For more than a hundred years, the Hotel Jerome has been considered the crown jewel of Aspen.
Macy’s department store magnate Jerome B. Wheeler constructed the stately brick building in 1889, around the same time he built another Aspen landmark, the Wheeler Opera House. Yet a recent change in ownership has resulted in some uncertainty about the hotel’s future.
Today, the lobby still maintains its earlier grandeur, with its distinctive “Old West” look created by dark patterned wallpaper, an elaborate wooden fireplace, an antique chandelier, and an elk’s head. Yet the guestrooms are surprisingly ordinary, service is spotty, and the staff is indifferent. The influence of the new management remains to be seen.
