Both the Frasca group and the Four Seasons are known for top-notch hospitality, and they delivered just that. Plus, the staff at both were aligned on one suggestion: "You have to try the hot chocolate."
I heard that phrase at least a dozen times between my arrival and the end of dinner —so, of course, I took the advice.
The Four Seasons Vail has become famous for its Haute Chocolate, which is served exclusively at the Remedy Bar on its main floor. The pricy indulgence has been posted all over social media, making me wonder: Is it worth the hype — and the $25 price tag?
What makes the Haute Chocolate at the Four Seasons Vail so expensive?
Vail isn't known for being cheap — the Remedy Bar and Tavernetta Vail both have $19 freshly squeezed orange juice with orange ginger ice cubes on their breakfast menus, so $25 for hot chocolate seems pretty on par. (You can also opt to spike that hot chocolate with Bailey's, Kahlua, Frangelico or Peppermint Schnapps for an additional $6.)While there's definitely the tourist/resort town upcharge in play, the Haute Chocolate is also made with high-quality ingredients.
The chocolate is Valrhona, a premium French brand known for making some of the best chocolate available. The marshmallow is housemade, as is the chocolate tuille that sits atop the mug — and that mug is pretty big, so you're getting a generous portion. But still...
Is the Haute Chocolate in Vail worth the price?
If you're prone to FOMO — then, yes. By all means, experience this at least once. The Remedy Bar has an outdoor patio lined with fire pits, and every single table on my visit ordered at least one Haute Chocolate. A server told me that the bar serves up to 900 mugs of its famous cocoa a day during peak season — that's $22,500 of Haute Chocolate.Phones were out and ready to capture video of the presentation, as a server placed each tuille-topped mug down. The large marshmallow was perched on top of the chocolate tuille, and as the server poured the hot cocoa from a French hot chocolate pot with a very narrow spout, the tuille melted, and the marshmallow plopped into the liquid.
The whole process took around forty seconds, which led to one big problem with this hot chocolate experience: The resulting beverage was barely hot.
Pouring the liquid that slowly in below-freezing temps resulted in a mug of...warm chocolate. Very rich, warm chocolate. Perhaps if I'd opted for an inside table it would have fared better.
The other issue is the marshmallow. While it was a tasty confection with a bouyant bite, one large cube made enjoying it a little difficult — I had to fish it out of the liquid and balance it on an accompanying spoon to take a bite. I much prefer smaller marshmallows that you can sip with the cocoa instead of one that needs to be eaten separately.
After tax and tip, the Haute Chocolate cost me $33. For that price, I could get three cups from my favorite place to get hot cocoa in the mountains, Mountain Top Hot Chocolate Shop on Main Street in Breckenridge, which offers a variety of options such as dark, white, s'mores and my go-to, salted caramel, all with plenty of whipped cream and different bite-sized toppings for each flavor.
Haute Chocolate aside, the Four Seasons Vail, which completed a huge remodel in 2021, is as lovely as you'd expect, and sitting fireside at the Remedy Bar was a treat. If you are tempted to try the viral hot chocolate for yourself, I highly recommend also heading down the staircase to Tavernetta, which has an excellent Après-Tivo menu available from 3 to 5 p.m. daily. Don't miss the focaccia ($8), various cheeses ($8 each), arancini ($15) and a variety of spritzes and other cocktails ($16) — my favorite was the Stephania made with vodka, St. Germain, grapefruit, lemon and a surprising hint of cinnamon.
