Four Seasons is on quite the expansion spree lately, as the luxury hotel group has just announced the details of its newest property. This is the second Four Seasons ski resort in the United States that’s in the pipeline right now.
In this post:
Basics of the Four Seasons Telluride, Colorado
Four Seasons is partnering with developer Fort Partners and real estate development firm Merrimac Ventures on the opening of the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Telluride. The property is being built on a 4.4-acre site, and is the first new luxury luxury development in the area in over 15 years.
The resort will feature 52 guest rooms, 43 hotel residences (featuring one to four bedrooms), and 26 private residences (featuring two to five bedrooms), for those looking to call Telluride home. Ground has already been broken on the new project, and it’s expected to open in 2028.
The property will span three connected buildings, with architecture led by Olson Kundig, and interiors by Clements Design. The design philosophy is both inspired by and curated to showcase the surrounding landscape, with floor-to-ceiling windows and natural materials throughout.
Telluride is surrounded by the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, and the property will be located in Mountain Village. It’ll be adjacent to both the gondola connecting Telluride and Mountain Village, and the Telluride Ski Resort, offering ski-in/ski-out access, with convenient access to the downtown center.
The resort will boast two culinary outlets, a fitness center, and a spa with a thermal lounge, cold plunge, and eight treatment rooms. The wellness offerings will also include a lap pool and outdoor hot tub.
Below are the first renderings of the Four Seasons Telluride.
More luxury ski hotels are always a good thing
For those who are Four Seasons fans, this is an exciting addition to the portfolio, as it will be Four Seasons’ fourth ski resort in the United States, after the ones in Jackson Hole, Vail, and Deer Valley (which is under construction). Even for those who don’t plan to stay at this property, more inventory and competition in the US luxury ski market is always a good thing, in terms of lowering rates at other properties.
What I find particularly cool about this hotel is that Telluride doesn’t otherwise have many luxury options, so it’s fun to see a new development in a market like this. In my opinion it’s a lot more exciting than a new property in Aspen, or Deer Valley, or Vail, for example. Furthermore, the design of the hotel looks really cool, and I love how it’s modern while using natural materials.
That being said, more broadly speaking, I have a hard time getting too excited about luxury ski resorts in the United States. The service, restaurants, and general vibe, just pale in comparison to the experience in much of Europe. In the United States, you pay more and get less (not just at hotels, but also for ski passes and rentals, etc.).
If redeeming points, I’m happy to stay at some luxury US ski properties, but I’d never pay the cash rate for what many properties are charging in peak season. I’d much rather stay at something like Airelles Courchevel, where you might pay a ton, but you also get a ton, and have an unforgettable experience. However, in fairness, the United States has great snow, while some parts of Europe struggle with that. 
On the plus side, I find that Four Seasons probably does the best job with a consistently high service standard among hotel groups with large properties. Good service can be really hard to execute at ski resorts in the United States, so I’m curious if Four Seasons can pull it off.
Bottom line
Four Seasons has announced plans to open the Four Seasons Telluride. Ground has already been broken on the resort, and it’s expected to open in 2028. This is the first new luxury development in Telluride in a long time, so that’s fun to see. I’m sure this place won’t be cheap, but hopefully it’ll be really nice.
What do you make of plans for the Four Seasons Telluride?
What's the difference between hotel residences and private residences?
Off topic I know, but Ben I'd love your thoughts on Senator Josh Hawley "grilling" the Frontier CEO. It's hilarious because it's quite clear Mr. Hawley doesn't understand how basic economy works haha. Check out the video posted on the CSPAN YouTube channel yesterday for a good laugh :D
Telluride is my favorite place to ski
In the US. Highly recommend
This is absurd. Where are they going to find the staff? All these Colorado mountain hotels, especially full-service and luxury hotels, rely on either (a) American staff who are living in cars or camper vans because there's no place to live or (b) foreign guest worker staff who are sleeping in tenement-style housing.
“What I find particularly cool about this hotel is that Telluride doesn’t otherwise have many luxury options”
Huh? Telluride has two Auberge Collection hotels that frequently costs thousands per night in peak season.
doesn't otherwise have many =/= has none
Telluride has a population of about 2,500 people. It’s now poised to have more high-end luxury hotels than Cincinnati, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, etc, So yeah, relatively speaking, I think most people would say that’s “many” (and is about on par with Vail and Jackson Hole, which are two resorts apparently considered by the author to have “many”).