- Best for: Families, solo journey, pal getaways, canine homeowners, artwork fanatics.
- Location: West End neighborhood of Aspen, Colorado
- Can’t-miss characteristic: Incredibly easy accessibility to each all of the city has to supply and epic nature.
- In a nutshell: The Western sibling of the White Elephant’s sceney seaside resorts in Nantucket, Massachusetts and Palm Beach, Florida feels just like the unofficial alpine clubhouse of the East Coast crowd. With simply 54 residential-style rooms, an tackle in Aspen’s quiet West End neighborhood, and high-touch service, the vibe is extra non-public mountain home than resort.
Jennifer Murphy
Jennifer Murphy
Rooms
Technically, the resort has 54 keys. But intelligent configurations flip rooms into two- to four-bedroom suites, making it perform extra like an intimate 34-key property. A palette of lotions and browns present a impartial backdrop for textured accents like resin espresso tables, white oak millwork, oil-rubbed bronze lighting fixtures, and unique artwork. In almost all room classes, partitions of artwork and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves rework into “luxury hideaways” (a flowery phrase for Murphy beds) customized made with the White Elephant’s unique Ortho Mattresses. Many rooms and suites have out of doors patios or balconies with mountain views. The 1,660-square-foot Ajax Penthouse is the epitome of luxurious mountain dwelling. The suite could be configured right into a three- or four-bedroom lodging with a dwelling and eating room, and a full kitchen that may host a chef from the resort restaurant Lola 41. But the actual motive to ebook is the 900-square-foot wrap-around balcony with cinematic vistas of Aspen Mountain. I spent each morning sipping espresso by the fireplace pit and ended the day watching the sundown from the one of many deck’s chaise lounge whereas sipping a spritz.
Jennifer Murphy
Jennifer Murphy
Food and drink
Burgundy banquettes, darkish woods, tables wearing white tablecloths, and daring artwork, like Rob Peterson’s Red Horse, Blue Horse oil portray give the onsite restaurant Lola 41 the texture of a Parisian bistro. Tucked off the foyer, the bar space looks like a buzzy native front room the place Aspenites collect to sip bourbon-based Alpenglow martinis and nosh sushi rolls. Lola 41 is already related to White Elephant’s Nantucket and Palm Beach properties, and has satellites in Boston and Naples. The menu is an identical throughout areas, showcasing dishes present in areas alongside the forty first parallel. If you don’t really feel like heading out into city and being a part of Aspen’s see-and-be-seen eating scene, the variability at Lola 41 ensures you gained’t endure palette fatigue, even throughout a week-long keep. Fresh and flavorful, the Mediterranean chopped salad was precisely what I craved on a heat, early summer season evening (request a half portion in the event you aren’t sharing). The Tokyo tuna burger and Indochine fried rice spiked with crab had been additionally standouts. And I’m nonetheless dreaming of the decadent pretzel parfait layered with mascarpone cream, dulce de leche, and a chocolate pretzel crumble.
A spacious, heated patio gives a tranquil setting for breakfast (don’t miss the Green Elixir juice and avocado toast) and you may order the lunch menu, together with the stellar poke bowl, poolside in the summertime months. A wall of classic skis within the basement turns inward to disclose 41 Below, an intimate speakeasy that may be booked for personal occasions.
Jennifer Murphy
Jennifer Murphy
Amenities and experiences
The resort’s artwork assortment consists of greater than 125 unique works, together with images from Bob Tabor, landscapes by artist Alex Katz, Pop Art-inspired work from Orit Fuchs, and 50 prints sourced from Anderson Ranch Arts Center. The concierge group can prepare non-public excursions of the historic ranch-turned-arts-hub in close by Snowmass.
The White Elephant has curated the best-of-the-best room facilities, from Byredo toiletries to Dyson hair dryers and Steamy model steamers. Nightly turndown service features a candy deal with from native bean-to-bar firm, Pollinator Chocolate. The tightly curated boutique positioned subsequent to the entrance desk sells handmade ceramic canine bowls, White Elephant mugs, and a capsule of silk pajamas, robes, and sleep masks in a customized chalet print from Petite Plume. A year-round heated out of doors pool and scorching tubs are surrounded by lounger chairs and a warming closet retains towels and robes toasty in winter.
What to do close by
The resort sits on the quiet nook of Main and Garmisch streets, throughout from Paepcke Park. Downtown Aspen’s luxurious boutiques, artwork galleries, and eating places are a 10-minute stroll from the resort. Cultural venues just like the Aspen Institute, the Aspen Art Museum, the Wheeler Opera House, and the Paul JAS Center are lower than a five-minute drive. In winter, the White Elephant gives free transfers in its home BMWs between Aspen, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands mountains (a storage subsequent to the boot room means friends by no means courageous the weather). I visited in summer season and cherished utilizing the complimentary Priority bikes to discover. A five-minute bike journey lands cyclists on the Rio Grande Trail, a paved path that results in Hunter Thompson’s previous hang-out, Woody Creek Tavern, and continues all the best way to Glenwood Springs. Stephanie, the White Elephant’s Les Clefs d’Or-certified concierge, can open doorways to just about any expertise.
The backstory
Aspen has lengthy been the popular winter getaway of the Karps, the household behind East Coast-based White Elephant Resorts. While scouting for a private mountain house throughout Covid, the household found that the previous Aspen Hotel was on the market. A 3-and-a-half-year rebuild reworked the rundown property into what’s arguably Aspen’s solely true boutique resort.
Insider tip
Suite 203 overlooks Shadow Mountain and presents a view of one in all Aspen’s quirkiest items of public artwork—a 10-foot-tall Yeti. The shaggy beast seems to be as if it is scaling a legendary climbing route often called the Grey Ghost. Spotting the Yeti looks like discovering a bit of Aspen folklore.
Final issues:
- Family pleasant: Very. Two- and three-bedroom suites characteristic dwelling and eating areas, plus kitchens.
- Accessibility: 3 king visitor rooms, the Highlands Suite, and the Ajax Penthouse, plus the pool, are ADA accessible.
- Wellness: The subterranean gymnasium is small however kitted out with all the TechnoGym tools you want.
- Loyalty group: White Elephant Resorts