Big Sky Resort — Hotel in Big Sky

*UPDATE: Big Sky Resort reached out to me to follow up on my review. They provided honest, professional communication and a sincere apology. They were open this feedback and have already made multiple changes made to the resort in regards to customer service and communication. Their sincerity and desire to provide excellent experiences for all of their guests was evident, which speaks volumes in regards to their integrity. I was very satisfied with their response! (Previous review): I came to stay at the Big Sky Resort for a medical conference held at the resort. Myself and my family of 4 stayed in the Shoshone Condos (which I was told was their “high-end” condos). We were please when we got a corner condo. The condo itself had just about everything we needed. Two bathrooms, a decent kitchen, big windows—an overall good-sized one bedroom condominium. Unfortunately, that’s about it when it comes to the highlights. This brings me to the two biggest downfalls of Big Sky Resort; the customer service and the painfully outdated (and in some cases, downright dangerous and not up to code) facility. While spacious, the condo desperately needs updating—and I am not just talking about the décor. I can get over outdated décor. The unit was downright dangerous. There were light fixtures hanging halfway out of the ceiling that would flicker on/off when turned on. There was only 1 screen for the 4 windows that opened (on the third floor) and about half of the window locks did not work. The one screen that was in a window was hanging halfway out of it because the window had been warped long before. The shower tile was moldy, the phone didn’t work, the carpets are old and stained, the hallways were dark, jagged, and narrow. The pool literally has chunks of its plaster (or whatever is coating it) floating in it and is incredibly dirty. Unfortunately, that is not even the worst part…the customer service was truly disappointing. Especially considering this place is NOT cheap. I can guarantee I have had better customer service from a $75/night Holiday Inn. After commiserating with other guests in the pool area, we found out that our trouble with customer service was not an isolated experience. There are no signs to anything—the pool, the lifts, the breakfast- literally no signs. You’ll make friends trying to find places together! Oh yeah, and make sure to read up online about all the benefits that might be included with your stay, such as breakfast and lift tickets. Because they won’t tell you about them unless you specifically ask about them (even after asking if there are any fun things to do, places to eat, etc—you have to SPECIFICALLY ask for these things. I found out about these things by reading online and overhearing other guests talk). When talking to the other guests, we all felt like there was some sort of informational pamphlet or website we missed. Because we were just expected to know things without any formal notification or direction. The commiserating didn’t stop with the guests. Hearing the seasonal employees complain loudly about management, favoritism, and how “no one knows what they’re doing” on the shuttle bus was a regular occurrence. When asking the shuttle bus driver the location of the pick up to ride back to the hotel, I was met with “where the hell are you trying to go, lady?”. I can’t say that they were all bad though. There are a FEW employees that are helpful—and I mean a few. Of the 6 days we stayed, I was able to track down one gentleman at the concierge desk that was actually helpful (the other either never got off the phone or led me to things such as triple diamond mountain bike trails when I asked where I could find a child-friendly...

Second season pass we have had over the years. Given the size of the resort in terms of skiable acres, the season pass price isn't bad for midweek which is the only time we want to ski anyway. Grooming is done very well the runs are nice, the Improvement in lifts is good. There is a lot of room for improvement in other things though. I am quite surprised every time I read anything including in Forbes Magazine just yesterday, about short lift lines. Big Sky had those five years or so ago before the Ikon pass. Since then it has been ridiculous. Just yesterday, the day after President's Day without a ton of new snow, the lift lines were 10 to 15 minute waits. There's no way to call that short even by comparison to other busier areas. They are just too busy and are not places we would go anyway because of that. They have real problems with the SwiftCurrent 6 lift. An incredible number of stoppages that day along with six chairs in a row being empty several times. They really expanded eating opportunities a couple years ago but it really in no way keeps up with the demand. The crowding is ridiculous and there's fewer and fewer places for a brown bag lunch person like myself to eat. Ski area food prices are ridiculous. Also, the sidewalks, but for a small percentage, our snow pack covered and icy. Other high-end Resorts have their underground heating working. Big Sky has not for several years now. Given the prices they charge none of these things are acceptable. They do have plans to replace, for the '24-' 25 season the gondola that should have never been taken out 10 years or more ago. Even with the six seat SwiftCurrent upgrade to the fastest lift in the country, that still doesn't move enough skiers. The gondola will help but then I'm sure their prices will go up. All that might do is partially justify the ridiculous price now not an additional increase. They advertise that the three lifts with bubble covers are heated, but one of them is not heated at all and that's a known fact, and the other two are heated such a low percentage of the time it ought not even be claimed. Again, hard to justify their prices with this kind of operation. This will probably be our last year skiing there given no indication of any improvements in the things I mentioned as well as an indirectly related issue with the Jack Creek Road access from the west. That now costs $550 and maintenance is pathetic. The three days we have skied this year during which the most plowing was needed, it was done once a day and did not keep up with the snow in any way. One of those days the road was almost impossible on the way out, and another of the days the plowing wasn't done until right at the time people are leaving and so had to drive around the plow and got no benefit from it. So, until things change dramatically between the resort and that road, we'll not be returning in future years. Moonlight basin, for which that road exists, thinks that at $550 the pass is doing people a favor. Unfortunately most people who get it think that too, instead of realizing that they are the ones doing Moonlight of favor by deferring maintenance cost even in the face of the poor...

I travel all over the world, have skied 7 continents, visited 80 countries and I've stayed in a lot of hotels, nice ones, sharing amazing times with amazing people and staff. There is something going on at Big Sky with the employees that is off, to the point of being bizarre. My guess is they are overwhelmed, understaffed and probably underpaid but here's my experience. I called in advance about three things (quiet room with no overhead noise, two beds, charging for Tesla). Once there, they tried to charge us $85 for charging, we were not given a quiet room and the room only had one bed. Where it got weird is when I asked for a different room, they gaslighted me, saying I didn't call (i offered to show them my phone records they said no) as a reason why they wouldn't move us. Gaslighting put me (anyone) on the defense, and things disintegrated from there. Add in at nearly $500 a night one of us on an old rollaway bed that we put the sheets on ourselves and not able to sleep because it was so noisy from above is a bummer (my friend is not a light sleeper but he had trouble too). Next, while attending a gala in stilettos during a snow storm, I stashed my winter boots under a chair. During the gala they were removed by staff, which it should have been intuitive to leave be given the circumstances. I tried to make a joke about it with one of the staff and rather than laugh he make a crack about my character. Next thing everyone looking for my boots thought I was a Karen and starting treating me with contempt. When my boots were finally found the manager said I had put them elsewhere besides under the chair (I hadn't) and said they viewed video footage of my doing so (they didn't). That was truly bizarre. Why not just say hey we found your boots, someone must have moved them but hurrah!. I think they tried to suggest I was at fault so they didn't have to pay to ship them back. Bottom line, such bizarre lack of ownership of their mess ups, combined with gaslighting and I challenge anyone to not get upset (which I did). I also think they are trying to maximize money alongside being seen as a high end resort but its clear they dont train or pay the staff well and even the s'mores are the cheap low quality marshmallows and graham crackers,. You dont find that at deer valley. My feedback is consider the guests experience and if you can't accommodate them, say so without making it the guests fault. And if you mess up, a simple apology goes a long way. Also train the employees to assume the guests dont know the layout of the resort, when answering their...