Just Back: Culinary Indulgence at St. Regis Aspen

Luxury Travel Advisor is just back from one of the most indulgent weekends we have ever had (and that is saying something!).

This past weekend we were visiting the St. Regis Aspen to take a look at its $40 million renovation, which officially wrapped in December. The year-long renovations included two closings of the hotel in order to completely overhaul the look and feel of the property. And take it from us - it was money well spent. We absolutely loved the new look, which is less ski-lodge, more mountain-chic. We were told that the premise behind the design was to be reminiscent of a place that the Astors would have constructed in their heyday. In lieu of criss-crossed skis and snowshoes, visitors will find antique Asian art, landscape paintings and plush furniture.

Our two most favorite experiences from the weekend incorporated both food and wine, which are two things that Aspen is renowned for (Food & Wine Festival, anyone?). In collaboration with Food & Wine, St. Regis Aspen debuted a brand new Chef's Club concept in June. The Chef’s Club, which debuted at this years Food & Wine Festival in June brings in four up-and-coming chefs per season to design and execute a menu. This season’s chefs include James Lewis, George Mendes, Alex Seidel and Susan Zemanick (plus Jim Meehan, who created the cocktail list. He’s the only mixologist to have won a James Beard Award).

We went with the Duck Confit Crostini with fig jam and goat cheese, a Sue Zemanick creation, and the Colorado Lamb Saddle with ricotta gnocchi, baby artichokes and pine nut gremolata, from Alex Seidel. We were also tempted to order the Warm Green Asparagus, but our waitress kindly told me that we would be rolled out of here on a gurney because that would be way too much food. We were disappointed.

The second experience that we flipped over was the brand new Farm-to-Spa-Table Experience at the Remede Spa. The two-hour treatment was designed to essentially incorporate everything you could want at a spa into one treatment. The therapy begins with guests selecting their own fragrances for the "appetizer" and "dessert" courses of the spa treatment. The appetizer will be a salt scrub while the dessert is a luxurious body butter. There are three of each to choose from, and each scent is paired with a compatible tasting treat, which guests can sample after their treatments. The spa experience then includes a complete scrub of the body with your selected fragrance, followed by a 60-minute massage (or facial), a body butter treatment and is finished with a Moroccan hair treatment and scalp massage. Guests then have the option to visit the oxygen lounge where they can relax and unwind with a glass of chilled, reserve label Champagne.

Be sure to have your evening completely free because there is very little chance that you will want to move after this incredible experience.

For more information visit www.stregisaspen.com.