For additional information, or to make a reservation, click on Hotel Jerome or on Tablet Hotels.

Neither a faux-Swiss chalet nor an overtly Old Western period piece, the Lenado is a rather more contemporary version of Rocky Mountain rustic comfort. The exterior is an updated version of the classic peak-roofed ski lodge, while inside an enormous concrete fireplace, inlaid with contrasting stone, stands 28 feet tall over the lobby lounge.

The bedrooms are closer to the traditional idea of the ski lodge, each with a wood-burning stove, a four-poster bed in applewood or hickory, and antique cherry armoires, along with upscale touches like Bose stereo systems.

The location is convenient to downtown Aspen’s wealth of restaurants, as well as its nightlife and shopping offerings. You’re not completely on your own, though — a surprisingly elaborate breakfast is served in the bar, followed by complimentary hors d’oeuvres and hot apple cider at the end of the skiing day. The lobby lounge with its huge fire and deep sofas is cozy as can be, and the rooftop deck, complete with hot tub, has a view of Aspen Mountain.

For additional information, or to make a reservation, click on Hotel Jerome or on Tablet Hotels.

Little Nell is the heart of Aspen’s sophistication, where Gary Cooper once clinked glasses with Hedy Lemarr. It’s America’s answer to Badrutts in St Moritz. Perhaps it is the location that makes it so grand—just steps away from the status-symbol Silver Queen Gondola. With its sloping ceilings and fireplaces in each room, Little Nell is less opulent than its rival, the St. Regis, but in a way, it’s more elite. The best room, hands down, is the Elizabeth Paepcke suite, with its 20-foot ceilings, its heated marble floors and a private exit straight out to Silver Queen so you can jump the lift line. Locals and guests alike flock to the warmly lit environs of the restaurant, which serves up cuisine you wouldn’t have thought possible in the Mountain West – foie-gras, crab and avocado ravioli, and an 11,000-bottle wine cellar. It’s considered to be the best restaurant in town. For a small fee of $70,000 a year, you can belong to its Aspen Mountain Club, a gentleman’s retreat of Austrian antiques and hand-woven carpets, where you can lunch on lobster club sandwiches with society’s best, and watch the athletically talented navigate the treacherous slopes of Snowmass.

Of course, as a guest at Little Nell, you will feel a bit on the outside. The real jet-setters—Goldie Hawn, Kevin Costner, and the like—have their own homes. Still it’s not a bad thing to get a room and be in the company of plebians like Sir Sean Connery and Ivana Trump. Besides, the après-ski spiked hot chocolate at Little Nell is quite an institution. Aspen address or no, for those few moments, you’ll feel very much part of the in-crowd. Just be sure to wear proper sport attire and not to skimp on the fur.

For additional information, or to make a reservation, click on The Little Nell or on Tablet Hotels.

For a slightly more traditional hotel experience, the Carriage House (naturally) is just behind the Sardy House, and is home to one luxury apartment as well as six hotel rooms. The Ajax rooms are the queen rooms, and the Pyramid the king, both named for area mountains. High speed wireless internet, DVD players, and whirlpool baths (for that après-ski soak) are all standard, as are humidifiers (a necessity in the ultra-dry Colorado winter).

There is more to Aspen than skiing, of course. Names tend toward the literal in this part of the world (I can say this, having grown up in both Littleton and Boulder), which means Aspen is named for a certain white tree whose leaves change color in a most spectacular manner. Thus the nature lover may find Aspen most compelling in the brief and unpredictable fall season. Hiking and fly fishing are leading summer attractions, and the town's status as an upscale getaway means there is quite a bit more cosmopolitan culture here than in many other mountain towns.

For additional information, or to make a reservation, click on The Sardy House or on Tablet Hotels.

To be fair, the eclectic mix of modern furnishings, from the stretched-out wingback chairs to the vaguely mid-century kidney-shaped tables, looks a bit more outré in the context of a ski hotel than in a big-city boutique, which is, of course, pretty much the point of this place.

Urbane touches like L’Occitane bath products, free wireless internet, iPod-ready stereo systems, all right at the foot of Ajax mountain — it’s not rocket science here, but it’s a combination the world could use a lot more of. Add in a hip-but-not-alienatingly-so cocktail bar, the 39 Degrees Lounge (don’t worry, it’s quite a bit warmer than its name) and suddenly Aspen is looking a whole lot younger.

For additional information, or to make a reservation, click on The Sky Hotel or on Tablet Hotels.