Exceptional Meeting Spaces, Stunning Scenery and New Spaces Make Aspen the "It" Place
ASPEN, Colo. (Spring/Summer 2010) - Aspen's name alone conjures images of stunning mountain scenery, world-class arts and culture, and year-round outdoor adventure. With a diverse selection of meeting facilities, ranging from affordable to luxurious, easy access to Aspen Airport (only three miles from downtown Aspen), and a forecast of sunshine 300 days a year, Aspen is an incomparable destination for meetings and special events.
Although this mountain town may have a ritzy reputation, Aspen's shoulder seasons - spring and fall - are ripe with deals, as hotels, off-site venues and vendors offer reduced rates and value-added amenities and services. Once in Aspen, visitors are often surprised by the abundance of free activities, attractions and services, which include free admission to the Aspen Art Museum and free guided nature hikes with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. During warm-weather months, Aspen becomes a music lover's paradise with countless free classical performances by Aspen Music Festival & School as well as free Thursday night concerts in neighboring Snowmass. Year-round, downtown Aspen is charming, pedestrian-friendly and impeccably manicured, and visitors are encouraged to leave cars at home as Aspen's fleet of hybrid buses provides free transportation to every local destination.
Bringing peace of mind to meeting planners, Aspen Groups, an arm of Aspen Chamber Resort Association, is a one-stop shop for planning a meeting, special event, wedding or group gathering. Aspen Groups National Sales Manager Joanna Eisler is a wealth of information and matches planners with Aspen hotels, venues, vendors, outfitters and more.
For more information, visit Aspen Groups at www.Aspen-Groups.com, or call 1.866.564.8623 or 970.920.7185.
WHAT'S NEW FOR MEETING PLANNERS
Hotel Renovation
• The Little Nell celebrates its 20th anniversary and reopened winter 2009/2010 following an $18 million guest room renovation executed by famed interior designer Holly Hunt. Continuing its tradition of slope-side luxury, The Little Nell's new guest rooms exude a modern aesthetic while maintaining the plush opulence for which the five-star hotel is known. (675 East Durant Ave.; 970.925.4600; www.thelittlenell.com)
New Off-Site Venues
• Dancing Bear Aspen, a luxury fractional residence club, opened January 2009, along with Brexi, a stylish French brasserie located off the lobby, owned and operated by established Aspen restaurateurs Craig and Samantha Cordts-Pearce. The Cordts-Pearce's are also exclusive caterers for Dancing Bear's impeccably designed event space including a 4,500-square-foot rooftop deck that can be set up for receptions for up to 75 people; a stylish, indoor rooftop lounge; and the dramatic yet intimate downstairs wine room that can be set up for seated dinners for 16 or festive receptions for 25 people. (411 S. Monarch St..; 970.925.2500; www.dancingbearaspen.com)
• Former D19 Executive Chef Dena Marino opened a new restaurant in December 2009 called Ellina, short for Valtellina, a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. The region's remote location, known for its skiing, dictates use of local, seasonal ingredients, and Ellina's menu will reflect this slow food ethos and traditional fare. In addition, D19 favorites will be served at Marino's new restaurant, and most of her former staff will work at Ellina. (430 East Hyman Ave.; 970.925.2976)
• Syzygy owners have opened two levels of dining and nightlife on Aspen's "restaurant row." On the main floor, an approachable bistro-style restaurant dubbed Ute City opened December 2009 and offers indoor and outdoor dining with affordable menu items, live music, creative cocktails and infusions, and a vibrant atmosphere. Opening Winter 2009/2010, the lower level will house Syzygy's signature fine dining and lively nightlife in an elegant contemporary space, complete with a private dining room, DJ booth and dedicated dance floor. (308 East Hopkins Ave.; 970.925.2900; www.syzygyrestaurant.com)
• The world-renowned Italian restaurant Il Mulino New York opened a location in the new Residences at The Little Nell in fall 2009. Private dining space is available for large groups. Known as one of New York's landmark dining institutions, Il Mulino has been voted the number one Italian restaurant for more than two decades by Zagat's. (520 East Durant; 877.925.7272; www.rlnaspen.com)
GREEN MEETINGS
Aspen's local government, businesses, hotels and venues walk the "green" talk, and meeting planners can do the same. The following are some ways to tread lightly when in Aspen.
Insiders' Tips
• Look for ZGreen certification. The city of Aspen established the ZGreen program, a multi-pronged effort to reduce the environmental impact of Aspen's residents, businesses and events by providing tangible steps to shrink their environmental footprint. Successful individuals and businesses are recognized with ZGreen certification, and many hotels and meeting venues have qualified, including Aspen Meadows Resort and St. Regis Aspen Resort.
• Offset a meeting or event with Canary Tags, the first municipal carbon offset program in the U.S. Each Canary Tag costs $20 and represents an offset of one ton of carbon monoxide through renewable energy and mitigation programs. The city of Aspen's online Carbon Calculator allows meeting planners to tally their energy use and purchase Canary Tags to offset their carbon footprint.
• Let guests leave their cars at home. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is serviced by Frontier Bombardier Q-400 jets, known as "green machines," the quietest, most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly commercial airliners ever built. Once in Aspen, ride the free hybrid buses.
• When planning a luxury meeting or incentive trip, stay in the new Green Suite at The Little Nell, powered by solar panels and equipped with an energy monitoring device. Sign up for the Eco Luxe Program and opt for reduced linen service with the savings donated to Aspen Valley Land Trust. In addition, receive an organic amenity from Chef Ryan Hardy's Rendezvous Farms, fresh Aspen water in an artisan pitcher instead of plastic bottles, reusable water bottles for excursions around town, and the use of the hotel's bikes.
• Dine at Aspen restaurants where chefs use locally sourced ingredients. Lulu Wilson Executive Chef Shane Coffey designs his menu around seasonally available foods. Montagna Executive Chef Ryan Hardy crafts simple yet perfect dishes made with ingredients grown and raised at his Rendezvous Farms in nearby Paonia. Stop by Aspen Brewery to taste frothy concoctions brewed on-site.
Green Venues
• Aspen Meadows Resort, a 40-acre Dolce property located in Aspen's picturesque "West End," offers 22,000 square feet of function space certified by the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC). The new $14 million-dollar Doerr-Hosier Center, which opened June 2007, is LEED Gold-Certified, making it the "greenest" venue in the Roaring Fork Valley. Aspen Meadows Resort is an environmentally friendly hotel using green standards, including carbon offsetting, recycling, and reduced paper usage, towel and sheet reuse as well as other energy efficient measures. Additional facilities include 98 guest rooms and suites, a full-service health center with outdoor lap pool, gymnasium and six new tennis courts. Guests have privileges at the Snowmass Club, including an 18-hole championship golf course. (845 Meadows Road; 800.452.4240; www.dolce-aspen-hotel.com)
• St. Regis Aspen Resort has installed rooftop solar panels that provide 65 percent of the hotel's energy. In addition, St. Regis Aspen recently switched its vehicle fleet to Mercedes Benz BlueTEC vehicles, which use breakthrough technology to achieve a significant reduction in soot, pollutants and greenhouse gases, making BlueTEC "the world's cleanest diesel engine." Part of Starwood's plan to bring its properties up to LEED standards, St. Regis Aspen Resort is one of the first properties to initiate extensive environmental programs. The hotel hosts gatherings of up to 1,000 people in its 20,000 square feet of meeting space, which is highlighted by the St. Regis Ballroom, accommodating up to 750 guests, and the newly renovated Aspen Room, a warm, intimate venue for parties of up to 250 people or seated dinners for up to 120 people. (315 East Dean St.; 970.920.3300; www.stregisaspen.com)
• The Sundeck atop Aspen Mountain, a LEED-certified building, is owned by Aspen Skiing Company and operated by the five-star, five-diamond Little Nell hotel. With rustic, mountain decor combined with incomparable alpine catering, all at 11,212 feet above sea level, the Sundeck dining room accommodates 250 guests for a dinner, and as many as 500 for a reception. Aspen/Snowmass is third party ISO certified as a "green" company, the first of only two ski resorts in the country to achieve this recognition. In addition, ASC made the first wind power purchase in the U.S. ski industry from Holy Cross Energy, (and still spends $25,000 annually on this direct wind power). After this landmark purchase, Aspen/Snowmass became the first large ski resort to buy renewable wind power credits from 2006 to 2008, and is now actively developing new renewable energy projects, like a 150 kilowatt solar array at Colorado Rocky Mountain School located one hour from Aspen. (970.925.1220; www.aspensnowmass.com)
ASPEN'S PREMIER MEETING VENUES
• Aspen's only Five-Star, Five-Diamond hotel, The Little Nell offers the height of luxury, slopeside in downtown Aspen. Its flexible and inviting event facilities can accommodate 20 to 500 people, and the luxurious accommodations and first-class amenities guarantee events will be the standard by which all others are judged. Meeting facilities include the Aspen Mountain Club and the Sundeck , located at the top of Aspen Mountain; the Wine Room, Alpine Room Terrace Room, Grand Salon, Boardroom and Montagna Restaurant, located inside the hotel; and The Tavern, a slopeside restaurant which recently completed a $1 million renovation. The Little Nell can also accommodate Tented Events beside its lovely outdoor pool. (675 East Durant Ave.; 970.920.4600; www.thelittlenell.com)
• The historic Hotel Jerome has indulged guests since 1889 with relaxed elegance, personalized service and exceptional accommodations and amenities. The hotel features a 3,450-square-foot Grand Ballroom that can accommodate up to 400, four additional meeting rooms for groups ranging from 10 to 80, and exceptional outdoor function space (with spectacular views of Aspen Mountain) that can accommodate up to 350 people. (330 East Main St.; 970.920.1000; www.hoteljerome.rockresorts.com)
• The Sky Hotel, a Kimpton property with an ideal location at the base of Aspen Mountain, is a brilliant hotspot on the Aspen see-and-be scene. Its post-modern-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland design takes the mundane out of hosting otherwise stuffy business meetings or boring social events. The Sky Hotel features conference and banquet space that showcases the stunning vistas of Aspen Mountain. With 3,300 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and banquet space, the Sky Hotel's venues can accommodate meetings and banquets ranging in size from 10 to 100 guests. (709 East Durant Ave.; 970.925.6760; www.theskyhotel.com)
• The 126-room Limelight Lodge reopened November 2008 after a two-year demolition and reconstruction. Ideally situated in downtown Aspen, the Limelight Lodge has been family-owned for more than 40 years and offers moderately priced accommodations. The hotel's meeting facilities include the 1,776-square-foot Snowflake Room with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment; the 5,000-square-foot Living Room with high ceilings, a large fireplace and two-story windows looking out to Aspen Mountain; the 588-square-foot Ajax Terrace on the fourth floor with views of Independence Pass and Aspen Mountain; and the 900-square-foot Shadow Mountain Terrace located on the third floor with pool courtyard views. (355 South Monarch St..; 970.925.3025; www.limelightlodge.com)
• The Aspen Square Condominium Hotel boasts a completely remodeled 1,100-square-foot conference room and outdoor pool area completed fall 2007. With French doors opening to the sunny pool deck, the meeting space features new carpet, furnishings and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, and can accommodate up to 50 people for a meeting indoors or 100 for an indoor/outdoor reception. Located in the heart of downtown Aspen, across the street from the Silver Queen Gondola, the Aspen Square occupies an ideal location offering the services and amenities of a hotel with the additional space of a condominium lodge. Special amenities include large, fully-equipped kitchens, wood-burning fireplaces, private balconies and underground parking. (617 East Cooper Ave.; 970.925.1000; www.aspensquarehotel.com)
For media information and images, visit Aspen Chamber Resort Association Media Center at www.aspenchamber.org/media.
For visitor information, visit http://www.aspenchamber.org/, or call 1.888.290.1324 or 970.925.1940.
Media Contact:
Maureen Poschman • [email protected] • 970.925.8480
Alex de L'Arbre • [email protected]