Hotels in Aspen

Aspen: Colorado's High-Altitude Mountain Town

Aspen, Colorado sits at 7,908 feet in the Roaring Fork Valley, roughly 200 miles southwest of Denver via Highway 82. Founded as a silver-mining camp in 1879, the town reinvented itself after World War II as a ski resort, hosting the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1950 — one of the earliest major international ski events held in North America. Today four ski mountains operate within the Aspen Snowmass resort complex: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass, collectively covering over 5,500 acres of skiable terrain.

Where to Stay

Hotels concentrate in three main zones. Downtown Aspen — centered on the Hotel Jerome (built 1889) and Galena Street — puts guests within walking distance of restaurants, galleries, and the Silver Queen Gondola base. Snowmass Village, 12 miles west, offers ski-in/ski-out lodging at lower average rates. The East End neighborhood near Smuggler Mountain suits visitors preferring quieter streets.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) receives direct flights from Denver, Dallas, and Los Angeles; the road-share service rfta runs free buses along the valley corridor.
• Season timing: Peak ski season runs late November through April; summer hiking and the Aspen Music Festival (eight weeks, July–August) draw comparable crowds.
• Altitude: Acclimatize for 24–48 hours before strenuous activity at elevations above 8,000 feet.