The Hythe in Vail: Proving Luxury Resorts Can Deliver Serious Fly Fishing

My wife wants to stay at a luxury resort; I want to fly fish. I was skeptical that you could mix the two. This Vail experience at The Hythe changed my mind with big fish and plush comfort.

The Hythe Resort in Vail, Colorado, can set you up for some top-notch fly fishing. | Photo by Mandy Hertzfeld

I have a bad habit of making assumptions about things not being "fishy" enough to be the real deal. I made that mistake recently when I was invited to visit The Hythe Resort in Vail, Colorado. The proposal was to experience some great fishing and then relax at an upscale resort and enjoy its offerings.

Always the Skeptic

That sounded great, but in my mind, those two didn’t go together. You either had a hard-core, real outdoors fly fishing experience, or a nice, upscale resort in a fashionable area to chill and enjoy the amenities - not both. When I was told that at Hythe you could have both, I was skeptical.

Fishy Enough

I was wrong, and it didn’t even take a whole day to find out how wrong I was. While being a guest of the Hythe, I caught fish, big fish, and lots of them.

Big rainbow trout caught on a black streamer | Photo by Ken Baldwin

A Secluded Getaway

Vail has the feel of a large village located in a valley between mountains. It is surrounded by ski slopes and features upscale shops, casual cafes, fine dining establishments, and art galleries. It has an enclosed, bowl-like feeling that shuts out the rest of the world in a comforting way.

The Hythe

The Hythe in Vail, Colorado. A beautiful, upscale resort surrounded by wooded mountainside and Gore Creek. | Photo provided by FINN Partners

When I pulled up to the Hythe's entrance, I still had my prejudices about mixing fly fishing with a fancy resort. I was here to fish, not for pampering. I checked in, went up to my room to get some sleep, and be ready for the next day's fishing.

How do you not give in to a fire-pit and bourbon neat right outside your room? | Photo provided by FINN Partners

The Details

The concierges at the Hythe are knowledgeable about fly fishing. They can book a local guide for you; they know the creeks and rivers, will take care of the billing through the resort, and make the whole process easy, so all you have to do is be on time for your guide. I was scheduled for an early morning pickup in front of the resort.

The Guide

My guide for the day was Mandy Hertzfeld, who manages a fly shop just outside Vail. Talking with her, I learned that there was a lot of good fly fishing water in the area, and she was fairly confident that we would get into some big fish. Thirty-two miles later, we arrived at a creek that was medium in size, with no one else fishing it.

Colorado guide Mandy Hertzfeld with a big fish on. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

The Creek and the Fishing

I didn’t see another angler all day. The creek was pristine and unpressured. If other anglers had been here, you couldn't tell. Mandy was right; we caught a lot of fish, most of which were big and healthy. It was just a few hours ago that I had woken up in a plush, upscale resort. I had not anticipated the high-quality fishing we had all day.

Only a short ride outside of Vail put us into wild and open country—where good fishing is found. | Photo by Mandy Hertzfeld

Fly Fishing on the Brain

Back at the Hythe, my itch had been scratched, my brain was no longer locked into "fishing" mode. I took a breath and then a pause to see the resort with my full attention. What the heck, a classy whisky bar right there in the lobby, with a daily free whisky tasting going on. Soft leather couches and chairs. People were socializing and having drinks. An extremely large chandelier made of antlers hung at the entrance. This place was beautiful.

I jumped on the elevator to go to my room and clean up. I had experienced some great fly fishing, and now I was going to experience the Hythe.

Slowing Down to Enjoy

My exploration of the Hythe and its surroundings began with dinner at their restaurant. Looking over the menu, it all looked good. I narrowed my choice down to Bison Bolognese Ravioli, Herb-Crusted Rocky Mountain Arctic Char, or Sous Vide Braised Short Ribs. I went with the short ribs and a cold beer. It did not disappoint. The meat fell off the bone, and the beer was extra cold.

I took another beer outside to enjoy an elongated fire pit and some fresh mountain air. Every evening, along these fire pits, the Hythe has a s'mores roast. It had finished, but there were still families hanging out, enjoying the cool evening air. I got lucky and found some s'mores ingredients lying about, so I fired one up and enjoyed it with my beer.

That was it for me. Between the full day of wet wading and great fishing, short ribs, beers, and s'mores, I was out.

Enjoying Vail

I caught a very big trout yesterday, and that did me good. I didn’t need to fish today, though the creek that ran through the village of Vail was tempting. Instead, I walked to Lionshead Village just a few blocks away to check out the shops. I found Patagonia, Helly Hansen, The North Face, True North, the kind of shops you would expect to find in a ski town.

I've never seen trout of this color; the yellows were rich and deep. It blended in well with the coloring of the creek bottom. | Photo by Mandy Hertzfeld

Vail Is More Than Skiing

When you think of Vail, you think of skiing, but summertime in Vail has a lot to offer, and my few days there were not enough to get it all in. On top of the excellent fishing, you have great trails for hiking and mountain biking, Gondola rides, the Betty Ford Gardens, white water rafting, farmer's markets, outdoor concerts, GoPro Mountain Games, golf, horseback riding, and exceptional restaurants.

Take it Easy and Indulge Yourself

Or you could hang out at the Hythe and indulge in being pampered. Check out their spa, get some workouts in at the gym, yoga, enjoy a private fire pit outside your room, eat s'mores, sample locally distilled whiskey, try bison rigatoni, or sit with the concierge and plan your next day's fishing.

An Attentive Staff

Do a lot or do nothing. Indulge yourself the way you want. I found the staff at the Hythe to be very accommodating and wanting to go out of their way to make sure you enjoyed your stay.

Next Time

I plan on coming back to the Hythe, but next time, I will bring my wife. It's a vacation that we can both enjoy. She's all about spa sessions, gym, shopping, and galleries. You will find me waist deep in water, waving a fly rod. We would meet back at the resort for some good food and drink and then end the day next to a fire pit, her with wine, me with a whiskey, and perhaps some s'mores. KB 

"The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

The accommodations reviewed in this article were provided to me at no cost for the purpose of evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.