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There is no place as magical as Aspen, Colorado during the holiday season. Take a sleigh ride up the Castle Creek Valley to Pine Creek Cookhouse, snowmobile up to the Maroon Bells, ski on any of the four mountains, or snowshoe on top of Aspen Mountain. With so many activities and events that happen during the holidays, you will constantly be in awe of what our little town has to offer.

The following luxury vacation rentals are still available during the 2018-19 holiday season. Click any of the properties below for details and to book online, or give us a call for further questions or help with vacation planning.

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Private Contemporary Estate: The Historic Eriksen Ranch-Village House

6 Bedroom, 6.5 Bathrooms, 6,750 Square Feet

 

The Historic Eriksen Ranch-Village House is home to the descendants of Walter & Elizabeth Paepcke (Aspen’s founding family) and is located just 5 minutes from the core of town. The contemporary mahogany-clad house sits on 12 acres looking south over 60 acres of meadow and 360-degree majestic mountain views.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and doors flood the living spaces with natural light and provide numerous ways to wander from the warm interior to the patio areas immediately outside. Elegant but casual, this is the real deal!

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Downtown Contemporary Townhome

3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms, 2,940 Square Feet

 

This contemporary-style townhome offers easy ski access to Aspen’s premier ski mountain. The centrally located 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence is perfect for those looking to be in close proximity to downtown Aspen.It’s a one block walk to Lift 1A and you can finish your day by skiing down directly across the street from the townhome.

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Monarch House Aspen Colorado

5 Bedrooms, 5.5 Bathrooms, 4,738 Square Feet

Originally built in 1884, this grand Aspen Victorian has been transformed into a stunning residence with sleek contemporary finishes, warm and sophisticated accents including natural stone and hardwood, and recessed ceiling lighting. The home is complemented by a Savant Smart Home Control System. Situated in the heart of Aspen behind the historic Hotel Jerome, the Monarch House has an ideal location: balanced between the core and the residential neighborhoods of town.

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Villa Venada at Paepcke Park

6 Bedrooms, 6.5 Bathrooms, 6,032 Square Feet

Beautifully decorated with contemporary and traditional mountain furnishings, Villa Venada is one of Aspen’s best rental properties. The gorgeous home is located just two blocks from the commercial core and across the street from the famed Paepcke Park Gazebo. The developer spared no expense with the finishes throughout, including a dedicated office and fully wired audio/visual/internet system, wine room, an outdoor covered “den” with gas fireplace, a gourmet kitchen fit for a professional chef and stone back patio with water feature and hot tub.

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Aspen Oasis

6 Bedrooms, 7.75 Bathrooms, 12,627 Square Feet

Never before offered as a vacation rental, the Aspen Oasis is the newest luxury estate in the Aspen rental market. You’ll find the Aspen Oasis just minutes away from the core, yet very private. This magnificent home was thoughtfully designed for the owner’s use and is positioned to encompass Independence Pass views from most rooms. The Roaring Fork River wraps around the east and north sides of the grounds, and a creek runs along the west side. Ponds and waterfalls are complemented with beautiful landscaping; a manicured lawn enhances the outdoor use of the property, which includes a trampoline by the river, a hammock, treehouse, paddleboards, and much more!

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Contemporary McLain Flats Estate

6 Bedrooms, 7 Bathrooms, 6,350 Square Feet

Remodeled in 2014, this beautiful, custom contemporary six-bedroom home on McLain Flats features floor-to-ceiling windows encompassing 180-degree views of ski mountains from Aspen to Snowmass. This home is the winner of both the Colorado-wide AIA 2015 Architect Choice Award and the Colorado-wide Crystal Award for the top interior design renovation over 4,000 SF, as well as being featured in Snow Magazine.

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The Observatory

6 Bedrooms, 6.5 Bathrooms, 3,105 Square Feet

This ideally located Victorian home sits a block from Aspen’s shopping and nightlife, providing one of the town’s most perfect spots for your next visit to Aspen. This historic landmark built in 1889 and completely rebuilt in 2001 now offers state-of-the-art amenities and appliances, incredible artwork and modern contemporary furnishings throughout with views of both Aspen and Red Mountains. The proud homeowners were recently the first place winners of the Colorado Awards for Remodeling Excellence. Cork tiled floors, stone counters, comfortable luxurious fabrics and an “observatory” with telescope for stargazing make this quite the desirable accommodation.

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Cybele’s Lair Masterpiece

5 Bedrooms, 6.5 Bathrooms, 6,560 Square Feet

This is one of Aspen’s best-kept secrets! Step inside this beautifully crafted 7,500 square foot masterpiece and you will at once feel a warmth and peacefulness greet you. Radiant heated concrete floors with soft area rugs serve as the foundation. Elegant custom furnishings were thoughtfully chosen for every room. The vaulted living areas of the main level offer floor to ceiling windows with electric shades to allow abundant natural light in and views of Highlands and Tiehack ski areas.

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Riverside Drive Contemporary

4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms, 2,966 Square Feet

 

Discover a contemporary three-level home with two-car garage on the East Side of Aspen just .6 mile from City Market or steps away from the Mountain Valley Shuttle, and Dial-a-Ride bus stops. The “upside-down house” features the living area on the top floor of the home to take advantage of spectacular views and the bedrooms downstairs.

The living area is an open floor plan that includes a sleek, bright kitchen features a Wolf stove with double oven and 6-burner gas range/grill top. Other appliances include a Subzero refrigerator, Bosch dishwasher, and a built in microwave and wine cooler. There is a large center-island with 5 bar stools that runs the length of the kitchen and separates it from the adjacent dining area which seats 8 comfortably. There is also a powder room on this floor.

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Luxury Monarch on the Park 101

3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms, 1,917 Square Feet

This new contemporary residence is located in the heart of downtown. What a fabulous and convenient way to spend your holiday in Aspen! The open living area gives you a spacious feeling yet the living area is quite cozy for relaxing by the gas fireplace, enjoying a movie or your favorite show on the flat screen television or reading a good book. The kitchen is a chef’s dream, with beautiful granite counters and ample counter space, Viking appliances and a breakfast bar for 4 people. The dining table seats 6 guests. Each of the custom decorated bedrooms has a flat-screen television.

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Leaf Peeping In Aspen

Fall in Aspen is kind of like a romantic fling: its startling beauty leaves you awe-inspired and wanting for more, all the while knowing the moment can’t last. Unlike the heartier oak and spruce trees that turn colors in locales to the east, the Aspen tree’s foliage cycle is brilliant but painfully short. The entire cycle lasts only a few weeks, turning first at the higher elevations and then gradually making its way down the valley, where yellow leaves can still be found on the trees in late October.

Here’s your local’s guide to the best leaf peeping by car, bike, and foot. Enjoy it while it lasts, and love it before it “leafs” you!

ASPEN FALL FOLIAGE BY CAR: INDEPENDENCE PASS TO TWIN LAKES

Even when the leaves aren’t turning, Independence Pass has to be one of the most scenic mountain passes in Colorado. But when the yellow leaves are firing, this road is magical. Begin in downtown Aspen and head up Highway 82 East. Make your way through several Aspen groves that canopy the road between Weller Lake and Lincoln Creek. Save the best for last when, just before the summit, a panoramic view of the entire valley affords patchwork-quilt like bursts of color. Drop on over the other side for more jaw-dropping beauty as the road descends via steep, heart-stopping switchbacks before landing in the lush valley. Grab lunch at the Twin Lakes Inn where views of the colors reflecting in the lake are postcard perfect.

Get the full scoop on driving Independence Pass in the fall.

ASPEN FALL FOLIAGE BY BIKE: THE TWO VALLEYS AKA “THE SISTERS”

Road cyclists from all over the world come to Aspen to test their legs and their lungs on this classic ride that affords some of the most awe-inspiring scenery in the Roaring Fork Valley. Affectionately known as “the sisters” because of the two valley’s resemblance as striking beauties that require some serious effort, Maroon Creek Road and Castle Creek Road are the crown jewel of Aspen’s repertoire of world-class road rides. Both offer unparalleled scenery and very few cars—the hallmark of a perfect ride.

These routes can be ridden separately but to tackle them both at once is the standard for anyone who takes their time in the saddle seriously. The spectacular scenery meter goes up a few notches during fall foliage, especially if you’re lucky enough to catch the colors just after a dusting of snow on the high peaks. Just when you think the Maroon Bells can’t get any more spectacular, they do. And the Castle Creek Valley offers similar rewards for the 14-mile climb (and on the flip side, epic 14-mile downhill), especially in the last two miles when the high peaks of the Elk Range reveal themselves at the top of the valley.

ASPEN FALL FOLIAGE BY FOOT: CATHEDRAL LAKE

This local’s favorite offers a lot of reward for the effort from the trailhead to the top with awesome scenery pretty much the whole way up. This is especially true during the fall season, when the first mile of the trail meanders through deep Aspen groves that feel especially magical when littered with a ground cover of soft, gold medallions and a canopy of brilliant yellow against a majestic blue sky. Within the first hour, you pop out of the trees and get your first glimpse of the high alpine valley with its open meadows and the cascading waterfalls of Castle Creek. From there it’s a steep climb up a series of switchbacks to the final traverse above tree line across open tundra to this especially scenic high alpine lake at 11,888 feet with its cathedral-like towers of rock and a lake of deep turquoise blue. Another great thing about this hike is the distance: at 5.6 miles round trip, it’s an easy hike to accomplish in less than four hours, so it doesn’t require an early start or an all-day commitment.

WHY VISIT ASPEN IN THE FALL

Fall really is the best time to visit Aspen. Need more reasons to visit Aspen for the changing leaves and all things fall? Here are our five reasons to visit Aspen in the off season.

View our available luxury rentals and start planning your next Aspen getaway today!

Expanded Aspen Flight Options for 2017-18 Ski Season

Starting to plan your Aspen ski vacation, but not sure where to fly into? Traveling to our mountain oasis just got a lot more convenient for the 2017-18 ski season. Three airline carriers, American, Delta, and United, recently released new, expanded schedules for flights to Aspen from Dec 2017 to Apr 2018.

In total, the three airlines will now be offering 269 flights per week over the holiday season from 10 different cities. This is up from 220 flights last year.

AMERICAN AIRLINES

Over the holidays and on peak winter weekends, there will be up to eight flights daily from Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. This is up from a maximum of five daily last winter:

• DFW – Up to 4 flights daily throughout most of the winter.
• ORD – 2 flights daily over the holidays with an additional Sat/Sun flight added Jan – Mar.
• LAX – 1 flight daily Dec 15 – Apr 2.
• PHX – Daily nonstop service (except Tue/Wed in January) beginning Dec 15.

DELTA AIR LINES

Over the holidays, Delta will fly six daily flights with an extra flight on Saturdays from Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. For the remainder of the winter, there will be 4 daily flights, with 3 on Tuesdays and 5 on Saturdays.

• SLC – 3 flights daily over the holidays, 2 flights daily Jan 7 – Apr 2.
• ATL – Starting Dec 21, 1 daily flight through Apr 2.
• LAX – An additional Saturday flight over the holidays with 1 daily nonstop flight Dec 21 through Jan 6. There will be 6 flights per week (except Tuesdays) through Apr 2.
• MSP – Daily nonstop flights Dec 21 – Jan 6, with daily nonstop flights on Saturdays Jan 13 – Mar 31.

UNITED AIRLINES

With 20 to 25 daily flights from five airport hubs, United Airlines is the heavy-hitter for the upcoming winter season. Hubs include Denver, Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Beginning Dec 21, the following frequencies are now scheduled to be offered by United, with peak season defined as Dec 21 – Jan 7 and Feb 15 – Apr 2.

• DEN – Up to 9 daily peak season flights and 7 daily flights with 8 on Saturdays Jan 8 – Feb 14.
• ORD – Up to 5 daily peak season flights with 4 daily flights Jan 8 – Feb 14.
• IAH – 4 daily peak season flights and 3 daily flights with 4 on Saturdays Jan 8 – Feb 14.
• LAX – 4 daily flights through Apr 2 and one new daily flight scheduled to continue year-round.
• SFO – 2 daily all winter with 3 flights on Saturdays and Sundays during peak season.

OTHER FLIGHT OPTIONS

Of course, if it fits your schedule better, there are other options for traveling to Aspen during the winter. Denver International Airport is 220 miles west via I-70 and CO-82, Eagle County Airport is 70 miles west via I-70 and CO-82, and Grand Junction Regional Airport is 125 miles east via I-70 and CO-82.

Learn more about the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport or start planning your Aspen ski vacation today!

It’s that time of year again.

Even though it’s not even Labor Day, Aspen locals are getting their first taste of winter because 2016-17 Season Passes go on sale now, and if you buy before September 9, 2016, you get the best price. The Aspen Skiing Company just announced the opening dates for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are November 24, 2016 and Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands are scheduled to open for the season on December 10. 2016. Tentative closing dates are April 16, 2017 for Aspen and Snowmass and April 9, 2017 for Aspen Highlands and April 2 for Buttermilk. But as we’ve see in years past, the Aspen Skiing Company is very generous about extending the season, snowpack permitting.

So you might be in the midst of enjoying a champagne cocktail on a warm summer afternoon or cycling through your sundress wardrobe for one last fundraiser soiree or maybe you’re getting your kids ready to go back to school and winter is the farthest thing from your mind. But this is when the winds of winter whisper in your ear, when the mere idea of skiing passes through your mind.

It’s a time to go into your storage closet and to try on your favorite ski outfit to make sure it still fits; to peruse your favorite ski and snowboard magazines for this season’s new gear, and to throw on those ski boots and skis in your living room because you want to remember how it feels (goggles and all). Who cares if your family thinks you’re crazy? That’s what life in the mountains is all about.

Better yet, it’s time to buy that 2016-17 season pass. For a full list of season pass prices, click here.

Every home has a story, but few are as storied as the home of Sharon and John Hoffman. Built in 1888, the six-bedroom West End Victorian is one the first five original homes built after the silver boom and was first owned by the founder of The Aspen Times. It’s best known as “The Observatory House” for the rooftop observatory Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, a former owner, had installed for her teenage son in the early 70s. Not only is the house a historical Aspen landmark, its legacy continues in the hands of the current owners, Sharon and John Hoffman.

In addition to bringing the Victorian’s exterior back to its original glory when the Hoffmans purchased the home in 2001, the couple also completed an extensive remodel with Aspen architect Heidi Hoffmann the on the interior in order to modernize the space and open up the space to make it more suitable for family (Hoffmann won the Colorado Award for Remodeling Excellence in 2002 for the project).

The Kansas City based couple also wanted to make the home a showcase for their collection of contemporary art. That will certainly be the case on Friday August 5, when the Hoffmans open their home for a tour of their contemporary art collection as a VIP event for Art Aspen, a weekend-long modern and contemporary art exhibition hosting galleries from around the world at the Aspen Ice Garden August 4-7, 2016. The Sharon and John Hoffman art collection includes paintings, drawings, photographs, sculpture and ceramics from artists like Frankenthaler, Christo, Starns, Plensa, Enrique Martinez Celaya, Leonardo Drew and Richard Mosse. Ceramic artists include Voulkos, Autio, Ferguson and Gustin.

Learn more about the “The Observatory” or book your stay there today!

Come on and take a free ride – on Aspen’s new, eco-friendly, free ride service.

It almost sounds too good to be true.

It’s free, it’s eco-friendly, and it’s providing a desperately needed service to downtown Aspen. The Downtowner debuts its free rides this summer in Aspen with a fleet of five 6-passenger electric vehicles. The City of Aspen is footing the bill for the service, which will run from June 15 – September 15 at a cost of about $1,000 a day.

The City of Aspen jumped on board, so to speak, in an effort to combat the congestion of car traffic in downtown Aspen. The service operates from the downtown core to Seventh Street in the West End (note the service area does not include Red Mountain, The Music Tent or Aspen Institute/Aspen Meadows campus). Even better, dogs are allowed so plan to use this service when bee-bopping around town with your furry friend. The city also raised parking fees by 50% in an effort to dissuade drivers from coming into downtown, so The Downtowner is a much better option than sky-high meter fees or (sometimes it happens no matter how hard you try) expensive parking tickets.

Aspen is one of only four cities where the service is available, including Newport Beach and Manhattan Beach in California and Del Ray Beach, Florida. The service works a lot like Uber: download the app, request a ride, and track your driver’s location. The service is totally free, so it’s always nice to tip your driver. According to The Downtowner’s web site, one of the Aspen drivers is a Peruvian Niko. His call sign is “Neeks,” and he apparently knows how to tear up the dance floor.

Now that’s what we call taking a free ride.

For more information, go to www.ridedowntowner.com

Living the high life just outside the roundabout.

Like the shy, talented kid of four siblings, Aspen Highlands is probably the most misunderstood of Aspen’s Four Mountain repertoire. Everyone knows Snowmass is for families; Buttermilk is for beginners and park rats; Aspen is for people who want to ski and be seen. But what about Aspen Highlands?

Most people think Aspen Highlands is for expert skiers, best known for the infamous Highlands Bowl and it’s hike-to expert only skiing.

But there is so much more to it than that. Let us count the ways:

#1) So close, but yet so far.
Even though it’s conveniently located less than 2 miles from downtown Aspen and on the free bus route, Highlands feels like a small village nestled deep in the mountains, more like something you’d expect to see in the Swiss Alps than in Colorado. Surrounded by steep wooded hillsides and snow capped peaks, it’s more of a true alpine feel than other parts of the valley. If you want to feel like you’ve escaped to a true mountain retreat without needing a four-wheel drive vehicle to get there, Highlands is the place for you.

This 4-bedroom, 4.5 bath luxury townhome is Aspen Highlands slopeside living at its finest.

#2) Where the deer and the antelope—and the kids—play.
Even though Snowmass has a reputation for being the family-friendly mountain, Aspen Highlands is also ideal for families. With its absence of busy streets, lack of crowds, and small base village, it is a super safe place where parents can relax and not have to worry as much about constant supervision of their kids. With its close proximity to the Aspen Recreation Center (accessible via a paved bike path) you’ve got all the kid’s favorite amenities (swimming, skating, rock climbing, and more) a short walk or bike ride away.

If you want to know what it’s like to live on the slopes at Aspen Highlands, check out this amazing Thundebowl Home.

#3) Escape the crowds, but not the fun.
During the summer months, when Aspen is at full capacity and it’s crazy in town, you can still enjoy the peace and serenity of a mountain getaway without having to worry about where to park (the bus into town is free and super convenient). But there’s still a lot of fun to be had right outside your back door, too. Summer is the time for outdoor movies, lawn bowling, a live music series, outdoor markets and street fairs.

#4) Quality over quantity.
The base village at Highlands might be small, but what it has to offer is top notch. The Highlands Alehouse has one of the most comprehensive beer lists in town with a regular rotation of microbrew suds on tap. And even though pizza is their specialty, there is also a great selection of fresh, healthy fare from kale salads and baked salmon to handmade sandwiches. If you want something a little more upscale, just head on over to Willow Creek Bistro at the Ritz Carlton for a little five-star service and delectable fare. There’s even a little coffee shop in the hotel to get caffeinated for wherever your adventure will lead you that day. Shop Four Mountain Sports for the latest in mountain fashion or check out Strafe, for outwear from a locally owned and operated company.

Two master suites makes this Thunderbowl Townhome and excellent choice for multiple families to come experience Highlands.

#5) Not for experts only.
Come winter, Highlands has some of the most exquisite slopeside homes in the valley. And the notion that this is a resort for experts only is a myth. Highlands has some of the best groomed slopes around, especially off the Cloud 9 lift, mostly because all the experts are on the upper mountain or skiing the Bowl. That means the corduroy is left mostly untouched for the people who really appreciate it. And you’ll almost never see a liftline here, even during the busy season. Now that’s what we call living on Cloud 9.