Jean Michel-Gathy and Kelly Wearstler’s Viceroy Snowmass Debuts
Eco-conscious snow bunnies can finally travel without guilt, thanks to Colorado’s new Viceroy Snowmass and its sustainably chic décor by designers Jean Michel-Gathy and Kelly Wearstler.
Located at the base of a mountain in the town of Snowmass, just outside of alpine hotspot Aspen, the Viceroy is on track to become the first LEED-Silver certified hotel in the area, one of only two in Colorado, and one of only eight in the United States. This ecological achievement is even more impressive considering the scope of the project—173 residentially appointed accomodations, the Eight K restaurant, lounge, full-service spa, fitness room, boutique, conference and event space. The pool comes complete with café, bar, terrace and permanent cabanas.
Green credentials were chalked up in several innovative ways. All dirt removed from the construction site was saved and reused. Construction workers were transported to the site by bus, reducing fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. The Viceroy also provides reusable and washable water bottles, hand towels, and shampoo and conditioner bottles. A saline pool creates its own chlorine through the use of salt and electrical current. There’s even a gratis on-site electric car charging system.
The innovative interiors, however, are what really supply the energy. Gathy, the founding principal of Malaysian architecture firm Denniston International Architects & Planners, whose previous projects include Aman Resorts properties and Miami Beach’s Setai hotel, imbued the resort with a contemporary alpine décor to match its stunning setting. Organic materials abound, such as the birch tree wall wrapped in copper and leather in the lobby, or the 87-foot-long, glass-topped bar supported by tree trunks in the lounge area.
Wearstler, who had previously designed the seminal Viceroy properties in Santa Monica and Palm Springs, was responsible for the slopeside pool terrace and café and bar in Snowmass. Departing from her signature nouveau Hollywood Regency look for a rocking Rockies palette of whites, pale blues, and greens, Wearstler also channeled the organic earth. The pool café’s white-stained oak walls are offset by a Cippilino stone bar with brass inlay and complimentary tables of White Oman stone with matching brass. The pool’s terrace features a central fire pit and three permanent cabanas with their own private fires, a perfect foil for those frigid mountain nights.
All images courtesy of the Viceroy Snowmass.
