Capella Telluride, which opened in February as Capella Hotels and Resorts’ first property in the United States, does things a little differently—as you discover shortly after checking in. The reception desk sits in an attractive, light-filled lobby with stone floors, high beamed ceilings, and a tiered glass-plate chandelier that hovers above the fireplace. Like most hotel lobbies, the space is open to the public. But once you have your key you can open the double wooden doors that lead to a secondary, guests-only lobby, where you can lounge in front of a large stone fireplace or grab a book from one of the shelves and settle into a leather chair.
What time you arrive to gather your key is irrelevant; Capella Telluride has no set check-in and checkout times, so guests come and go as they please. The resort is also flexible when it comes to food. Its kitchen and dining room never really close—the restaurant staff is always on call—so if the craving strikes, you can have a dinner of elk chops at 3 am.
Other distinguishing amenities at Capella Telluride include its personal assistants, who greet you in your room when you arrive and present you with a printed itinerary of your scheduled activities and meals. Your assistant can help plan any number of excursions in the Telluride area, including a day of heli-skiing in the San Juan Mountains.
Capella Telluride was built on one of the last developable lots in Mountain Village, a small slope-side community located 9,500 feet above sea level and just 10 minutes by gondola from downtown. The resort comprises two buildings that together house 100 hotel rooms, 60 residences, a spa and fitness center, three restaurants, and a ski shop offering ski-valet service. The facilities wrap around a central plaza that includes a new ice-skating rink, making Capella Telluride—its distinctive traits notwithstanding—feel like a classic mountain retreat.
Capella Telluride, 970.369.0880, www.capellatelluride.com
SETTING
In a slope-side village 10 minutes by gondola from downtown Telluride, Colo.
SLEEPING
The 100 hotel rooms range in size from 531 square feet to 1,045 square feet; some of the 60 one- to four-bedroom residences are also available for rent.
DINING
Onyx for fine dining, Suede Bar for après-ski and lounging, and Gray Jay Café for quick bites.
WELLNESS
The Spirit of the Mountains massage, in which a therapist uses an herbal poultice and targets your pressure points, is one of several alpine-themed treatments offered at the resort’s spa.
DIVERSIONS
Skiing at Telluride Mountain and heli-skiing in the San Juan Mountains. More leisurely activities include ice-skating in the new Mountain Village rink and soaking in the nearby Ouray Hot Springs.
RATES
$235 to $1,950
