The newest addition to the town’s social scene pays homage to the wife of our hotel’s original proprietor, Jerome B. Wheeler. But instead of referencing her otherwise well-behaved persona, we give it a cheeky narrative twist. Craft cocktails and small plates are aptly.
Cowboys and miners once rode their horses through its doors, 10th Mountain Division soldiers gathered here over pints after a day of training on the slopes, and the late Hunter S. Thompson turned it into his de facto office when he was running for sheriff. With its lively buzz and Old West vibe, the 19th century bar remains the town’s social hub, where ski bums rub elbows with socialites over craft beers, vintage-inspired cocktails and Aspen’s best burger. Make sure to take a peek at the original Chinoiserie Chippendale till, signed by every bartender to work there.
The Living Room is designed to feel exactly as it sounds—an open, inviting space where guests can sink into plush arm chairs and sofas to enjoy playful small plates (think shrimp and scallop mini corn dogs), craft cocktails, and imaginative hot chocolates flavored with salted butterscotch and smoked cinnamon.
When you crave a night unlike any other, our chef will craft a menu personalized for your special occasion. It will unfold in your room, suite or in a private lounge. in an atmosphere of understated romance—created for you two and for one unforgettable moment in time.
Get a richer understanding of the flavors of the Rockies by joining our locally-inspired culinary events, classes, and tastings.
I fell in love with Aspen over a decade ago, won over not only by its first-rate powder and wide-open sense of space, but also by its phenomenal cultural and dining scenes. It’s a small town, but one with a world-class sense of self. The latest case in point? One of my favorite restaurants, Prospect, has lured Mads Refslund, an initial partner in the groundbreaking Danish restaurant Noma, to be its chef-in-residence through March.
I started my career as a line cook at Hotel Jerome over 20 years ago, and I’ve been lucky to be executive chef here since 2012. Through the years, I’ve seen Aspen undergo a number of changes, but one thing has stayed remarkably constant: the Aspen Saturday Market, a community gathering spot since it opened in 1998.
With its lively buzz and Old West vibe, the legendary J-Bar isn’t just Aspen’s social hub. It’s also a reminder—and bustling relic—of the town’s rich history. Cowboys and miners once rode their horses through J-Bar’s doors during Aspen’s silver boom, and drinks are still slung over the original century-plus-year-old maple bar. When Prohibition struck in 1920, J-Bar went the way of a host of other bars across America: it became a soda fountain. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” as they say, and the Aspen Crud was soon born.
Next time you’re ordering your favorite cocktail at the J-Bar, ask about “the drawer.” And, after that, ask if your bartender has signed it yet. Famously known for its hundreds of intricately carved signatures, the drawer holds the names of every bartender who has worked in the J-Bar since its opening day in 1889. If you happen to be at the J-Bar at the right time, you might even catch a touring group from the Aspen Historical Society showing it off. Now shellacked to seal it’s inked history, the drawer is an Aspen landmark worth toasting to.
To the rest of the country, Hunter S. Thompson might be best known as the godfather of gonzo journalism. Thompson lived and wrote on the edge in a style epitomized in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” which first came out in two installments in Rolling Stone before being published as a book that would end up defining the post-'60s counterculture. But to Aspenites, and especially here at Hotel Jerome, he’s best remembered for his 1970 run for sheriff of Aspen Pitkin County.
