Small (40-room) hotel at the base of the Teton Village ski area. Includes restaurant, bistro, and bar.
In the beginning, the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort was just a dream in founder
Paul McCollister’s eye. He was convinced the Teton Mountain range’s
steep, complex slopes and abundant snowfall would make for unrivaled skiing.
But in the beginning it was just a dream. There was no tram, no village,
and potential buyers were reluctant to invest in McColliester’s promise
of a glorious future.
And then along came the Oberreits.
On the other side of the country, the Oberreits read in the newspaper about
McCollister and his dream.
Dietrich Oberreit was born into a family with hotels on pretty Lake Constance
in the Bavarian Alps. Avid skiers, McCollister’s story resonated with
Dietrich and his wife, Anneliese.
So they packed their car and within 24 hours of arrival, a deal was cut.
They bought the prime location, closest to the tram.
Here they built the Alpenhof to reflect the charm and simple elegance of
the fine country inns of their homeland.
To hear the old-timers talk, there was nothing like the early days. After
a dump you could ski for seven days and still find fresh tracks. And long
before Warren Miller films arrived, end-of-the season celebrants would ski
off the Alpenhof’s roof into the swimming pool just because.
The Mountain developed a cult following among skiers who loved the steep
and deep.
Ed Cunningham learned to appreciate the steep and deep while a cadet at Colorado’s
United States Air Force Academy. His early 20’s career including serving
as a combat search and rescue helicopter pilot; later he indulged his love
of speed as a race car driver in England.
But he and his wife, an entertainment promoter, longed to return to ski country.
And while living abroad, they discovered another passion; a love for the
small country inns of Europe. They knew they’d miss the character and
charm of the European ski lifestyle when the returned to America.
So they came up with a plan….
The plan was to seek out and purchase a small intimate inn located right
next to the ski lifts. The resort would need challenging slopes, good snow,
and a summer filled with attractions as alluring as winter’s.
Their quest took them throughout North America’s top ski resorts.
The plan, they thought, was simple.
But it turned out not to be so simple. It had a flaw.
The good news is they found the inn and resort combination they were looking
for. It was perfect and then some. Not only was the Alpenhof small, intimate
and superbly located, it also had Alpine architecture and a tradition steeped
in fine European hospitality.
It was almost too good to be true. And it was.
Because it was the only inn and resort combination that met their criteria.
And the Alpenhof was not for sale.
So the Cunninghams moved on with their lives. They built a small mountain
inn on a sacred mountain with stunning views of San Francisco Bay.
Later, they restored a 300 year old inn on bonny Loch Awe that once welcomed
Boswell & Johnson on their historic journey to the Hebrides. And there
was more. But they never forgot their dream of a ski inn. They never forgot
the Alpenhof.
Indeed, they made annual trips to Jackson, to ski, and enjoy the Alpenhof’s
comforts.
Then one day, nearing retirement, the Oberreits decided to sell. A phone
call was made.
And, happily for our story, they sold the Aplenhof to the Cunninghams.
The Cunningams, with a small group of investors, poured several milliondollars
into the Alpenhof, adding Bavarian hand carved furnishings and two deluxe
suites; Alpine menus and winemaker dinners; fondue house parties and an Oktoberfest
festival.
They came with a vision that an inn should provide warmhearted service, gentle
comforts, and that good food should be a priority. That it should be a place
of laughter and good times.
Where every guest is King or Queen.
It is in that spirit we welcome you to our inn at the base of the Teton Mountain
Resort next to the Grand Teton National Park.
Aplenhof Lodge's About Us Page. (n.d.)
Retrieved February 19, 2005, from http://www.alpenhoflodge.com/alpenhof.htm
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