Read skier and snowboarder-submitted reviews on Villa Olivia that rank the ski resort and mountain town on a scale of one to five stars for attributes such as terrain, nightlife and family friendliness. See how Villa Olivia stacks up in the reviews, on and off the slopes, from skiing and family activities to the après scene. Read up on pros, cons and other comments in reviews left by fellow skiers and riders. Don't forget to submit your own Villa Olivia review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your skiing and resort experience.
Reviews for Villa Olivia
Total (2.5)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
Things are starting to take a turn for the better at VO, snow conditions are starting to really get dialed in and the terrain park actually has great rails and jumps....lots of fun. Most of the ski and snowboard instructors are extremally knowledgeable spending the necessary time with the 1st timers to really enjoy the time on the snow. The best part is at night! On a clear night at the top of the chairlift where else can you see the skyline of downtown Chicago while you are shredding .......LOVE IT.
Jean undefined
Don't waste your time or money. Make the drive somewhere else. The ski runs were in horrible shape and were basically ice. The staff was obtuse and passive aggressive. Overall the absolute worst winter ski experience of my life. If you are not an avid skier and are just looking for something to do ...do yourself a favor and go somewhere else this place is a RIP off.
Nichole Spalla
I was excited to visit this establishment and ski for the very first time. Unfortunately, it was a horrible experience. The slopes were basically pure ice. The tow ropes were operated by kids who were turning them on and off for no apparent reason. Either leaving you stranded at the bottom or middle of the hill, also causing people to literally fall because of the sudden stop. While we understand operation issues do occur, the staff was extremely ignorant and unprofessional. I will not be returning here and I do not traditionally leave reviews, but this visit was simply mind blowing.
The Ride Guy
Villa Olivia is a tiny hidden gem. Those looking to introduce family and friends to winter sports have a great facility right in their backyard. Those that typically ski or ride Keystone, Aspen, etc. are going to feel a bit out of place. Because lets face it there are NO mountains in Illinois. The staff obviously does there best with what they have and its very family friendly always lots of young skiers and riders.
HighFlyingBoarder
Fun close to Chicago place to go ski/snowboard. Friendly staff and usually not very crowded. Prices seem a little bit high for what your getting. Ok terrain park that is good for beginners to intermediate.
paul binkowski
Tow ropes are terrible and 1 chair lift that cost $30 for night ticket and $40 on weekends too expensive. 30 min extra drive to Alpine for about the same price way worth it.
Jun
They just installed a quad chairlift last Nov 2011 and it is now operating. I have made some past reviews that I mentioned about this quad chairlift having a footrest...and I made a mistake, I apologized. It does not have a footrest but a cage bar instead that you can bring down while riding it to prevent you from falling off the chair. So, it has a safety cage instead. The resort is great enough for learning the snow sports...skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. If you don't want to drive for more than one hour from Chicago area to go to a decent ski resorts then this place is perfect. The lift tickets are a bit pricey though...the last time I been here Feb 2012..it was $39 per person for non-residence of Bartlett city....and its $34 for residence. They should add magic carpets though for the beginners area slopes, so that you don't see too many beginners get knocked down by the tow ropes. The snowboard/ski terrain park is good enough for practicing air jumps. Overall, it is still my preferred resort for just practicing my skiing and snowboarding abilities every Winter season, then I go to bigger resorts around Mid-West.
Jun
Its a great place to learn skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. It has most beginners to intermediate slopes. Need to add some nearby restrooms all around the slopes, so that all of us don't need to take off our ski boots and etc just to use the restroom. Although its got new quad chairlift installed recently, it needs to make new renovations on the rental place, the cafeteria, more restrooms should be assigned for every beginners, intermediate, and advanced slopes run.
Jun
Its a great place to learn skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. It has most beginners to intermediate slopes. Need to add some nearby restrooms all around the slopes, so that all of us don't need to take off our ski boots and etc just to use the restroom. Although its got new quad chairlift installed recently, it needs to make new renovations on the rental place, the cafeteria, more restrooms should be assigned for every beginners, intermediate, and advanced slopes run.
Dan
If you are in need of a quick fix go ahead and go to Villa Oliva. Being off Lake Street in Barlett it is easy to get to. It is so overpriced it's not funny. The so called "Intermediate" areas would be considered the easiest of easy at any other area. With one Chairlift and only two runs really worth heading down this place is hardly worth it. The tow rope drag about 6"-12" in the snow, so they are soaking wet when you pick them up to head back to the top. No matter how good your gloves are your hands will be soaking in minutes. There are also packs of teenagers who just sit at the top and take up all the space and never go down. When they do they have no respect for the others around them. Hate to be so negative but I wouldn't waste my money or time going here again.
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