Aspen Essentials | Travel + Leisure




Aspen Essentials

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Where to Stay

The Little Nell The location—at the base of Aspen Mountain, surrounded by the shops and restaurants of downtown—doesn't get any better; the 92 rooms are expensive, but perhaps worth it for the pool scene alone. From the chaise longues, you can look straight up at the slopes—or straight across at all sorts of Beautiful People. The celeb sommelier, Richard Betts, gives twice-monthly wine-and-cheese tastings. You can hear him speak poetically of Tuscan reds while your kids perfect their cannonballs. 675 E. Durant Ave.; 970/920-4600; www.thelittlenell.com; doubles from $660.

St. Regis Resort Aspen A red-brick giant, the 179-room St. Regis is very kid-friendly despite its polished-brass ambience. There's a new spa, an outdoor pool with three hot tubs, and a concierge floor of loft-style rooms ideal for parents and kids. 315 E. Dean St.; 970/ 920-3300; www.stregis.com; doubles from $495.

Hotel Lenado Designed by local architect Harry Teague, this inn has a bright industrial look and a B&B spirit. The theme is wood, with twig couches in the lobby and log furniture in the bedrooms. 200 S. Aspen St.; 800/ 321-3457; www.hotellenado.com; doubles from $260.

Sky Hotel While movie producers hole up in the Little Nell, struggling screenwriters and their families splurge at this overhauled motel. Picture a woodsy lounge full of neo-seventies furnishings. There's also a small, chic pool area. It's a twentysomething scene, but kids are welcomed. 709 E. Durant Ave.; 800/882-2582; www.theskyhotel.com; doubles from $289.

Tip To find the cheapest (and sometimes most charming) rooms, many in Victorian B&B's such as the Little Red Ski Haus, go to www.gemsofaspen.com. Warm-weather rates can dip below $100 a night.

Where to Eat

BREAKFAST

Main Street Bakery The draws: glazed donuts; mountainous servings of eggs, potatoes, and pancakes; the sunniest, albeit most rickety, outdoor tables in town. 201 E. Main St.; 970/925-6446; breakfast for four $40.

Café Bernard For our favorite croissants and French toast, drive (or bike) 17 miles down valley to Basalt. Café Bernard's owners, an eccentric French chef and his wife, also turn out homemade apricot and berry jams, Irish oatmeal, and Belgian waffles. 200 Midland Ave., Basalt; 970/927-4292; breakfast for four $30.

LUNCH AND DINNER

Ajax Tavern Here's the spot that works for everyone. It's at the base of Aspen Mountain, with outdoor tables shaded by bright red umbrellas. The cooking is Californian-Italian—lots of vegetables; Parmesan in everything. Also, the hamburgers and french fries are truly fantastic. 685 E. Durant Ave.; 970/920-9333; lunch for four $60.

Matsuhisa This hip, expensive Japanese restaurant is also kid-friendly—we usually sit at the sushi bar, and my sons discuss knife techniques with the chefs. We love the people-watching, the tuna tataki salad, and the flat- screen videos of surfing and snowboarding. 303 E. Main St.; 970/544-6628; dinner for four $240.

New York Pizza A crazy-busy place, with red-and- white plastic tablecloths and huge floppy slices. Clean off outside—there's a sidewalk fountain that sprays jets of water in impossible-to-predict patterns. 409 E. Hyman Ave.; 970/920-3088; pizza for four $12.

Where to Shop

Short Sport The place for kids' Teva sandals, Merrills, cool sunglasses, and plastic saber-toothed tigers. There's also a room full of ski gear and snow boots, since it does sometimes snow in July. 613 E. Cooper Ave.; 970/920-3195.

Explore Booksellers One of the nicest bookstores—and vegan cafés—on the planet. It occupies a little Victorian on Main Street, and has a children's section with reading nooks. 221 E. Main St.; 970/925-5336.

Carl's Pharmacy People who actually live here go to Carl's for everything: toothbrushes, coconut foot cream, oxygen canisters (to combat altitude sickness), and vitamin packs. There's also a small grocery, a liquor store, a great toy section and a fishpond! 306 E. Main St.; 970/925-3273.

Farmers' Market Beyond Matsuhisa, the best people-watching takes place downtown on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There's locally grown produce for sale; kids' gear, from tie-dyed T-shirts to furry purses; and even an Airstream trailer full of ceramics. My favorite booth belongs to the Ice Man, who sells his own organic Italian ices. His two young daughters often help out, and, like most people in town, they add a little extra for kids. —L.S.B.

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