It has only been about 5 or 6 years since I started skiing but ski trips have become an embedded part of my yearly travel plans. Even if I do not have any trips planned I always seem to find a way to fit in a ski trip. This year I didn’t think I was going to be able to incorporate a ski trip into my calendar but I had a last minute chance to ski Aspen which had been on my bucket list, so naturally I leaped at the idea. Every time I visit a new ski destination I always leave thinking of it as my new favorite place, and Aspen was no exception. I usually stick to what I know when I travel to new places so I booked my stay at the W Aspen. W offers a transfer service to and from the airport – all I had to do was reply to my welcome email with my flight information and they scheduled my transfers immediately. The hotel was only about 10 minutes from the airport so it was a quick transfer in a sleek car with a full moonroof and led lights giving the full W vibe. W Aspen is ski in/ski out and boasts a rental shop in the hotel. Upon check in I was given my lift tickets which I had reserved online and I picked up my rentals the next morning. I brought my own boots but decided not to lug my skis on this trip so I rented skis and poles only. The rental shop guys were great, too – the skis they picked as my rentals even happened to be the exact same skis I had at home.
the slopes.
The skiing on Aspen mountain was amazing. Aspen mountain is an intermediate to advanced mountain so there are no beginner trails. Snowmass mountain has a variety of trails including some beginner so if your group is diverse in skill and you need some beginner trails, opt for Snowmass because the beginners will not enjoy Aspen mountain since the trails are more advanced. Buttermilk mountain is geared toward the more beginner levels and Highlands are targeted toward the advanced and expert levels. W Aspen is ski in/ ski out for Aspen mountain but the concierge can assist with transfer to each of the respective mountains. On my lunch hour the base camp restaurant was on an hour wait so I skied to the hotel and grabbed lunch on their restaurant patio. The center fire pit and patio fire warmers were on, leaving the seating plenty warm while the local beer remained perfectly chilled.
getting around.
Although most everything is within walking distance, the W offers a driving service which is readily available at any moment provided they aren’t on a trip for another guest. Everything is so close that the wait for their car wouldn’t be long regardless if they were on another trip. I utilized the driving service to my dinner reservations but opted to walk back to take a look around and enjoy being in Aspen. After my first faux pas of trying my luck as being a walk-in at a cocktail bar (unsuccessful since they were completely full), the next night before dinner I went to the hotel bar and had a predinner cocktail which was the perfect start to the evening. A masterful blend of hot toddy and fig.
passing time.
The hot tub and pool operate on a 24 hour basis so this would be a great feature to take advantage of especially since everything shut down around 10 pm on local orders due to coronavirus. I did not partake as this was a solo trip and to be honest it would have felt a little sad to sit in a hot tub alone. But to each their own – if you feel it, do it. Also – their robes in the rooms were basically made of magic so any reason to get to use those bad boys is perfectly acceptable. I’d go back even just for the robes. Side note, I even bought one and had it delivered to my house and I do not regret it one bit.
food for thought.
39 Degrees is also in the hotel however it was undergoing some renovations at the time of my stay, so I was unable to see it in action. Something to look forward to on my next trip I suppose. W Aspen also has sky residences for those looking for a more permanent option with the same amenities that come with W vibes. The food scene was impeccable and deserved a spot all on its own, so to see about the flawless dinners I had check out my aspen ii post.