The view from the top … of the mountain, that is
This is where you go to run away — like a rock star
JENNY BLOCK | Contributing Writer
jennyeblock@icloud.com
Going to Aspen always makes me feel fancy — The tiny planes that fly into the airport filled with people dressed to the nines. The little airport that feels private despite being public. The cars and drivers lined up outside awaiting visitors.
That fancy feeling was especially true on my most recent visit. I flew in with my wife for a 36-hour relax-and-renew, Aspen style, and our little getaway resulted in exactly that.
The minute we walked out of the airport, a member of the Wheels team from W Aspen was waiting for us. (The W Aspen has adorable names for each department or area in the hotel.) It was a cool and sunny September day, making for a very picturesque ride. We checked in, and, as we walked to our room, I had a feeling we were in for a real treat. And we were.
Robin on the gondola, surrounded by the amazing view
They call it the “Extreme Wow Suite,” and it was both extreme and wow. I would not have believed what was waiting for us if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. It was wild.
The room has a round bed that spins around so you can enjoy the views either inside the room or outside beyond the large balcony. There was a large high-top table, a groovy couch and a gas fireplace. There was a turntable, a very eclectic record collection and a hot tub just outside the extremely well-appointed bathroom.
It felt fun and funky and somehow a little naughty, too, like the place where all the cool cats go to hang. Let’s just say you could host a very chic after party there; think après ski during Aspen Gay Ski Week …
Once we settled in, we took a look around the whole property, There is the WET Deck Rooftop, which has a fab pool and bar; a very cool club, Ponyboy, that has an underground vibe and amazing art, and the residences, which are so dreamy.
It was weird: It’s a super upscale hotel with envious, super cool décor, but it immediately felt like home. It might be the staff. It might be the vibe. But whatever it was, I was ready to come back before I even left.
For dinner, we went to W Aspen’s main restaurant, 39 Degrees, and — just like our suite — it was full-on wow. We started with their famed KFC (Korean Fried Cauliflower) with gochujang sauce. I could have eaten just that all night. It was crispy and perfectly sauced.
Then we had the Street Elotes Dip with charred corn and cotija served with corn tortilla chips. The only problem with this dish is it is very hard to control yourself. It is so good and, honestly, could be a meal unto itself.
My wife had the Miso Marinated Salmon as her main, which she said was a slam dunk. And I had the Poke Bowl, which was out of this world.
After dinner — I’ll be honest — we crashed. Blame it on the travel. Blame it on the altitude. Whatever it was, we slept like rocks.
We decided to order room service for breakfast since I needed to get up and out for my hike. My wife opted for the avocado toast on sourdough bread, and I went for more classic fare: two over-easy eggs with extra crispy bacon. I also had their Green Machine smoothie with spinach and kale. With a suite like that, you don’t want to miss any opportunity to enjoy it. So a delicious in-room breakfast was perfect.
Another fabulous mountain view
I love to hike. I am not good at it, but I love it. I asked around about the best hiking trail for non-hikers and the replies were unanimous — the Rio Grande Trail.
I met my guide, Cecily Nordstrom, at The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), which is a really impressive center for kids and adults, too, with information all about the area and the trails and the wildlife.
I warned her about my skill level and told her that what I lack in talent, I make up for in enthusiasm. And we were off to the races. Well, to the trail, anyway.
To say it was beautiful is truly an understatement — the trees and the river and the sun glittering through it all. Just an hour earlier it had been pouring and quite cold, but by the time we hit the trail, it was sunny and tank-top-worthy.
We saw deer and chipmunks, and Cecily taught me all about the aspens that fluttered all around us. She was so sweet and so much fun and outrageously knowledgeable.
I was nervous, to be honest. Colorado is the land of outdoor adventure, and I am definitely a novice at that. But Cecily made me feel like a pro, and it was a true highlight of the trip.
The Extreme Wow Suite lives up to its name
After the hike, I went back to the hotel and devoured their fried chicken sandwich with Korean hot oil, Asian cabbage slaw and kimchi aioli on a potato bun. It was basically my dream sandwich, albeit rather messy. Why does food taste so good after adventuring? My wife went old school and had the W Burger on a brioche bun.
After lunch we wandered around town and window-shopped at all of the fabulous stores and galleries. There are so many great shops and so much wonderful art. Hometown favorite Miron Crosby even has a fabulous place there now! We stopped for coffee at the cutest little spot called Bear Den, and I made note to go back for a meal for sure.
We got back to the W and quickly got to relaxing. We had big plans to go out for dinner. But we were so happy and relaxed, we just ordered in instead. We had the 550 Ramen with Togarashi chicken and a 6-minute egg. It was so, so good.
We spent the evening pretending we were rock stars hiding from the press, watching movies and raiding the mini-bar.
In the morning, we walked the one block to the Aspen Mountain Silver Queen Gondola and took a ride to the top of the mountain. The view was amazing all along the way and spectacular at the top. We wandered around and took a zillion photos. I look forward to going back and skiing down instead.
After we got back down to the bottom of the mountain, it was, sadly, time to pack up and head to the airport. It was way too short of a visit. But I have to say, even with only a short time there, it’s easy to relax and unwind almost the minute you arrive.
Must be that magical mountain air. Or maybe that kick-ass suite …
