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Snow insurance protects skiers against bad conditions

Kathryn Corazzelli
summit daily news
Copyright 2011 Summit Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewrit

Many skiers and boarders are already in-the-know about season pass insurance, which protects users against injury and illness. But what about protection against what visitors perceive as unfavorable ski conditions?

ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, a condominium and home-rental company with properties throughout Colorado, Utah and Idaho, is offering clients a Snow Guarantee, which allows its guests to relocate accommodations to another resort destination – at another company property – at no extra charge in the event of less-than-favorable snow. Customers contact the original destination 72 hours in advance and request a change, or, if they didn’t check conditions ahead of time, ask for a move upon check-in.

The company will transfer the guest’s reservation to a comparable property at another participating ski destination at no extra charge, provided one is available. Customers are responsible for reservation fees, taxes and their own transportation.



“One great feature of ResortQuest’s program is that our guests get to decide for themselves whether the ski conditions meet their expectations,” Cheryl Spezia, vice president of ResortQuest sales and marketing said. “Our Snow Guarantee remains in effect whenever the ski resorts are open, regardless of how many lifts are running. We trust our guests’ judgment on what constitutes a good snow report for them.”

The guarantee is valid at all ResortQuest ski resort destinations including Aspen, Breckenridge, Keystone and Steamboat; Sun Valley in Idaho and Park City in Utah. Breckenridge’s Main Street Station is a ResortQuest property.



“It is especially beneficial to skiers who vacation early or late in the ski season,” Spezia said.

Breck not concerned

Losing Breckenridge lodging customers from the incentive is not a worry for the Breckenridge Resort Chamber. The reality of it is that a lot of people plan their whole trips out ahead of time – ski pass, dining reservations, etc. – and a last- minute change may not work for everyone, according to BRC director of public relations Rachel Zerowin.

“It’s really just another way for a property to add value and differentiate themselves,” Zerowin said.

“This offer has mostly been used by guests who are driving or flying into Denver and then driving to their Colorado destination,” Spezia said. “Many of our guests purchase lift tickets after they arrive to the resort.”

This is the third winter for the initiative, which in the past has only been used by a small percentage of guests, according to Spezia.

Pass insurance

Skiers and boarders also have the option of purchasing season pass insurance, which has been growing in popularity in recent years, according to an article last month in The Denver Post. The insurance – which costs $20 for all four of Vail’s mountains in Colorado, Copper Mountain and Intrawest’s Winter Park and Steamboat – protects buyers against sudden injury, illness or job change.

For additional information about the Snow Guarantee, go to http://www.resortquest.com/snow-guarantee.htm.


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