Travel: Sky High | Sky Hotel, Aspen

"When people come to Aspen, they want to see movie stars and furs," explains Peggy Trott, general manager of the resort town's new Sky Hotel. "But they usually don't. We want to give them some of what they're looking for." Hence the tongue-in-cheek Polaroid gallery of noncelebrity guests and the playful faux-fur blankets in the bedrooms of the hotel, which debuted last month in the building formerly known as the Aspen Club Lodge. The relaunch, masterminded by boutique-hotel specialists the Kimpton Group, is meant to give the place a sleek, upbeat, social vibe. Spunky touches abound: a yellow-and-white palette instead of the old greens and browns, a heated pool deck, fire pits for outdoor campfires and chairs with seven-foot-tall backs in the lobby. At 39 Degrees, the bar and lounge, interior designer Dayna Lee installed cushions made from ski-jacket material and a unique piece of furniture that she likens to "an undulating topographic landscape": The curvy, amoebalike sofa has three tiers and measures a whopping 12 feet across (709 E. Durant Ave.; 800-882-2582; doubles from $100).

Published July 2002