This Colorado Mountain Company Is a Luxury Alternative to Hotels or Typical Short-Term Rentals

In 2025, travelers aren’t necessarily just looking for somewhere to sleep at night – they’re looking for an experience beyond “drab” traditional overnight accommodations. Where you set home base for your day’s adventures has become a larger part of the vacation experience. Major hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton have made major inroads into the adventure travel market, signalling that industry leaders believe this trend is here to stay. Nowhere is the desire for a memorable base more apparent, however, than in the market for short-term rentals. Many travelers have used Airbnb or VRBO, but smaller, localized options like Moving Mountains tend to offer personalized services and curated travel itineraries, making them more like a full-service travel agency than simply a provider of a place to crash.

A quick look at the short-term rental market in mountain towns

Short-term rental growth is up in Colorado mountain towns, and the demand has driven home prices up in popular resort areas, including 27 percent in Summit County. Data: KUNC, Hospitality Investor. Graphic: Matador Network

Vacation rentals have been a part of the tourism market for decades, offering larger gatherings of travelers such as families and groups of friends a place to spend a night together, in their own private space and with amenities like a kitchen, laundry machines, and living space. There are dozens of vacation rental programs, and it can feel overwhelming to keep up with and decide which is the best for your vacation.

The international market leader is Airbnb, which was founded in 2007 when two struggling artists turned their apartment into a temporary Bed and Breakfast after noticing a lack of hotel space in their home of San Francisco to accommodate travelers coming into town for a conference. This business has grown to become extremely successful, netting over $11 billion in revenue in 2024, while also controversial (it’s no secret how guests are increasingly complaining about necessary “rules” and regulations in these types of accommodations that would not be expected at a hotel — such as doing their own housekeeping services, and residents in some communities across the globe have claimed these short-term rentals drive up rent prices and make it harder for locals to maintain in-tact communities). Still, Airbnb remains a solid, recognized leader in the vacation rental market.

Other brands like Kindred offer vetted home-swapping for those who are feeling more bohemian and/or on a budget, and there are more localized options like Stay Montana which specifically oversees Treasure State vacation rentals, which my family uses for an annual trip to Bigfork on Flathead Lake. Then, there’s VRBO, which stands for “Vacation Rentals by Owner,” created back in 1995 by a retired teacher in Aurora, Colorado who wanted to rent out his Breckenridge condo.

Nowadays, someone seeking to rent out their Breck condo might turn specifically to Moving Mountains (which was founded shortly after VRBO, in 1997). This hospitality company manages properties in Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs, and Vail, Colorado, and specializes in private luxury vacation rental homes that can accommodate larger groups, from eight to 30 guests.

But as expectations of what “hospitality” stands for have transformed over the decades, so too have companies like Moving Mountains. Now, these businesses take the time to go beyond just renting a place out and keeping it clean in-between guests. They curate upscale travel experiences in the locations of their premium vacation home rentals — and offer travel planning for visitors and property management services for owners.

It’s the ultimate in privacy and personalization, aligning with travelers’ expectations of getting more than just “high-end accommodations and exclusive destinations.” Now, guests are also getting concierge services and tailored experiences that cater to their individual desires. It’s like having a travel agent, home management, and personal assistant all in one.

Moving Mountains’ extra effort in caring for their guests translates to services such as pre-arranging lift tickets, booking time in ski school, arranging equipment rentals, and handling the logistics for other planned activities like restaurant reservations. The team will stock your home with the groceries you want before your arrival so it’s ready for you when you get there — and can even arrange a private chef to come and cater tasty, special dinners.

There are a wide variety of homes with different amenities on the Moving Mountains platform, including homes with private hot tubs, ski-in/ski-out locations, pet-friendly options, and more. Those who want an even more “upscale” upscale experience can browse Moving Mountains’ “Apex Collection,” which includes ultra-luxury “apex” choices. These homes feature even more incredible views, unrivaled home technology, and impressive design features.

What’s it actually going to cost me?

Photo courtesy Moving Mountains

One of the details that drew me into learning more about Moving Mountains was its incredible portfolio of properties paired with an ability to actually be able to rent one of these places out even if only for a night or two (I’m someone who will not be arriving in a private jet…).

It is the best of the best, but it’s not necessarily entirely unattainable for the average family or group of friends if you can manage to wrangle eight people and split the cost of a weekend at one of these stunning mansions. For example, if I were to book the property we stayed in, Chalet Brio, around the same time in 2026 – let’s say for three nights, during the last weekend of February — it would cost $7,230 total.

In theory, you could sleep up to seven people in the property, making it roughly $1,000 total per person for the whole stay, and about $330 per person, per night (or $660 per couple) which would run you about the same (if not less) than a hotel room in the area during the same time of year — only with much more of your own private space to relax, as well as personalized amenities.

This makes Moving Mountains an excellent option for a group of travelers or a multi-generational family who all want to share a space less than 100 steps from the lifts. As an added bonus, Moving Mountains recently established a partnership with American Express Select Homes + Retreats and Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy — which means travelers can even book their stay using membership rewards points (while still earning additional points during their visit).

Our rental experience at Chalet Brio in Beaver Creek

The living room at Chalet Brio. Photo courtesy Moving Mountains

About a week before our check-in at Chalet Brio in Beaver Creek, I received an email from our “personal concierge” with instructions on how to get to our rental, codes for the building and its amenities, and details on where to park. She also offered to look into organizing any activities I’d like to do while in Beaver Creek, such as booking lift tickets, dinner reservations, or a sleigh ride.

We were all set with lift tickets and planned to ski both days we were there and cook at the condo — so we didn’t need any activities organized — but the opportunity to have someone organize things for you was cool and would definitely have saved me a lot time if I were the head of a large family planning a trip, and needing some extra support with logistics.

This concierge was solid at communicating when I had questions about my visit. I appreciated having someone who I knew could answer my questions about those little details like parking and driving directions. In terms of location, our condo’s slopeside perch was impeccable. It was right on the mountain, just steps from the lift and walking distance to the main village area of Beaver Creek. We couldn’t have been in a better spot for strapping on our ski boots, clipping in, and hopping right onto the lift (which was just a stone’s throw from our condo’s front door).

Shortly after we arrived at the condo, someone from the local Moving Mountains office stopped by to give us a “welcome gift” of a bottle of wine, some chocolate, and a plush toy of the brand’s mascot moose. I liked and thought it was unique that the folks who helped us at our rental were on a team that was locally based in Beaver Creek (the teams for each area — Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, and Steamboat Springs — are based in their own mountain community) so they could offer unique knowledge on things such as restaurants and activities and would actually physically be there if we needed anything.

Photo courtesy Moving Mountains

I appreciated the luxurious amenities in our seven-person Beaver Creek condo which included cozy robes, high-end toiletries, and technology like an enormous flatscreen TV with surround sound audio. But it also had those small touches and details that made it feel like someone’s home (because, it is…) such as the workings needed to build a real fire in the fireplace (kindling, starter logs, wood, and fireproof gloves) board games, puzzles, an awesome coffee maker and a Nespresso machine (why not both?) and more equipment to make and enjoy a home-cooked dinner than I honestly have in my own house back in Denver. And the view of the mountain out of our living room window wasn’t too shabby, either.

One detail I’d warn travelers to be wary of (at least in our situation) was that our seven person, three bedroom condo was only supposed to come with one official parking pass. Even though our personal concierge person was helpful in offering suggestions for alternative places our additional guests could leave their car, I can see this “one parking pass” thing being quite an inconvenience for a multi-gen family of seven arriving in three different cars.

Another hitch I ran into (which was fully my fault) is that I left my bathing suit behind at the condo (the building’s community hot tub was great). The Moving Mountains team sent me a text message after the cleaning crew went through to let me know they found it, and could mail it to me for a $10 handling fee — plus the shipping costs. I understand the need to keep things corporate in this type of business setting — but it was disappointing it would cost me so much to get my bathing suit back because it was a pretty tiny item and I only live about 1.5 hours, or 90 miles away.

I don’t hold it against Moving Mountains for using this type of a solid and “across the board” procedure for handling “lost items” and I’m sure other folks leave much larger, heavier, and more critical stuff behind.

I know the Moving Mountains team needs to factor in these “handling fees” to accommodate the time and labor it takes them to get it into the mail. It just felt like a bummer, because I once left my dog’s bed at a hotel in Santa Fe, and they mailed it back to me for free.

The bottom line

Photo courtesy Moving Mountains

If you’re seeking a vacation rental company that will give you uncompromised personal attention, paired with a collection of stunning Colorado homes in fabulous locations — this is the opportunity for you. It felt as comfortable as staying in a friend or family member’s home, but without the necessity of having to be on your very best behavior, looking over your shoulder the whole time.

It was nice that someone else could in theory take care of the challenging logistical details that I might not want to deal with, like making reservations for large group dinners or booking ski lessons for a variety of different people at different levels.

I especially appreciated the local touch of the Moving Mountains property managers — it felt nice to know the folks managing my visit were based right in town and would be around if I needed anything as small as a suggestion for where to grab dinner or as localized and specific as what the best ski runs at Beaver Creek for an intermediate/advanced skier might be.

Overall, Moving Mountains could be an excellent investment on a group vacation for those seeking somewhere luxurious, featuring a concierge service and only hosting homes in stellar locations. I know I’d definitely book with them again.

Other things to do while you’re in Beaver Creek

Photo: Eva Golecka/Shutterstock

If you’re in town in the wintertime, snowsports are a must. Beaver Creek Resort offers terrain ranging from beginner to expert to everything in between — and if you’re not a skier or snowboarder, try snowshoeing. The Nordic Sports Center is right at the base of the mountain, where you can rent equipment, sign up for a guided tour, and get information about the trail system. It’s directly across from the Strawberry Park Express Chairlift, which is what you’ll take to get up to the McCoy Park area of the mountain and explore roughly 12 miles of dedicated trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The views are breathtaking, and it’s an excellent workout.

After a day of adventures, don’t miss the unforgettable opportunity to refuel and dine at one of Beaver Creek’s signature on-mountain cabin restaurants. These three stately cabins are tucked away amongst the trees and trails up on the mountain, serving delicious food in a destination that literally cannot be reached by car (our server, fittingly, noted that he sometimes snowboards into work). Beano’s, Zach’s, and Allie’s cabins are each accessible only via snowcat-pulled sleigh — and boast gorgeous views with just as impressive menu selections.

If you go to Zach’s, order the fondue — it’s one of my favorite meals I’ve ever enjoyed dining out. Paired with a glass of wine from the extensive wine list and the coziness of the cabin’s fireplace, it made for a perfectly fitting way to refuel after a day of mountain adventures in Beaver Creek.