Smart Meetings

No matter the season or the weather, residents and visitors spend a lot of time outdoors here. That’s what makes the place what it is today: a wonderland of art, music and mountain recreation—and a perfect place for a meeting.

Once called Ute City—named after the American Indian tribe that spent the summer hunting in the Roaring Fork Valley—Aspen became a destination for silver prospectors wanting a piece of the wealth. Founded in 1880, it grew to be the nation’s largest silver mining district; by 1893 the population swelled to 12,000.

Settlers saw potential in Aspen’s summer and winter offerings. In the late 1940s, Chicago-based industrialist Walter Paepcke envisioned the town as a summertime cultural destination, where visitors could explore enlightenment through international studies, science and the arts. His efforts launched the Aspen Music Festival. By 1947, Aspen Mountain boasted the largest ski lift in the world, and in the late 1960s, three other nearby ski mountains opened. With an average of 300 days of sun each year, it’s no wonder Aspen became a year-round outdoor playground!

MEETING VENUES AND HOTELS

Because the town is small, meeting space is found among its hotels. “We do well in the 300- to 500-people range,” says Lisa Johnson, director of sales and marketing for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association. Hotels work closely with planners to ensure that groups experience the best of Aspen during their stay. “We can very easily accommodate citywides,” she says. When hotels team up to host groups, people might be separated, but it forces them to move around the community, to get outside—something that locals do daily by foot in the 3.66-square-mile town. “You don’t need a car,” says Johnson. When groups have time for a break, it’s very easy to just walk outside, go shopping or grab lunch along the open mall area, where a little stream runs through town.

With room for 400, the recently completed 22,000-square-foot Doerr-Hosier Center, a LEED-certified building with a geothermal cooling and heating system, is part of Aspen Meadows Resort. The property, standing on 40 acres of meadowlands in the historic West End of Aspen, features a heated pool, hot tub and fitness center.

“We really have become a full-service resort,” says Robb Walker, regional director of resort operations for Dolce International. “We’ve got the largest guest rooms in town—all suites.” Each of the 98 suites has a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains and rivers that converge nearby. “The whole property lends itself to an outdoor type of experience,” says Walker. Bring your speaker to the 350-capacity Paepcke Auditorium, just a short stroll down the footpath from the Doerr-Hosier Center.

The St. Regis Resort, located at the base of Aspen Mountain, has a 9,274-square-foot ballroom that can seat up to 700 guests. The resort’s eight conference rooms and two boardrooms offer plenty of options for your meeting. This Four-Diamond hotel handles meeting and lodging with old-world grace—257 guest rooms, 26 suites and a private concierge to fetch whatever you need. When the long day is over, take a dip in the outdoor heated pool.

On the corner of Mill and Main streets, you will find the oldest hotel in Aspen. Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, the 118-year-old Hotel Jerome has 93 guest rooms and suites. The Four-Diamond hotel has 7,500 sq. ft. of total meeting space. (Its 3,450-square-foot ballroom is the only one above ground in Aspen.) Share the scenic beauty of Aspen Mountain with your group by reserving the outdoor function space, which can host up to 350. “We are the heart and soul of Aspen,” says Jennifer Barnhart, director of public relations and sales at Hotel Jerome. Don’t forget to take your executives to the hotel’s J-Bar, where celebrity sightings are not uncommon. “Anybody that’s been to Aspen has been to the J-Bar,” Barnhart says. Or just steps from the hotel, guests have their pick of more than 100 bars in a 7-block radius (after the meetings, of course!).

If you prefer modern digs, stay at The Sky Hotel, with a total of 4,700 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 2,000-square-foot patio and complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel. Relax at the evening wine reception in the lobby.

For larger groups, the Town of Snowmass Village, just nine miles from Aspen, offers a total of 75,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space. Snowmass Conference Center can host up to 2,000 people; its 11,000-square-foot ballroom easily divides into five smaller spaces. Of course, outdoor terraces are directly accessible from most of the meeting rooms. The conference center is run by the adjacent Silvertree Hotel, offering lodging options and an additional 4,550 sq. ft. of meeting space. Or consider the support of the conference services team at The Stonebridge Inn. The inn has 3,400 sq. ft. of space for your meeting and 92 guest rooms (five of which are suites with private balconies). More good news—Base Village, which is currently under construction, will have 15,000 sq. ft. of new meeting space by the end of next year.

DINING AND NIGHTLIFE

There is no shortage of dining options in Aspen; choose from 80 restaurants, all within a mile of downtown. In the last five years, a different dining trend has begun to simmer here. “We have a lot of Slow Food restaurants,” says the Chamber’s Johnson. “Everyone’s really embracing this concept.” Restaurants buy from local growers and prepare foods that are fresh and in season. Have your group try the progressive dinner; it’s like a pub crawl, but with food. Groups can go from one restaurant to another, trying local items such as specialty cheeses and wines. “It’s hard to commit to one place for the evening,” she notes.

Al fresco dining is the way to go in Aspen’s warm season. “It’s like one big party,” says Johnson. D19 (970-925-6019) serves Mediterranean-Italian food on a great outdoor patio. Take your group to Montagna at The Little Nell; its 150-capacity patio is the perfect place to taste the talents of Executive Chef Ryan Hardy and Master Sommelier Richard Betts, which locals call “the Ryan and Richard Show.” Try comfort food with a twist at DishAspen, where you’ll enjoy entrees like lobster corndogs or house-made mac-and-cheese on the patio or from the private interactive chef’s table, which seats 12.

When the suns dips low behind the Aspen Highlands, the dining scene intermingles with nightlife. Be sure to check out the legendary Caribou Club; this private enclave is open to groups and has a wine room for up to 20. For a rowdier, rockin’ good time, catch some live tunes at Belly Up Aspen, a dive-bar-turned-hip with 650 seats and upcoming calendar listings like Chris Isaac and Lynyrd Skynyrd. 

FRESH AIR FUN

For outdoor recreation, your group won’t have to go far. Whether they are a pack of daredevils or sightseers, Aspen has something for everyone. See the area from a bird’s-eye view when you hitch a 2.5-mile ride on the Silver Queen Gondola (877-282-7736) from midtown to Aspen Mountain’s 11,212-foot summit. Whitewater thrill-seekers can try sledging—flowing head-first down the rapids in a helmet on a river sledge. Not your cup of tea? Breathe deeply on a hot-air balloon ride (Unicorn Balloon Company; 970-925-5752) at sunrise over the breathtaking 14,000-foot Maroon Bells, the most photographed peaks in North America. Of course, there are always the traditional favorites like golf, tennis, fly-fishing, hiking, biking and horseback riding.

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Getting There

Denver International Airport is 220 miles (4 hours) from Aspen, via Interstate 70 through Glenwood Springs. The Colorado Mountain Express offers shuttle service from Denver. Aspen Airport is 10 minutes from downtown Aspen, served by several major airlines with direct flights from Los Angeles, Phoenix and Denver. Back to Top