Which is the best ski hotel in Aspen, Little Nell Vs. Jerome Vs. St Regis Vs. W? In Aspen, your best options are Little Nell, Hotel Jerome, St. Regis, and W Aspen. These four hotels are all very individual and offer a completely different experience, so it’s worth researching these hotels, as we have below, before you make your final decision.
Four Seasons is a particularly outstanding hotel brand and Four Seasons hotels are usually the best option in any resort area. We consider Grand Hotel Cap Ferrat, a Four Seasons hotel, to be one of the best hotels in the world, but there’s no Four Seasons in Aspen which leaves luxury travelers in a bit of a conundrum. If you want to pick Four Seasons ski hotel, you have to stay in Whistler, Megève, or Jackson Hole, which offer the best Four Seasons ski hotels.
1. Little Nell Vs. Hotel Jerome Vs. St Regis Vs. W Aspen: Location
The Little Nell is Aspen’s only Five-Star, Five-Diamond, ski-in/ski- slope-side hotel. It opened back in 1989. In addition, the hotel has a First Tracks program, which takes you out to get the first mountain snow before the gondola opens to the public.
Hotel Jerome is on the main street and is conveniently located for everything except the slopes. It’s disappointingly not ski-in/ski-out.
St. Regis Aspen is not a true ski-in/ski-out property like The Little Nell. It’s only two blocks from the base of Aspen, and the hotel provides shuttles around Aspen in Cadillac Escalades.
W Aspen is across the road from Little Nell and is a ski-in/ski-out slope-side hotel, so for location for the slopes, Little Nell and W Aspen win. For convenience on Aspen main street, it has to be Hotel Jerome.
2. Style
The interior of Little Nell is modern, light, and fresh. Leather furniture mixes with brilliant and uplifting artwork. Live music reverberates from the Cloud 9 lounge, and big windows offer views of the slopes and the pool. This place is chic and stylish.
Hotel Jerome is completely different from Little Nell. Instead of a light modern, bright design with big windows, Hotel Jerome is dark and moody with bags of character. This hotel has been the social hub of Aspen since its opening in 1889 at the height of the town’s silver boom, and you can almost smell the old mining town intertwined with modern luxury. As the only Aspen hotel to survive the silver crash, this hotel has seen cowboys ride through its doors, 10th Mountain Division soldiers gather over pints after training on the slopes, and Hunter S. Thompson holding court during his run for sheriff. Today the red-brick façade, J-Bar’s tin ceiling, and the après-ski at The Living Room embrace all of this history, while today’s travelers relax on leather sofas next to the roaring fire.
I would describe St. Regis Aspen as sophisticated with classic decor. Chandeliers and wood paneling are complimented by luxurious thick rugs, and faux-fur throws draped over chic furnishings.
W Aspen is ultra modern and rather lurid with very brightly colored carpets and lots of florescent-style lighting. W hotels are an acquired taste, but you can’t argue with the value offered by this W in Aspen.
3. Rooms
The Little Nell features 92 fabulous rooms with a blend of room types. In the spring of 2017, all hotel rooms and junior suites were renovated by Champalimaud Design. The New York-based luxury design firm refreshed the spaces, utilizing palettes of blue, tan, and grey to complement the relaxed nature of Aspen. All hotel accommodations feature a unique floor plan and gas log fireplaces, and most have private balconies. Looking for a room with a view? That’s included at The Little Nell. All accommodations overlook Aspen Mountain, Red Mountain, the Continental Divide, Durant and Spring streets, or the hotel’s courtyard and pool.
The rooms at Hotel Jerome are nothing like The Little Nell. They are more traditional, with hints of cowboy and Indian in the pictures on the walls. Heritage-inspired leather beds and wallpaper mix with the brown tan and muddy green palette. The look isn’t far from what the place might have looked like when it opened, but nowadays, you have all the modern conveniences. If you want to feel the soul of Aspen, Hotel Jerome is really the top choice.
St. Regis Aspen has 179 rooms, some with fireplaces, some with terraces, and all with an autumnal palette. Some have dark wood floors with generous rugs. Suites have plush leather sofas. The look is not as modern as the fabulous rooms at The Little Nell or as historic as the rooms at Hotel Jerome. The look is more generic and ultra-luxury. We love the look. There is little to dislike here.
W Aspen’s rooms feature modern with references to silver mining and furniture inspired by the louche decadence of the ’70s, bringing in the elements of irreverence, energy, and vitality. Open floor plans can be explored in each room, with hardwood flooring and silver touches, including a floating vanity in each bathroom. Selected rooms feature a W design first: quad-queen bunk beds, which can sleep four to eight guests. Honestly, the rooms here are not as luxurious as the other three hotel options here, but this is all taken into account in the price as the W is usually the least expensive of these four hotels. It is also worth noting that the base rooms at W Aspen have very small windows, as they are on the ground floor, so be aware of this if you decide to book this hotel.
4. Pool
The Little Nell features a fitness center and three treatment rooms for a post-workout massage. The outdoor pool is heated so that you can enjoy a relaxing swim after the slopes or enjoy a rejuvenating soak in the outdoor hot tub.
Hotel Jerome does not have a pool which is a real disadvantage. St. Regis has a heated outdoor pool and hot tubs ideal for Apres skiing, and like The Little Nell, they overlook stunning Aspen Mountain.
W Aspen has a rooftop complete with a pool, a hot tub, multiple fire pits, and 360-degree views of Colorado. This deck also has a bar and a DJ booth. While this is a nice space, the pools are definitely more sophisticated and peaceful at The Little Nell and St. Regis Aspen.
5. Bar & Restaurant
The Little Nell has two restaurants and 3 bars. Seasonal menus are carefully crafted, but the big windows with views out over the slopes make this hotel and its communal areas extra special. Hotel Jerome offers a farm-to-table restaurant offering hearty mountain dining.
At The St. Regis Aspen Resort offers Velvet Buck, a flagship restaurant, with rustic mountain cuisine, the seasonal Chefs Club features Michelin-starred fine dining, and Mountain Social Bar & Lounge presents handcrafted cocktails, live music, and sumptuous light fare. Being a larger resort, The St. Regis Aspen Resort offers all the dining options you could need under one roof.
W Aspen has three restaurants and bars. The Living Room offers “dynamic flavors,” the WET® Deck offers unbeatable views, and 39 DEGREES offers light bites. The food here is filling and simple, served in modern restaurants, some of which have vibrant carpets.
10. Conclusion
All of these hotels are magnificent hotels. I love the style and location on the edge of the slopes of The Little Nell. I also like their pool area the best. Hotel Jerome is packed full of character and is also a brilliant boutique choice, but it lacks a pool for apres ski dips which is a disadvantage. The St. Regis Aspen Resort is larger and is great if you want lots of facilities under one roof, you can also collect Marriott Bonvoy points here. W Aspen has lurid decor and is not to my taste, but it has everything a luxury traveler needs, and you can’t argue with its location or price. We offer free benefits at all these four hotels, so please contact our luxury travel concierge to find out what extra benefits we can share with you.
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