Laid-Back Luxury Chalet, great location near Pioneer beginner lift

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Entire home

Great room with TV/DVD and fireplace, sunset views

Kitchen with stainless counters, granite island, and seating for 3

Exterior view showing entry and spacious deck

Master bedroom with large custom view window

Exterior view with Ski Valley in background

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8250.8 sq m

Popular amenities

Parking available

Washer

Outdoor space

Kitchen

Fireplace

Dryer

Explore the area

Taos Ski Valley, NM

Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area
1 min walk
Taos Ski Valley
2 min walk
Al's Run Ski Lift
11 min walk
Angel Fire, NM (AXX)
68 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Entry level bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Loft

2 Double Beds and 2 Single Beds

loft nook

1 Double Bed

Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Entry Bath

Toilet · Shower only

Loft bath

Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Main bath

Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Dining Area

About this property

Custom remodeled mountain home in the Village of Taos Ski Valley, short walk to ski trails (450 feet). Hear the calming sounds of the Rio Hondo creek from a large private deck with western views. The ultimate quiet, private retreat with easy access to ski valley amenities. The new Pioneer beginner lift allows access from the base area directly across from the chalet.

Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, 2700 sq. ft. Spacious enclosed loft with private sleeping/reading nook perfect for families and friends. Gourmet kitchen with granite island, fully-equipped for vacation entertaining or simple cooking. Radiant heat with high-efficiency fireplace.

Discover the best-kept ski secret in the west with no lift lines! Stunning western views of dramatic alpine valley in all seasons. Summer access to hiking trails, mountain biking, horseback-riding and Wheeler Peak wilderness and the newest wilderness area in the US, the Columbine/Hondo wilderness. Contact us for direct booking options.

Loft description
Loft: Main room is 20'x16', with separate 10'x4' sleeping/reading nook. Beds include bunk bed with double mattresses top and bottom, plus twin bed with trundle-bed that pulls out and up for another twin (together same size as king). Loft is enclosed and private from downstairs. Loft has full bathroom with separated sink and shower/tub/toilet areas, so one guest can have a private shower while access remains open to sink/prep. The cozy reading nook provides a quiet retreat, with a double futon for sleeping. Two full-size lounge chairs and dresser, along with two chairs and a table for small ones complete this perfect play/sleep space for families.
Main floor description
Main Floor: Entry into kitchen/ dining room, with an open floor plan. The dining table has two leaves, seats 8, and is perfect for group meals or family games. The kitchen has stainless steel counters with integrated farm sink, and top-end stainless appliances. The counter-depth fridge holds a week's worth of provisions and refreshments. The granite island has garnet accents that glow in the warm lighting, and halogen spotlights make for a bright, functional, modern entertaining space. Microwave, electric teapot, crockpot and blender are included, along with a coffee station (drip, not Keurig). The dining room opens into a great room with vaulted ceiling, including leather couch, love-seat and reclining chair. A high-efficiency fireplace pumps out heat and mountain charm. A game/puzzle table leads to the staircase to loft. Great room opens onto deck with panoramic western views.

Master bedroom (14'x12') with Serta queen pillowtop mattress and bathroom with oversize soaking tub complete the main floor. Custom window with grand western view from bed to private mountain vista. Private entry to deck with shaded portal from master bedroom.

Entry-level description
Initial entry into mudroom with lots of hooks and an oak bench (refinished oak pew from a historic church in Denver) for removing boots/gear. Stairs to main floor, and private 3rd bedroom on entry-level with shower/bathroom. Queen-size bed with comfortable Serta pillow-top mattress, and armoire/dresser that will hold your clothes and gear.

Keywords: ski chalet, mountain retreat

Property manager

Molly McBranch

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Outdoor space

Mountain view

Similar properties

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Taos Ski Valley

Located in Taos Ski Valley, this holiday home is in the mountains. Taos Ski Valley and Red River Ski Area are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Taos Ski Valley, NM

What's nearby

Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area - 1 min walk
Taos Ski Valley - 2 min walk
Al's Run Ski Lift - 11 min walk
Horseshoe Lake - 3 min drive
Williams Lake - 10 min drive

Getting around

Taos, NM (TSM-Taos Regional) - 33 min drive

Restaurants

‪The Bavarian Lodge & Restaurant - ‬3 min drive
‪Black Diamond Espresso - ‬12 min walk
‪The Blonde Bear Tavern - ‬12 min walk
‪Taos Ale House - ‬13 min walk
‪Tim's Stray Dog Cantina - ‬13 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Laid-Back Luxury Chalet, great location near Pioneer beginner lift pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Laid-Back Luxury Chalet, great location near Pioneer beginner lift?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Laid-Back Luxury Chalet, great location near Pioneer beginner lift?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Laid-Back Luxury Chalet, great location near Pioneer beginner lift located?

Located in the mountains, this ski-in/ski-out holiday home in Taos Ski Valley is within a 5-minute walk of Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area and Taos Ski Valley, and is convenient for winter sports, such as cross-country skiing and sledging. Carson National Forest and Al's Run Ski Lift are also within 15 minutes.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Michelle P.

13 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Summer Vacation

Absolutely beautiful! First class accommodations, comfortable beds, complete kitchen perfect for cooking for a big family. We are a family of 8 with 4 young adult boys (16-21) -all in the loft with plentyof space, grandparents (80s) main floor bedroom, and my husband and I, in the nice quiet first floor bedroom. Everyday was hiking, fishing, golfing, rock climbing, rafting, kayaking, and everything was only a short drive from our base camp home! Best of all was the early evening on the deck with drinks and beautiful views as the backdrop to engaging conversations. I highly recommend this home. We hope to return!

Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andres G.

20 Mar 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

2 family ski trip

Excellent for 2 families. Plenty of bathrooms. Hot water wasn’t an issue even when everybody showering after ski. Clean. Very comfortable with well equipped kitchen. 30 min walk to lift 1 base. 4wd IS NEEDED to access the driveway with snow

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Patrick C.

1 Feb 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

taos

as represented on site

Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dennis B.

27 Jan 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house. Lots of room!

Had a great stay. Hope to return to this home.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nicole S.

7 Jan 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great ski chalet!

It was a great property! Very spacious and perfect location. Duncan was super responsive and helpful throughout our stay. I highly recommend this spot!

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Matt O.

12 Jan 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Taos Ski Valley Chalet

This was a great property for a family. Lots of amenities and easy to get to ski lift and town. We would stay here again.

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

matt k.

8 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Summer vacation

Great property. Highly recommended

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Brad G., Grandview, Texas

2 Apr 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Taos Ski Home

Great place for a family , very clean . I would stay here again .

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Cale W.

31 Dec 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful place with amazing views

Wonderful property - great layout, spacious, beautifully furnished and the most amazing views. Private and cozy and great location with easy access to the ski slopes.

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

margaret r.

21 Jan 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great ski home

Enjoyed this property very much. Some of us wished there was cable and/or internet, but owners let me know ahead of time there was no internet. However, from now on, our rentals will have to have internet and cable, so I don't think we would rent from these owners again. Owners were SUPER nice and easy to deal with.

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Bill B.

13 Jan 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic Vacation Getaway

The property was as advertised, if not better. The home was beautifully furnished, had a great location and was perfect for our two families. The owners were delightful to work with and were readily available when we had a minor snafu with our arrival (emphasis on minor). As has been noted numerous times, the only thing to keep in mind is the driveway. It is a beast. It was plowed while we ere there (and there was no new snow), but I can see it being a bit difficult to navigate if conditions were bad. In short, we loved and will attempt to stay here the next time we are through town. I promise you will love it too.

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

5 Apr 2019

Wonderful experience!

Wonderful cozy home with plenty of space for 2 families. The kids especially loved the bunk/loft room. Owners were extremely responsive!

10/10 Excellent

BRYCE F.

3 Mar 2019

Ski trip

This place had everything we needed to have a great week of skiing. It’s just a short walk to get to the slopes.

Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jeanine C.

3 Feb 2019

Perfect Family Escape!

We loved staying in this chalet! Our family included adults and college-age kids and there was plenty of room for everyone. Easy to ski on/off and walk to/from the village once you know the layout of the location to the base. We recommend an SUV and we easily made it up the road and driveway. This chalet has high-end appointments and the owners have left necessities for a comfortable stay - tea, zip-loc bags, jar of candy, spices and cooking supplies - we made fabulous meals in the large kitchen. I hesitate to tell everyone how great it was in case it is booked the next time we come to Taos!

Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Warren S.

13 Jan 2019

Great ski/in ski out in Taos Ski Valley

This is a great place to stay in TSV. Though there is a bit of a hike involved (like 300 yards) it is ski in/ski out. The home is lovely and exactly as advertised. If you take the time to familiarize yourself with the owners description of the property and glean additional information the reviews, you will have a splendid time. There are essentially 3 and 1/2 bedrooms. There’s an en-suite on the first level, a master on the second (where the kitchen living is), and a loft that includes a bunk bed (bunk is twin on top - full on bottom) a twin bed in the middle of the room and a separate room with a full bed. This means you could easily do two families and throw the kiddos upstairs. The kitchen is large and open and has a nice sized dining room table. It is equipped with all of the utensils and cookware you may need. There’s a good assortment of the usual spices and plenty of dishes. The owner is very responsive and patient with questions/requests. This leads me to my piece of advice. The owner stipulates 4x4 for a reason. Taos Ski Valley wasn’t laid out with homes in mind - it’s laid out to be a perfect ski mountain. The homes are built into the extreme topography. Your vehicle must be up for the challenge. In fact, there is a sign about 600 yards down the mountain from the home that expressly states “4x4 only”. I would say most of the time a sensible reading of this would suffice. However, if you are coming to ski- you better be ready for 4x4 low. If you’re driving a 2-W suburban and think you’re good - you’re not. You must have 4 wheel drive with a low setting in snowy conditions. The driveway to the home is very steep and narrow (as stated in description). The road going up to the home is very steep - especially where the driveway meets the road. To get to the home you must drive past - to the next street - turn around and approach the driveway coming down the hill. You must be in your lower 4x4 gear to safely maneuver. For those familiar with the wintry alpine climate - this is nothing. It took me about 2 or 3 passes to be comfortable. After the first day - it was Childs play. Just know - we watched countless “4-wheel drive” Audi’s - etc slide right down the road. Granted it snowed almost 3 feet during our week - you just need to be prepared. There is a 3-ring binder in the house. Read it when you get there. It answers almost all your questions. Lastly, don’t forget - no matter the weather- pizza shack delivers 😋.

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Denise W., Midland, texas

24 Dec 2018

Wonderful place for a family vacay

The property had everything you could ever need and was very comfortable and there were no tricky issues to work around. The layout has three floors, the entry floor with a laundry room and Queen bed & bath, the middle floor, another queen & bath plus the kitchen and living area & the loft has a queen bed & bath plus a spacious play area with a bunk bed and twin trundle. We had intended on having our son, his wife and two small children to stay up there as it was plenty big enough for one family, however, being a loft, there was no door and an open window that drew all sound from downstairs up so we had to abort that idea and put all of them on the bottom floor if we ever wanted the baby & toddler to nap and go down at night early. Although that switch was a little disappointing, we just rolled with it and things worked fine. The kitchen is well laid out with a nice big table that seats at least 8-10. There are games and movies, but no wifi, however, unplugging is not a bad thing when spending quality time with family which I was happy about! The owners were very accommodating and easy to reach when we had a few questions. The walk to Pioneer lift is very doable and close, but not a cakewalk, however, if you are fit enough to ski, you should be able to walk to the Pioneer. Our almost 3 year old was able to make it. In the winter, you definitely need chains or 4WD to get to the property, but it is extremely close to the ski valley which has so many new amenities since the ski property has gotten new owners. For reference, the guests were, my husband and I, our daughter and our son, his wife and 1 year old and almost 3 year old. The property & furnishings are gorgeous and updated, but extremely kid friendly. A booster seat and a gate for the stairs was provided. BTW-the stairs provided a lot of supervised entertainment & exercise for the baby and toddler! Is also an excellent location for hiking in the summer.

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Chris R., Fort Worth

11 July 2018

Great Family Retreat

We just returned from a summer stay and had an amazing time. Beautiful home in a great location. Duncan and Molly were gracious and accommodating. If you can get away with no internet access, do it. We needed internet and purchased an AT&T hot spot before we departed in hopes it would help. It worked great.

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Brian F.

10 Apr 2018

Fantastic Place

I recently rented this property for a ski vacation with my family of four. I have to say, it exceeded all our expectations. The layout is terrific. One bedroom on the ground floor (where there is ample space for boots and ski gear), master bedroom on the main floor, which also has the kitchen and spacious living room, plus a loft that has 4 full-size beds. There are three full baths. It was more than enough for us - we could have had a whole additional family join us! The living space is really great and we had a lot of fun playing board games and relaxing in the many comfy chairs. It was a great way to blow off steam after a long day of skiing. The kitchen is also quite well appointed, with real knives and pots/pans (so often when you rent you only find crappy kitchen tools). We made great meals. If you haven't been to TSV before, definitely plan your meals ahead of time and purchase food before coming up to the mountain. The round-trip down and back to the closest grocery store is long. The location is terrific. It is a 3-4 minute walk to the slopes for an adult, but I have small kids so we drove to the top of the Pioneer lift (about a 30 second drive). Very easy. It's less than 10 minutes to the base of Taos mountain and the shops and restaurants there, if you want to go back-and-forth that way. The positioning of the chalet is also beautiful because it looks right down the Taos Ski Valley to the West and you get really beautiful sunsets (if it isn't snowing, which it mostly was for us). Definitely follow the directions to bring a 4-wheel drive car in the winter or if there has been lots of rain. The driveway is steep and unpaved, which is no problem at all if you have 4WD, but would be impossible with a standard RWD car. Overall, I would definitely rent this place again. The photos don't do it full justice. It is great!

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer A.

24 Mar 2018

Perfect Get Away

The house was perfectly divided for a large family and children. Just the right amount of space!

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Holly M.

20 Mar 2018

Amazing!

Loved everything about this property! Perfect vacation spot to ski. Close to slopes! Fully stocked and super nice! Can't wait to go back :)

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

John L., Ada

27 Feb 2018

Marvelous home - DO IT!

I grimaced at the cost when I first committed to renting this home, but we were excited to take our two adult sons and their wives on our first "family vacation" for all six. And it was Christmas at the time. So I did it. It was money well spent! This was truly a "home" away from home. Very comfortable and had all the features of home, save for wifi and cable -- but those were two things we were trying to get away from for awhile! We enjoyed the fully equipped kitchen and the personal time we had together as a family -- playing games and listening to each other moan & groan from aches & pains of skiing. There was a large collection of DVDs as well. The beds were comfy and cozy with very nice comforters and mattresses. The loft area, while used by only two of us, was huge and would be perfect for a family with children. The decor was rustic, yet stylish. The photos, while nice, do not do this home justice. And the views, which we had in combination with a 13" snow during our stay, were incredible. High on our list of things we enjoyed were early morning coffee and staring out the window! I will say this: five of the six of us are hardly "accomplished" skiers. While the home was, technically, ski-in/ski-out, we opted to drive to the base so we could avoid the more challenging runs that led to the "ski-in" location. But that's on us, not the property! Lastly, the owners were attentive and accommodating, even to the point of sending me a text to insure we arrived safely and letting it be known how to contact them if needed. There wasn't a need for communication because a binder, full of all anyone would need to know, was left thoughtfully on the coffee table in the living area.

Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Keith L., Monument, CO

22 Feb 2018

The Taos Chalet was lots of fun!

The Taos Chalet is a beautifully kept vacation home in Taos Ski Valley. We comfortably had a family of 6 adults stay, but more could easily stay as the loft has lots of extra bedding. The morning views of TSV were gorgeous, and it was lots of fun to view it next to a blazing fire. The fire was easy to start and simple to maintain. It was the centerpiece of the home and kept us all quite warm. Getting out to the ski runs was simple. Very short walk both to and back from the skiing. Storage for skis, poles and boots was just fine. We decided that the lifties at Taos are some of the friendliest we have met, rivaled only by those from Monarch Mountain and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado. Finally, the driveway was no big deal. It was touted as steep, narrow and potentially unmanageable. We found that to be gross exaggeration. The driveway is about 75 feet long, and it does climb uphill some, but it was nothing for our two SUVs. It truthfully would have been easy to navigate in my little Saab or any other sedan as well. Thanks very much to Duncan and Molly for having us as their guests. Keith Limbird

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Kim N., Humble, Texas

6 Jan 2018

Wonderful Stay at the Chalet!

We had a great time at the chalet in the ski valley over the Christmas holiday. The location made for a convenient trek to the ski lift as well as great hiking trails close by. The house was extremely clean, and we had all of the amenities and essentials needed for our 6 night stay. We definitely appreciated the nice welcome gift to kick start our vacation. Molly followed through after we arrived to assure that we didn't have any questions. We would definitely stay at the chalet again!

Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Ramie E., Lewisville, TX

17 July 2017

Beautiful home with everything you need for an amazing stay in the Taos Ski Valley

The house is in a great location up Twining in TSV. The driveway is a bit steep and at a sharp angle but otherwise the parking pad is of a great size. The house is in great condition and beautifully decorated and designed. The kitchen is great for cooking full meals for the family. There is one queen bedroom with full bath downstairs on the entry level where there is a laundry room. Next level up is the beautiful kitchen and living room with fireplace and huge outdoor deck with sounds of the upper Rio Hondo which is just a stones throw away. There is another queen bedroom on this level with access to the deck and just outside this bedroom is the largest full bathroom which is beautiful and functional. Upstairs loft has a double bunk bed, an adjacent twin bed with trundle and a small offshoot room with a double or maybe a queen bed with a small curtain to separate from the main lift space. There is also a full bathroom. All of the spaces are perfectly executed. We had one small issue where the hot water went out, but the owner answered our phone call immediately and told us how to do a quick resent of the heater and it was back working immediately. Overall, we will try to stay here every time we come to TSV, it was that amazing! Thank you for opening your beautiful home to us!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Renee D.

21 Mar 2017

Beautiful property with great views

The owners have a wonderful property and they have thought of so many things to make it a wonderful stay. The kitchen had everything we needed to prep meals. The cabin was very cozy feeling and beautifully appointed. We did not miss TV but did watch a family movie one night. Since we had kids that were new skiers, we did not try to hike over to Pioneer for more of a ski in/ ski out experience. We were very close to everything we needed. We loved our stay and would definitely plan to come back again!

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2017

About the host

Hosted by Molly McBranch

We love the New Mexico outdoors, and skiing is our family activity in the winter.

Why they chose this property

The Village of Taos Ski Valley is a friendly mountain community that combines the best of American western wilderness with Austrian ski resort, with incredible access to winter and summer wilderness. This location is close to the center of the Village, with easy access to ski trails, yet in a very quiet and private setting away from ski valley traffic. Being directly across from the charming Rio Hondo creek offers year-round sounds of a mountain stream.

What makes this property unique

Taos Ski Valley is the premier ski destination in the west if you appreciate great snow, varied terrain including incredible steeps, while being immersed in the deep blue sunny skies of New Mexico. For the visitors who love art but not skiing, Taos and the nearby village of Arroyo Seco offer galleries and the historic Taos culture that seem a continent apart from the Austrian alpine setting of the ski valley, yet are only a short drive down the valley.