the snow lodge at st. regis is aspen's answer to a designer's après-ski dream

aspen’s western heritage and opulent spirit

An American cowboy town infused with Alpine opulence, Aspen is undeniably unique among Colorado‘s many ski areas. While the nearby Vail Village was built in the mid-century to emulate a Bavarian-style village — and local spots like Arapahoe Basin offer little more than a lodge and a network of chairlifts — Aspen maintains an authentic reflection of its heritage as a mining town of the American West. With its mix of modern structures and Victorian-era buildings from the 19th century, the town has a layered architectural fabric that is constantly evolving.

Herbert Bayer, a Bauhaus-trained designer and skier, arrived in Aspen in 1946 and played a significant role in both preserving its historic character and guiding its future development. As Aspen Institute curator Lissa Ballinger says, ‘Bayer was insistent in protecting the Victorian architecture of Aspen and making it a town that embraces modern architecture, rather than imitating the past or mimicking Swiss ski villages.’

The progressive celebration of design and architecture keeps Aspen dynamic. This spirit is even reflected in the expansion of the mountain itself. Last season marked the opening of Ajax Mountain’s expert-only Hero’s terrain. While this climate-resistant expansion addresses sustainability concerns, the result was a more balanced terrain geared toward novice and expert skiers alike.

St. Regis Aspen, image courtesy St. Regis Aspen Resort

the snow lodge at St. Regis aspen

For what the town is perhaps most well known, of course, is its decadent après-ski culture and luxury presences — from Gucci, Prada, and REVOLVE to Kemo Sabe, a maker of high-end Western wear. A fixture of this scene is The St. Regis Aspen, the iconic hotel which sits at the base of the mountain just steps away from the Silver Queen gondola. It was in 2019 that The St. Regis Aspen opened The Snow Lodge, which was quickly established as a top destination for celebrities and influencers, especially Shaun White. Last season designboom visited for the opening of its Harbour House outdoor lounge. We returned this year in time to attend the annual St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship, a sport that was first played on a frozen lake in St. Moritz, Switzerland and, in the U.S., is held exclusively in Aspen.

Founded by Jayma Cardoso, The Snow Lodge is the winter counterpart to The Surf Lodge, a beachy, design-minded hotel and night-life cornerstone for Montauk. The Snow Lodge brings a central spot for dining and entertainment to the base of Ajax. Notably, Diplo returned this season as part of the music lineup, with the show set against the backdrop of the hotel’s ornamental brickwork and the powdery slopes beyond.

the Supper Club at The Snow Lodge, St. Regis Aspen

the jade room and supper club

The Snow Lodge, now in its sixth winter season, remains a central spot for Aspen’s après-ski culture. Its programming, together with its interiors by New York-based studio Bluarch Architecture are curated with a focus on ‘art, music, and fashion.’ At its core are the Supper Club and Jade Room, where guests might follow their fine dining experience with an immersive art installation. The Supper Club restaurant is dotted with François-Xavier Lalanne’s full-scale sheep sculptures beneath a decorative ceiling of oversized snowflakes. Meanwhile, the Jade Room brings a night-club atmosphere draped throughout in green velvet, and is accented by opulent cheetah motifs.

the Jade Room at The Snow Lodge, St. Regis Aspen

This winter season brings a special collaboration between The Snow Lodge and Wynn Fine Art, the illustrious gallery which just opened its latest outpost at 616 E. Hyman Avenue. The new space showcases works by legends like Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Basquiat (read designboom’s coverage of Basquiat’s travels through the Swiss Alps here).

Through this partnership, The Snow Lodge has filled its spaces with select pieces, including Barcelona-based artist Connor Addison’s surrealist paintings and sculptor Ray Howlett’s mesmerizing glass works. Connor Addison, the Snow Lodge’s featured Winter Artist in Residence, presents his cubic-surrealist depictions of human figures against monumental architecture, blending modern creativity with Aspen’s naturally dramatic setting. Guests can view his paintings in the Supper Club and at Wynn Fine Art’s gallery in town, while Ray Howlett’s 1970s- and 80s-made sculptures illuminate the Jade Room.

Aspen gallery view, courtesy Wynn Fine Art