I prefer a budget option
Super 8 Motel in Dillon, then walk across the street to the small mall for a good deli (good breakfast sandwiches), two Chinese, mediocre Mexican, and more. Be careful walking across the road--even though there's a crosswalk and signal, folks look left and turn right. I banged a couple of hoods with my fist when drivers turned into my crosswalk when I had my signal and was part way across.
There are a couple of microwave ovens in the upstairs dining area at A-basin
The Chinese restaurants serve big portions. Reheated Chinese leftovers makes a better lunch than you can buy at the lower mountain cafeteria.
should the morning drive from Frisco or Dillon to A-Basin be a real concern or not?
Hertz rented a Pontiac G6 front wheel drive car to me, 28,000 miles, with Continental all season tires having good tread depth---and scary bad on snow. Very low mileage all season tires would have been much better. Just getting going uphill at a stoplight in Silverthorne or Dillon was a challenge, getting out of the A-Basin parking lot was no problem with three guys pushing, and getting up I-70 to the tunnel was an...adventure.