Aspen in February
January 6, 2012 6:04 AM Subscribe
Going to Aspen the first week of February with a friend. We're looking for a hotel that is very well located and nice, kind of in the center of things.
A trendy hotel is fine. Price is generally not an issue, but we probably won't be wanting to spend more than $1000 a night.
We won't be skiing, mainly just looking for social activities and checking out the local sites, as neither of us has been to Aspen before.
Any have any hotel suggestions? Alternatively, any "don't miss" suggestions?
A trendy hotel is fine. Price is generally not an issue, but we probably won't be wanting to spend more than $1000 a night.
We won't be skiing, mainly just looking for social activities and checking out the local sites, as neither of us has been to Aspen before.
Any have any hotel suggestions? Alternatively, any "don't miss" suggestions?
Best answer: Maybe check out jetsetter.com? They do luxury hotels and have pretty good little write-ups and photos of all their hotels. And it looks like they've got four hotels listed when I searched for Aspen just now.
On preview: they will probably say if the hotels are family friendly or not, and their target demographic isn't really families.
posted by Grither at 6:09 AM on January 6, 2012
On preview: they will probably say if the hotels are family friendly or not, and their target demographic isn't really families.
posted by Grither at 6:09 AM on January 6, 2012
Best answer: I've stayed at the St. Regis. Very nice, easy access to downtown. Heated outdoor pool. Not for kids, pool is often occupied by topless trophy wives back from a day on the slopes.
posted by cosmac at 6:55 AM on January 6, 2012
posted by cosmac at 6:55 AM on January 6, 2012
Best answer: Ooh, well! I mean for those prices, you can totally stay at the St. Regis, which is very nice. (Though avoid the hotel "restaurant," it's a hot mess right now, it's being moved across the hotel this coming May, and, to be fair, there's a lot of change going on at the St. Regis at the moment, and maybe now is not the best time.) I like The Little Nell too, but both of these hotels are quite intentionally mountain-adjacent. If I were not skiing, I'd probably stay at the Hotel Jerome, which is off the hill down on Main Street. It's hilarious, really kind of great.
I guess I'm torn between recommending Jerome and Little Nell. I mean it mostly doesn't matter, as long as you're happy with the room, because location doesn't matter much, you can walk from one side of Aspen to the other in 20 minutes.
You could ALSO stay in Snowmass Village, at the Viceroy, which is nice and new. (If you're carless, there's a free bus every 30 minutes from Snowmass to Aspen, which is the funnest bus in the world, but might get boring for you. If you were skiing, I'd definitely say stay in Snowmass, since the skiing is 1000% better--but since you swear you're not (why not!?), probably don't.)
PRO TIPS:
• For a cheaper option than your hotel's spa, go to the Aspen Club & Spa. It's like totally outdated and funky and weird, but the staff is wonderful, and it's ten kinds of hilarious. (Plus if you walk there, you get to walk by the ancient cemetery.
• Oh my God do not miss Annette's bakery. (I might be mangling the name.) It's on Hyman, on the part of the street closed to traffic. Holy moses, she is the best baker in America.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 7:03 AM on January 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
I guess I'm torn between recommending Jerome and Little Nell. I mean it mostly doesn't matter, as long as you're happy with the room, because location doesn't matter much, you can walk from one side of Aspen to the other in 20 minutes.
You could ALSO stay in Snowmass Village, at the Viceroy, which is nice and new. (If you're carless, there's a free bus every 30 minutes from Snowmass to Aspen, which is the funnest bus in the world, but might get boring for you. If you were skiing, I'd definitely say stay in Snowmass, since the skiing is 1000% better--but since you swear you're not (why not!?), probably don't.)
PRO TIPS:
• For a cheaper option than your hotel's spa, go to the Aspen Club & Spa. It's like totally outdated and funky and weird, but the staff is wonderful, and it's ten kinds of hilarious. (Plus if you walk there, you get to walk by the ancient cemetery.
• Oh my God do not miss Annette's bakery. (I might be mangling the name.) It's on Hyman, on the part of the street closed to traffic. Holy moses, she is the best baker in America.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 7:03 AM on January 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
We stayed at Independence Square a few weeks ago and loved it. The lobby/hallways were outdated but clean, but the room was recently remodeled and very modern. I absolutely loved coming home to it at night. (Premier Unit #209 in this gallery.) I was under the impression that all of the rooms were remodeled but I'm not sure so I would call and double check.
Also they set out wine and cheese every day in the late afternoon in the lobby, which is nice. No kids around the hotel that we saw. Most importantly, there is a hot tub (open 24 hours) on the roof. As far as I know it is the only hotel with a rooftop hot tub and it had great views of the front of the ski hill. Right outside the hotel is the pickup point for horse-drawn carriage rides, so that was cute. I felt like everything was pretty close by and we walked everywhere we went. We got there the last week of the off-season so our room was a great deal, but I think it is around $4-500 a night in peak season if I remember correctly.
posted by halseyaa at 2:10 PM on January 6, 2012
Also they set out wine and cheese every day in the late afternoon in the lobby, which is nice. No kids around the hotel that we saw. Most importantly, there is a hot tub (open 24 hours) on the roof. As far as I know it is the only hotel with a rooftop hot tub and it had great views of the front of the ski hill. Right outside the hotel is the pickup point for horse-drawn carriage rides, so that was cute. I felt like everything was pretty close by and we walked everywhere we went. We got there the last week of the off-season so our room was a great deal, but I think it is around $4-500 a night in peak season if I remember correctly.
posted by halseyaa at 2:10 PM on January 6, 2012
I forgot the "don't miss" part of my answer. The food! My favorites were:
Little Nell's Ajax Tavern had some amazing mac and cheese. Cooked in its own individual little skillet/pot thing, shells with fancy cheese and crumbs on top. I miss it!
The Wild Fig had a really great 3 courses for $33 deal. I had french onion soup, lamb shank on polenta with figs and chocolate walnut gellato. Best meal of the trip.
For some late night drinks, go to Jimmy's and have some margaritas. Also a great place to people watch. Ask about the whiskey ice cube maker :)
posted by halseyaa at 2:18 PM on January 6, 2012
Little Nell's Ajax Tavern had some amazing mac and cheese. Cooked in its own individual little skillet/pot thing, shells with fancy cheese and crumbs on top. I miss it!
The Wild Fig had a really great 3 courses for $33 deal. I had french onion soup, lamb shank on polenta with figs and chocolate walnut gellato. Best meal of the trip.
For some late night drinks, go to Jimmy's and have some margaritas. Also a great place to people watch. Ask about the whiskey ice cube maker :)
posted by halseyaa at 2:18 PM on January 6, 2012
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posted by newpotato at 6:07 AM on January 6, 2012