If quaint Steamboat Springs is the ideal family travel destination in Colorado, then The Steamboat Grand — with its 328 spacious rooms, suites and condos offering easy access to both the gondola and mountain, as well as base village activities — may very well be the ideal family hotel.

The hotel is actually a collection of time share properties, all individually owned but with standardized western-inspired décor. And depending on the size of your gang, you can choose to stay in a traditional hotel room or opt for a full-size condominium with all the creature comforts of home and up to five bedrooms to spread out in.

That old adage that applies to many ski towns across Colorado and the west — that people come for the winter and stay for the summer — certainly applies to Steamboat Springs. And while the winter ski season is definitely busiest, the Steamboat Grand is open year-round and a true four-season resort with a defined sense of place.

In the winter, you’ll appreciate the resort’s complimentary ski valet service that has your equipment ready slopeside to start your day. The gondola and chairlift to the base village transit center and mountain is just steps out the hotel’s door. Organizing everyone for a day on the slopes really couldn’t be more of no-brainer than it is here. And that’s just what you need when trying to get a family out the door to make the most of the day’s lift tickets.

The large outdoor swimming pool, open and heated year round, is as inviting in the summer as in the winter. And the hotel’s helpful concierge is on hand to arrange all kinds of activities, from summertime gondola rides, horseback riding and white water rafting excursions to ski school, hot springs visits, sleigh ride dinners and snowmobile and snowshoe tours in the winter.

If you’re looking for a Steamboat resort where your family can really stretch out and be right there in the middle of it all, The Steamboat Grand has you covered.

The Steamboat Grand's 328 rooms, suites and condominiums all offer views of either the mountain (the best views) or the surrounding Yampa Valley, and come with standard amenities such as flat screen TVs, DVD players, free Internet, in-room coffeemakers and humidifiers (the latter of which you'll really appreciate for staving off nose bleeds and taking dryness out of the Colorado air).

Rooms and condos are spread between the hotel's seven floors, and obviously the higher up you are, the more impressive the views. In the condos and penthouses, granite countertops and hardwood cabinetry are all standard, lending an upscale ambiance. You can request a mini-fridge be placed in your hotel room if you have bottles to store or other food needs. There's quite a big price difference between a standard hotel room and the condominiums, but depending on your family's needs, having your own area to cook and spread out can be a good option for cutting overall vacation costs.

Connecting rooms are not available. Cribs are available upon request at no charge, while rollaway beds are available for a fee.

Double Queen Hotel Rooms
The hotel's entry level room has two queen beds and can sleep a maximum of four people, with room for a rollaway. At 450-square-feet, these rooms are spacious enough, but lack a sitting area and desk. You can add a rollaway bed to this room.

Deluxe King Hotel Rooms
With just 350 square feet of space and a maximum of two guests, these rooms have one king size bed, a Jacuzzi tub in the bathrooms and a gas fireplace. Rollaways are not allowed.

Studios
The hotel's studios are like mini apartments and ideal for a family of three (maximum occupancy). There's a full bed and an additional twin-size sleeper sofa, with no separation between the two. These rooms have a kitchenette that's basically a full kitchen, with a full-size range and stove, an almost full-size refrigerator, a microwave, dishwasher and microwave, as well as a small dining area with a table and seating for three people.

Standard One Bedroom/One Bathroom Condominium
You get a lot more privacy when you get into the hotel's condominium category. At 750 square feet, this entry-level version has a separate bedroom with either a king or queen bed that opens onto a full kitchen, dining room and living room area. In the living room is a queen-size sleeper sofa and another sofa for relaxing. These condos all have gas fireplaces and a standard shared bathroom (shower in tub style).

Grand King Condominium
Up to four people can sleep in this 900-square-foot condo, with a separate bedroom with a king bed and a queen sleeper sofa in the living area. The master bedroom has its own private bathroom within the room, with a Jacuzzi tub as well as a shower. Another full bathroom is located off the main living area. There's a full kitchen, gas fireplace and dining room table with seating for four, as well as bar seating for two in the kitchen.

One Bedroom/Two Queen/Two Bathroom Condominium
You're upgraded to 1,000 square feet here, with room for a family of six divided between this condo's two queen beds (in a separate room) and a queen sleeper sofa in the living room. There's a full kitchen, gas fireplace and two standard bathrooms with double vanities (shower-in-tub configurations), too.

Two Bedroom/Two Bathroom Condominium
Six people can fit in this two-bedroom condo with 1,100 square feet to stretch out in. One bedroom has a king bed and the other has a queen bed. Both bedrooms open to a full kitchen, dining area and living room with an additional queen sofa sleeper and a gas fireplace. These condos have two standard bathrooms.

Two Bedroom/Two Queen/Two Bathroom Condominium
This variation easily fits a family of eight (the maximum) -- one of the bedrooms has a king bed, the other has two queen beds and there's a queen sleeper sofa in the living room. There are two standard full bathrooms. As usual, there's a full kitchen, dining room and a gas fireplace, with 1,200 total feet to stretch of out in.

Two Bedroom/Three Bath Deluxe Condominium
With room for up to eight people, this condo gives you the luxury of another bathroom (a total of three -- one of which has a Jacuzzi bath) when you're operating at max capacity. The first bedroom has a king bed and the other two have two queen beds, with a queen sleeper sofa in the living room. There's a full kitchen, gas fireplace and a dining room with a long table and banquette seating that can fit a crowd.

Three Bedroom/Three Bathroom Condominium
A whopping 12 people can sleep in these enormous condos, with a generous 1,800 to 2,000 square feet and three bedrooms with either a king or two queen size beds in each and a queen size sleeper sofa in the living room. There are three full bathrooms, all with shower-in-tub configurations, and the usual full kitchen, spacious dining area and living room with gas fireplace.

Four Bedroom/Four Bathroom Condominiums
Occupancy of up to 14 people in four bedrooms and a spacious living area makes these condos a good bet for groups of friends or a multi-generational reunion. There are king size beds in four of the bedrooms and two queen beds in the fourth bedroom, and four full bathrooms. There's a queen sofa in the living room (with its gas fireplace), as well as a full kitchen and spacious dining area. Look forward to 2,600 square feet of space to accommodate everyone in style.

Penthouses
With three-, four- and five-bedroom options available, the hotel's penthouses -- all located on the seventh floor and with private elevator access -- are as luxe as a stay here gets. Amenities include full kitchens, walk-in closets, whirlpool tubs and washers and dryers. And the décor is more upscale in the penthouses, with rich hardwood floors and stone fireplaces.

A stay at The Steamboat Grand is really about what just outside the hotel's door -- namely some of Colorado's most beautiful mountain landscapes and wide open natural spaces. And this hotel makes it very easy to access it all.

Winter
Ideal for a family ski vacation, the hotel makes it easy to get everyone up and running in the mornings and out on the mountain, thanks to quick gondola access (right across the street) and the complimentary ski valet service that delivers your gear slopeside. The hotel can arrange your ski passes, as well as rentals and ski school. And you can even arrange to have someone come to your room to fit everyone out with skis or snowboards for the week.

Consider The Steamboat Grand your base of operations, with all kinds of winter activities just out the door. The concierge can arrange everything from snowbike lessons, snowshoe tours and family sleigh rides to tubing and visits to the nearby hot springs at Strawberry Park.

Summer
There's as much to do here in summer as in winter. The gondola, a short stroll from the hotel, is open in the summer for sky high views over beautiful mountain terrain. Or you can head out for family hikes, hot air balloon rides, mountain bike tours, horseback riding, fly fishing or rafting. There's even a pro rodeo series that plays out here during the summer. And of course, mom and dad can escape for a round of golf nearby, too.

Pools
Summer or winter, the hotel's freeform outdoor pool is heated to a perfect temperature for swimming, with pool towels and chairs for lounging at the ready. It's easily accessible from the adjacent fitness center, so you don't have to spend too much time outside during the winter months to get here. Lifeguards are not on duty so young children should always be supervised. There are two large hot tubs nearby, too, and they're heated to around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (too warm for younger children). Note that the pool and hot tubs are closed seasonally from mid-May to mid-April and most of October.

Game Room
Arcade machines, foosball and an air hockey table offer some diversions for your pre-teens and teens in a small game room off the lobby.

Kids Adventure Club
During the summer months, you can enroll your kids in the hotel's Kids Adventure Club, which is organized through the ski school and concierge. For kids ages 5 through 12, it's a summer camp ambiance of sorts and costs $70 per day.

All of the property's three restaurants have kids' menus and amenities, such as highchairs and booster seats at the ready.

The Grand Café
Located near the lobby on the second floor, this is the hotel's most casual and inexpensive option for starting your day if you don't opt to prepare breakfast in your studio or condo. Open daily for breakfast and early lunch (from 7:30 a.m. to noon) and dinner on Friday and Saturday only from 4 to 7 p.m., The Grand Café offers classic salads, pizzas and sandwiches in a casual setting (take away or dine in).

For breakfast, there are things like oatmeal, egg dishes, breakfast burritos, bagels and lox, cereals, biscuits and sausage and the like -- all easily grabbed to go or enjoyed as a dine-in meal. For an early lunch, there are Italian and veggie warm sandwiches that come with chips, as well as a good range of pizzas. Dinner here is basic, with such options as chicken Caesar salads, antipasti and more pizza.

The Cabin
For a restaurant with more options, you'll want to head to The Cabin, also located on the hotel's second floor -- open for a la carte breakfast daily from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (or buffet breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., daily during the winter season only and some summer weekends; lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday. Egg dishes, pancakes, cereals, bagels and the like are all on the a la carte menu.

And the breakfast buffet is worth it from the great array of fruits, breads, pastries and hot dishes, such as bacon and eggs, hash browns and more. The lunch and dinner menus offer a hearty spread of steak, chicken and game meats, dinner-size salads, pastas (the Lobster mac and cheese is great!), and burgers (including turkey and veggie, as well as Kobe beef). The Cabin has several specials throughout the week that might include a taco night, prime rib night or beer and burger deals.

On the kids' menu are chicken tenders for $7, Kraft mac and cheese for $6, cheeseburgers for $8 and classic grilled cheeses for $7. There are also daily specials for kids that are basically a smaller portion of a regular adult entrée (think salmon, coconut shrimp or steak) and run around $15.

Poolside Bistro
For a casual meal outside by the hotel's pool, this restaurant is open a few days a week and in summer only for lunch and early dinner -- from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Sandwiches, pizzas and salads keep things simple and fast so you can get back to swimming and splashing.

All About the Extras
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available at no cost.

Laundry
A laundry room is available to guests on the third floor. It's $2.50 per load to wash and $2 to dry, and the front desk can provide change.

Gym
The hotel has an onsite fitness center with a full range of weight and cardio equipment, as well as a sauna and eucalyptus steam room open to guests 18 and older.

Concierge
The concierge can help you with tour bookings and excursions off property.

The Art of Smart Timing
All hotel activities -- including the swimming pools -- are available and open all year long, but may be closed for a few weeks at a time in April, May and October. Call the hotel for specific closure dates.

The winter ski season is high season here and that's also when prices and crowds peak. Expect lowest prices in crowds in May and October.

Getting There
The easiest route to Steamboat is flying into the local airport in Hayden (Yampa Valley Regional/Hayden Airport), which is 22 miles away. There are regular flights here from Denver on United from Denver and other seasonal flights from U.S. cities offered during peak ski season months.

The hotel does not arrange transport from the airport. But GO Alpine shuttle service is the go-to operator for rides between the mountain resort and downtown Steamboat Springs and Hayden Airport -- the ride takes around 40 minutes. Kids 5 and under ride free with a paying adult. Storm Mountain Express (http://www.stormmountainexpress.com/) is another local operator offering service from the airport to the hotel.

Another option is to fly into Denver International Airport and either take the shuttle for around $90 each way for the 4- to 4.5-hour ride to Steamboat or rent a car at the airport and drive here on your own.

Getting Around
Car rentals are also available at the Hayden airport. But if you're staying in town or near the mountain, you can use the free public transport bus or the hotel shuttle to get most anywhere you'd want to go, and a car really isn't necessary.

The hotel offers complimentary transportation by shuttle bus within Steamboat Springs should you want to head into town for a meal, to grocery stores or to explore. It operates 10:15 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. Locals city busses are also free in Steamboat.

For Mom and Dad
A couples' massage at the hotel's spa, The Grand Spa, is perfect after a day skiing or hiking in the mountains. Come early or plan to stay late to enjoy the onsite sauna and steam room.

Steamboat's most romantic and best loved restaurant is Café Diva, where the elk tenderloin is a local favorite. Ask the concierge to make reservations. During the winter season in particular, tables are often booked up and walking in isn't an option.