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Where to Stay in Aspen (2026/27 Ski Season): 5 Areas, 12 Hotels and the Lodging Tax

By Casey, Gently Yonder editor

Aspen and Snowmass 2026/27: five areas from downtown to down valley, 12 hotels, season dates, the April 2027 airport closure and the 12.35% lodging tax.

Last updated · 15 min read

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In this guide13 sections
  1. The short answer
  2. The 2026/27 season
  3. Downtown Aspen: restaurants, galleries and the gondola
  4. The base of Aspen Mountain: two luxury resorts
  5. Snowmass at the lifts: ski-in, ski-out
  6. Snowmass, lower-priced: Stonebridge Inn and Mountain Chalet
  7. Down valley: Basalt and Glenwood Springs
  8. The lodging tax
  9. Getting in, and around
  10. How to book Aspen
  11. All 12 at a glance
  12. Before you go
  13. Frequently asked questions

Aspen’s room rate is only the start of the bill. The City of Aspen says that from 2026 the combined sales and lodging taxes on a night in a traditional lodge come to 12.35%, and the Town of Snowmass Village’s own tax guide puts a Snowmass hotel night at 13.05%. The season has its own wrinkle: Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are scheduled to open on 26 November 2026, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk on 12 December, and the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is due to close from 4 April 2027, while Aspen Mountain is still scheduled to be skiing until 18 April.

This guide covers the season dates, five places to stay, 12 hotels from the base of Aspen Mountain to Basalt and Glenwood Springs, the lodging tax with a worked example, and the ways in and around by air, road and the RFTA bus. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked on its own website in November 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

If you want… Stay in Why
restaurants, galleries and the gondola on foot Downtown Aspen Three hotels in and just off the centre, one dating from 1889
to sleep at the foot of Aspen Mountain The base of Aspen Mountain Two luxury resorts that describe themselves as at the mountain’s base
ski-in, ski-out and a family resort Snowmass at the lifts Three hotels that each publish direct access to Snowmass lifts
a lower price in Snowmass Snowmass, lower-priced A renovated inn and a 64-room chalet near the Mall
the lowest total, if you will take the bus Down valley: Basalt and Glenwood Springs Two hotels outside Aspen, reached by a paid RFTA ride

Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.

A snow-covered mountain ridge with dark evergreen trees on its flank under a blue sky with thin cloud
A snowy ridge in the Aspen area. Photo: Alberto E / Pexels

The 2026/27 season

The resort’s own FAQ gives the scheduled dates for each of its four mountains, and they depend on weather and conditions.

Mountain Scheduled opening Scheduled closing
Aspen Mountain 26 November 2026 18 April 2027
Snowmass 26 November 2026 11 April 2027
Aspen Highlands 12 December 2026 11 April 2027
Buttermilk 12 December 2026 4 April 2027

Two details are worth knowing before you book. First, the resort’s general “visit” page shows a single window of 26 November to 18 April for the whole resort, but the lift-ticket FAQ, which sets the dates mountain by mountain, closes Snowmass on 11 April. Second, one lift ticket covers all four mountains, according to Snowmass Village’s tourism office, and Ikon Pass holders can ski up to seven days across the resort.

The bigger issue for a spring trip is the airport. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport says it will close from 11:00 pm on Sunday 4 April 2027 until 7:00 pm on Friday 19 November 2027 for a full runway rebuild. That leaves two weeks of Aspen Mountain’s scheduled season with no flights into Aspen itself, so an April trip means flying into one of the regional airports described below.

Snow-covered mountains and pine trees under a clear blue sky, seen from a high viewpoint
Snow-covered mountains and pines in the Aspen area. Photo: Alberto E / Pexels

Downtown Aspen: restaurants, galleries and the gondola

Downtown is where most visitors want to be, with dining and shopping a walk away, and one of the three hotels here puts the Silver Queen Gondola within walking distance. They run from a hotel that has stood since 1889 to a boutique hotel that includes breakfast.

Where to stay in Downtown Aspen

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

The base of Aspen Mountain: two luxury resorts

At the foot of Aspen Mountain, two resorts describe themselves as at the base, and both are splurges. They suit a short, ski-focused stay.

Two snow-covered rocky peaks above a valley with yellow autumn trees, a small lake and a wooden fence in the foreground
The Maroon Bells with early snow, near Aspen. Photo: Jeff Wiles / Pexels

Where to stay at the base of Aspen Mountain

Snowmass at the lifts: ski-in, ski-out

Snowmass Village is a separate resort village about 6 miles from the airport and, according to the village’s tourism office, about 9 miles from Aspen, with free shuttles linking the two. The village’s tourism office says there is no need for a car once you are there. These three hotels each publish direct lift access.

Snow-covered buildings on a hillside with bare trees, and mountains behind under a cloudy sky
Snow on a Colorado mountain hillside; the photographer's label names the state, not the resort. Photo: Quang Vuong / Pexels

Where to stay in Snowmass at the lifts

Snowmass, lower-priced: Stonebridge Inn and Mountain Chalet

Two Snowmass hotels sit lower on the price scale than the resorts above, and each still describes lift access.

Where to stay in Snowmass, lower-priced

Down valley: Basalt and Glenwood Springs

Staying down the Roaring Fork Valley costs a bus ride each way. Glenwood Springs is 41 miles from Aspen on Highway 82, according to Aspen Snowmass.

An aerial view at night of the lights of a town in a mountain valley, with dark ridges rising above
The lights of Glenwood Springs at night, as labelled by the photographer. Photo: Intricate Explorer / Pexels

Where to stay down valley

The lodging tax

Aspen and Snowmass Village each add their own taxes on top of the room rate. We found official figures for both; the down-valley towns set their own rates, which we did not verify, so check the total at checkout there.

Where Sales taxes Lodging tax Total on a hotel night
City of Aspen, traditional lodge 10.35% 2.00% 12.35%
Town of Snowmass Village 10.65% 2.40% 13.05%

The City of Aspen lists its 2026 sales tax as 10.35%: the city 2.70%, Pitkin County 3.60%, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority 0.40%, the State of Colorado 2.90%, the Aspen Fire Protection District 0.50% and the Confluence Early Childhood Development Service District 0.25%. Its two lodging taxes are 1.00% each. Snowmass Village’s guide lists its sales tax as 10.65%, with the town at 3.50%, the state at 2.90%, the county at 3.60%, the transportation authority at 0.40% and Confluence at 0.25%, plus a 2.40% town lodging tax.

If you rent a house or condo instead of a hotel room in Aspen, the rate is higher. The city’s page lists 17.35% for an owner-occupied or lodge-exempt short-term rental and 22.35% for an investment or second-home “classic” permitted property.

A worked example, our arithmetic: a US$500 room is US$61.75 more in Aspen at 12.35%, so US$561.75, and US$65.25 more in Snowmass Village at 13.05%, so US$565.25. The same US$500 in a classic short-term rental in Aspen at 22.35% would come to US$611.75. We have not verified whether either place applies the tax to extra fees such as a resort charge, so ask the hotel whether any added fee is taxed too. For how this compares, see hotel taxes around the world.

Getting in, and around

By air. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is 3 miles east of downtown Aspen on Highway 82, according to Aspen Snowmass, and about 6 miles from Snowmass Village, a drive of roughly 15 minutes. The airport says free RFTA bus service runs into Aspen and Snowmass Village, and taxis and hotel shuttles meet guests outside Baggage Claim. Rental cars are at the airport from Avis and Budget.

Other airports. Aspen Snowmass lists the distances to downtown Aspen as 70 miles from Eagle County Airport (EGE), 125 miles from Grand Junction (GJT) and 220 miles from Denver (DEN), all via I-70 and Colorado 82. The airport’s closure FAQ names Denver, Grand Junction, Montrose and Vail/Eagle County as the airports to use while ASE is closed in 2027, and says transport between them and Aspen had not been arranged when it was written, though rental cars stay available. Roaring Fork Express, listed on the Aspen Snowmass site, runs scheduled shuttles between Aspen and Snowmass and either Denver or Eagle; we could not confirm its fares.

By road in winter. Highway 82 over Independence Pass, east of Aspen, is closed generally from late October through May, so the way in from Denver is I-70 to Glenwood Springs and then 41 miles on Highway 82.

By bus. The RFTA fare table lists these adult single fares from the Aspen and Snowmass Village zone:

To Fare
Within Aspen and Snowmass Village, and Aspen to Snowmass Village Free
Aspen Village $2
Basalt, Willits, El Jebel $3
Carbondale $4
Glenwood Springs $5

All City of Aspen routes are free, and the winter-only Four Mountain Connector, which links Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass, is always free. Seniors 65 and over and children 5 and under ride free, and youths aged 6 to 18 pay $1 when they leave the free zone.

How to book Aspen

All 12 at a glance

Hotel Area Tier Best for Watch out for
Hotel Jerome Downtown Aspen Splurge A historic address in town Online booking was unavailable; call
Limelight Hotel Aspen Downtown Aspen Comfortable A boutique base with breakfast Shuttle fee not stated
MOLLIE Aspen Downtown Aspen Comfortable A smaller base near downtown No distance to the mountain stated
The Little Nell The base of Aspen Mountain Splurge Slopes at the door Closing for renovations from April 2027
The St. Regis Aspen Resort The base of Aspen Mountain Splurge A large resort with a 24-hour pool Poolside bar closed for the season
Viceroy Snowmass Snowmass at the lifts Splurge Suites and a spa at the slopes A possible special assessment
Limelight Hotel Snowmass Snowmass at the lifts Comfortable Families, with breakfast Offer ends 10 April 2027
Viewline Resort Snowmass Snowmass at the lifts Comfortable Ski-in rooms off Fanny Hill No fee list on its home page
Stonebridge Inn Snowmass, lower-priced Good value A renovated room in the village Nearly, not fully, slopeside
Mountain Chalet Snowmass Snowmass, lower-priced Good value Meals included at a lower price Minimum stays on some dates
Element by Marriott Basalt - Aspen Down valley Good value A kitchen and free parking A $3 bus ride each way
Hotel Colorado Down valley Good value Hot springs after skiing A $5 bus ride each way

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Aspen for skiing?

For a first trip, Downtown Aspen: dining and shopping are a walk away and the Silver Queen Gondola is within walking distance of Limelight Hotel Aspen. The Little Nell and The St. Regis Aspen Resort describe themselves as at the base of Aspen Mountain, and Snowmass Village suits ski-in, ski-out stays at the lifts.

When does the Aspen Snowmass ski season start and end in 2026/27?

Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are scheduled to open on 26 November 2026 and Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk on 12 December. Scheduled closing dates are 18 April 2027 for Aspen Mountain, 11 April for Snowmass and Aspen Highlands, and 4 April for Buttermilk, all depending on weather and conditions.

How much tax is added to an Aspen hotel room?

The City of Aspen says the combined sales and lodging tax on a night in a traditional lodge is 12.35% from 2026: 10.35% sales tax plus two 1.00% lodging taxes. For example, a US$500 room becomes US$561.75, by our arithmetic. Snowmass Village's guide puts its total at 13.05%, so the same room comes to US$565.25.

Is Aspen airport closing in 2027?

Yes. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport says it will close at 11:00 pm on 4 April 2027 and reopen at 7:00 pm on 19 November 2027 for runway reconstruction. Aspen Mountain is scheduled to ski until 18 April, so an April trip means flying into Denver, Eagle County, Grand Junction or Montrose and travelling by road.

How do you get around Aspen and Snowmass without a car?

RFTA buses are free within Aspen and Snowmass Village, on all City of Aspen routes and on the winter-only Four Mountain Connector linking the four mountains. Down valley, the adult fare from Aspen is $2 to Aspen Village, $3 to Basalt, Willits and El Jebel, $4 to Carbondale and $5 to Glenwood Springs.

How far is Eagle airport from Aspen?

Aspen Snowmass lists Eagle County Airport (EGE) as 70 miles from downtown Aspen via I-70 and Colorado 82, Grand Junction as 125 miles and Denver as 220 miles. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport itself is 3 miles from downtown, and Highway 82 over Independence Pass is closed in winter, so the road from Denver runs through Glenwood Springs.

Sources & further reading

Lift schedules, taxes and hotel terms change. Every detail here was checked in November 2026; confirm rates, room types and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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