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The Vail Valley is well known for its jaw-dropping, uber-luxe homes, but it’s not often that visitors get to stay in them. That may be changing: Two new high-end properties were recently added to the area’s short-term vacation rental market.
One, the most expensive home ever sold in Vail ($57.25 million in 2020), opened its doors to the public last October. The other, a castle-like property (valued around $40 million) in Edwards, became available for short-term rentals earlier this year. The only caveat: Nightly rates for these opulent vacation spots start at a whopping $15,000 a night.
Opus, Vail Village
By the Numbers:
- 9 bedrooms
- 15 bathrooms
- Sleeps 20 people
- 15,089 square feet
- Nightly rates start at $24,950
Vail’s priciest house is actually two interconnected properties that collectively encompass nine bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, two outdoor heated pools, and two outdoor hot tubs. The full home is known as Opus (the five-bedroom Ethos can be rented separately if guests are seeking something smaller), and it recently underwent a $5 million renovation before becoming available to rent in October 2022.
“We call it the crown jewel,” says Mike Connolly, general manager of Triumph Mountain Properties. “Everything about Vail Village is at your feet, but you also have the solitude and sanctuary of coming back to the property when you want to and really feeling like you’re in your own world.”
Originally developed by the families behind behemoth publishing companies Webster and McGraw-Hill, the six-story property sits on the western edge of the ski village and affords 360-degree views of the Gore Range. Floor-to-ceiling windows and heated decks bring the outdoors in.
If you can tear yourself away from the view, the interior deserves some gawking too. The spacious homes boast numerous fireplaces, chef-worthy kitchens, a decked-out fitness room, a theater room, and a contemporary, 3-D piece of fourteener wall art ripe for Instagram portraits. With more than 23,000 square feet of space total, guests can enjoy time spent together and, Connolly says, “You can find spaces to get away and enjoy a little peace and a little privacy.”
Triumph adds to the extravagance of Opus and Ethos with its slate of amenities, including a breakfast chef to handle a.m. meals every day; a dedicated concierge who can arrange dinner reservations, adventure outings, and special experiences (like organizing a caviar and champagne tasting on-property); a fully stocked bar and snacks upon arrival; daily housekeeping; and a stocked ski room.
Chateau Grande at Casteel Creek, Edwards
By the Numbers:
- 13 bedrooms
- 18 full bathrooms
- Sleeps up to 28 guests
- 35,000 square feet
- $15,000 per night
Managed by Moving Mountains, Chateau Grande comprises two properties, the Chateau and the Ridge House, situated in the private Casteel Creek community. Guests now have the option to rent the full Chateau Grande for a combined total of 13 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms, or they can stay in the nine-bedroom, eight-bathroom Chateau on its own (for $14,000 per night). The site borders national forest and is surrounded by more than 450 private acres of land; it sits about 15 minutes from Edwards’ commercial district.
“It’s the super yacht of vacation rentals,” says Moving Mountains’ co-founder and president/CEO Robin Craigen. “There are very few occasions when you can actually rent and stay in a home like this…Typically, you have to buy it or build it yourself.”
The impressive design begins at the driveway: A $1 million bridge brings guests from the forested road to the Chateau. Inside, they’ll find a home theater, game room, spacious gym, indoor/outdoor heated pool and Jacuzzi, chef’s kitchen, gold-walled ice cream parlor, and even a replica of the historic Silver Dollar Saloon in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Between the two living rooms, a 200-foot-long, cantilevered bridge—a dramatic catwalk—leads to an uninterrupted view of the Sawatch Mountains.
Ridge House is about one-sixth the size, but still boasts a three-car garage, wood-burning fireplace, hot tub, and incomparable views.
Chateau Grande guests also gain exclusive access to Coyote Lodge, a common recreational space that contains an indoor lap pool, hot tub, arcade, game room, climbing wall, and tennis and pickleball courts.
Moving Mountains will arrange transportation to your home away from home, stock the fridge before you arrive, handle lift tickets and gear rentals, and set up specialty experiences, like booking a personal chef or snowmobiling on the property. “We [do our best],” Craigen says, “to keep the guest from having to stand in line for anything.”
