Best Luxury Hotels in Colorado
Home of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado is a popular choice for ski breaks (or snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, fat-biking and snow tubing) come winter, and hiking its peaks, prairie grasslands, forests and sand dunes in the summer months. Its picture-perfect, still lakes are conducive to canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding at all levels. But it’s not all about the diverse scenery and breathtaking landscapes. Visitors can check out cultural attractions in the capital of Denver, with its Art Museum, landmark period buildings, musical heritage and the mansion of Titanic survivor Molly Brown. Here’s where you should stay in Colorado.
Colorado, Denver
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection
(4 stars)Over a century old, The Brown Palace is especially popular with pop and rock and roll royalty, counting the likes of Taylor Swift, the Rolling Stones, Cindy Lauper, Metallica, Jon Bon Jovi and Pearl Jam among its past patrons. Instantly recognisable by its red sandstone facade, the building contains 241 bedrooms (whose showers tap water from an artesian well), a tavern, a cigar bar, a coffee shop, a fine dining restaurant, a high-end spa and a network of secret passages. Be sure to take its traditional afternoon tea, served beneath the stained-glass skylight of the impressive wood-panelled atrium lobby.
Colorado, Aspen
W Aspen
(4 stars)If you’re looking for a party pad, this is it. W’s clubby Living Room has a silver-coloured DJ booth, in the basement, there’s a cocktail bar and the 39˚ nightclub, while the rooftop poolside WET Deck also features regular DJs after dark along with multiple fire pits. Bedrooms (ordered by the categories of Wonderful, Spectacular, Fabulous, Wow, and Extreme Wow) come with hangover kits, their own cocktail shakers to mix up the minibar and Bose speakers. The dining style at W is laid back but trendy – tuck into ‘trash bowls’, raclette, gourmet nachos, lobster and goat cheese ravioli and spiced cauliflower fritters with grilled peaches. The architecture of the W is a modern take on the traditional mountain chalet-style hotel.
Colorado, Snowmass Village
Viceroy Snowmass
(5 stars)Occupying a prime ski-in/ski-out location, the Viceroy offers upscale accommodations in Snowmass Village, just a little outside of Aspen’s centre. Ideal for families and those wanting to self-cater, rooms come with kitchenettes and there’s a daily programme of activities for younger guests. But there are also two eateries on-site – the fine dining Eight K Restaurant and a poolside Asian inspired cafe, Nest. After-dinner drinks can be taken alfresco, or indoors beside a roaring fire. The huge spa spans a total of 7,000-square-feet, incorporating plunge pools, a Vichy wet room, jacuzzis and a blissful relaxation suite. Outside, there‘s a heated saline pool with a fire pit and cabanas.