Just in time for the first snowfall, this season’s high-country hot list of winter ski escapes includes stylish new accommodations and amenities.
THE SEBASTIAN — VAIL
Vail Village has never lacked for large hotels and condominium complexes, but until The Sebastian — Vail opened its doors, the boutique-hotel niche had never been properly filled. The Sebastian offers all the elements of a classic slope-side lodge executed with a fresh, hip style. The lobby’s rustic stone walls and wood floors provide a warm backdrop for sleek furnishings and a sculptural fireplace. In the library, oversize works of abstract art hang on black, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. And at the Frost Bar, an icicle-like installation of frosted-glass shards is suspended above a bar that glows an icy blue.
DUNTON TOWN HOUSE, TELLURIDE
Fans of Dunton Hot Springs resort, the uber-exclusive cluster of cabins near Telluride, have an enticing option when they’re ready to trade the wilderness for more civilized environs. The Dunton team recently renovated a modern neo-Victorian house to create Dunton Town House. Taking inspiration from the Tyrolean immigrants, the team filled the interiors with Tyrolean antiques, Austrian ceramics and imported fabrics. Guest rooms feature upholstered king-size beds and en-suite baths; the largest room, the Mankei, offers a separate entrance and private deck with mountain views.
HOTEL TALISA, VAIL
After an extensive renovation, the Hotel Talisa–formerly Vail Cascade Resort & Spa–was transformed into a luxurious 285-room property with a fresh, mountain-chic style. Reimagined guest rooms are furnished with modern-leaning furnishings, sumptuous fabrics and plush carpets. Marble-clad bathrooms feature rainfall showers and, in some rooms, freestanding soaker tubs. Amenities include a Swiss Alps/Colorado Rockies-fusion restaurant, a full-service ski-rental shop and ski concierge as well as a s’more butler and apres-yoga champagne. But two key elements of the Hotel Talisa’s predecessor remain intact: the private chairlift (Chair 20) and trail access.
LIMELIGHT HOTEL SNOWMASS, SNOWMASS VILLAGE
Travelers who love Limelight Hotels’ unfussy take on luxury accommodations will feel at home at the slope-side Snowmass Village outpost, designed by OZ Architecture. New York City-based interior design firm Stonehill Taylor orchestrated the hotel’s contemporary-casual interior, which includes 11 condominium residences, a restaurant and a fireplace-warmed lounge. All 99 guest rooms feature wood-paneled walls, Euro-sleek furnishings and tiny tangerine-hued Smeg refrigerators, but the Grand Deluxe rooms go beyond with ski-in/ ski-out access to the Elk Camp Gondola.
