Schweitzer Ullr Retreat

Very Good
Traveller Type: Family with Young Children
  : The property was very clean, comfortable and spacious, although as I think many such ski resort properties are it was spread over many levels-4 or 4 1/2 depending on how youre counting in this case, with the twin beds accessible only by climb-up ladders to a 4th level, and the lower floor parking level being just a mud/snow room/utility room/ washer-dryer area. The kitchen seemed pretty well equipped for the cooking we did (which was more than at most of my rental home stays since we were snowbound most of the time-although bring coffee for either the Keurig or Mr Coffee coffee-makers. The gas fireplace was convenient to use and very nice to have given the unseasonably early cold and snow. The setting would be lovely, as I knew from prior experience, if visibility hadnt been so limited, although the properties windows look back up to the ski resort and the slopes rather than enjoying the great views down to the Lake and Sandpoint area, but those other views are just a short walk away-although irrelevant in light of the white-out conditions we had. But I imagine the property would be great and well-suited for its intended peak ski season use when all the roads are well maintained and the resort is fully open, or for a summer season get-away when there could be good hiking and I think ski lifts to the top slopes for further hiking.
  : If the weather is badas it was for us, with about a foot of early season October snow and icy roads-the access can be a bit tricky. I was the only one of my group of what turned out to be 7 (because my Sandpoint-resident brother ended up staying with us too because of the snowbound conditions) who even made it up the mountain to stay there the first night. I was already in the area and made it up in late afternoon before the weather turned bad, but the rest were coming in late evening from a trip to Yellowstone and decided it was best not to attempt a midnight ascent on the icy roads. Just bad luck and not the propertys fault of course. The resort does a good job of keeping the roads up the mountain maintained, although the last little ascent up into our units parking lot was snowdozed only on the last day, and my snow/ice-driving-experienced brother from Sandpoint attempted a test drive down to the main resort area on the 2nd day and was not able to get our rental vehicle (an Expedition) back up that final ascent on the 2nd day. The 4th level twin beds accessible only by ladder might have been a challenge for our 55+-aged group of mostly siblings (although all of us would have been in good enough shape to have handled it, if necessary) except that the only one sleeping up there was a 30- year old nephew and he did fine.(Photos below dont correspond to labels but are all taken at the property except for the lake view taken from about a half-mile away at the resort HQ)