To stay at Aspen resort is extremely expensive, so I have found an alternative that requires more driving but is way more cost-effective. We decided to stay in Redstone, Colorado, about an hour away from the Aspen Mountains.
When considering where to stay, it's essential to consider all of your driving factors. The biggest one should be your budget and if staying further away is in your budget. The cost of gas to drive to your location is cheaper overall than the cost would be to stay closer, then you should stay further away.
I found the cutest Airbnb in a wonderful woman's home. She was the most accommodating host I've ever stayed with. She allowed us to park our car in the garage, and she gave us unique recommendations for places to see and eat.
This Airbnb was at the end of what I would consider a class for road and was at the very top of one of the local mountain peaks. The views at night were spectacular. It was the first time that I could take pictures of the stars with my phone because of how little light pollution there was.
The town was an old call mining town. So there is this mansion you can tour used to be owned by the main person who ran the coal mines. We had asked our host about these little huts buried into the ground that we saw; she told us that those were coke ovens. It is where they used to cook the coal down before it was shipped off. Cooked coal is called coke, which is where coke ovens come from.
There is a rich history for this little town that appears to be in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service. The mountains were full of red clay, which my fiancé had never seen before.
There was this little inn in town that our house recommended we visit for dinner. It reminded me of a Swiss chalet with its architecture on the outside. And when you walked in, it was this beautiful upscale hotel where people were sitting around the fireplace and drinking. It was like walking back in time, bringing new school and old-fashioned fun together. They had a restaurant in the building where I had the most fantastic tortilla soup. I had such low expectations because you would never expect to see a place like this where we were. But I was blown away; the meals that came out of the kitchen were phenomenal. I highly recommend checking out this unique spot if you get a chance.
It was well worth staying further away and experiencing the history in a small town and making the beautiful journey to the mountain rather than spending more money for a highly convenient place but high in price.
We will definitely be back to Redstone to visit the Airbnb host because their spot was terrific. If you have a large group, the space slept eight people, and everything you could've wanted was provided. It's important to remember that you don't always need to stay close to where you want to go because you could be amazed and learn more about staying in a place within your budget.
Check out the Chalet
