Sonnenalp Vail
About
The Sonnenalp is a family-owned hotel at 20 Vail Road, beside Gore Creek in Vail Village. The Faessler family, who have run a Sonnenalp in the Bavarian Alps for generations, opened in Vail in 1979, and the Bavarian character shows in the architecture, the dining rooms and a hotel built mostly around suites.
It suits families and couples who want a full-service hotel they could spend a snowy day inside: four restaurants, a fireside bar, a spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and an evening kids club. Guests who want a lift outside the door should note that the hotel's ski base is at Gondola One, a walk away.
Rooms and suites
The main building was rebuilt from April 1992 to November 1993, and a 42-unit wing along Meadow Drive followed in 2006. Most accommodations are suites, from junior suites to two-bedroom suites that sleep up to seven, plus two- to four-bedroom residences at One Willow Bridge Road of roughly 1,600 to 2,900 square feet. Many have gas fireplaces, balconies over Gore Creek or the village and heated marble bathroom floors, and suites come with Nespresso machines, minibars, double vanities and oversized tubs. Some suites are lofts or on two levels, so ask for a one-level layout if stairs are a problem. Hotel rooms of about 350 to 420 square feet suit couples.
Skiing and summer
The hotel is not ski-in/ski-out. Instead, the Sonnenalp Ski Concierge, run with Gorsuch, keeps a private guest lounge at the Gorsuch Ski Café just steps from Gondola One, with rentals, boot fitting, tuning and heated storage. In summer the hotel arranges activities and offers tee times at its Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards, 16 miles west.
Families
The Kids Club, for ages 5 to 12, runs Tuesday to Saturday evenings with crafts, games and dinner-and-movie nights, which frees parents for dinner. Children under 16 can use the spa pools with an adult; the saunas, steam rooms and fitness center are adults only.
Before you book
Parking is valet-only, with an overnight charge. Pets are not allowed; service animals are. A deposit is charged when you book, and non-refundable terms vary by season. The FAQ below has the details.
Weddings and celebrations
The Sonnenalp hosts ceremonies, receptions, rehearsal dinners and farewell brunches. Venues include the Grand Bavaria Room ballroom with a creekside patio, Ludwig's glass-walled Terrace with a retractable roof, and creekside and garden lawns.
Connected establishments
Swiss Chalet serves fondue, raclette and schnitzel in a chalet-style room inside the hotel. Evenings only and closed in late autumn, it suits families and groups; reservations are recommended.
Bully Ranch is the casual option, with burgers, American and Southwestern dishes, cocktails and a patio, open for lunch through dinner every day. Walk-ins are welcome.
Ludwig's serves the daily breakfast buffet and made-to-order dishes on its creekside terrace, and becomes a winter-only fine-dining room at night. Breakfast needs no reservation; book dinner ahead.
Treff Café is the hotel's European-style coffee bar for espresso, pastries, sandwiches and a beer later in the day.
King's Club (hotel page) is the fireside bar, with cocktails and live music; hours and music nights change by season. It has no VailVacay listing yet.
Sonnenalp Spa offers massages and treatments, an oxygen bar, heated indoor and outdoor pools and whirlpools along Gore Creek, a summer pool bar and a spa café menu that runs from salads and ahi tuna crudo to Colorado wagyu sliders. Hotel guests use the facilities freely; visitors need a treatment booking.
Gorsuch Ski Café, at the top of Bridge Street near Gondola One, is home to the Sonnenalp's private ski lounge.
Sources: our story, rooms, dining, spa, ski concierge, kids club, FAQ, weddings. Checked September 23 and 26, 2026.
Contact Information
Vail, 81657
Sonnenalp Vail
Sonnenalp Vail
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About Sonnenalp Vail
The Sonnenalp is a family-owned hotel at 20 Vail Road, beside Gore Creek in Vail Village. The Faessler family, who have run a Sonnenalp in the Bavarian Alps for generations, opened in Vail in 1979, and the Bavarian character shows in the architecture, the dining rooms and a hotel built mostly around suites.
It suits families and couples who want a full-service hotel they could spend a snowy day inside: four restaurants, a fireside bar, a spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and an evening kids club. Guests who want a lift outside the door should note that the hotel's ski base is at Gondola One, a walk away.
Rooms and suites
The main building was rebuilt from April 1992 to November 1993, and a 42-unit wing along Meadow Drive followed in 2006. Most accommodations are suites, from junior suites to two-bedroom suites that sleep up to seven, plus two- to four-bedroom residences at One Willow Bridge Road of roughly 1,600 to 2,900 square feet. Many have gas fireplaces, balconies over Gore Creek or the village and heated marble bathroom floors, and suites come with Nespresso machines, minibars, double vanities and oversized tubs. Some suites are lofts or on two levels, so ask for a one-level layout if stairs are a problem. Hotel rooms of about 350 to 420 square feet suit couples.
Skiing and summer
The hotel is not ski-in/ski-out. Instead, the Sonnenalp Ski Concierge, run with Gorsuch, keeps a private guest lounge at the Gorsuch Ski Café just steps from Gondola One, with rentals, boot fitting, tuning and heated storage. In summer the hotel arranges activities and offers tee times at its Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards, 16 miles west.
Families
The Kids Club, for ages 5 to 12, runs Tuesday to Saturday evenings with crafts, games and dinner-and-movie nights, which frees parents for dinner. Children under 16 can use the spa pools with an adult; the saunas, steam rooms and fitness center are adults only.
Before you book
Parking is valet-only, with an overnight charge. Pets are not allowed; service animals are. A deposit is charged when you book, and non-refundable terms vary by season. The FAQ below has the details.
Weddings and celebrations
The Sonnenalp hosts ceremonies, receptions, rehearsal dinners and farewell brunches. Venues include the Grand Bavaria Room ballroom with a creekside patio, Ludwig's glass-walled Terrace with a retractable roof, and creekside and garden lawns.
Connected establishments
Swiss Chalet serves fondue, raclette and schnitzel in a chalet-style room inside the hotel. Evenings only and closed in late autumn, it suits families and groups; reservations are recommended.
Bully Ranch is the casual option, with burgers, American and Southwestern dishes, cocktails and a patio, open for lunch through dinner every day. Walk-ins are welcome.
Ludwig's serves the daily breakfast buffet and made-to-order dishes on its creekside terrace, and becomes a winter-only fine-dining room at night. Breakfast needs no reservation; book dinner ahead.
Treff Café is the hotel's European-style coffee bar for espresso, pastries, sandwiches and a beer later in the day.
King's Club (hotel page) is the fireside bar, with cocktails and live music; hours and music nights change by season. It has no VailVacay listing yet.
Sonnenalp Spa offers massages and treatments, an oxygen bar, heated indoor and outdoor pools and whirlpools along Gore Creek, a summer pool bar and a spa café menu that runs from salads and ahi tuna crudo to Colorado wagyu sliders. Hotel guests use the facilities freely; visitors need a treatment booking.
Gorsuch Ski Café, at the top of Bridge Street near Gondola One, is home to the Sonnenalp's private ski lounge.
Sources: our story, rooms, dining, spa, ski concierge, kids club, FAQ, weddings. Checked September 23 and 26, 2026.