When the new Limelight Hotel Snowmass opened in December 2018, it quite literally filled a void in Snowmass, Colorado. When Aspen Skiing Company raised the new 99-room ski-in/ski-out hotel and adjacent ice rink, it replaced a giant hole that had served as an inconvenient eye sore in the heart of Snowmass Base Village for the better part of a decade. Beyond the physical, the new Limelight has become a coveted gathering spot for Snowmass locals and a purpose-built hotel for skiers unlike anything Snowmass has seen before.
A rendered image of the Limelight Hotel Snowmass.Community-Driven
Much like its sister Limelight properties in Aspen and Ketchum, Idaho, the heart of the new Limelight Hotel Snowmass is its community lounge where meals and suds are served and live tunes wail five nights a week.
When the Sky Hotel in Aspen closed in 2017, the Limelight Hotel Aspen took the crown for best après in town. Ski Co. has transported that same après stoke down-valley for Snowmass locals, bringing the famed brick oven pizza, live music and affordable drink specials to the even more spacious, yet cozy, lounge at the Limelight Snowmass. On any given evening in the lounge, you’ll find lifties crushing some ‘za and thawing their frozen feet by the fire, a group of wealthy international guests enjoying the good life with a glass of bubbly or a couple of locals debating whether Cirque Headwall or Hanging Valley Wall skied better that day over a few Colorado craft brews.
A decidedly different, yet still community-driven, scene unfolded each morning of my stay in that same lounge. Weary Limelight guests convened in the lounge for coffee and the complimentary breakfast buffet. Don’t get it twisted; this is far from your average free hotel continental breakfast. The Limelight pulls out all of the stops with an assortment of eggs, bacon, potatoes, granola, cereal, pastries, fresh fruit, juice, coffee, tea and more. Pro Tip: snag a packet of Justin’s Nut Butter from the buffet to refuel on the High Alpine Lift before hiking the Hanging Valley Wall later that day.
A rendered image of the Limelight Snowmass restaurant.Built for Skiers
Unlike most ski-in/ski-out hotels that do little to fit into their mountain environment aside from décor, it was clear to me that the Limelight Snowmass was built with skiers top of mind.
My pet-friendly room had a ton of storage for all of my gear. From drawers under the beds to open closets and an abundance of hooks and shelves, there was a designated place for everything, including my helmet, gloves, goggles and boots. A wet bar complete with a microwave, retro mini fridge and Keurig brought new meaning to “in-room dining.” With space for a few sixers in the fridge and a way to nuke up some queso, the room’s oversized table made for the perfect pre-game post-up.
The Limelight features skier-friendly amenities like ski storage just steps from the Elk Camp Gondola, two oversized outdoor pool spas, a 1,000-square-foot fitness center complete with a Peloton bike and TRX system, guest laundry facilities to get the stank out of your baselayers and a ski shuttle that will take you to Highlands, Ajax and Buttermilk.
While the previous amenities are simply table stakes for a skier-centric hotel, the outdoor ice-skating rink and glass-enclosed climbing wall are the hallmark features of the hotel. Stroll out the front door to rent a pair of complimentary skates from a repurposed Airstream trailer to channel your inner Chazz Michael Michaels from Blades of Glory on the rink. Colorado’s tallest indoor rock-realistic climbing wall greets guests as they approach the hotel. The five-story-high climbing wall features three self-belay routes and is also complimentary for guests, so trade your ski boots for a pair of climbing shoes and challenge your buddies to a high-stakes race to the top after a long day on the slopes.
A rendered image of the glass-encased indoor climbing wall. By proxy of the Limelight Snowmass being owned and operated by Aspen Skiing Company, the hotel offers benefits and experiences to skiers that no other Snowmass hotel can. Each morning during breakfast, a Ski Co mountain guide makes his rounds offering advice to guests on where to ski that day based on conditions and personal preference. Every Friday, the Limelight offers their exclusive “First Tracks” program, which allows guests to get on the Snowmass Village Express lift 35 minutes before the lift starts spinning for the general public. On Mondays, Limelight guests can join ski patrol and rescue dogs at 3:20 p.m. at the base of the Big Burn lift to conduct a mountain “sweep” before cracking a few tallboys with the crew at the end of the day.
The opening of the new Limelight Hotel Snowmass has elevated the communal stoke in Snowmass. For locals, it provides a much-needed spot to hang out with a lounge and amenities that were built for the regulars just as much as they were built for the hotel’s guests. For visitors, the hotel provides a chic, yet unpretentious, ski-in/ski-out destination that caters to the whims of true rippers. So, next time you plan to shred the second-largest resort in Colorado, check out the Limelight Hotel Snowmass to rest your weary legs and enjoy the après.
