away from home is a stone fireplace, flat screen TVs, and a large balcony with hot tub.
The main draw for a luxury resort is all of its amenities, leaving less work for celebs on their much needed vacation. Westgate offers the full service Serenity Spa, which boasts 30,000 square feet of treatment rooms. The sports bar has 50 beers from around the world and there’s also a steakhouse on the grounds. Sorry Hollywood bad-girls, no pets or smoking allowed here. For some more good clean fun, Westgate offers ski rentals, yoga, tennis, basketball, bicycles and also features Utah’s largest indoor/outdoor pool. Although this particular villa (which usually goes for around $1,600 per night) has already been scooped up by one of Hollywood’s hottest for this year’s Sundance, there are additional villas with studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans.
Photo Courtesy of Westgate Resorts
The St. Regis Deer Valley
Another five-star experience can be found at the exclusive residence rentals at The St. Regis Deer Valley Resort. Celebrities will most likely be found in their three-bedroom Presidential Residence. Along with the amenities of a high-end hotel, the space features four and a half baths, four different balconies, and a dining room that seats 10. The Junior Master comes with a double-sided fireplace, and the media room boasts an 85-inch flat screen, king-size Tempurpedic sofa bed, and video library with over 200 Blu-Ray movies so the stars can watch themselves in all their glory. Also included in this nearly 3,000 square root rental is a sauna and waterfall humidifier.
One amenity that continuously lures guests back to the St. Regis is their unparalleled butler service and Remede Spa. Located on the slopes of Deer Valley, the resort has its own private ski beach where you can take lessons from in-house instructor, Olympian Shannon Bahrke. The St. Regis Deer Valley was voted number one resort in North America by SKI Magazine for the last four years, so they must be doing something right.
Photo Courtesy of St. Regis
W. Deer Pointe Dr.
Another exclusive address is W. Deer Pointe Dr. This 13,500-square-foot home welcomes up to 12 guests with five bedrooms and seven baths. In the gated community of Deer Crest, the residence offers panoramic vistas of the Jordanelle Reservoir and Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges. The view from the dining room is incredible with mountain peaks stretching across the horizon. The home is more contemporary in style, with lighter colors and a custom kitchen. Included are three fireplaces, an elevator, piano, wine cellar and spa.
The gorgeous bathrooms feature items like a standing tub and tile shower with rainfall and bench to take a load off after a hard day looking fabulous. The property flaunts wood floors, custom wood work and lighting, and marble/granite and glass tile countertops. Of course, this is a ski-in/ski-out location as well, with a price tag of $10,000 per night.
Photo Courtesy of Airbnb
72 Colony
Set on a private wooded lot within The Colony community, this home with its rustic décor, is ideal for the eco-conscious of Tinseltown, as it is constructed from reclaimed wood. And though it may be green themed, it has all the modern perks of a luxury villa. The seven-bedroom, 10 and a half bathroom home comes with a housekeeper, private chef, and concierge to take care of all the odds and ends around the house. A home theater, sauna and steam room are available to relax in while the housework is being attended to.
Its abundant custom wood work includes 150-year–old railroad trusses from the Great Salt Lake, cabinets fashioned from a dead myrtle wood forest in Oregon, and barn wood from California. The house offers spectacular views of the mountainscape and inside you will find Quartzite stone, colorful terrazzo caste concrete, and granite in areas like the gourmet kitchen. There is a private hot tub, ski-in/ski-out access and a fire pit, along with a heated driveway. This snow covered beauty is for rent at $15,000 per night.
Photo Courtesy of Luxury Retreats
Deerfield Estate
Judging from the size of this behemoth, it has to be a hotel, right? No, it’s an uber-exclusive residence rented out by billionaires and international celebrities, of course. Perched atop Deer Crest, the opulent Deerfield Estate is Deer Valley’s highest mountaintop home. At 50-feet above any other area property, starlets will be amazed by 360-degree views of the Jordanelle Reservoir and Uinta Range, Bald Mountain, and Park City. A stay here will reveal what it must feel like to be on the top of the world.
The home was designed in European style infused with mountain vacation living amenities. It contains seven master suites, 11 bathrooms, eight fireplaces, two elevators, and a theater modeled after a Roman amphitheater. The residence is loaded with details like a Tudor-style reproduction coal stove, early 19th century fireplace mantel, over-sized French doors, antique limestone mantel, and stained-glass ceiling salvaged from a church and designed by the famous Rudy Brothers.
For activity, there is an indoor pool, dry and wet sauna. The ski prep room features a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and an outdoor hot tub. Deerfield is a dream for the skier—it is the highest ski-in/ski-out location, with a private gondola providing access to Deer Valley and Deer Crest’s miles of private trails. Concierge will take care of grocery delivery, housekeeping, transportation, tickets, and spa service, so there’s no need to fret about the details. For luxury this superb, security is also provided, all for $19,000 per night.
Photo courtesy of Deerfield Estate
