Should You Stay at The Inn at Riverwalk? The Insider’s Take

If you've ever driven through Edwards on your way to Vail or Beaver Creek, there's a decent chance you've passed The Inn at Riverwalk without giving it a second thought. It sits quietly along the Eagle River, tucked into the Riverwalk pedestrian village at 27 Main Street, and for a lot of visitors it's the hotel they book almost by accident — because it was available, because it was cheaper than the resort towns, or because a local told them to. But this little independent hotel has quietly built a loyal following, and after fielding enough questions from readers about it, it felt like time to give it the full breakdown.

The Inn at Riverwalk has been around for close to three decades, and it wears that history well — think "old-school mountain lodge" more than "glass-and-steel resort property." It's the only hotel actually located in Edwards, which immediately sets it apart from the Vail and Beaver Creek crowd. You get 59-ish rooms, a mix of standard hotel rooms and condo-style units with kitchens, an outdoor heated pool and hot tub that runs year-round, a fitness center, laundry facilities, and a genuinely useful "Recreation Station" that hands out gear for whatever you're trying to do outside. It's pet-friendly, which matters more than people expect once they're trying to book a ski trip with a dog in tow.

This is really the heart of why people love or don't love this hotel: it's not Vail Village, and it's not trying to be. Riverwalk is Edwards' actual pedestrian village— a walkable little cluster of local shops, restaurants, a four-screen movie theater, salons, a yoga studio, and a farmers market just across US highway 6 in summer. It's unpretentious in a way that a lot of the valley isn't anymore. You're rubbing shoulders with locals doing their grocery run, not just tourists in ski boots. If you want cobblestones and boutique après-ski energy, this isn't it. If you want a place that feels lived-in and real, with the Eagle River running right behind it, this is exactly it.

Pros: The location is genuinely central — you're roughly 15-20 minutes from both Vail and Beaver Creek, and the hotel runs a free shuttle during winter, which is a real value-add if you don't want to deal with parking or driving in snow. Rates during ski season also tend to run noticeably lower than anything inside Vail or Beaver Creek proper, so if you're trying to ski both mountains without paying resort-adjacent prices, this is a smart home base. The lobby fireplace and hot tub after a big powder day don't hurt either.

Cons: You are not ski-in/ski-out, not even close — you're driving or shuttling to the mountain every day, which adds friction, especially with a family and gear. The hotel doesn't have a full-service, sit-down restaurant of its own (though Mountain Fish House operates on-site for dinner and happy hour and Zino Ristorante is attached at the back), so you're relying on Riverwalk's surrounding restaurants for most meals. And because it's an independent, more modest property, don't expect resort-level polish — it's comfortable and clean, but it's not luxury.

Pros: Summer is arguably where this hotel shines brightest. The Eagle River access is a huge draw for fly fishing, and the location puts you close to some of the best hiking and biking in the valley without the summer crowds and prices you'll find in Vail Village. The pool and hot tub area is genuinely pleasant on a warm afternoon, and Riverwalk's outdoor patios and the Edwards farmers market give the whole area a laid-back, small-town summer feel that a lot of visitors say they didn't expect and loved.

Cons: Same trade-off as winter — you're not walking to the Gondola or Beaver Creek's summer concert series, so a car (or reliance on the valley's bus system) is basically required. And because it's not a big-brand resort, amenities like organized kids' activities or a full activities desk are more limited than what you'd get at a bigger property in Vail or Beaver Creek.

The Inn at Riverwalk isn't trying to compete with the Sebastians and Ritz-Carltons of the valley, and that's kind of the point. It's a comfortable, well-located, locally owned option for people who want easy access to both Vail and Beaver Creek without paying resort-town prices, and who don't mind a short drive to the lifts in exchange for a more authentic, small-town home base. For families, dog owners, anglers, and value-conscious travelers who still want to be close to everything, it's one of the better-kept secrets in the valley.

Thinking about booking a stay in the Vail Valley? Reach out — happy to help you figure out the right home base for your trip, whether that's Riverwalk, Vail Village, or somewhere in between.

https://www.foratravel.com/advisor/michael-connolly