The Daily Destination: Why Vail Belongs to Summer (IMHO)!

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For decades, Vail has been defined by winter. Snow-covered peaks, après-ski terraces, and perfectly groomed runs have shaped its global identity (last season’s weather conditions be damned). But spend a few days here in June, when wildflowers blanket the mountainsides, the Gore Range glows emerald green, and the crisp alpine air replaces the bustle of ski season, and another version of Vail reveals itself. Quieter. More intentional. Arguably, even more luxurious.

That was precisely the backdrop The Leading Hotels of the World selected to celebrate the launch of Explore, the third volume in its acclaimed book series created with Spencer Bailey and The Slowdown, published by Monacelli. Rather than gathering the world’s leading hoteliers in a stuffy ballroom, LHW brought them to a place that embodies the book’s central theme: destinations where exploration is as much about slowing down and connecting with a place as it is checking experiences off a list. The new volume showcases more than 80 independent hotels around the world through the lens of adventure, wellbeing, and discovery—including Sonnenalp Vail, our landing spot for a few days in late-June. The choice felt inevitable.

There is a German word that the hotel’s Faessler family often returns to when describing Sonnenalp’s guiding philosphy: gemütlichkeit. Although there is no perfect English translation, it can be loosely translated as warmth, conviviality, and effortless hospitality and belonging familiarity. It is the feeling that lingers long after check-out, and one that has defined this family-owned hotel through five generations.

Walking through Sonnenalp never feels like entering a resort built around trends. Every detail seems to tell a story. Hand-carved Bavarian woodwork. Furniture crafted in Germany before being assembled in Colorado. Antiques collected by family members sitting comfortably alongside Western art and Frederic Remington sculptures. The architecture feels distinctly Alpine, yet somehow inseparable from Vail itself. As Spencer Bailey writes in Explore, Sonnenalp “isn’t simply in or of Vail; in a profound sense, it is Vail.”

That idea—what LHW called “The Spirit of Place”—became the centerpiece of the summit’s conversations. Across intimate panel discussions held inside Ludwig’s Stüberl and atop Vail Mountain, leading hoteliers, including Gerald Glennon of ESPACIO, The Jewel of Waikiki, Gregory Day of Hospitality Mani Brothers Real Estate Malibu Beach Inn, Ruthy and Leo Ghitis of Nayara Resorts and Ricardo Farinha of Savoy Palace & The Reserve, sat alongside editors and industry leaders exploring how destinations shape hospitality, why family ownership continues to matter, and how luxury travelers increasingly seek meaning over excess. The programming intentionally favored conversation over presentations, with roundtables designed to encourage authentic dialogue, with iPhones neatly tucked away, thankfully.

Photo: Jeffrey Hulse

If there was one recurring message, it was this: independent hotels remain the soul of luxury travel. Since its founding in 1928, The Leading Hotels of the World has remained committed to independently owned properties rather than branded uniformity. Today, its collection spans more than 425 hotels across 80 countries, many still operated by the families who built them generations ago. That independence allows each property to reflect its own culture, traditions, and personality rather than a standardized luxury formula. Sonnenalp is perhaps one of the collection’s clearest expressions of that philosophy.

Yet, the greatest revelation wasn’t found inside the meeting rooms… It was outside. Summer in Vail unfolds at a pace that feels almost European. Our mornings began with Sonnenalp’s legendary breakfast (they weren’t kidding there!) before we split into self-selected groups giving way to guided hikes through the Rockies, fly-fishing along the rushing river directly behind the hotel (this author’s adventure of choice), followed by an afternoon of golf and pickleball at the hotel’s private club, aptly named the Sonnenalp Club, which sits a mere 15 minutes away in Edwards. CO. Others chose more leisurely days consisting of spa treatments, yoga, lounging poolside, and strolls through Vail Village for some alpine shopping. Did I happen to walk away with a custom-fitted pair of Lange ski boots at half price from Gorsuch? Sure as hell did! Consider it yet another one of summer’s little-recognized mountain perks.

Gina Anderson, Trent Bailey, Noelle Kudelko, Julie Leventhal, Ricardo Madias-Farinha

On our second day there, a gondola ride delivered guests high above the village for lunch mid-mountain at The 10th restaurant, where panoramic views became part of that afternoon’s summit conversation. In all honesty, with the Rocky Mountains as its backdrop, maintaining my concentration became an exercise in restraint. It was nearly impossible not to get lost in the endless vistas stretching beyond the windows.

Evenings at Sonnenalp were masterclasses in gemütlichkeit. One night unfolded over bubbling raclette and fondue at the Swiss Chalet; the next, a beautifully paced tasting menu on Ludwig’s open-air terrace beneath a retractable glass roof. When I casually remarked that the mountain air had turned a tad chilly, owner Johannes Faessler, who happened to be seated across from me, quietly signaled for the ceiling to glide shut. Within moments, the room had warmed, yet the star-filled Colorado sky remained perfectly framed overhead. It was a small gesture, perhaps, but one that perfectly captures Sonnenalp’s approach to luxury: thoughtful rather than theatrical. Unsurprisingly, conversations lingered well beyond dessert, proving that the greatest indulgence isn’t extravagance at all; it’s creating an atmosphere where no one is in any hurry to leave.

Fashion, too, seems to be a natural fit here. Summer in Vail isn’t about resort wear in the traditional sense. It’s suede boots paired with crisp white shirting. Lightweight cashmere tossed over the shoulders after sunset, possibly with a tinge of fringe. Tailored denim, linen dresses, woven leather bags, and perfectly “broken-in” hats each guest was able to customize to their taste and brand with their initials upon arrival at our first day’s lunch at The Bully. The aesthetic felt refreshingly and distinctly American West, polished through a European lens, a fitting parallel to Sonnenalp itself, where Bavarian heritage meets Colorado charm.

Perhaps that’s why summer feels like Vail’s little-known secret. Without the hustle and bustle of winter, the destination reveals its true character. Open green trails replace lift lines. Roaring rivers replace crowded slopes. Wellness feels expected rather than scheduled. You leave not because you’ve checked every box, but because you’ve rediscovered the pleasure of simply being somewhere extraordinary alongside nature’s beauty.

In an era when luxury often chases the newest opening or the most photographed hotspots, Sonnenalp, and the multigenerational independent hotels that form the heart of The Leading Hotels of the World, offer something increasingly rare: permanence. Families whose names have remained on the front door for generations, traditions passed from one to the next. Hotels that don’t simply occupy a destination but become part of its identity. And in the case of Vail, summer may just be the season when that identity shines brightest.

All Images: Trent Davis Bailey, Jeffrey Hulse & Elizabeth Kurpis

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