“I’m cooking dinner in Betty Ford’s kitchen.” Not the most adventurous or daring status update I’ve ever posted, but a new experience nonetheless—which is the essence of traveling, right? I thumb the words into my phone, then keep chopping tomatoes on the former first lady’s ginormous kitchen island. From the sink, through falling snow, I can see skis dangling from the Strawberry Park Express Lift. When Beaver Creek Resort opened in 1980, developers gave first pick of the ski-in/ski-out home lots to Gerald R. Ford, 38th president of the United States, who had been coming to nearby Vail to ski, golf, and relax with his family for years. President and Mrs. Ford chose 65 Elk Track Court and built a 7-bedroom, 10-bathroom home. After the president’s death in 2006, the property was sold and given a $5 million renovation that honored both the home’s stately history and its warm, familial feel. In July 2012, the $14 million home joined the portfolio of Portico Club, a Denver-based travel service launched by Exclusive Resorts, which offers members deep discounts on private luxury residences in 60 destinations around the world. The historic home now rents for a cool $1,395–$7,095 per night. The President’s jacket and skis grace the billiards room where Secret Service agents used to hang out.
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Ski in and Sleep in Once-Home of President Ford
“I’m cooking dinner in Betty Ford’s kitchen.” Not the most adventurous or daring status update I’ve ever posted, but a new experience nonetheless—which is the essence of traveling, right? I thumb the words into my phone, then keep chopping tomatoes on the former first lady’s ginormous kitchen island. From the sink, through falling snow, I can see skis dangling from the Strawberry Park Express Lift. When Beaver Creek Resort opened in 1980, developers gave first pick of the ski-in/ski-out home lots to Gerald R. Ford, 38th president of the United States, who had been coming to nearby Vail to ski, golf, and relax with his family for years. President and Mrs. Ford chose 65 Elk Track Court and built a 7-bedroom, 10-bathroom home. After the president’s death in 2006, the property was sold and given a $5 million renovation that honored both the home’s stately history and its warm, familial feel. In July 2012, the $14 million home joined the portfolio of Portico Club, a Denver-based travel service launched by Exclusive Resorts, which offers members deep discounts on private luxury residences in 60 destinations around the world. The historic home now rents for a cool $1,395–$7,095 per night. The President’s jacket and skis grace the billiards room where Secret Service agents used to hang out.
