Sheraton Park City vs. DoubleTree Park City -The Yarrow (Skiing on Marriott/Hilton Points)

Have both Hilton and Marriott points to use for your ski vacation in Park City? The Sheraton Park City is a great value through Marriott, but so is the DoubleTree Park City The Yarrows through Hilton. These two mid range hotels in Park City have vastly different pros and cons. 

We split our stay in Park City between the two properties to compare them directly. We have stayed at the Sheraton Park City before so you can refer to the full review of that property for more specifics.

Check in & Status Benefits

Sheraton Park City

Upon check in they were able to fulfill out request to have a lower level room that connected to the pool courtyard. We were briefed on the shuttle system and the apres ski spread. Additional resort fee benefits were not addressed directly.

I brought up that their website lists that there is a $30 daily food and beverage credit that should be provided as part of the resort fee. The front desk agent had no idea about this benefit and it was not listed on their little sheet that outlines resort fee benefits. She was very happy to check on that and was able to quickly report back to me with a single $30 voucher for the stay.

The voucher ended up being a bit tricky to redeem as it does not cover alcoholic beverages, and could not be split (ex. towards various days of coffees at Starbucks), but rather it should be surrendered entirely at the time of use, even if the entire amount was not used. 

We learned about this the more difficult way, at check out, but after some back and forth they were willing to apply the credit towards our daily Starbucks runs. So be advised, to just order $30 worth at Starbucks or use it towards food at the restaurant.

DoubleTree Park City -The Yarrows

Upon check in we were asked about room preference based on first or second floor. We went with second floor since it would have a balcony. The agent put us right by the entrance to the pool/hottub area for convenience in getting to those amenities. 

They also explained the HiltonHonors Gold benefit of $15 per person per day of food and beverage credit and the two water bottles. This credit is not applicable towards alcoholic beverages, per Utah State law. We used our daily credit towards breakfast.

Of course, we got the famous DoubleTree cookies, and enjoyed several throughout our stay as you can request them from the front desk at any time.

The water bottle situation was a bit weird as they explained that the two in the room would not be restocked as part of an environmental initiative. Yet the two bottles present in the room were plastic bottles of Dasani water, not the ideal refillable water bottle.

Check in/ Status Benefits Winner: DoubleTree Park City

The Room

Sheraton Park City

The room at the Sheraton is spacious with hooks, a decent closet, desk, and two sinks in the bathroom area. This made getting ready and organized easier. 

Our room opened directly to the inner courtyard where the pool, hot tub, gym, and steam room are. Check out my full review of the Sheraton for more information and pictures of the hotel.

DoubleTree Park City

The bathroom was cramped with only one sink. It was difficult for two people to use the area at once. There is a door separating the shower and toilet form the sink area, although the door swings into the sink area, so caution is needed when entering and exiting. The sink mirror is well lit. 

The furniture showed some significant wear, and there was no seating on the balcony to enjoy it. The mini fridge wasn’t cooling well so we resorted to keeping drinks out on the balcony to get them chilled. 

Beds were comfortable but bedding was thin. An additional blanket would improve comfort significantly. The air conditioner, although adjustable, would only either significantly heat or mildly cool the room. 

Room Winner: Sheraton Park City

Amenities

Sheraton Park City

The shuttle from the Sheraton ran to Park City Mountain and Deer Valley until 5 pm, and then only to Main Street in the evening. The shuttle is a very comfortable van, and wait time could vary from a few minutes to over 20 minutes. It was usually pretty quick in the morning, but would get delayed by traffic in the afternoon and evening.

Hot tub was always super hot, which is perfect for a quick soak anger a day of skiing. Jets are unusually positioned very low, but have good strength. Pool was not heated, and therefore very cold, but appropriate for a cold plunge. The structures could use some resurfacing, but the area was otherwise well kept.  

Apres ski consisted of a soup, a sweet, an appetizer, and a hot drink. Each day varied, but some of the food provided included potato soup, apple cider, and stuffed jalapeño poppers. There were always oatmeal raisin cookies and hot chocolate in the lobby during the apres ski time. The cookies were a nice addition compared to last year’s stay, and felt like a direct answer to the DoubleTree cookies. There were no longer s’mores kits though, so I did miss those!

Ski storage has changed from being in the open to being serviced at a counter. 

The Starbucks onsite became our go to for a morning coffee. As for breakfast, we grabbed an apple from the gym, along with one of our own protein bars. The restaurant onsite offers a breakfast buffet and dinner. We only had drinks at the restaurant, and they were well made cocktails with a twist. 

Staff was always friendly. There is a sweet resident dog with a handler roaming the hotel in case you are missing your dog back home. There are plenty of places to relax by the fireplace, including the lobby, the bar, and outside by the fire pits. There were also certain days with live music at the bar.

DoubleTree Park City

No shuttle. The DoubleTree is located directly by the free city bus stop. We were usually able to get on a bus within a few minutes. Peak times for getting to and from Park City Mountain were especially crowded, with the bus being stuffed with as many people as can possibly fit. 

Outdoor pool and hot tub. Hot tub jets were not working and the water was only warm, not hot, by the end of the day. Hot tub was very large. Pool was heated although still on the cold side. The whole area could use updating but we frequently saw people enjoying long soaks or playing in the pool. 

Apres ski consisted of one snack and water in the bar area. The first day was whipped honey  ricotta and toast. The second day was chicken and veggie gyozas with a sweet sauce. Both appetizers were well done, but it wold have been nice to have a hot drink option as well.  

Ski and boot storage is immediately on your left upon entering the hotel. There is a counter to get your items and the boot storage is heated. 

There is a coffee shop in the lobby offering barista coffees and takeaway food items like breakfast burritos and salads. The restaurant is located down the hallway and provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The breakfast buffet is also located in the restaurant and is $20 per person. It consisted of three hot dishes and some pastries and cereal. For breakfast at the DoubleTree I highly recommend ordering a la carte instead.

We opted to the order breakfast a la carte via room service. We tried a variety of dishes, and all were delicious, generous, and speedily delivered. There was no additional charge for room service other than a mandatory 20% gratuity.

The charge for a breakfast dish along with the taxes and gratuity came close to the daily $30 credit we had to spend. It worked out perfectly to share a dish and get coffees downstairs from the cafe. The coffee from the room service is just American coffee, and pretty bad. It would be fantastic if they incorporated the coffees from the cafe into their room service.

We did not try anything from the bar, but the menu covered the bases for a variety of beers, wines, and classic cocktails. The staff was very friendly while we heard them interact with others while we had the apres ski snack. The bar lounge has a fireplace making it nicer to hang out in there than the lobby.

Amenities Winner: DoubleTree for Breakfast, Sheraton for Hot tub/Public Spaces

Location in Park City

Sheraton Park City

The Sheraton is relatively far from many conveniences, but the hotel shuttle helps to make it easy to get around to the mountains and main street. However, wait times for the shuttle can feel long while waiting in the cold or if the shuttle gets caught in traffic. There isn’t anything to note in the immediate vicinity and it would require a long walk to get to any of the restaurants along the street on which it is located. This was especially difficult last year since there was a lot of snow on the ground. 

DoubleTree Park City

The location is super convenient. The bus stop for the free transit system is across the street. The hotel is located on the same lot as a fresh market, and across the street is another grocery store along with restaurants, a coffee shop, and a liquor store. I highly recommend going for a breakfast or lunch at FiveSeeds, and they have just opened a sister restaurant next door, Matilda, that focuses on coal fired pizzas and Italian cuisine. 

While the commute to and from Park City Mountain can be chaotic on the public bus, we generally didn’t wait more than few minutes for it to arrive. 

Location Winner: DoubleTree Park City

Overall Comparison

The Sheraton offers superior rooms and amenities, but is in a more isolated location. The DoubleTree offers a great location, and a great breakfast option for status holders.

Both offer an apres ski snack, although the Sheraton offers a larger spread that is perfect for filling up for a family.

The Sheraton’s shuttle feel more luxurious to get around, and is more convenient for getting to the mountain, but the buses by the Doubletree are more frequent and go to more locations. 

If breakfast and location are the most important to you, then go for the DoubleTree Park City. If you prefer nicer design and amenities, then go with the Sheraton Park City.

How to Book your Stay Using Points

We booked using points at the Sheraton for around 50,000 Marriott points per night. This makes it just within reach of the 35k annual free night certificate that comes on one of their credit cards that can be topped off up to 15,000 points.

Marriott prices dynamically so be sure to book well ahead of time for the most date flexibility. The resort fee is not waived, even on award stays. Get Marriott points through one of their cobranded cards, but do not transfer credit card points as it offers poor value.

The DoubleTree Park City – The Yarrows is a Hilton property, which we booked at its standard room rate of 65,000 points per night. Get Hilton points by using a cobranded credit card, purchasing them when on sale for half a cent each, or transfer from American Express at a 1 to 2 ratio (watch for transfer bonuses).