Prevue September-October 2013 - (Page 80)

WESTIN Snowmass/Aspen [ON LOCATION] JESSIE FETTERLING Two Westin Hotels in Colorado target upscale and casual groups Situated high up in the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Snowmass and Aspen offer a slew of thrill-inducing group activities both summer and winter. Adding to the draw for planners, two new Westin Hotels cater to both casual and upscale meetings. You haven’t experienced Snowmass Mountain until racing down a mountain biking trail at 30 mph—or in my case—about 5 mph. The staff at Four-Mountain Sports, located at the foot of Elk Camp Gondola, provides riders with helmets, head-to-toe pads and lessons with instructors who first take riders on a mountainbiker bunny slope. After that, they match attendees with a trail suited to their level. The views from every stop along the mountain trails are worth the experience alone, but the bonding experience is also valuable. After completing the course, everyone shares their feelings after coming down from an exhilarating, Rocky Mountain high. THE WESTIN & WILDWOOD Rebranded following a $55 million renovation in November 2012, The Westin Snowmass Resort and sister Wildwood Snowmass offer 400 guest rooms with ski-in/ski-out access to Elk Camp Gondola. The Westin property is true to the Westin brand and the mountain destination where it resides. Brown, beige and grey earth tones complement the wood headboards in the 254 guest rooms. As well, the rich wood finishes in the lobby’s beautiful Vue lounge convey a contemporary mountain ambience and totally cozy vibe. The Wildwood Snowmass has a more colorful approach perhaps best suited for more youthful attendees. There are plenty of neon colors, board games in the lobby and a quirky, knitted deer head displayed above the fireplace. Between the properties, the 18,000-sf Snowmass Conference Center is one of the largest ballrooms in the Colorado Rockies. At the individual properties, The Westin has 5,000 sf and the Wildwood has 1,100 sf, including The Hideaway boardroom hidden behind a faux bookshelf. “The benefit of bringing a group event to the Westin Snowmass/Wildwood Snowmass complex is that we have a variety of unique venues available to provide a different experience for each event,” says Tim Johnson, complex director of sales/marketing. “In the summer, we have the ability to offer indoor and outdoor experiences so the attendees can enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery during meals and receptions and still have a professional conference in the Westin Snowmass Conference Center.” And in August, a new high-speed WiFi infrastructure was added throughout the entire facility, dramatically increasing bandwidth in guest rooms, public spaces and meeting rooms. Five restaurants are available between the two properties. For fancy food, Westin’s 237-seat Snowmass Kitchen is run by Chef de Cuisine Jamie Flatt, who says he spends hours perusing farmers markets. Menu highlights include the Little Cowboy chimichurri chicken with a buttery Southwestern corn sauce. The wild mushroom bolognese is so hearty and rich that it’s almost unbelievable as a vegetarian option. The Vue features a more scaled-down menu by the chefs 74 | prevue magazine 74-75_WestinAspen.indd 74 9/4/13 10:47 AM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue September-October 2013

Planner's Pick: Orlando
Fresh Meets: Omni Nashville
Bureau Buzz: Puerto Rico
Good Business: Prevue Visionary Awards
Sea Shores: Crystal Cruises
Innovation & Inspiration
On Location: GMIC 2013, Chicago
Special Section: The West USA
Green Luxury
On Location: Club Med Rio Das Pedras
On Location: La Playa, Naples, FL
Stockholm
Korea
On Location: US Virgin Islands
On Location: Starwood New Orleans
Torchbearers 2013
On Location: Westin Snowmass/Aspen
On Location: Paradisus, Dominican Republic
Check Out: Christchurch, New Zealand

Prevue September-October 2013