Winter snowflakes aside, there's been a flurry of activity at the Beaver Creek Lodge since December of 2018. That's when the hotel partnered with Marriott's Autograph Collection—the company's portfolio of independent luxury hotels—and underwent an extensive renovation that included all guest rooms and common areas, and added coveted spa amenities, like a new steam room and sauna. (Former guests will be pleased that despite the changes, the hotel's extensive art collection—which revolves around a gallery space and a hanging art installation of mountain climbers cast in bronze—hasn't gone anywhere.) So, when the hotel's former independently-run onsite restaurant Revolution (owned by the same culinary team behind revered Beaver Creek eatery Hooked) shuttered in late June of this year, it was good timing. Beaver Creek Lodge took over the square footage (which includes outdoor space that centers around flickering firepits, plus several private dining rooms) and reopened days before Christmas as Alpine and Antlers, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner (and après-ski fare) in a remodeled mountain chic interior—complete with grand views of the slopes.

The menu received the biggest transformation during the overhaul, and the Lodge tapped Sammy Shipman—whose resume includes stints at Vail Mountain's tony Game Creek Club and La Tour in Vail Village—to oversee the new concept as executive chef. “The food is shareable and approachable in style," says Shipman, who cites the wood-fired kitchen as one of the main inspirations behind his menu. Keeping things fresh and capitalizing on local ingredients is a main focus too—as of press time, Shipman was featuring rotating specials from whole hogs processed in house. The main takeaway? Upscale, family-style plates as opposed to a more rigid tasting menu—like house made mozzarella with basil and sun dried tomatoes, lobster sliders, and an ever-changing selection of flatbreads to start, plus hearty entrees like a short rib grilled cheese, wood-fired mussels, and the Colorado lamb shank. 

"With our hotel recently taking over management of the restaurant, one of the advantages and exciting things about it is that it gives us additional event space and wedding space," says Beaver Creek Lodge's Catering Sales Manager Beret Kroeger of some of the other perks that have come with the change in management. That's over 7,000 square feet of extra space, to be exact, that includes intimate dining rooms, reception areas, and a ballroom. It's an exciting start, but they're not done yet. The hotel plans to accentuate its patio area with garage-style doors come summer that will connect its outdoor dining area to the restaurant inside. Given the reception during the hotel's opening week over the holidays (which was "very, very busy," according to restaurant staff), it's an evolution guests seem more than happy to cheers to. 970-845-9800, kesslercollection.com