Utah is known for its top-rated ski slopes, mountain resorts, and vast natural landscape that lends itself to a slew of outdoor activities.
Park City in particular, located east of Salt Lake City, especially optimizes the exhilarating outdoors, housing three of the best ski resorts in the world as well as Utah Olympic Park. However, skiing doesn’t fully encapsulate the essence of Park City. The terrain also allows for mountain biking, horseback riding, golfing, and paddle boarding, just to name a few.
Park City also specializes in luxury resort living, which blends sumptuous indoor facilities with the expansive outdoors. Promontory Club, a private residential community that is the epitome of luxury living, spans over 6,400 acres and offers a myriad of indoor and outdoor amenities. Chris Messick, the director of real estate sales at Promontory Club, describes it as a four-season private club, with relatively less humid summers and lighter winters.
“As people started spending more time here in the summer, people figured out Park City has more of a four-season feeling than some of the other spots. Summer is as important to us as winter,” Messick explained.
Messick credits Promontory’s appeal to its diverse selection of amenities, all of which occupy 190,000 square feet. Among them are a world-class equestrian center, a clubhouse and spa, multiple golf courses, a beach club, an Outfitter’s Cabin, from which members can embark on a number of outdoor adventures, and over 30 miles of trails.
According to Kerry Oman, associate broker at Summit Sotheby’s International Realty, this lifestyle along with the ongoing pandemic has yielded a booming real estate market in Park City.
“Because of COVID-19, we’ve seen an increase in out-of-state buyers coming and spending longer periods of time or even relocating to Park City. The last 12 months in Park City has been phenomenal with unprecedented growth. The demand has
been extremely high and properties sell really fast,” Oman said.
Along with Promontory Club, Oman speaks highly of Glenwild Country Club, which is rated the No. 1 golf course in Utah, and Deer Valley Resort, one of the world’s best with breathtaking mountain views. The opulence of these resorts are juxtaposed with Park City’s small-town charm. Visitors can venture to Main Street for quality shopping, fine dining, and historic attractions. Both Messick and Oman reiterate that Park City surprises people with its beautiful summers and the accessibility of outdoor activities during the season, making it an ideal, year-round retreat.

Photos courtesy of Promontory Club.
This story originally appeared in Unique Homes Fall ’21 issue. Click here to see the digital version.
The perfect home finds a balance between style and substance.
Style or substance? The perfect home finds a balance between both of these concepts, and this newly built mountain residence is no exception. 1548 Explorer Peak Drive, located inside the Red Ledges residential development in Heber City, Utah, was carefully sited on a dynamic hillside to optimize unobstructed views of Mt. Timpanogos. Its architectural design pairs with hand-selected materials and luxury finishes, perfect for retreat seekers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Every detail of this home creates a seamless transition from indoors to out. Abundant natural light is cast through the home’s soaring windows, while the vast outdoor living areas are situated to connect the home to nature’s beauty. The expansive indoor/outdoor living spaces, featuring a custom spa, fire pit, fireplace, and more, make this home perfect for both entertaining and relaxing, with stunning mountain views as the ideal backdrop. Interior features that capture attention as much as the surrounding beauty include French oak flooring, a gourmet kitchen with a waterfall quartz island, and a large main-floor master suite.

With its coveted location in the Heber Valley in the heart of Utah’s Wasatch Back mountain recreation mecca, Red Ledges offers an active outdoor lifestyle, according to Mitchel Burns, Red Ledges chief operating officer. “Members come together and immerse themselves in some of the most beautiful — and accessible — natural habitats in the world.” Red Ledges offers such outdoor attractions as world championship mountain biking, world-class fly fishing, boating, hiking trails and more.
Management at Red Ledges agrees that those who find a place at Red Ledges not only share in the coveted mountain lifestyle, they also form close kinships with their neighbors. “Lifelong friendships develop as members laugh and play together and create the real personal connection for which Red Ledges is known,” says John “JJ” Johnson, Red Ledges Club general manager. For $3.595 million, one can find peace of mind at this contemporary mountain haven with enough style and substance for all.

These U.S. West Coast resorts are lauded for their outstanding views, stellar dining options, and luxurious vacation packages and amenities.

POST RANCH INN, BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA
A serene retreat along the California coastline, the Post Ranch Inn offers both beautiful ocean and mountain views. None of the rooms include televisions or alarm clocks, so a vacation here really is one for relaxation and retreat. Available to all guests are nature walks, stargazing, infinity pool spas, and spa packages.
Courtesy of Kodiak Greenwood
THE RITZ-CARLTON, HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA
Escape the hustle of San Francisco and Silicon Valley and retreat to this resort, just 30 minutes from both. The Ritz-Carlton offers secluded cliff-top views of the Pacific and an opportunity to enjoy the California woods. With a luxury spa, tennis and other amenities, this resort proves Half Moon Bay is not to be overlooked.
Photo by Veronica Werhane


AMANGIRI, UTAH
The 5-star Amangiri is smack in the middle of the Colorado Plateau, offering unbeatable views of Canyon Point, Utah’s geological masterpieces. With an emphasis on wellness, this resort will rejuvenate guests with opportunities for hiking, climbing, and relaxing at the spa. Explore the canyons by hot air balloon or kayak Lake Powell; the expeditions are endless.
Courtesy of Aman
BOULDERS RESORT AND SPA, ARIZONA
Travel + Leisure voted Boulders Resort and Spa the Best Hotel in Arizona, and with good reason. For the most luxurious and private getaway this resort has to offer, choose the Villa Retreat. This package includes two expansive villas, complete with a private infinity pool, Japanese soaking tub, barbecue pit and kitchens, and large master bedroom overlooking massive rock formations.
Courtesy of Boulders Resort and Spa
