Sleek and Sustainable: Two Stellar Colorado Properties

Style-y Dining at Eight K at the Viceroy Snowmass

What does it mean to stay in a green hotel? In the case of The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain and the Viceroy Snowmass, it means stepping into a swanky world where sustainable luxury reigns supreme. I stayed at these two stunning resorts this past off-season and was highly impressed by their look and commitment to preserving the environment.

While on the premises I observed a certain amount of sustainable practices on my own, but I yearned to find out more. I posed the question “What makes a hotel green?” to Jeffery Burrel, Director of Operations of The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, and to Jeff David, General Manager of the Viceroy Snowmass, in a recent Travel Fun interview and was interested to hear about what goes into the development and operations of a sustainable property.  And I bet you will, too.  Here’s a short list of the environmentally-conscious building strategies and operational practices implemented in these and most other LEED-certified properties:

-Many of the building materials are sourced locally.  Expect lots of rich stonework and other natural elements.

-Some of the building materials come from post consumer/industrial recycled content.  The roof of The Westin Riverfront, for example, is made of recycled automobile tires.

-Lots of glass, made up of high-performance windows, assure sweeping views.

-Low and non-emitting paints, adhesives and carpets are utilized throughout to ensure healthy indoor air quality.

-Much of the resort’s electricity comes from renewable sources.

-Low-flow fixtures help to conserve water.

-High efficiency appliances are used in the kitchens.

-Housekeeping products tend to be non-toxic and non-allergenic.

In addition to the above, each resort implements a variety of other green-oriented practices.  At The Westin Riverfront I particularly appreciated the recycling bins in the kitchen and their huge emphasis on fitness.  “We have more health and wellness space than banquet space,” says Jeffery Burrell.  Indeed I was totally won over by their outdoor saline lap pool which to me, is better than swimming in the ocean. (There’s no black line in the ocean.  And if you’re a serious swimmer, you want the black line.)  You can bet, too, that their saline natatorium is far better for your health and wellness than swimming in most chlorine-saturated pools.

The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa

At the Viceroy Snowmass, I noticed that the kitchen appliances were unplugged on a daily basis, a smart practice that I’ve since adopted at home.  This was also the first hotel where I found 16-ounce bottles of amenities in the bathroom.  What a great idea! (See below for more of my thoughts on hotel amenities.)

Don’t for a moment think that cutting-edge and down-to-earth are mutually exclusive in either of these resorts.  At both The Westin Riverfront and the Viceroy Snowmass, I was especially impressed by their friendly and efficient service.  I also liked their many little touches such as the aluminum water bottle presented to you upon arrival at the Viceroy and the employee name tags stating each person’s passion at The Westin. Both of these features—especially the name tags—provide nice opportunities to engage warmly with the hotel staff.

And best of all, each of these resorts boast outstanding spas and restaurants that you can enjoy even if you’re not a guest of the hotel.  In fact both the Restaurant Avondale at The Westin Riverfront and Eight K Restaurant at the Viceroy Snowmass are immensely popular with the locals.  As for their spas, zen and nature have never come together in such a sensuous manner in both of these healing spaces.

The Plunge Pool at the Viceroy Snowmass

Click on the play button below to hear more about these great properties and green hotels in general.

Friday Afternoon Summer Scene at the Avondale Deck

Summer Highlights

Definitely take in the FAC (Friday Afternoon Club) at Avondale at The Westin Riverfront.  It’s the happening place in Beaver Creek and the whole Vail Valley where people come to enjoy the restaurant’s expansive, south-facing deck, the beautiful mountain views and the sizzling vibe.

This is the first summer that the Elk Camp Gondola in Snowmass is running.  What a great way to be whisked from base camp to tons of hiking, biking, wildflower viewing, free concerts and more.

Summer Sailing in Snowmass

Breaking My Addiction to Mini Potions and Lotions

If you read some of my recent posts, you’ll learn that I’m swearing myself off of plastic.  (Or at least greatly minimizing it in my life.)  Shortly after this declaration, I realized that that meant I’d have to give up on amassing most of the in-room hotel amenities that came to be a treasured part of many of my hotel stays. Yes, I admit I was one of those persons that would hoard shampoos, conditioners, bath gels, cotton swabs, shower caps, shoe cleaners, you name it.  I would piggishly stash them in my suitcase on a daily basis so that housekeeping would leave behind a fresh supply.  I have a collection of minis that take up a huge storage bin beneath my bathroom sink. My hunny, Steve Togni, G.M. of the Mountain Lodge in Telluride, swears that all these hotel amenities are of inferior quality in any event.  I ignore him and relish my supply of goods, many of which bear the name of renowned brands of beauty products such as Floris or of hotels such as La Mamounia in Marocco.  Sometimes as in the case of many fine French hotels, I’ve been lucky enough to collect miniatures that boast both a big name brand and a big name hotel.

These little take-aways have been my precious souvenirs for decades to be used parsimoniously at home (or even gifted to others!) like treasured tchotchkes from a faraway land.  But from now on they will no longer be a part of my travel experience.  I will no longer perpetuate this addiction to plastic.  (Worst of all, many of these products are not packaged in recyclable containers.)  Ugh, such is the price of consciousness.

And then just two weeks after having sworn myself off of hotel amenities don’t I find an assortment of BeeKind products, a collection of Gilchrist & Soames environmentally-friendly in-room amenities, gracing the edge of the vanity at the Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs, a down-home styled hotel in nearby Ouray, Colorado where Steve and I experienced a little getaway.  We read the labels on these paper bottles, looked at each other approvingly, smiled, grabbed a couple each and tucked them into our bags.

I think we’ll do just fine with this shift to green travel after all.

Thank you to Jeremy Swanson for the photo of the Aspen/Snowmass gondola.