Hotel Jerome, Aspen, Colorado

Where it is

You'll find it on East Main Street, right in the centre of town, at around 2,400 metres in the Roaring Fork Valley, a few minutes' walk from the galleries, shops and restaurants and roughly a seven-minute stroll from the gondola up Aspen Mountain. Aspen's airport is a few miles away, with connections through Denver.

All four of Aspen's ski mountains, Aspen Mountain, Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass, are within easy reach, and the hotel runs a complimentary car service around the valley.

Rooms and suites

Roughly 100 rooms and suites divide between the 1889 red-brick front building and a later wing to the rear. Designer Todd-Avery Lenahan reworked them in a mountain-modern style that respects the Victorian past: rich woods, leather, antiques, Western touches and fireplaces. Rooms are generous by Aspen standards, starting at about 49 square metres, and many look out to the mountain.

Bars, food and the rest

On the corner, the J-Bar is part of the town's folklore: legend says the boozy Aspen Crud milkshake was dreamt up here when Prohibition banned straight drinks, Hunter S. Thompson treated it as his office. Prospect is the main restaurant, with a terrace in summer, and Bad Harriet is a cellar cocktail bar named after the founder's wife.

Outside, a heated pool and hot tubs sit beside the garden; inside there's a spa and gym, and a ski concierge to sort equipment, lessons and guides. In summer the team can arrange everything from Maroon Bells hikes to hot-air balloon flights.

The moment

A classic Aspen day: ski the long runs of Aspen Mountain straight down into town, walk a few blocks back, sink into the hot tub as the peaks glow at sunset, then join locals and visitors at the J-Bar, as people have for more than a century.

Why we chose it

The Jerome combines real history and personality with modern comfort. It is not ski-in, ski-out and it sits in a lively town rather than a quiet valley, but that is the point: it is the beating heart of Aspen, ideal for travellers who enjoy good restaurants, culture and a sociable bar after the mountain.

For a quieter contrast, add Dunton Hot Springs or Sundance to the trip.

When to go

Aspen's busiest weeks follow the American school calendar: Christmas and New Year, Presidents' Day week in February and spring break in March. Early December, January after the holidays and the first half of March are usually calmer, with good snow and easier restaurant bookings.

Summer brings the Music Festival, Ideas Festival and Food & Wine Classic, so it is lively too. Early to mid-September, after Labor Day, is a lovely quieter window, with golden aspens and warm days. Late spring and late autumn are Aspen's off-season, when some restaurants and lifts close.

The longer stay

A week lets you ski all four mountains, take a day off for the spa and enjoy the town's restaurants at an unhurried pace. In summer or early autumn, combine Aspen with Independence Pass, the Maroon Bells and a drive south through the San Juans to Dunton and Telluride.