Five Stars Resorts Over the Mountain
Five star resorts over mountain
At The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, a Saint Bernard ambles into the lobby with drool hanging precariously from his jowls. No one bats an eye at this excessively large four-legged creature who has enough fur to put even the fur-coat wearing Aspen crowd to shame. Dogs and their owners are not only welcomed here with open arms, they are pampered just as much as their guests with a pet package that includes a dog bed, chrome bowl, treats, and a “Petiquette” guide complete with a list of dog-friendly activities and services during their stay at Aspen’s only five-star hotel.
Pets are only part of the new demographic occupying these luxury properties. There are also families with young children, as well as an international crowd flocking to U.S. resorts because of the favorable exchange rate. Even during this major economic slump, high-end properties like The Little Nell can be sure that their clientele will return, at least those who dropped up to seven figures to purchase the fractional ownership packages that sold out last year. And all of these luxury hotels are doing their part for the environment too. There’s plenty of talk of going green, and it’s not just about money anymore.
The Five-Star Family
At the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beaver Creek, Colorado, several new programs have been instituted to accommodate families with children. Among them is “Ritz Kids,” offering everything from rodeo field trips to scavenger hunts for kids ages 5 to 12, including half-day and full-day packages. They even have a Ski Nanny to spare parents the hassle of having to drop off and retrieve their kids from ski school. Adults can simply deliver the kids to the Ritz Kids room in the hotel, and the Ski Nanny does the rest—umbrella and spoonful of sugar not included.
In Aspen, the influx of X Games fans has forced The Little Nell to come up with some kid-friendly services as well. “You might think these fancy Aspenites might not like to have kids running around the hotel, but the truth is they’ve injected a new life into everything and it’s a lot more fun now that they’re around,” says Silvie Snow-Thomas, a New York-based publicist for The Little Nell. The hotel has seen a real turnover from the senior crowd (age 60-70), and they have responded by instituting new teen amenities, including gift bags from hip companies like Burton and Target and even homemade Cracker Jack. “Our head chef Ryan Hardy came up with his own recipe. He uses his own kettle corn, caramel dried cherries and roasted nuts and actually empties out Cracker Jack boxes and refills them with temporary Little Nell tattoos as the gift,” Snow-Thomas says. As if life on the slopes in Aspen wasn’t already sweet as it is.
Spa-tacular: The rubdown on health and wellness
Decadence is out and wellness is in. No more chocolate mints on the pillow for turndown service—these days you’re more likely to find a selection of organic teas and mixed raw nuts. It’s not just about food but also spa services, which are more in demand and expected of five-star properties than ever. Hoteliers are responding with state-of-the-art spa facilities and amenities that must include a fitness facility. At the Ritz, they offer a “Wellness Concierge” who is available to build personalized spa, fitness, and nutrition packages like “Mountain Spa Mornings” that combines a 90-minute guided snowshoe tour with yoga followed by a 60-minute massage. Om, that sounds pretty good to us.
Viceroy Snowmass has big plans to integrate health into all facets of its services, from innovative spa treatments to locally produced ingredients for its cuisine. “Health is something money cannot buy,” says Brad Korzen, Founder and President of Kors, the company that owns the Viceroy brand. “Our approach in guest rooms, spa, fitness center, and food and beverage venues will insure that we provide guests with an experience that encourages rest, relaxation, and adventure.”
Getting a piece of the action: Fractional ownership
Fractional ownership units have been the biggest trend over the last few years as buyers fork over sums as high as $1.9 million for a one-eighth interest in a three-bedroom slopeside unit at Aspen’s Little Nell. The project has made headlines not only for its swift sales, but for the expansion of the brand’s fractional developments to other locations, including Snowmass Village and Jackson Hole. In Snowmass, over 70 percent of units have been sold with whole ownership units starting at $3.1 million. The brand is trying to expand to Teton Village, Wyoming at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with a proposal for a 50-unit condominium hotel project with ski-in/ski-out residences, spa, and restaurant currently up for review by the local planning commission.
While fractional ownership has been around for quite some time (St. Regis, Park Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton all have units on the market), the prices just keep getting higher. Even with the economic slump, the high-end market is still stable, at least for now. Talk about a secured reservation—it seems that some people are willing to pay the price.
Going global: Catering to an international market
“The luxury market has changed immensely,” Korzen says. “While the economic turndown is taking a toll in the financial services sector and others, luxury hoteliers are increasingly engaged in international markets that are seeing an increase in spending power.” Kors recently formed a partnership with Mubadala, a development company based in Abu Dhabi to bring brand-name hotels into that country as well as Russia, China, India, and Brazil. “In Snowmass, given the resort nature of the Viceroy project there, we anticipate a great demand from both U.S. and international luxury travelers because we will offer value to that international audience.”
