You might assume the best resorts in Colorado are found in the capital of Denver. But when readers responded to our 2024 World’s Best Awards survey, it was the state’s mountain towns that rose to the top. In fact, all but one of the year’s best Colorado resorts can be found in and around communities known for their access to skiing in the winter and hiking come summer. And when skiers and hikers descend on these mountain towns, the state’s most revered hotels await them — complete with five-star amenities and gorgeous mountain views.
How Voting Works
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Over 186,000 T+L readers completed the 2024 survey. A total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).
Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:
- Rooms/facilities
- Location
- Service
- Food
- Value
For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
What Readers Loved
It’s only fitting that our readers’ top pick was a resort in Aspen, which is easily the most notorious ski town in the state. The Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection, has been part of the Aspen scene since 1889 and boasts a Main Street location that’s just steps from the slopes.
Another property in the Auberge Resorts Collection, the Madeline Hotel and Residences, came in at No. 2, with a setting at the base of the ski area that one T+L reader called “breathtaking,” noting that “the views from every angle are simply stunning. Whether I was sipping my morning coffee on the balcony or unwinding in the luxurious spa, I couldn’t help but feel rejuvenated by the natural beauty surrounding me.”
The mountain communities of Colorado continued to dominate the list, with resorts in Vail, Snowmass, and Beaver Creek.
The Winner
Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection: Aspen, Colorado
The reviews of Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection, were many, but almost all shared one singular sentiment: that it was the best resort they’d ever visited in the U.S. — if not the world. The property first opened during Aspen’s silver boom, quickly becoming a hub of the city’s social scene. More than 130 years later and not much has changed, with one T+L reader calling it “the place to be in Aspen.”
But beyond its notorious history and central Main Street location, guests report that they felt more like family than guests. One reader simply stated, “They get ‘it,’” explaining that “there are other great properties in Aspen, but we feel like family at the Jerome.”
This is the second consecutive time the Hotel Jerome has been rated the No. 1 Colorado resort by T+L readers.
The Full List
1. Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection: Aspen, Colorado
Reader Score: 98.24
2. Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection: Telluride, Colorado
Reader Score: 96.67
3. Sonnenalp Hotel: Vail, Colorado
Reader Score: 96.47
4. Viceroy Snowmass: Snowmass Village, Colorado
Reader Score: 94.86
5. The Little Nell: Aspen, Colorado
Reader Score: 94.80
6. Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa: Beaver Creek, Colorado
Reader Score: 94.11
7. Grand Hyatt Vail: Vail, Colorado
Reader Score: 92.50
8. The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch: Avon, Colorado
Reader Score: 92.00
9. The Broadmoor: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Reader Score: 90.33
10. Limelight Hotel Aspen: Aspen, Colorado
Reader Score: 90.11