Marriott Summit Watch vs Marriott’s MountainSide: Which is The Better Hotel in Utah?
Park City, Utah is a perfect holiday place for skiing, golfing, sightseeing, dining, and shopping. However, choosing the perfect resort can be confusing.
So, which resort should you choose, Marriott Summit Watch vs mountainside?
The Summit Watch is closer to restaurants, bars, shops, and other tourist places, whereas, the MountainSide has more accessibility to hiking, mountain bike riding, and skiing areas. The Summit Watch has better accessibility features, pools, and fitness center features. On the other hand, MountainSide has a better parking policy and provides more in-room amenities.
Both resorts are unique and have great facilities. So, which resort to choose between the two of them depends entirely on your priority and vacation plan.
Keep reading to know more and make better decisions.
Quick Comparison: Marriott Summit Watch vs Marriott’s MountainSide
Both of these 3-star resorts provide all the Marriott-level service and facilities. However, they have some differences as well. Here’s a quick comparison between two of these resorts.
| Features | Marriott’s Summit Watch | Marriott’s MountainSide |
| Booking.com Ratings | 8.7/10 | 8.4/100 |
| TripAdvisor ratings | 4.5/5.0 | 4.5/5.0 |
| Pet Friendliness | Pets not allowed Only service dogs are allowed. | Same |
| Nearest Hospital | Park City Hospital 8 minutes drive | Park City Hospital 10 minutes drive |
| Internet | Free wi-fi and high-speed internet | Same |
| Membership Offers | Marriott Bonvoy special member offers and discounts are available. | Same |
The following chart shows the booking.com ratings on different features of these two resorts based on guest reviews. We will discuss those aspects throughout this article.
Booking and Reaching the Hotel
Distance from the airport, costs, and parking policies vary between the Summit Watch and the MountainSide. The differences are described below.
| Features | Marriott’s Summit Watch | Marriott’s MountainSide |
| Location and Distance from Airport | 780 Main Street, Park City, Utah 43 minutes drive from the Salt Lake International Airport Utah. | 1305 Lowell Avenue, P.O. Box 4109, Park City, Utah, USA, 84060 45 minutes driving distance away |
| Cost and Refund Policy | As of February 4, 2023, starts from 749 USD | Starts from 779 USD |
| Booking Procedure | Through official website | Same |
| Airport Transportation | Resort don’t provide shuttle service | Same |
| Parking Policy | 1 complimentary parking to only 2 bedroom villa guests. Others have to pay. | 1 complimentary parking for all the guests. |
Location and Distance from Airport
Marriott’s Summit Watch is 37.4 miles or 43 minutes of driving distance away from the Salt Lake International Airport Utah. In contrast, Marriot’s Mountainside is 37.1 miles or 45 minutes driving distance away from this airport.
If you are coming to Park City from Idaho Falls Regional Airport, you are going to need 3 hours 43 minutes to reach Summit Watch and 3 hours 45 minutes from MountainSide by car.
These vacation club resorts are 0.7 miles or 15 minutes walking distance away from each other. The MountainSide is up on the mountain and its exact location is 1305 Lowell Avenue, P.O. Box 4109, Park City, Utah, USA, 84060.
And the exact location of Marriott’s Summit Watch is 780 Main Street, Park City, Utah.
Cost and Refund Policy
The MountainSide is slightly more expensive than the Summit Watch. As of February 4, 2023, the starting rate for the Marriott Summit Watch is 749 USD / night, and the starting rate for the MountainSide is 779 USD/ night.
To get a full refund on the rent, you have to cancel the reservation 30 days before your arrival. Otherwise, both resorts will deduct the full rent amount with a service charge from you.
Booking Procedure
The booking procedure for both Summit Watch and MountainSide is fairly easy. You have to go to their official website and reserve your desired villa or room.
You will also find both resorts for reservation at Marriott Bonvoy’s official website, Marriott Bonvoy app, and other renowned hotel booking sites including Expedia, Hotel.com, and Booking.com.
The Summit Watch has only 128 rooms and Mountainwatch has 182 rooms. They get booked pretty quickly. So, a piece of personal advice would be to book the room at least 2 months ahead.
You can pay the rent by using MasterCard, Visa, Union Express, Union Pay, Discover, and JCB. Both resorts are cashless. So, paying for the resorts in cash is not an option.
Airport Transportation
The easiest and fastest route to reach Marriott Summit Watch and MountainSide from the Salt Lake International Airport is via I-80 W.
None of these resorts provides an in-house shuttle service. However, the most recommended car renting company is the Four Seasons Concierge. The resort will also suggest other recommended shuttle services if you call the concierge desk.
Parking Policy
The Summit Watch and the MountainSide have different parking policies. The Summit Watch provides 1 complimentary parking to only 2 bedroom villa guests. While MountainSide provides 1 complimentary on-site parking to all of their guests.
In the Summit Watch, other guests have to pay $20 per day or $50 per week to park their cars onsite. This rate excludes holidays and special events.
For additional parking for the MountainSide guests, off-site parking is available at the Park City Mountain Resort. This resort is 0.1 miles away from the MountainSide. For additional parking, you have to pay $20 per day or $100 per week.
Construction Updates: The MountainSide Resort is undergoing a renovation project from April 15th to June 10th, 2023. During this period, parking may be limited on the property. The guests will be able to park at the Park City Mountain Plaza.
The work will be carried out every day from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Accommodation and Amenities
Some amenities and hotel environments are better in the Summit Watch while the others are in the MountainSide. The following table shows all the differences.
| Feature | Marriott’s Summit Watch | Marriott’s MountainSide |
| Lobby and Guest Reception | Antique, classic themed lobby. | Modern, spacious lobby. Has a jet ski-accessible entry and exit. |
| Front Desk Services | 24-hour Front-desk service | Same |
| Room Type | Warm-toned rooms. – Guestroom – 1 Bedroom Villa – 2 Bedroom Villa | Modern looking, cool-toned room. Similar room type to Summit Watch. |
| In-Room Amenities | Less in-room amenities | More in-room amenities |
| Kitchen Features | No kitchenette in guestrooms | Kitchenette available in guestrooms |
| Bath and Bathroom Feature | Nicer and have more features | Have lesser features |
| Laundry and Drycleaning Service | All rooms except guest rooms have washer and dryer. | Same |
| Cuisine and Dining Service | Most restaurants are closer to Summit Watch | A few nearby restaurants |
| On-site Fitness Center | Has fewer features | Has more features |
| Swimming Pools | More swimming pool with better feature | Fewer swimming pools |
| Accessibility Features | More accessibility features | Fewer than Summit Watch |
Lobby and Guest Reception
The Marriott Summit Watch has a cozy lobby area that gives an antique coffee shop vibe, whereas, Mountainside has a more modern vibe. The Marriott Summit Watch has a wooden concierge desk, doors, railings, and seating areas.
Marriott Summit is lit with classic chandeliers, whereas, Marriott MountainSide has modern LED lighting. Both resorts have fireplaces in the lobby to keep you warm.
Unlike Marriott’s Summit Watch, MountainSide has a jet ski entry and exit. Pretty cool right? It’s more convenient for skiers than MountainSide.
In both resorts, you can check in at 4:00 PM or afterward. The friendly staff will be waiting to give you a warm reception. The check-out time is 10.00 PM.
Front-desk Services
Both resorts offer 24-hour front desk services. The front desk service includes tour/ticket assistance and a safe facility. The staff speaks English and Spanish. Both resorts offer free newspapers in the lobby.
Many of my friends visited both resorts and according to them staff at Summit Watch is more friendly and nicer than the MountainSide staff. However, to me, the staff from both resorts are equally warm and friendly.
Room Type
Similar to the lobby, the MountainSide rooms are more modern looking than the Summit watch. The room is cool-toned with light-ash walls, white doors & ceilings, and modern designed furniture. Silver carpet covers the flooring of the entire villa.
On the other hand, Summit Watch villas are warm-toned with yellow walls, ceilings, and brown carpets.
Although rooms in both resorts are similar in size, the MountainSide rooms look more spacious due to the cool tone. Both Summit Watch and MountainSide have similar room types. You can book either of these three kinds of rooms.
Guestroom
- Maximum occupancy: 4
- 1 King bed
- 300 sqft/27 sqm
- Connecting rooms are not available
- 1 bathroom
1 Bedroom Villa
- Maximum occupancy: 4
- 1 King bed
- Separate dining room
- Separate living room
- The living room is separated from the bedroom through a privacy wall
- Full Kitchen area
2 Bedroom Villa
- Maximum occupancy: 8
- 2 King Bed
- 1200 sqft/108 sqm
- 2 Bathroom
- All other features are the same as the 1 Bedroom villa
In-Room Amenities
Beds in Summit Watch rooms only have duvets while the MountainSide provides pillowtop mattresses with duvet in each of their rooms. Many guests find the beds in Summit Watch uncomfortable.
So, if you are more comfortable sleeping with pillow-top mattresses, you will like the MountainSide better.
Moreover, MountainSide rooms have DVD players which are missing in Summit Watch Rooms. Although you can rent movies in both the resorts and watch them on their in-room flatscreen TVs.
Apart from these amenities, Marriott Summit Watch and MountainSide have the same in-room amenities. Except for the guestroom, all villas in these resorts have fireplaces. You could curl up on the sofa beside the lit fireplace and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.
All the rooms of both resorts have safes, tea/coffee makers, alarm clocks, flatscreen TVs, and many other facilities that will make you feel at home.
Kitchen Features
Guestrooms at the MountainSide have kitchenettes that you won’t get in the Summit Watch guestrooms. In such smaller rooms, having a kitchenette is very convenient if you want to cook meals on your own.
Guestrooms of both resorts have Mini fridges, dish cleaners, silverware & glasses, and microwaves.
Villas in both resorts have full kitchens along with all the essential kitchen appliances and tools you may require to prepare full meals.
Bath and Bathroom Feature
Marriott Summit Watch bathrooms are nicer and have more features than MountainSide bathrooms. Unlike MountainSide, the Summit Watch has marble bathrooms that look more luxurious.
The Bathrooms in Summit Watch 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom villas have Whirlpools in the master bathroom and whirlpool
The guest rooms in both MountainSide and Summit Watch have combined showers and tubs. Other villas have separate oversized tubs and showers. All bathrooms in both resorts have hair dryers.
Laundry and Drycleaning Service
No guest rooms in any of these resorts have personal washers and dryers. However, all the other villas have personal washers and dryers in rooms. All the rooms including guest rooms have iron and ironing boards.
Also, both resorts have paid dry cleaning and laundry service.
Cuisine and Dining Service
None of these two resorts has onsite restaurants. However, most high-quality and good restaurants are nearer to the Summit Watch. There are several nearby restaurants and bars you can try out.
Grappa: This Italian restaurant is only 3 minutes driving distance away from the Summit Watch and 6 minutes driving distance away from MountainSide. If you are a wine lover, you must visit this restaurant. The restaurant is only open for dinner.
Prime Steakhouse and Piano Bar: This dinner steakhouse is only a minute of walking distance away from the Summit Watch. If you are staying at MountainSide, you have to walk for 15 minutes to reach there.
Reyes Adobe Restaurant: This is another restaurant you will find by walking only a minute from the Summit Watch. And it is 15 minutes walking distance away from the MountainSide. This restaurant provides both lunch and dinner.
Oishi Sushi Bar and Grill: This sushi and fusion-style grill restaurant is only a minute away from the Summit Watch. From MountainSide, this restaurant is 15 minutes walking distance away.
Riverhorse Cafe: It is 3 minutes walking distance away from the Summit Watch and 18 minutes from the MountainSide.
The Mustang: This American contemporary cuisine is at a similar distance away from the Reyes Adobe Restaurant from both resorts.
Baja Cantina: This family Mexican Restaurant is only 2 minutes walking distance away from the MountainSide and 14 minutes from the Summit Watch.
The Flying Sumo: This amazing Japanese sushi restaurant is only 3 minutes walking distance away from the Summit Watch and 14 minutes from the MountainSide.
On-site Fitness Center
The Mountainside fitness center has more features and equipment than the Summit Watch fitness center. Unlike the Summit Watch, the mountainside fitness center has stair climbers, sauna rooms, and steam rooms.
Also, MountainSide provides fitness kits that you can take home with you.
Swimming Pools
The Summit Watch has musical swimming pools or aquacades, unlike MountainSide which has only regular swimming pools. The aquacade is especially liked by children and teenagers who want to have a fun time on the poolside.
The Summit Watch has both indoor and outdoor pools while the MountainSide only has an outdoor pool. However, the outdoor pool of the Summit Watch is not heated, unlike MountainSide. If you want a heated pool in Summit Watch, you have to use the indoor pool.
The Summit Watch has an indoor whirlpool while the MountainSide has an outdoor whirlpool.
Accessibility Features
The Summit Watch has more accessibility features than the MountainSide. Unlike the MountainSide, the main entrance of Summit Watch is accessible. Moreover, the Summit Watch has the following accessibility features, unlike the MountainSide.
- Electronic Room Key
- Mobility accessible rooms
- Secondary Locks on Room Windows
- Lowered Electrical Outlets
- Lowered Night Guards on Doors
- Non-slip Grab Rails in the Bathroom
- Seats in bathtub
- TTY/TTD Compatible
Both resorts have some common accessibility features including accessible vanities, grab rails in the bathtub, roll-in shower, and wheelchair height toilet seats. Also, both resorts allow service dogs free of charge.
Activities and Sightseeing Nearby
Outdoor activities and sports are the main attraction when you are in Park City. Let’s discuss the proximity of these row resorts to the skiing area, golfing area, and other sightseeing places.
| Features | Marriott’s Summit Watch | Marriott’s MountainSide |
| Ski Access | Less preferable to skiers | Better for skiing |
| Golf Access | Closer to the golf clubs | Further to the golf clubs |
| Places Nearby | Easy and less time consuming to visit nearby places | More time consuming to visit nearby places. |
Ski Area Access
The MountainSide is better for skiing as it is up to the mountain with ski-friendly entry. You can also visit nearby skiing areas from both resorts.
Park City Mountain Resort: This ski area is only a couple minutes of driving distance away from MountainSide. And if you are staying at Summit Watch, you have to walk 14 minutes to get there.
Deer Valley: This ski area is an 8-minute drive from MountainSide and 4 minutes from the Summit Watch.
Canyons Resort: This ski resort is 11 minutes’ driving distance away from the MountainSide and 9 minutes from the Summit Watch.
By the way, if you are a Ski lover, you should visit Colorado at least once. Especially, you can visit either the Vail Village or Lionhead. Both are considered a paradise for ski lovers.
Golf Access
All the golf clubs in the region are nearer to the Summit Watch than the MountainSide. Here are some of the good golf clubs you can go to for a round.
Park City Golf Club
- Distance From MountainSide: 5 minutes drive
- Distance From Summit Club: 4 minutes drive
- Holes: 18
- Yard: 6754
- Par for course: 72
Canyons Golf
- Distance From MountainSide: 11 minutes drive
- Distance From Summit Club: 10 minutes drive
- Holes: 36
- Yard: 6787
- Par for course: 72
Park Meadows Country Club
- Distance From MountainSide: 10 minutes drive
- Distance From Summit Club: 8 minutes drive
- Holes: 18
- Yard: 7422
- Par for course: 72
Homestead Resort Golf Course
- Distance From MountainSide: 29 minutes drive
- Distance From Summit Club: 27 minutes drive
- Holes: 18
- Yard: 6967
- Par for course: 72
Wasatch Mountain State Park
- Distance From MountainSide: 28 minutes drive
- Distance From Summit Club: 26 minutes drive
- Holes: 18
- Yard: 6360
- Par for course: 72
Places Nearby
Both Marriott Summit Watch and MountainSide is surrounded by many beautiful, recreational and historical places to visit. Here are some of those.
Historic Park City Alliance: This place is 5 minutes’ driving distance away from the MountainSide and 5 Minutes’ walking distance away from the Summit Watch. This historical place is known for hosting numerous festivals and cultural events throughout the year. Also, you can shop from more than 100 local boutiques.
Hogle Zoo: This zoo is 38 minutes driving distance away from both Marriott Summit and MountainSide. This zoo is unique because of its reputation for following the highest animal care standard.
Utah Olympic Park: To reach this park, it will take you 14 minutes of driving from the Summit Watch and 16 minutes from the MountainSide. This park is famous for being the venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics. You can also take part in activities including zip lining, ropes courses, and summer tubing.
Park City Alpine Slide: This alpine coaster is nearer to the mountainside. It is an elevated track through the scenic Wasatch Mountains for sledding. You have to walk 15 minutes from the Summit Watch to get there.
Park City Racquet Club: This recreational facility is 8 minutes’ driving distance away from the MountainSide and 6 minutes from the Summit Watch. Park City Racquet Club is a nice place to visit for anyone looking for a place to play tennis, work out, swim, or simply relax.
Which One is For Whom: Marriott Summit Watch vs MountainSide
If you are going to Park City for skiing, MountainSide would be the best choice for you as it’s closer to the mountains. Especially, when it is wintertime, the Marriott MountainSide is a beautiful place to stay.
You can perform many adventurous activities like mountain bike ridings, and hiking around this resort. Also, if you are bringing kids, the pools and other children’s activities are more comprehensive in the MountainSide.
However, this resort is over the mountain, and getting transportation and going to different places is slightly inconvenient from this resort. Especially, at night time, you will face difficulty getting in and out of the resort.
On the other side, if you are more into fine dining, shopping, and sightseeing, the Summit Watch is the best option for you. Summit Watch is This resort is more convenient for getting transportation.
You can easily get around night and day if you stay here. Also, if you require accessibility features, Summit Watch is a better option.
Here’s a tip: If you ever visit Vermont for skiing, you should consider Stratton and Killington resorts. Although there are some differences, both resorts are very popular among ski enthusiasts.
Disclaimer: Please note that this comparative article is based on the current situation of both resorts. Their features may be changed anytime. For the most up-to-date information on amenities and services, you should check the official website of each resort before making a reservation.
FAQs
Does Marriott Summit Watch And MountainSide Requires A Resort Fee?
Neither Marriott Summit Watch nor MountainSide requires a resort fee. You just have to pay the rent of the room you are staying in.
When Were The Marriott Summit Watch And The MountainSide Built?
The Summit Watch was built in 1994 and got a major renovation in 2021. The MountainSide is newer than the Summit Watch. The MountainSide was built in 2000 and got another major renovation in 2005.
How Many Buildings Are In The Summit Watch And MountainSide?
The Summit Watch has six buildings. Each building has 4 floors. The Marriott MountainSide has only 1 building which has 13 floors.
Conclusion
Here goes every detail on Marriott Summit Watch vs MountainSide. I hope this article helped you clarify the confusion you had. Now you will be able to choose the perfect resort for your next vacation.
That’s all for now. Goodbye and happy skiing!
