At the pinnacle of luxury skiing, Aspen tops many global ski travellers’ winter wish list. Here is our guide and review with local celebrity skier,  Gretchen Bleiler, of Aspen’s Luxury Hotels and our recommended Hedonistic Hostelries to stay and play away from the slopes.

The Little Nell

Cosmopolitan yet intimate, contemporary but somehow timeless, The Little Nell is Aspen’s only Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond, ski-in/ski-out hotel and only Relais & Châteaux resort. Right by the Silver Queen Gondola station, it’s home to the posh private members-only Aspen Mountain Club (memberships start at $250K). A destination for all seasons, hosting weddings, private dinner parties and the annual Wine Academy, The Little Nell is the Aspen Luxury Hotel that has thought of everything – for example, the cushy ski concierge team who do ski waxing, boot drying, equipment storage, ski tuning, repair and even rentals and instruction on request.

The Nell’s Skiing & Winter Adventures are offered exclusively to hotel guests including First Tracks where guests get early access to Aspen Mountain before the gondola opens to the general public, Last Tracks to sweep the mountain with ski patrol, Groom the Mountain with a snowcat driver, Snowcat Powder Tours for skiing the backcountry in The Nell’s private snowcat and Snowcat Academy learning how to operate a state-of-the-art Prinoth Bison 350. Not everyone’s first choice for après, but riding in a snowcat is actually a pretty signature experience and operating one is another level! Even pets get pampered at The Nell with gourmet guzzling, grooming, and wonderland walks.

Beyond the 92 resplendent rooms, there are six deluxe suites. Think 1,250 – 2,500 square feet of opulence, the largest and most luxurious being the Paepcke Suite. Packaged this coming winter as the “Krug Suite”, it comes with an après extravaganza for ten besties, that includes a DJ on the balcony, caviar and a seafood tower on ice, and, of course, top tier champers served by a sommelier and Krug butler. Everything is captured for social media cred by a pro photographer.

The W Hotel Aspen

With such an elite and eclectic on-mountain scene, it’s no surprise that there is a wide diversity of trendy and top-notch accommodation around Aspen. One of the newest is downtown by the slopes. “I’ve been incredibly excited about the new W Hotel which has a prime location right at the bottom of Aspen Mountain,” says Aspen in the know skier,  Gretchen Bleiler. “It also has a roof top bar with 360-degree views of town with an always updated specialty drink menu. They also do a really great job of stacking their calendar with unique live music experiences.”

Limelight Hotel Aspen

Showcasing local, national and international music has long been a pillar of Aspen’s après, especially at The Limelight Hotel Aspen, a happening hub, attracting locals, workers, and visitors alike. The newer Limelight Snowmass is cornering the market in novelty with its own five-storey climbing wall, ice rink, daily live music, happy hour, children’s game area in the open plan lounge, free ski guiding from instructors that circulate at breakfast, First Tracks and Inside Tracks programs, ski concierge, and now a membership-only refuge, The Snowmass Mountain Club located inside the Limelight Hotel Snowmass. Here, there are 11 luxurious condominiums for sale as well as 99 hotel rooms right by the Elk Camp Gondola.

The St Regis

The St Regis has established itself as a definitive decadent destination in Aspen. Whether it’s the Sunset Champagne Sabering ceremony held in a dramatic castle-like outdoor setting, dinner at the Michelin-starred Chefs Club, or Afternoon Après Tea, these are memory-making moments. The Tea echoes a tradition dating back to the early 1900s, with ‘two leaves’ loose leaf tea, finger sandwiches, house-made scones, local honey, and Hot Buttered Rum for more of a kick.

Aspen is a spectacular ski destination for skiers of all levels. Away from the slopes is equally fabulous as well. Read our full Aspen review here.