From The Moment You Enter The Inviting Lobby at the Limelight Ketchum Your Vacation Begins | Photo Mike Hardaker Mountain Weekly News
Centrally located in the town of Ketchum, Idaho and only a few minute drive from the base of Sun Valley lies the Limelight Ketchum Hotel. I had been invited to check out the property a few times over the years and finally decided to pull the trigger on a ski vacation to Sun Valley to explore what the Limelight brand and the Sun Valley area had to offer.
The Perfect Basecamp for Skiers and Families Headed to Sun Valley
When I first walked into the hotel the lobby was booming, there families and skiers everywhere, it felt like I had walked into a day lodge at a popular ski resort. Upon checking in I commented on how much fun the lobby was and asked if it was usually this popular? The front desk clerk informed me that the day I was checking on was more on the quitter side for the Limelight Ketchum Hotel gave me the keys to my room and I was off.
Once inside my hotel room I began to understand why the Limelight Hotels brand has become ooh so popular. And it’s really not a new thing, nor is Limelight’s dedication to skiers new. In 2008 the Limelight Aspen Hotel officially opened. But the Limelight’s history in Aspen goes back to the 60’s when the Limelight Lodge was the first property in Aspen to host tourist in style featuring televisions, air conditioning and fridges and telephones.
The Limelight Ketchum Hotel continues to honor the legacy of the Limelight brand by offering a wonderful basecamp for skiers and riders wanting to explore the mountains of Sun Valley Resort.
How Are the Rooms?
My room featured (along with most on property) a huge outdoor deck, floor to ceiling windows with a view looking directly at the ski slopes, a comfortable sitting area for working on my computer. A large flat screen smart tv. Complimentary water refilled daily, a cute retro fridge for storing leftovers and huge shower. Along with a really comfortable bed for resting after big days exploring Sun Valley Resort.
The room I stayed in at the Ketchum Limelight Hotel had more of a condo feel to it than standard hotel room. Which is always appreciated if traveling with lots of ski and snowboard gear.
The Ketchum Limelight Hotel is well thought out and includes all the amenities visiting skiers could want including complimentary hot breakfast along with a selection of coffee, teas, juices and even fresh green juice to start your morning off.
When it comes time to head to the slopes it couldn’t be much easier as the Limelight hotel offers a free skier shuttle that runs every 15 minutes to and from the Sun Valley River Run base area.
Have you ever skied first tracks at a ski resort before the mountain opens to the public? The Limelight Ketchum Hotel has partnered with Sun Valley Resort for just such an experience. Unfortunately I came later in the winter when the program was not available but if you plan to stay at the property during peak ski season, be sure to look into this amenity.
Soak After a Day on the Slopes
After a long day on the slopes when your body is ready to relax the Limelight Ketchum property features two large outdoor hot tubs open till 10pm along with a swimming pool that’s heated year round. One thing to note is lots of families stay here so the pool / jacuzzi area gets a little busy from about 3-6pm after that once the kids go to dinner thins quite down a ton.
Other amenities that stood out at the hotel included having a on site ski shop featuring boot dryers to dry your boots out overnight keeping them nice and warm.
Complimentary use of a fully electric Audi Q-8 e-tron via the Audi Experience where guest can test drive an Audi electric car for a few hours.
Just about everything from airport pickups, to rides around town and more are offered at the Ketchum Limelight Hotel. It’s one of the few major ski destinations in North America you can easily come to without having to rent a car.
Location
The Limelight Ketchum is located in downtown Ketchum, Idaho, only 12.5 miles from the local Hailey’s Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN). What’s great about this area if there is no need for a rental car or white knuckle winter driving. Instead just schedule a complimentary airport pickup.
What’s especially neat about Ketchum, Idaho is the small town feel where all the restaurants are easy to walk to from the Limelight. If you do decide to drive or rent a car the hotel has a heated underground parking garage so you won’t have to worry about scraping snow off your windows or warming your car up on cold mornings.
Between the friendly service, forward thinking as to what skiers want on vacation and the overall comfort of the Limelight Ketchum Hotel, I’m totally impressed with the brand and look forward to checking out their other properties in Aspen and Denver Colorado in the future.
Do yourself a favor and book a trip to the Limelight Ketchum Hotel for your next ski vacation.
Book Your Stay at the Limelight Ketchum
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Ketchum Limelight Hotel Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Perfect basecamp for skiers and families
- Well thought out with all amenities
- Centrally located in downtown Ketchum
Cons:
- Potentially busy pool and jacuzzi area.
- No opportunity for skiing first tracks.
