January 19, 2023
Highlights Pendry Park City and Powder at Waldorf Astoria as recommended places to stay and dine…
The 10-day festival is back after two years. Here’s everything you need to know to treat your inner cineaste in style.
Long before a little-known film festival called Sundance, and legions of high-profile magazines started referring to it as a “mecca for skiers,” Park City, Utah was known as a scrappy silver mining town gone bust. That town of course struck gold again when it was elected to host the 2002 winter Olympics, and the blitz of glitzy hotels and a never-ending stream of tourists soon followed.
Teeming with thousands of miles of powdery terrain, it’s the sort of place people tell you they came one ski season and—after falling in love with the blue skies and Wasatch Mountains—never looked back. Today, Park City has maintained much of its mining-era heritage and historic charm as evidenced in the saloons and custom cowboy and craftsman shops lining Main Street. As for that little indy film fest, Sundance has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious annual showcases for silver-screen storytellers, celebrities, and cinephiles. Every winter they return, packing the town’s historic theaters for 10 days of private screenings, panels, pop-ups and star-studded soirees.
After a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, Sundance is back on a hybrid in-person and virtual basis this year, and spread between Park City and Salt Lake City. The latter, by the way, was actually the original home to Sundance when it was then known as the Utah/US Film Festival, before Robert Redford got his hands on it and the fest was renamed for his character in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. If you’re heading there, or if you’re looking for the best screening spots to après, here’s a luxe look at everything, everywhere all at once from Park City, Salt Lake City, and Deer Valley right now.
Where to Stay in Park City
Breathing in fresh mountain air into the Canyons Village resort area, Pendry Park City opened in February and with 153 stylish suites and ski-in-ski-out access. Standout amenities include a chic rooftop pool and lounge at Pool House, as well as dedicated ski valets, full-service spa, and spacious outdoor living room to soak up all the mountain vibes.
Where to Eat & Drink
In Canyon Village, Powder at Waldorf Astoria Park City has a limited-time Sundance menu inclusive of a Wagyu tomahawk, caviar service and daily Amuse Bouche. Voted Best Ski Hotel in the US in 2022 by the World Ski Awards, Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley’s six private dining Alpenglobes are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner this winter, and while the menu includes their signature Stein cheeseburger. If you really want to go for the gold, save plenty of room for the baked Alaska and a dark, milk and white chocolate trio for the absolute win.