Aspen’s Limelight is back, shining brighter than ever after a six-month refurbishment. The hotel’s new take on contemporary style balances jolts of high-energy color with laid-back comfort, for a mod alpine vibe that’s undeniably fun.

“The hotel was purchased by the Aspen Skiing Company 12 years ago and was due for an upgrade and refresh,” explains Alinio Azevedo, the managing director and chief operating officer of the Little Nell Hotel Group. “The completion of the Limelight Hotel Aspen renovation sets a new standard for the Limelight brand and aligns the design aesthetic with future Limelight Hotel developments, such as the upcoming projects in Boulder, Colorado, and Mammoth, California.”

Paired reception “pods” stand before a custom digital art piece that strikes an alpine mood on a super-sized screen. Photo by Brandon Huttenlocher
Metallic herringbone tile adds industrial sheen to the bar, with copper pendant lights and silver accents harking back to Aspen’s mining days. Photo courtesy of Limelight Aspen
Reception and retail spaces merge in the reimagined arrival area. To evoke the feel of a mountain sunset, designers mixed whitewashed oak with amber-tinted glass and brushed bronze. Photo courtesy of Limelight Aspen

Given its central Aspen location overlooking Wagner Park, the hotel functions as both a home base for visitors and a gathering place for locals. “The Limelight has developed a very deserving reputation of serving as the community living room,” Azevedo says. “The property is so special because both through our design and service, we strive to create a place where guests and locals feel welcome.”

Designers from New York–based Stonehill Taylor took charge of the interior renovations, maintaining a style they’d already established at the Limelight’s Snowmass location. They infused the hotel’s lounge, lobby, restaurant, pool area, meeting rooms, 120 guest rooms, and six suites with cool sophistication and outdoorsy flair.

The design team started by looking to the mountains and was inspired by local lore comparing the craggy silhouette of Aspen’s peaks to the shape of a reclining figure known as the Silver Queen. “At the beginning of our design process, we always look to the history and culture of the town to bring inspiration and authenticity to our design efforts,” says Stonehill Taylor interior designer Meghan Kelly. “The Silver Queen was such a unique part of Aspen’s history that we knew we had to include her in our conceptual development.”

The hotel’s main-floor lounge has a lively mix of colors and textures, with flexible seating arrangements. Photo by Brandon Huttenlocher
The open-plan lounge provides multifunctional tables and seating for day-to-night use. Photo by Brandon Huttenlocher

References to metal and mining appear throughout the hotel’s renovated spaces. “To bring a sense of elegance to the public spaces, we designed the double-height living room space with custom chandeliers in a matte-black framing structure with amber-tinted glass shades,” Kelly says. The lounge fireplace is framed by blackened-steel panels, and brass globe pendants hang above the metallic-tile-clad bar.

“The color palette used throughout this project is a neutral mix of earthy wood tones paired with lively accents, reflecting the nature and mountain lifestyle in Aspen,” Kelly says. “To add a pop of color in the public spaces, we used a variety of fabrics in deep blue, rich brown, and neutral beige colors as a baseline with accents of reds, purples, and creams,” she explains. “In the guest rooms, we used pops of coral and red to complement the otherwise neutral tones of the white-oak and walnut furniture.”

In the flexible main-floor common space, the designers repositioned the live-music stage area and added a range of dining, lounge, and work furniture to invite day-to-nighttime lingering. “The former stage location now becomes the best seat in the house, where a group can gather in a circular arrangement of plush lounge chairs,” Kelly says. “Whether they are admiring the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows that meet in this corner, enjoying a band, or feeling the warmth from the fireplace, that sense of coziness is inherent to the space.”

Guest rooms feature white-oak and walnut furniture energized by jaunty red accents. There’s a versatile table and banquette area, and a kitchenette with a black Smeg mini-fridge. Photo courtesy of Limelight Aspen
Stylish light fixtures illuminate guest rooms designed to embrace a variety of textures, natural wood tones, and bold pops of color. Photo courtesy of Limelight Aspen
Sliding barn doors conceal guest bathrooms outfitted with brushed champagne-toned hardware. Photo courtesy of Limelight Aspen

With a new kids’ club and a pet-friendly policy, the Limelight is a high-end, low-stress hangout. “The charge was to create ‘Aspen’s favorite living room’ in the public spaces, and we took that task very seriously, while maintaining a sense of playfulness and honoring the resort’s timeless appeal,” Kelly says. “While we wanted to create an elevated and updated experience for travelers, we also wanted to make sure the hotel felt accessible and unpretentious. We hope it blends seamlessly with the mountain lifestyle and welcomes visitors of all ages, whether locals or hotel guests.” Nightly rates start at $489. 

(Read More: The Design Lovers’ Guide to Colorado Getaways)