Little Nell

Aspen is definitely is not a ski resort where you can wear jeans, gators and last year’s parka.

If you wore anything other than the latest fashions on the slopes, you may get snubbed at the cute, 92-room luxe Aspen chalet known as Little Nell.

With a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio, a genuinely caring staff, and a place on Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List, this is Aspen’s prime real estate to ski and be seen.

Dogs are welcome and offered their own menus, too.

The Nell is so Aspen—i.e., it's a cute little (92-room) home-away-from-home chalet where everyone happens to be wearing Prada skiwear and there's a two-to-one staff-to-guest ratio.

Those abundant staff members are convincingly caring, and the atmosphere really is warm at the town's only true ski-in, ski-out hotel.

The ski concierge, Ray McNutt, will take you out at the crack of dawn to be first to sully the groomed slopes, too.

The all-beige rooms have plenty of space to swing a dog (yours is welcome and has his own menu), plus king-size beds, gas log fires, huge closets, humidifiers, and big marble bathrooms.

Restaurant Montagna, with chef Ryan Hardy, is among the best in the state, and the bar is a hot spot, especially with its fondue menu.

The lounge—sorry, Living Room—has just been made more modern with a redesign.

The big news is the Residences at the Little Nell will feature three- and four-bedroom luxe time-shares—sorry "fractional ownership"—apartments.