Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Aspen is fun in Summer and Winter

I was glad to get in one ski trip this year to the best ski resort in the world; –Aspen’s majestic Rocky Mountain views and premier amenities.
The St. Regis Aspen Resort has an exclusive partnership and licensing agreement with FOOD & WINE to debut “Chefs Club.”

Chefs Club by FOOD & WINE is a new restaurant concept that will bring the Food brand to life through their signature Best New Chefs Awards platform, which honors the country’s most promising up-and-coming chefs.  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide,  V.P. of U.S. Luxury Brands, Carlos Becil, said “As one of the world’s most affluent resort destinations, Aspen has become a ‘must’ on today’s New Grand Tour and St. Regis is inimitably positioned to cater to the needs of these global travelers.” The new global Grand Tour itinerary – a tradition beginning in the early 19th century when each generation of affluence travelled through Europe to experience education.It was a sort of finishing school for aristocrats to collect experiences and understand different cultures.  Subsequently, today’s elite communities also travel to Old World cities including London, Rome and New York in addition to new world hotspots as diverse as Aspen, Shenzhen, New Delhi and Abu Dhabi. The redesign of The St. Regis Aspen Resort illustrates John Jacob Astor IV’s vision to create ‘the finest hotel in the world’ with the most exquisite culinary offerings.
The Victorian age made travel romantic and the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic carrying many of those on the Grand Tour from the Old world and the New World, did not diminished the desire to travel.
The St. Regis Aspen has undergone an extensive interior and exterior renovation.  It’s nestled at the base of Aspen Mountain, 1 block from the Cooper Avenue and Mill Street pedestrian malls. The 15,000-square-foot Remède Spa  features 15 treatment rooms, for treatments, Yoga, a boutique, and locker facilities with saunas, vapor caves, and spa tubs. The hotel has dark wood paneling with plush leather couches and overstuffed chairs. It’s a fantastic experience, to be treated like royalty and to sit at the fireplace in this sumptuous setting to savor it.
You can book rooms at the St. Regis via Expedia for as little as $249 a night and there is NO charge for parking in the garage. SPG Elite members can get discounts through March 31, 2013 for:
•    Up to 35% off rates
•    Daily complimentary continental breakfast
When you use rate plan SPG35B
The only trouble I had was that my eyes hurt after skiing but the butler sent me a humidifier to relieve this ailment caused by the dry mountain air. I love the small touches provided, like the ice bucket kept refilling itself and the weather forecast showed up beside the bed.
Plans for the St. Regis brand to globally continue its legacy include long-awaited St. Regis hotels and resorts in Buenos Aires and the Riviera Maya. In Asia, St. Regis has also announced plans to open hotels in Changsha, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lijiang, New Delhi and Zhuhai. In Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the St. Regis brand will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Doha and Mauritius. The distinctive trait of the St. Regis experience is customized service and attention to detail through the signature St. Regis Butler Service, coveted locations and luxurious design, that make me want to return. I don’t think its just a one time visit on the Grand Tour itinerary as they suggest.
The U.S.Ski Team Foursquare campaign with celebrity Skiers like Vonn and Andrew Weibrecht offers tips from their Olympic experience. You can see where they are and hang out with them for après ski!
foursquare
I love the fun badges I’ve been collecting on Foursquare like the new Audi badge.