Most ‘Ski-in, Ski-out’ Properties Are Lying to You—What To Know

There are plenty of overused phrases in the ski travel industry: “world-class terrain” and “mountain views” chief among them. But none are as misleading as “ski-in, ski-out.”

It’s a term plastered across hotel websites and touted by vacation rental listings, even those that are a 15-minute walk from the slopes. It’s an effective marketing tactic because most people don’t know what “ski-in, ski-out” actually means, and properties that claim it can charge a premium.

What “Ski-In, Ski-Out” Actually Means

A property should only be able to claim ski-in, ski-out access if a ski slope or chairlift is 10 steps or less from the door of the property. In my opinion, skiers should be able to open the door of the hotel and walk fewer than 10 steps to the snow. Similarly, at the end of the day, skiers should be able to ski up to the property, step out of their skis, and walk fewer than 10 steps to the door.

“More resorts are branding themselves as ski-in, ski-out when they truly are not. A short walk is not the same,” confirmed Jeannie Lambert, the director of marketing and PR for the Stein Collection, which owns Stein Eriksen Lodge, a resort I’d consider a true ski-in, ski-out property. “If a guest must take more than 10 steps to access the ski runs and lifts, it is not truly a ski-in, ski-out property.”

Deer Valley’s Stein Eriksen Lodge is widely considered ski-in/ski-out because the boot room leads directly onto the slopes. (Photo: Courtesy of Stein Collection)

Why There’s No Official Standard

Here’s the root of the problem: If you search online for the root meaning of “ski-in, ski-out,” you’ll get definitions from real estate and rental companies — both of which are trying to sell you something. There’s no official definition from ski industry trade organizations like the National Ski Areas Association or Snowsports Industries America.

Skiers everywhere would have a much easier time booking lodging — and lodging would save time by not having to field complaints and refund requests — if everyone got on the same page.

How the Term Gets Misused

I spent five years working at a hotel at the base of a ski area and more than a decade writing about hotels and skiing. The hotel I worked at had an on-snow ski valet with boot storage, but the hotel itself was a two-minute walk away. The hotel was great for skiers, but it wasn’t ski-in, ski-out, and we never claimed it was.

That example may be nuanced, but in most cases the misuse of the term is pretty blatant. If you filter for “ski-in, ski-out” on Airbnb, many rentals are still several blocks from the slopes or even a shuttle or bus ride away.

One anecdote from Cory McAlpine, a mountain travel expert, shows how an inexperienced skier might understand ski-in, ski-out: “I had a guest ask me how they would get their luggage to their ski-in, ski-out hotel because they assumed the only way to get there was to ski.”

The Montage is a popular ski in / ski out option for Big Sky skiers; the hotel even has its own lift. (Photo: Courtesy of Giorgia Menetre)

Why It Matters

So why does it matter? If you have kids or hate ski boots, you already know the answer. Hauling multiple pairs of toddler skis and poles across a parking lot is enough to test even the most dedicated ski parents, and walking in ski boots is uncomfortable at best and hazardous at worst.

“As a Breck [Breckenridge] local, I also see a lot of struggling families and individuals trying to navigate which bus is going where, where the ski school drop-off is located, and trying to get four pairs of skis and poles on the bus or over to the lifts, all while walking in ski boots that they have never walked in before,” said McAlpine.

When you book a true ski-in, ski-out property, the juggling act isn’t necessary. Ski-in, ski-out hotels often have slopeside locker rooms and a team of ski valets who carry your gear the 10 steps to the slopes. But even a ski-in, ski-out vacation rental shouldn’t require more than 10 steps in ski boots.

How to Verify Before You Book

Until the ski industry agrees on a universal definition and lodging agrees to adhere to it, travelers who want ski-in, ski-out lodging will have to do some detective work. Check the property’s location before booking, then call and ask if you can step out the door, click into your skis within a few steps, and ski away. If the answer is no, it’s probably not ski-in, ski-out.