Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection

Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection

Ski boots crunch across the entryway at Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection, in Mountain Village three kilometres from central Telluride, where the Village Express Ski Lift, the Mountain Village Gondola Station and the Telluride Ski and Golf Club are all a short walk from the door. Ski-in/ski-out access, on-site rental gear, ski storage and a shuttle mean the mountain functions as an extension of the building rather than a planned outing. The 110 rooms spread across seven floors range from a Standard King room to a Mountain View suite and a full apartment with access to a communal kitchen, a layout built more for families staying the week or groups splitting a quadruple room than for a couple wanting one quiet night. A heated rooftop pool stays open through ski season, backed by a spa tub, steam room and massage services for the legs that did the work. Downstairs, a restaurant, bar, cafe and buffet breakfast cover meals, a library, ping-pong and billiards fill the gaps between runs, and a playroom with babysitting on call makes the place workable with children, though anyone hoping to dodge kids entirely should book elsewhere. Pets come along for a $175 deposit, an extra bed runs $175 a night, and early arrival or a late exit adds $150, so the fee list rewards guests who plan ahead rather than improvise. A conference hall and meeting rooms cover the trips that double as work. Check-in starts at 4pm, checkout is 11am, and the rooftop pool is the one thing here that most ski lodges never bother building. Ski-in/ski-out access, a heated rooftop pool and apartment-style rooms with a communal kitchen set Madeline Hotel & Residences apart in Mountain Village, three kilometres from Telluride's centre. It suits families and ski groups more than anyone wanting one quiet night, with pets, extra beds and late checkout carrying separate fees.