One of my favorite games to play when staying at a boutique hotel is what I call “amenities Bingo.” The rules are simple: Make use of as many of the property’s perks as possible, aiming for a full-card victory between check-in and check-out.
Some hotels make this game easier than others—but when my mom and I checked into the amenities-packed A-Frame Club in Winter Park for a late-summer, almost-fall overnight getaway, I knew I’d met my match. With so many enticing ways to spend our time, the challenge wasn’t in finding things to do but in choosing where to start.
The 31 A-frame cabins were built with skiers in mind, with smart amenities like ski storage and boot heaters. Just a quarter-mile from Winter Park Resort, the property channels 1970s American ski culture, complete with vintage slope-side photography and mid-century Malm fireplaces that invite you to thaw out in the comfort of your cabin after clicking out of your ski boots for the day.
And for the ultimate après-ski touch, you can sidle up to a barstool in the on-site saloon that dates back 90 years and has been lovingly restored.
But the A-Frame Club, which Zeppelin Development opened in winter 2023, also excels in the shoulder seasons, with its grown-up, luxury sleepaway camp kind of vibe I leaned into during my most recent visit. Set in a pine forest, there’s even a tree to climb, and for kids (and those young at heart), a backyard-style zipline to monkey around on.
Here’s four highlights from our mother-daughter trip to the A-Frame Club. And for what it’s worth, I almost got an amenities Bingo—I’ll have to muster the courage for the zipline on my next visit.
Walk Along the Fraser River
There’s no shortage of hikes in Winter Park that show off wildflowers, Aspens and pine groves. But instead of consulting AllTrails to wedge in a quick hike to our overnight itinerary, my mom and I simply wandered out the back door of our cabin and picked up the Fraser River Trail, enjoying a gorgeous stroll along the waterway.
The best part? It was like walking amid an outdoor museum. As part of the Winter Park Art Trail, 35 art pieces are on display between Winter Park Resort and the Headwaters Center.
On our jaunt, we came across a number of works by talented Colorado artists, including a photo of a moose wandering through Aspens that was captured by nature and adventure photographer Dale Sitzmann and a painting of a fox that lives in Granby Ranch created by artist Kayla Thompson.
Wine and Dine at The Grill
For dinner, we settled into The Grill, the on-property restaurant where the scent of peach and oakwood from the gaucho-style grill warmed the cozy dining room.
Craving a dish long after the meal might be the highest compliment you can give it—and I still can’t stop thinking about the chopped salad of crunchy vegetables, feta and chickpeas tossed in an oregano-mustard vinaigrette. My mom and I also shared a hulking Porterhouse topped with local mushrooms.
Other standouts on the menu include lamb bolognese, fried chicken with buttermilk ranch, and sweet finishes like a cast-iron cookie skillet.
The next morning, we returned for bagels brought up the hill from Rosenberg’s and coffee.
Soak in the Hot Tub
An evening hot tub soak is always at the top of my hotel must-do list. During golden hour, we bundled up in our robes and made our way to the spa and slipped into one of the outdoor barrel hot tubs for a relaxing soak.
The wood-paneled spa area the A-Frame Club carried the same 70s-chic design vibe as the rest of the property, and it felt extra special thanks to a dry sauna with a built-in cold plunge perfect for contrast therapy that involves alternating between hot and cold temps.
This cozy corner of the resort even had its own fireplace. In fact, we loved the experience so much that we came back in the morning for another spa session before checking out.
Enjoy a Cozy Hangout in the Room
As a design lover, I’ve always been fascinated by A-frame cabins. From a practical standpoint, the sloped roofs helps snow melt off—a practical plus for a town named Winter Park. But this design style really took off in the post-WWII era, when Americans began snapping up weekend homes by lakes and in mountain towns. Today, that triangular silhouette remains synonymous with R&R.
Each two-story cabin at the A-Frame Club offers 595 square feet of space beneath soaring 28-foot ceilings. My favorite detail? The oversized windows that frame the pine forest and flood the room with soft morning light.
Step outside to the patio, where Adirondack chairs invite slow mornings—whether with a book or (in my case) a game of Wordle—while taking in views of the forest and river. Come evening, the move is s’mores. The hotel even provides a kit with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers to sandwich together over a communal fire pit.
Inside, the main floor features a bathroom (heated floors; what a treat!), a kitchenette, and a colorful, retro Malm fireplace. A spiral staircase leads to the lofted bedroom, complete with a deep soaking tub. By evening, we had the fireplace fired up, a show queued up on Netflix, and the perfect cabin vibe to wind down. Starting nightly rate is $249.
