Few establishments in Aspen, Colorado have witnessed more change than , built 125 years ago in a grand brick building on Main Street to house mining barons and their entourages. Post-silver boom, the hotel survived Aspen鈥檚 multiple costume changes鈥攆rom near-ghost town in the Depression to counterculture mecca (with great skiing) in the 1960s and 鈥70s to today鈥檚 iteration as a sort of snowy Beverly Hills (with great skiing and snowboarding).
Over the years, the Main Street institution has hosted VIPs of all stripes, including heads of state, movie stars, and the generally very rich and very beautiful. Though he fell into none of these categories, the late was arguably the Jerome鈥檚 most notable patron. After purchasing a ranch outside of town in 1967, the drug-Hoovering writer made the hotel his unofficial clubhouse. Legend has it that he once duct-taped a young Bill Murray to a chair and threw him in the pool. We鈥檙e sorry we missed that.聽
The Jerome mellowed in the 鈥80s, grew tired in the 鈥90s, and eventually received a top-to-bottom renovation in December 2012. The recent facelift has revitalized the property, making it once again one of the finest places to stay and play in the West. Highlights include the d茅cor鈥攁 blend of contemporary, traditional European, and 19th-century Americana鈥攁nd Thompson鈥檚 beloved J-Bar, which retained the original wood bar-top.
When you鈥檙e away from your suite or the snow, grab a bite at Prospect, the hotel鈥檚 answer to an upscale American bistro (a place that鈥檒l serve you an IPA and octopus). Or treat yourself to a hot stone message at the in-house spa, if you’re not busy at one of the world-class ski resorts out the front door.
The Details: Rooms from $350/night.