Park City may not immediately come to mind as a summer destination, but we were looking for a quick, convenient getaway and we love mountain towns, so we selected it for our escape.

We also wanted to relax and be pampered so The St. Regis Deer Valley fit the bill perfectly. The hotel is ideally situated on 12 slope-side acres in Park City's exclusive Deer Crest gated community, above the historic mountain town, just one mile from Park City's Main Street and an easy 45 minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport on I-80.

This grand hotel sits high atop a hill like a fairy tale castle overlooking its kingdom. Once you arrive, you feel like you are in a magical place.  The location is so steep, there is a lower entrance and an upper entrance, connected by the only funicular at a North American resort.

The huge master bathroom is accessed by a wide entrance with plantation shutters from the bedroom and features a deep soaking tub with views of the mountains, a glass-enclosed shower, and marble countertop with dual sinks.

St. Regis is one of the most storied hotel brands in history, founded by John Jacob Astor IV, one of the richest men of his time, born in 1864 and died in the sinking of the Titanic April 15, 1912 after making sure his pregnant wife was safely on a lifeboat. The original St. Regis hotel opened on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1904 during the “Gilded Age” by the Astors who were the leaders of the new social class with matriarch Caroline Astor at the helm of high society.

St. Regis ushered in a new era of lavish parties, balls, and suppers – occasions previously confined to the private homes of the elite – and thus became the next social mecca for years to come. Caroline Astor was highly regarded as the Queen of New York high society during the Gilded Age.  The hotel was built to entertain 400 notable guests that represented New York’s elite at the height of that era. John Jacob Astor IV created an experience beyond expectation, incorporating understated elegance, great attention to detail, and a design that evokes the feeling of a residential home.  Butler service was not something hotels would offer, so the Astors brought in butlers to look after their guests just like they would be in a wealthy person's home. The St. Regis brand successfully carries out this vision to this day. St. Regis makes sure every property around the world is truly the best address in every location. They currently operate about 50 hotels, with 10 in the U.S.

The St. Regis Deer Valley features a Wine Vault -- an intimate private dining experience where wine connoisseurs indulge their passion for the finest vintages, enhanced with customized menus by the RIME culinary team. We were able to get a glimpse of the Wine Vault on our way in to dinner at RIME. Guests gather in the Wine Vault dining room for intimate private parties, receptions, Winemaker Dinners and exclusive St. Regis Aficionado experiences. With an impressive collection of over 10,000 bottles, and featuring more than 750 different labels, the wine list has been awarded Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” for many consecutive years.

In addition to the Resort's award-winning Wine Vault, The St. Regis Deer Valley offers dynamic dining venues, each with its own distinctive menu and atmosphere.  RIME, the Resort's signature restaurant, offers pristinely prepared fresh seafood and sustainably sourced prime cuts, in elegantly rustic indoor and outdoor settings; Brasserie 7452 is a bistro-style lounge surrounding a three-sided fireplace; Mountain Terrace is perfect for an al fresco lunch, cocktails or a romantic dinner under the stars; and the St. Regis Bar features a vibrant triptych mural that pays tribute to the mining history of Park City, with supple leather seating and menus to compliment libations.

We were feeling a touch of the altitude so we booked the "Oxygen Inhalation Therapy" that the spa offers.  I've always wondered about it and it did help us feel better.

Park City Mountain Resort is the largest ski resort in the U.S. and consistently rated #1 best ski resort in the USA, but the summers are equally as impressive. There is so much to do in Park City in the summertime that you could spend the whole season here and not run out of things to do. The Resort’s Concierge and signature Butler Service can arrange Blue Ribbon trout fishing, tee-times at eight championship golf courses, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking on the Jordanelle Reservoir, and the chance to experience a world-class bobsled run (yes, even in the summer!) at Utah Olympic Park. Daily Lawn Games on the Resort's lush Grand Lawn include croquet, archery, volleyball, badminton, ladder toss, Cornhole, spike ball, KanJam, Kubb, Giant Chess, Giant Jenga and, on weekends, axe throwing taught by professionals.  Root Beer Float Pop-ups allow guests to make their own frothy concoction, and Festive Food Trucks on the weekends offer a wide variety of fare.  Live music is featured every Saturday and Sunday on the Astor Terrace.

In 1934, famed barman Fernand Petiot perfected the recipe for a vodka-and-tomato juice cocktail, known as the Bloody Mary at The St. Regis New York’s King Cole Bar. Originally christened the “Bloody Mary”, the cocktail was renamed the “Red Snapper” so as not to offend the hotel’s refined clientele. After almost 90 years, the iconic Bloody Mary remains the signature cocktail of the St. Regis.

Each hotel and resort in the St. Regis portfolio has crafted its own unique, locally inspired interpretation of the brand’s signature cocktail. The Bloody Mary here at The St. Regis Deer Valley is called “7452 Mary” named after the elevation at which the St. Regis bar sits, the classic Bloody Mary base is crafted with local Five Wives Vodka and topped with Wasabi-Celery Espuma, rimmed with Black Lava salt, and finished with a pipette of Worcestershire and Tabasco so that you control the heat.

Main Street – Culture, Food and Libations

Once the basecamp of a silver mining town, Park City's Main Street has come to represent the heart and soul of one of the most popular mountain towns in the west. It’s also packed tight with luxury shops, art galleries, museums, nightlife and boutique restaurants to satisfy every craving. Park City abounds with summer events including Park Silly Sunday Market, a super-fun festival held weekly on Main Street with live music, eclectic local crafts, unique finds, gourmet food and farmer's market fare.  The August Kimball Art Center Festival, one of the leading art shows in the country, showcases art from hundreds of artists along with music and food from innovative purveyors. Image Courtesy of Riverhorse on Main The hotel's concierge recommended Park City's top rated restaurant, Riverhorse On Main, and arranged for us to be taken there by the hotel car. Riverhorse on Main is among an elite list of top restaurants in the nation and is one of the oldest and most distinguished restaurants on Park City’s historic Main Street. It is a 16-year recipient of the Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Award and is lauded by restaurant critics and the dining public alike as one of North America’s top culinary destinations. The Riverhorse perpetually rotates its menu on seasonal and creative demands.