Juniper Louie Travel
A Ski Escape Proposal
Winter in Aspen
Prepared for Emaan & Julius Washington
December 2026 · Aspen & Snowmass, Colorado
Overview
Skis on at your door, first tracks in the morning, a Michelin-starred table at night
Aspen in December pairs fresh early-season snow with holiday sparkle, and the right hotel makes it effortless. I have gathered my favorite ski in/ski out stays at the four and five star level, a map of how it all fits together, a look at the snow, and a dining shortlist worth planning your trip around.
Rates and availability are confirmed with each property before anything is held for you. Your live hotel picks and pricing are in the quote linked below.
View hotel picks & ratesFresh snow, early season
Forecasters expect an above-normal winter, and all four mountains should be open for your dates.
A celebration year
Aspen Snowmass marks its 80th season, with special offers in early December.
Slopeside luxury
Ski in and ski out of your hotel, with no shuttles to catch.
Holiday energy in town
Aspen's restaurants and shops hum with holiday spirit.
Option 01
The Little Nell
Highlights
Aspen's only Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond hotel sits at the base of Aspen Mountain, seconds from the Silver Queen Gondola. It is the one place in Aspen proper where ski in/ski out is not a marketing phrase, with the town's restaurants and shops just out the front door.
Key Amenities
- Direct ski-in/ski-out access
- Ski concierge service
- Spa, outdoor pool and hot tub
- Element 47, Michelin Guide recommended
- Airport transfer included
- 92 rooms, suites and residences
Option 02
Viceroy Snowmass
Highlights
Slopeside on Assay Hill in Snowmass Base Village, with imaginative dining, a Ute-inspired wellness spa and a year-round pool terrace and café. Snowmass is the largest of Aspen's four mountains, and Viceroy puts you right at its base with more room to spread out.
Key Amenities
- Ski-in/ski-out on Assay Hill
- Full-service spa
- Year-round pool terrace and café
- On-site ski lessons, rentals and passes
- Steps from Base Village shops and dining
- Roughly 15 minutes from Aspen's airport
Option 03
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
Highlights
A five star resort nestled at the base of Aspen Mountain, steps from the lifts, with rustic elegance throughout. After the slopes, unwind in the Remède Spa or by the hot tubs, then settle in for dinner at Velvet Buck.
Key Amenities
- Steps from Aspen Mountain
- Remède Spa
- Two hot tubs and a fitness center
- Velvet Buck dining
- Ski storage and ski passes on site
- Downtown Aspen location
More Options
Four more places worth a look
Highlands
Ritz-Carlton Club, Aspen Highlands
Residence-style stays on the Aspen Highlands slopes, with a members' lounge, heated pools and hot tubs, a spa, and a games room.
Snowmass
Limelight Hotel Snowmass
A modern 99-room hotel with ski-in/ski-out access to the Elk Camp Gondola and indoor/outdoor living that opens onto Base Village.
Snowmass
Viewline Resort Snowmass
254 rooms including 18 suites and two penthouses with full kitchens. Ask for a ski-out suite directly off Fanny Hill.
Buttermilk
The Inn at Aspen
The only ski-in/ski-out hotel at the base of Buttermilk, beside the lifts and ski school. 121 rooms, a pool, hot tub and fire pit, complimentary ski lockers and a free shuttle.
Compare
| Property | Area | Level | Ski access | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Little Nell | Aspen | Five star | Ski in/ski out, Aspen Mountain | In-town luxury, true ski-on |
| Viceroy Snowmass | Snowmass Village | Five star | Ski in/ski out, Assay Hill | Space, families, groups |
| The St. Regis Aspen | Aspen | Five star | Steps from Aspen Mountain | Spa and classic luxury |
| Ritz-Carlton Club | Aspen Highlands | Luxury residences | Ski in/ski out, Highlands | Longer stays, residence living |
| Limelight Snowmass | Snowmass Village | Upscale | Ski in/ski out, Elk Camp Gondola | Lively Base Village stay |
| Viewline Snowmass | Snowmass Village | Upscale | Ski-out suites, Fanny Hill | Suites with full kitchens |
| The Inn at Aspen | Buttermilk | Ski-in/ski-out lodge | Ski in/ski out, Buttermilk base | Easy access, closest to the airport |
The Map
Snowmass is 7 miles from Aspen Mountain, with Buttermilk and Highlands between
Distances are straight-line miles between base areas, and each grid square is one mile. By road, Snowmass Village is about 12 miles from Aspen.
- 1Viceroy SnowmassFive star, Snowmass Base Village
- 2Limelight Hotel SnowmassUpscale, Snowmass Base Village
- 3Viewline Resort SnowmassUpscale, ski-out suites on Fanny Hill
- 4The Little NellFive star, base of Aspen Mountain
- 5The St. Regis Aspen ResortFive star, base of Aspen Mountain
- 6Ritz-Carlton Club, Aspen HighlandsLuxury residences, Highlands base
- 7The Inn at AspenSki-in/ski-out lodge, Buttermilk base
Markers in the same base area are spread slightly so each one stays readable.
Where to Dine
A dining scene worth the trip on its own
From a Michelin-starred tasting menu to wood-fired cooking near the gondola, these twelve favorites are where I would book first. Once your dates are set, I will help with reservations.
Betula
French with Latin American flavors
Dine upstairs with views of Aspen Mountain and order the tuna ceviche.
betulaaspen.com InstagramBosq
Rocky Mountain tasting menu
Aspen's Michelin-starred restaurant, with an ever-changing menu built from foraged and fermented ingredients.
bosqaspen.comCache Cache
French technique, Colorado farms
A local favorite since 1987, made for a long, wine-friendly dinner and caviar with house potato chips.
cachecache.com InstagramElement 47
Fine dining at The Little Nell
Michelin Guide recommended, with a cellar of more than 20,000 bottles, Colorado wagyu and house-made pasta.
thelittlenell.comMawa's Kitchen
West African
Chef Mawa McQueen serves plantain bread, beef suya skewers and Senegalese-style rotisserie chicken.
mawaskitchen.comMt. Rubirosa
Italian-American pizza and pasta
A relaxed group dinner near the gondola after a day on the slopes, with a famous tie-dye pizza.
mtrubirosa.com InstagramPARC Aspen
Peruvian and French influences
Chef Stefano Schiaffino serves dishes such as elk loin and cast-iron steaks with Colorado ingredients.
parcaspen.com InstagramPetit Trois
French bistro
Chef Ludo Lefebvre's bistro inside the MOLLIE hotel, with French onion soup, Burgundy escargots and steak frites.
petittrois.comProspect
Seasonal American, Hotel Jerome
Michelin Guide recommended in the historic Hotel Jerome, and a natural pairing with a drink at the nearby J-Bar.
auberge.comWayan
French-Indonesian
Sharing plates made to pass around the table: lobster noodles, crab fried rice and Colorado lamb satay.
wayan-restaurants.com InstagramWest End Social
Colorado shared plates
A relaxed spot at Aspen Meadows with mountain views and a menu built around local producers.
aspenmeadows.comZigZag
Wood-fired cooking
Wood-oven cooking near Aspen Mountain, in a space that keeps its wood-burning oven from the restaurant before it.
zigzagaspen.com
Restaurant picks from The Adventurist's Aspen restaurant guide.
Weather & Snow
A strong start to the winter
Local forecasters expect above-normal snowfall for 2026-27, supported by an active El Niño pattern. Seasonal outlooks are not guarantees, so I will keep an eye on conditions as your dates approach.
| Mountain | Opens |
|---|---|
| Aspen Mountain | November 26, 2026 |
| Snowmass | November 26, 2026 |
| Aspen Highlands | December 12, 2026 |
| Buttermilk | December 12, 2026 |
All four mountains should be open for a mid to late December trip. Plan to layer, since mornings are cold and sunny afternoons feel much milder. For live snow totals, open trails and lift status, use the official Aspen Snowmass Snow Report.
Sources: Aspen Daily News, OnTheSnow, Z Rankings.
Getting There
Four airports, one easy favorite
Aspen/Pitkin County is the closest and most convenient, with Eagle County Regional as the best backup and Denver offering the most flight options.
| Airport | Distance and drive time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Aspen/Pitkin County (ASE) | 3 miles from downtown Aspen; 6.5 miles (about 15 minutes) from Snowmass Village | Closest option, with daily flights to Denver. Mountain weather can cause delays. |
| Eagle County Regional (EGE) | About 70 miles from Aspen; about 1.5 hours by road | Wider variety of routes than Aspen and less affected by weather. |
| Grand Junction Regional (GJT) | About 2 hours by road | A further backup option. |
| Denver International (DEN) | About 191 miles to Aspen via I-70 and Highway 82; about 4 hours | Most flight options. Independence Pass closes in winter, so the I-70 route is the one to use. |
Shuttles run daily between Denver or Eagle and Aspen and Snowmass, which saves you winter driving. I can arrange private transfers or a rental car for you.
Sample Itinerary
Five nights, four days on the snow
Arrival and departure days are for travel only, so every full day is yours for skiing, dining and unwinding. This is a starting point, and I will tailor it to your skiing level, lessons and reservations.
Arrive
Travel day only. Fly into Aspen, or into Eagle or Denver with a shuttle or private transfer, and check in. If you feel like it, an easy first dinner at Mt. Rubirosa near the gondola.
Aspen Mountain
Ski Aspen Mountain straight from the Silver Queen Gondola, with a long lunch on the hill. Warm up after skiing, then dinner at Cache Cache.
Snowmass
Spend the day on Snowmass, the largest of the four mountains, with room to roam. Dinner at Wayan, with shared plates passed around the table.
Highlands or Buttermilk
Choose Aspen Highlands or Buttermilk, whichever suits your group. A lesson or a guide is easy to add. Dinner at PARC Aspen.
Slow morning, big finale
Sleep in and make time for the spa, then a half day on the snow or a stroll through town. Farewell dinner at Element 47 or Bosq, booked well ahead.
Depart
Travel day only. Breakfast, a last look at the mountains, and your transfer to the airport.
Good to Know
- Holiday pricing. Christmas and New Year weeks run roughly double shoulder-season rates and book up early. The first two weeks of December offer the best value.
- Minimum stays. Expect minimums over the holidays. Ritz-Carlton Club residences are typically offered as 7-night, Saturday-to-Saturday stays.
- 80th season savings. Aspen Snowmass is celebrating with lodging and lift ticket deals December 12-14, 2026. The Little Nell is offering 30% off December 11-14, and the Limelight hotels have offers on select nights. If your dates are flexible, this is the most affordable window to ski here.
- Ikon Base Pass holders. The new Aspen Snowmass Base Pass is blacked out December 26-30, 2026.
Recommendation
Where I would stay
First choice: The Little Nell. It is the only true ski in/ski out hotel in Aspen proper, with Michelin Guide recommended dining downstairs and the whole town steps away. If you want the full Aspen experience in one address, this is it.
Runner-up: Viceroy Snowmass. If you would rather have space, a lively base village and a slightly quieter pace, Viceroy puts you slopeside on the largest of the four mountains.