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No more “memberships” for Utah barsJul012009Category: Deer Valley, UT, Park City, UT, Salt Lake, UT, The Canyons, UTFor decades tourists have wondered (and worried, perhaps) about strict Utah laws regarding alcohol sales. A common belief was it was near impossible, or at least difficult, to order a drink at a bar in Park City or neighboring Deer Valley. The fact was this was never the case. While Utah boasts some rather... unique... laws regarding alcohol sales, the truth was these were not heavily enforced in the resort areas -- particularly in the months leading up to, and after, the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. For example, per state law in order to enter a bar one needed to be a member, or is required to join the club and become a member first (if memory serves, about $5 for three weeks for one person and up to three guests). That was in theory. In practice this was rarely the case. I'm a fan of the aprés scene and in all my excursions to Utah ski resorts, never once did I have to purchase a membership. Far more common were exchanges similar to the following: I approach the entrance to the bar and the bouncer... Bouncer: Welcome! You're a guest of (points to random person inside bar), right? (wink wink) Me: Why yes I am. Bouncer: Great. Head on in and enjoy. Thankfully, these little exchanges are no longer necessary as starting Wednesday, Utah bars and social clubs are no longer required to charge a membership fee so that guests may enjoy a beer, cocktail or glass of wine. So far all your skiers and boarders still of the belief that grabbing a cocktail or apres beer in Utah is a chore, hopefully your concerns have been eased. Cheers!
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The challenge of user reviews in the ski industryJun032009Category: GeneralOne nagging and yet-uncompleted aspect of designing this site is incorporating user reviews (a.k.a. “guest reviews”) for our properties. I know the consumer wants to hear these ‘unbiased’ experiences – and I can certainly empathize. I’ll rarely purchase a $10 computer mouse without reading the reviews of others, so I can understand the desire for a vacationer planning to spend 200 times that amount to research thoroughly. Yet providing a review mechanism isn’t quite so simple, which is unfortunate for me as my job is to ensure consumers on our site find the information they need. I’ve been scratching my head for three years on this topic.
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Airline fees for skis and snowboardsMay112009Category: GeneralAs the airlines continue to raise fees the travel portion of your ski/snowboard vacation may be affected. Many carriers have specific policies for skis, snowboards and boots -- some quite expensive. Below are fees assessed by major domestic US carriers. We'll be doing our best to keep these fees updated -- this post was last updated: May 11, 2009
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