Steamboat Pilot & Today

When Megan and John Massey began looking for a vacation home in Steamboat Springs, they thought ski-in, ski-out access was the way to go.

Then they got a taste of The Porches, an exclusive, yet relaxed neighborhood just minutes from the slopes, shops and restaurants - a small trade-off for high-end comforts and exceptional service.

"It's just really a first-class place," Megan Massey said from her home in Scottsbluff, Neb.

The Masseys are members of The Porches' Private Residence Club, which allows residents to enjoy luxurious four- or five-bedroom units for a fraction of full ownership prices.

PRC members receive one-eighth deeded interest in a fully furnished Porches unit and a minimum of six weeks there each year, with prices starting at $320,000.

They also have access to "The Barn," the community's large amenities building with a lounge, state-of-the-art exercise facility, game room and outdoor heated pool and Jacuzzi.

Full ownership units also are available starting at $2.2 million.

Each Porches unit is between 3,900 and 5,000 square feet and is built with the quality and attention to detail that buyers expect in high-end single family homes.

The units were designed to maximize usable space. Areas for personal time include cozy reading nooks and large bedrooms with full bathrooms and flat screen TVs, as well as special kids' rooms with bunk beds.

Elegant kitchens and dining rooms and spacious media rooms are among common areas where friends and family spend time together.

"It's just such a beautiful home, and when you are there, you feel like it's your house," Megan Massey said. "That's why the PRC was so appealing to us."

Pinnacle Resort Manage-ment is exclusive to The Porches and aims to exceed residents' expectations when it comes to making sure they feel at home and relaxed during their stay.

In addition to cleaning and maintenance, staff will stock units with skis and other belongings from on-site storage, fill grocery orders, purchase ski tickets, put up holiday decorations and even have a hot meal from a favorite restaurant ready when residents arrive.

The Porches shuttles take residents to and from the ski mountain, downtown Steamboat and the airport, and if residents keep a car at their Porches unit, staff will drive that car to the airport so it is there when residents arrive.

"(The Porches) is for people who want things to be really easy and hassle-free," Development Associate Jon Kowalsky said.

The high-level of service is enhanced by the personal relationships between staff and residents, who are on a first-name basis and often enjoy skiing, golfing and other social activities together.

"The people that work there are so devoted to the customers, and they are so genuine," Megan Massey said. "They treat you like family."

In addition to providing outstanding personal service, developers Bruce Shugart, Richard Dean and Shane Evans of Mountain Meadows Preserve aimed to create a close sense of community.

"Having spent so many years building in high-end resort areas, they realized how rare it was to get a base area location of this size which has allowed such low density as we have here at The Porches," said Scott Evans, development coordinator at The Porches.

The result is a peaceful, private neighborhood where children safely ride their bikes and residents meet one another during leisurely walks - a rare find so close to a ski area.

Planned developments nearby, as well as expected revitalization of the base area, will optimize benefits in the PRC and full-ownership units at The Porches, Evans said.

For more information, visit www.theporches.com or call the sales office at 870-6686 or 866-500-6673.