Arrabelle at Vail Square Review and VR Tour: European Grandeur at the Foot of Eagle Bahn

Arrabelle at Vail Square Review and VR Tour: European Grandeur at the Foot of Eagle Bahn

Arrabelle Inn At a Glance

• Setting: Heart of Lionshead Village, wrapped around Alderhof Ice Rink, a few steps from the Eagle Bahn Gondola.
• Vibe: European grand resort energy in a compact alpine square. Clock tower, glockenspiel, cobblestones, and a steady après buzz.
• Rooms: Handsome, traditionally luxe guest rooms and suites with fireplaces, balconies in many layouts, marble baths with deep soaking tubs.
• Dining: Tavern on the Square for all day mountain American fare, indoor lounge and patio on the plaza.
• Bars: Lobby bar and the Tavern for après that spills onto the square when the sun hits right.
• Wellness: RockResorts Spa about 10,000 square feet with 11 treatment rooms, sauna, steam, whirlpool, and a solid fitness center.
• Signature Scene: Rooftop lap pool and hot tubs facing Vail Mountain plus the ice rink below in winter.
• Mountain Flow: Slopeside ski and boot valet, Ski Concierge, rental partners, tickets, and Ski School at the base.
• Good For: Couples, families, multi generational gatherings, and anyone who likes a town square to orbit.

Why Book Arrabelle inn with Aspen Travel Advisors

Booking the Arrabelle Inn at Vail through Aspen Travel Advisors on BeVvip secures you the highest VIP status available, outclassing AmEx and all other loyalty programs.

Password = VIP

All photos are in 360º Virtual Reality. Look around in all directions.

From the Vault ~ Impressions from our stay in August 2017

Fact notes for travelers: Arrabelle sits beside the Eagle Bahn Gondola in Lionshead and wraps the seasonal Alderhof Ice Rink. The spa spans roughly 10,000 square feet. The rooftop pool and hot tubs are a guest favorite. The property opened in late 2007 as the anchor of the Vail Square redevelopment.

Arrival, First Impressions, and the Lionshead Pulse

Vail has two hearts. One beats in the old village near the covered bridge. The other beats here, in Lionshead, where the gondola climbs and the square feels like a pocket of Europe. You step from the car into a courtyard of stone and light. Music drifts from the rink in winter. In summer the square turns into a stage for children on scooters and parents with gelato. The Arrabelle sits like a grand dame that knows the locals by name. Wood meets marble. Fire meets glass. A clock tower keeps time the way only mountains can.

Check in moves quickly. Luggage finds its room without drama. The lobby bar glows in late afternoon in a way that suggests a short drink before you make bigger plans. Staff seems to enjoy the rhythm of the day, which is a good sign. A property that likes its own pulse will usually treat you well.

Rooms and Suites: Warm, Spacious, and Honest About Winter

The design brief reads European alpine with American square footage. Rooms are large. Fireplaces are standard in most categories. Balconies are common, often overlooking the square or the mountain ridge. Materials are tactile. Stone that invites a hand. Fabrics that suggest a second cup of coffee. Lighting that flatters skin and the kind of photos you will actually share. Bathrooms are a pleasure. Deep soaking tubs. Walk in showers. Heated floors. Water pressure that feels like the reward for getting outside.

Closets swallow gear without asking you to live out of a suitcase. There are hooks where there should be hooks. There are outlets by both sides of the bed. There are quiet corners to open a laptop without turning the room into an office. Families will find the suite inventory forgiving, with enough doors and fold out options to give everyone privacy after a long day. Couples will appreciate the way the fireplace turns the room into its own little après scene.

Tavern on the Square: All Day Energy, Patio Theater

Tavern on the Square is the hotel’s living room that learned to cook. At lunch it is about fuel and sunshine. At après it is about fries, burgers, and hot drinks that quickly become cold drinks when the sun swings back onto the plaza. At dinner it shifts to a calmer voice with plates that do not try too hard yet still satisfy. The patio is the best seat when the weather cooperates. Inside, the room reads mountain American with a bit of polish. The team can handle families without breaking stride and give couples a quieter corner when needed.

How to play it
Lunch outside when the gondola spins and the patio warms. Ask about the burger du jour or bison move if it is running. If you want to keep it light, go for a soup and grilled cheese pairing on cold days. Dinner works best after a late soak upstairs. The night air makes dessert taste better.

Rooftop Pool and Hot Tubs: Vail From Above

There is a particular joy in soaking on a rooftop while you watch gondola cars carry people toward their own evenings. The lap pool sits long and lean. The hot tubs sit high with mountain views. It is a ritual up here. Parents lean back while kids practice the art of submerging according to house rules. Friends compare runs. Couples discuss which chair was the best decision of the day. Sunset turns the roofs around you into a postcard. Steam rises. You forget the time.

Bring a robe. Bring something to read. Bring a plan for dinner that accepts the possibility of a second hour of soaking.

Spa and Fitness: Big Enough To Matter

The RockResorts Spa has a warm welcome and enough treatment rooms to handle a busy weekend. The footprint is roughly 10,000 square feet, which means steam, sauna, whirlpool, relaxation zones, and a fitness center that can survive January resolve without apology. Ask for a late afternoon slot so you can transition to the rooftop for sunset and then down to dinner.

Ski Concierge and Mountain Flow: Boots, Tickets, and First Chair

Ski towns reward good logistics. Arrabelle has them. The Ski Concierge and slopeside valet sit a few steps from the Eagle Bahn Gondola. Boots warm. Skis appear tuned and ready. Tickets are in hand by the time the second coffee lands. Lessons and guides can be booked through the base and the team can steer you toward the right instructor for your style. The walk from lobby to gondola is a few dozen heartbeats, which is the difference between a powder morning and a story about almost making it.

Families will notice how much easier it is to leave the room, reach the base, and start the day. Couples will notice how easy it is to improvise. Solo skiers will notice how much more skiing gets done when the boot room and the lift shake hands.

Summer, Fall, and the Square as Your Living Room

Vail works in all seasons. In warm months, bikes take the place of skis and the square becomes a stage for concerts and casual evenings. The gondola brings hikers and sightseers to the ridge. The river asks for a fly rod. The golf crowd heads to Red Sky. Even if you never leave town, the square gives you a pleasant orbit. Morning coffee. Midday gelato. Late afternoon music. Night walks under string lights that make every evening look a little like a film set.

People, Service, and the House Style

There is a difference between training and rhythm. Arrabelle has both. Valets read the weather on your face and fetch cars without being asked. Front desk teams move at the speed of calm. Housekeepers leave rooms that feel like you were never there and yet clearly are. The team in the boot room gives honestly useful advice about skis and snow and which lift line tends to move. The Tavern crew is quick with refills and quicker with good ideas. It seems simple. It is not. Many hotels try. Fewer succeed.

Who It Suits and When To Choose Something Else

Choose The Arrabelle if you want to orbit a lively square, walk to the gondola, and return to a room that behaves like a private apartment. Choose it if you like a European aesthetic and a service culture that moves without noise. Choose it if your group spans ages and needs, since the layout makes departures and returns easy on everyone.

Choose something else if you want a boutique hideaway away from the hum or if you prefer a brand with a larger spa and a more modernist design. Vail gives you options. Four Seasons carries a bigger spa program. Sonnenalp leans heritage and Old World village. The Lodge at Vail puts you by Gondola One in the main village and trades square energy for the covered bridge scene. The Sebastian offers an artsy mood and strong family services.

How To Book With BeVvip For Best Value

Tell us your dates, view preferences, and whether breakfast credit or a dining credit makes more sense for your style. We line up room categories with likely First Priority upgrade outcomes and coordinate Tavern reservations with your actual energy curve. Book through https://BeVvip.com with the option to work one on one with an advisor. BeVvip delivers VIP perks and First Priority upgrades at direct rates with no membership fees.

Final Comparison

Property	Why Pick It	Tradeoffs
The Arrabelle at Vail Square	European style square near Eagle Bahn Gondola. Rooftop lap pool and hot tubs with mountain views. Lively Tavern on the Square. Family friendly logistics and spacious rooms.	Classic alpine look rather than modern minimal. Spa is strong but not the largest in Vail.
Four Seasons Resort Vail	Large spa and treatment menu. Strong brand service. Short walk to Vail Village dining.	Not on Vail Square. Different scene and price profile.
Sonnenalp	Old World Germanic charm. Beloved by repeat guests. Central village location.	Farther from Eagle Bahn Gondola. Some room categories feel smaller.
The Lodge at Vail	By Gondola One in Vail Village. Historic Vail energy and easy base access.	Older bones in places. Different design language than Arrabelle.
The Sebastian Vail	Artsy mood with kid friendly touches. Central Vail Village and good services.	Not directly on a lift. Smaller pool scene.

Best Ways to Watch This 360° VR Experience

📌 VR Headset (Best Experience!) – For full immersion, watch using an Oculus Quest 3, Quest 2, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, or PICO headset and feel like you’re really there.
📌 Mobile (360° Mode) – Use your smartphone and tilt or swipe to explore every angle of the scene.
📌 Desktop (Click & Drag) – Click and drag on your screen to navigate the scene in YouTube 360° or VR-supported platforms.
📌 Smart TV (Curved or Large Screens) – Even without VR, experience the breathtaking visuals on a 4K/8K display for a cinematic adventure.