Aspen’s Little Nell has an enviable ski-in/ski-out location at the base of Aspen Mountain, while drivers will also shuttle skiers to nearby Snowmass and Buttermilk. The 92 spacious rooms opt for a masculine, clean look in creams, browns and blues, with walnut details.
Long one of Aspen’s most formal dining spaces, Montagna has loosened up and been reborn as Element 47. (The name is a reference to silver’s place on the periodic table of elements.) Chef Robert McCormick’s menu features local Colorado produce in European and American preparations.
The more casual Ajax Tavern sits slope side and is the place to go for burgers and the signature truffle fries. The spa with two treatment rooms may be small compared to some of the hotel’s competitors in town and at Snowmass, but it’s more than adequate, while the pool sits in the garden at the heart of the hotel.
Folks in Colorado will often tell you that “they came for the winter, but stayed for the summer” with its long days, hot but dry temperatures, and perfectly blue skies except for the briefest afternoon thunder showers. Aspen already has a crowded line up of cultural events, but the Little Nell’s fly-fishing and biking packages, with both activities thrown in for free for guests who stay three nights or more, help make summer sweeter (855-920-4600; littlenell.com; doubles from $400).
