“We view the guests in our hotel as guests in our home,” Hope Eccles, president of Goldener Hirsch Inn, tells me. “They should feel comfortable and at home, and be taken care of,” she adds, saying that’s true of any guest, whether they’re staying for a week, or just visiting for lunch at the inn’s restaurant.
The Goldener Hirsch — part of the Auberge Resorts Collection — was named the No. 1 resort hotel in the United States and in Utah for 2023 by Travel + Leisure. The property sits in the heart of Deer Valley with ski in/ski out access to the resort, storage on the mountain for skis, lockers in the hotel, and even ski valets available to help guests get their ski boots on and off.
“We try to make it as easy for guests as possible,” Eccles explains. “Sometimes we joke, if you really want us to, we’ll go skiing for you.”
The Eccles family purchased the original inn in the early ‘90s, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, built an adjoining structure of condominiums. A bridge connects the inn to the condos.
The original Bavarian-inspired inn has a cozy, traditional feel with wood-burning fireplaces and antiques purchased by the family and brought over from Europe. The condos on the other side of the bridge are sleek and modern, with kitchens, the option to rent just one room or the entire suite. These condos, Eccles told me, were designed with families in mind; there are many multigenerational families who return to the Goldener Hirsch every year to spend time together.
Before guests arrive, the staff of the Goldener Hirsch tries to anticipate their every possible need. “We’ve tried really hard to put together some things that allow guests to start their vacation the minute they walk in the door,” Eccles says. Guests can request groceries to be purchased ahead of their arrival, have dinner reservations made and choose from a variety of activities put together by the staff. Glass blowing, cross-country skiing, stargazing and yoga by the rooftop pool are some of the opportunities available to guests.
Guests or hungry skiers can dine at the Goldener Hirsch restaurant manned by executive chef Senthil Krishamurthy, whose menu is full of Bavarian-inspired dishes. While there, I sampled the butternut squash cream served with herbs and goat cheese-covered toasted bread, a winter citrus salad with arugula and a sweet vinaigrette, the “golden stag” cheeseburger with onion jam and a pretzel bun, the chicken holstein sandwich with a fried egg, and the wiener schnitzel, all served with seasoned, crispy fries. It’s exactly the kind of warm, filling and comforting food that tastes best after a cold day skiing, and it’s unique and gourmet enough to warrant a drive to Park City just for the meal. Patrons can also enjoy snacks on the new après ski patio, by the pool, in the antler lounge or, if staying at the inn, in their room.
Eccles credits much of the inn’s luxury status with its partnership with Auberge, which manages many of the world’s finest luxury resorts. This partnership, Eccles explains, has elevated the recognition of the hospitality available in Park City, and ensures the destination is considered to be at the highest levels of both skiing and luxury.
That luxury will run a guest anywhere from $1,500 to $3,500 a night. But the Eccles family promises they will get the best experience for the price.
Hospitality, to her, is “a combination of common sense and graciousness that I hope we adopted from my mother.” Her mother, Cleone Peterson Eccles, was “such a lovely, gracious person,” she explains. “She wanted everyone to feel valued, special, and like they’re the most important person anywhere they are.”
“We want our guests to know that we appreciate them,” she says. “Their spending time here is a gift.”
