Heather C.
Yelp
My beau works in Aspen twice a year and his employers put him up here for several weeks at a time. After several long stays at the Mountain Chalet, I must speak up and announce it a blessed place.
I honestly think it has a lot to do with its owners, the Melville family. They have set a tone that is warm and friendly. We have met many other guests who return repeatedly and they all agree: It's the best hotel in Aspen. Conversing with one of the Melville daughters over breakfast, I asked about their marketing plan, she responded: "We don't need one. We have so many repeat customers that word-of-mouth takes care of it."
For sure, the breakfast clubs that form naturally every day are something special. I have met many wonderful folks that are in Aspen for a wide variety of reasons. During my last visit, I met a charming young DJ from Miami who was there to help open a nightclub and we discussed world travel over our delicious meal.
Sitting across from the very fancy corporate hotel in stark contrast, the Mountain Chalet is decorated in Swiss motifs and captivating black-and-white photographs from the early days of Aspen, including the Mountain Chalet itself which was built in 1954. You can just feel the history in the hallways.
I'm especially fond of Buddha the Bulldog that hangs out in front of the gym and the nightly tea and cookie service. During our last visit, we tapped into their stash of board games kept at the front desk and spent the evening in front of the lobby fire playing an embarrassing game of Scrabble, as passing guests offered word tips. It felt like home.
Best of all? It's located in the heart of downtown Aspen and you can walk anywhere. The pool, hot tub, sauna and steam room are certainly nice to have around too.
And, in each room, there is a blessing from the Melville family that reads, in part:
"May this room and hotel be your 'second home.' May those you love be near you in thoughts and dreams, if not in body. We want to get to know you and hope that you will be comfortable and happy as if you were in your own home.....We are all travelers. From birth until death we travel between eternities. May these days be pleasant for you, profitable for society, helpful for those you meet and a joy to those who know and love you best."