Elite Traveler Fall 2021

Clockwise from left The W Aspen; Viceroy Snowmass; The Little Nell; St. Regis Aspen

Après-ski

BEYOND THE SLOPES

There’s plenty to do at the Little Nell. Besides outdoor Ajax for cocktails, TheWine Bar at The Little Nell (formerly Chair 9) and speakeasy-like The Board Room invite. Huddle in The Wine Bar’s refined living room milieu, a must for oenophiles who will appreciate its astonishing wine library and knowledgeable sommeliers. More exclusive and nook-like, The Board Room features a pool table, plush couches, a flat-screen television and bar. With entrance via a bookshelf, it offers buyouts for private fetes. For under-the-radar seekers looking to decompress amid Mad Men -esque surroundings, Limeslicer’s Bar at the Bauhaus-style Aspen Meadows Resort (aspenmeadows.com) rises to the occasion. Order an eponymous Limeslicer, in which yogurt-washed tequila, Cointreau, lime, agave, mint and cilantro combine for a perky alternative to Aspen’s omnipresent hot-rum toddies and bourbon-based libations. Aspen loves new and trendy, so it’s no surprise that pop-up bars draw throngs. New York City-based Dante returns after last year’s buzzy debut. Find them in this year’s location at the acclaimed Chef’s Club at the St. Regis Resort (marriott.com) . Go for the negronis and martinis. Marble Bar Aspen (marbledistilling.com) , a tasting room branch of Carbondale’s Marble Distilling Company, pleases artisan spirit connoisseurs within the Hyatt Residence Club Grand Aspen, next to the Silver Circle Ice Rink. Lounge fireside with a Marbletini and be serenaded by a live music performance.

Mad hatting Awaken your inner cowboy at Kemo Sabe, where you can design your own Stetson, a Texas-made beaver and rabbit hat. Shaped by a trained consultant, your chosen headgear gets adornment picked by you from the store’s ‘swagger bar,’ a cache of bands, brands, braids and ornamental accessories. kemosabe.com The Marble Garden at Aspen Meadows Resort A bucket-list outing for art and architecture buffs, this circa-1950 Bauhaus-style retreat has grounds rich with galleries and works of indoor and outdoor art. Home to the famed Aspen Institute, envisioned by Herbert Bayer, the 40- acre campus encompasses a treasure trove of more than 200 Bayer works — such as The Marble Garden (pictured below). Choose a guided tour, or just meander the grounds on your own. aspenmeadows.com Sleigh ride Over the fields and through the woods...on a sleigh. Cuddle beneath blankets on your own horse-drawn vehicle: You’ll go from forest and mountain to a meadow edged by the Roaring Fork River, where you’ll pause for a hot chocolate break. aspencarriage.com Winter fly fishing Leave the slopes behind and cast away — the fish bite all year long in Aspen. To catch a few, hire Aspen Guide Service, which pairs you with a knowledgeable fish whisperer on warmer days in winter. Expect wade fishing through February and floating trips in March and April. aspenguideservice.com Art crawl Warm up in the Shigeru Ban-designed Aspen Art Museum, a contemporary marvel downtown. Featuring an exhibit of Andy Warhol’s work this winter, the museum has airy galleries and a rooftop cafe. Other not-to-miss art outposts? Baldwin Gallery, Galerie Maximillian and the Almine Rech gallery. aspenartmuseum.org, baldwingallery.com, galeriemax.com, alminerech.com Marble distillery In nearby Carbondale, a charming bohemian town in the Roaring Fork Valley, Marble Distillery beckons. With its ‘cocktails with a conscience’ mantra, the zero-waste, uber-green craft distillery uses Colorado-grown products and filters its spirits though local marble. After your drink, shop the town’s unique boutiques and galleries. marbledistilling.com

THE BUYOUT... Aspen Street Lodge

Love having the whole place to yourself? Take over the lavishly rustic Aspen Street Lodge, which sits steps from ‘Restaurant Row,’ the Silver Queen Gondola and Lift 1A. It has nine rooms, including a penthouse, and each is fully kitted out. With the air of an exclusive hotel, the lodge’s exquisite touches include Hakwood drift-colored floors, Poliform furnishings, a full kitchen, commodious decks, pool and hot tub, pizza oven and grill area, house theater and game room. A private chef awaits to satisfy gastronomic whims, while able support staff stand by to comply to every request. Originally designed for the owners, the lodge captivates as a two- or three- family takeover experience, which sleeps 24 adults or 36 total with children. From $20,000 per night. Contact Brittany Shami, general

manager, brittany@aspenstreetlodge.com, +1 970 989 3090, aspenstreetlodge.com

HOTEL JEROME JeromeWheeler Suite, Aspen Times Residential Suite If the walls could talk at the historic Hotel Jerome, they’d whisper the stories of miners, stodgy Victorians, cowboys and World War II’s cadre of Colorado-trained soldiers — the 10th Mountain Division. A stately hotel, set away from the mountain in town, Jerome has seen hard times (the silver crash, the Depression) and good times (the burgeoning ski industry). Today it continues to stand out as a blue-blood favorite. Tuck into its bygone ambience with a stay in the Jerome Wheeler Suite, an opulently appointed, 1,265-sq-ft bolthole, enhanced with separate bedroom, dining and living areas. Alternatively, those craving more spacious quarters and contemporary motifs may prefer the Aspen Times Residential Suite, located in the renovated Aspen Times building across the garden from the original Jerome. For both, expect noteworthy hotel services and amenities such as champagne and caviar welcomes. JeromeWheeler Suite from$2,970 per night, Aspen Times Residential Suite from$4,245 per night. Contact Patrick Davila, general manager, patrick.davila@aubergeresorts. com, +1 970 429 7612, aubergeresorts.com