What happens when die-hard Nell fans go off-grid to try a new hotel in Aspen? In the case of MOLLIE Aspen, we are here to report that we were pleasantly surprised. And as they say, you may come out for the Aspen winters, but you stay for the summers.
Atmosphere
Aspen is not known for its economical places to stay, but MOLLIE Aspen is a breath of fresh air. A completely new hotel in the former Mollie Gibson location, the address and part-namesake are the only similarities between the two. The Mollie Gibson was bleak, to put it kindly. Instead of refurbishing rooms, MOLLIE Aspen wisely started from ground up. The result is a chic, elevated Scandi-Japanese design hotel, that easily makes the top three places to stay in town.
The crowd is mountain millionaire chic, but with a more of a down-to-earth attitude. Instead of dripping in diamonds and Birkins, the dress is more expensive grunge. I also wouldn’t say this is as social as The Nell, but people are also not buying into the scene of “see and be seen” either. I liked that people at MOLLIE Aspen had nothing to prove.
Rooms
Whether you’re looking for a snug crash pad, comfortable room for two or a larger abode, MOLLIE Aspen has a room for that. I stayed in a Mountain King which maximized space and felt much larger than 340 square feet.
The design is everything at MOLLIE Aspen. My room had a Nobu feel to the design, carrying over the Japanese-Scandi influence of the common areas. The entryway of my room opened up into a dark slate-themed Japanese-style sink area and luggage station. It is unique to open up into your bathroom, but there was a separate door for the toilet and shower.
Separate from this area, as you walked through was bedroom (which had a built-in desk behind the headboard) was a nice coffee and snack station. There was also ample built-in closet space for ski gear. The feeling was zen, with the light wood-color palate, which was in contrast to the dark Japanese slate in the foyer. My bed was a king, and there was a couch with sitting area to the side. The suite waas also tricked out with all the right outlets for charging, and light switches to set the mood.
Housekeeping was also impeccable. Every night there were fresh-baked cookies, tea and full carafes of water. As I said earlier, this is easily within the top three rooms of where I normally stay in Aspen. It’s also the best relative value of where I normally stay in Aspen.
Food + Beverage
For a hotel of this size, there is a good selection of a daytime cafe, an all-day-to-evening restaurant, and even a speakeasy hidden on the top floor. In the restaurant, what surprised me in the evening, was almost every table was full. It looked like mainly locals having a grown-up dinner. The menu is solid American food that will stick to your ribs — which, in the case of short ribs, is literally ribs. There’s also a solid lobster spaghetti, steak frites and chicken Milanese. The restaurant is a good option if you get in late and just want to have an easy meal.
Of course, I had breakfast every morning, which was a simple menu to get you fueled for the day. I did like the snacks, which had unique offerings from other spots I normally go in town. There was a panisse with pickle dip (which was interesting), and salmon mousse with bagel chips. During the day, the restaurant was mainly full of hotel guests as opposed to the local crowd, which seems to come in during the eves.
Service
In many ways, MOLLIE Aspen felt more like the sister property to The Nell, than the Limelight down the street. Besides the design and attention to detail, the service was one of these areas where MOLLIE Aspen shone. There was a polish — from the complimentary pickup at the airport, to the professional-yet-warm-and-genuine welcome at check-in. Everyone I encountered at MOLLIE Aspen was happy to be there, and happy to help out in any way. They didn’t miss a beat with any requests. Although they don’t have the complimentary shuttles like The Jerome to Snowmass, it was easy and reasonably priced to arrange the house cars for excursions.
Extras
On the top floor there’s a hot tub and lounge area to chill for après. On the lower level of the hotel, there’s a yoga room, modest gym and a few spa treatment rooms. In this respect, MOLLIE Aspen isn’t trying to compete with the grand-scale spas of The St. Regis, full-service Jerome or Dior spa at The Nell. For a hotel of this size it has the small-scale amenities, but all you pretty much need to elevate your stay.
Overall: 8/10
I would stay at MOLLIE Aspen anytime I’m in town.
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FAQs
Q: Where is MOLLIE Aspen located?
A: MOLLIE Aspen is located at 111 S. Garmisch St., Aspen, Colorado 81611
Main: 970-742-1234 | Dining: 970-627-7805
Q: Is MOLLIE Aspen open all year-round?
A: Yes, MOLLIE Aspen is open all year-round. However it is to be determined if they will take a few weeks to close during the November time frame which is customary for hotels in Aspen.
Q: Is MOLLIE Aspen good for families?
A: MOLLIE Aspen isn’t ski-in, ski-out, but it is good for families. The hotel is relatively moderately priced compared to the other options. There aren’t child-specific amenities. However, you will often see hip families with young children staying at MOLLIE Aspen during ski season as well as during the summer.
