Travel
Media Stays
Outside The Valley

Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail

Every year we stay at Sonnenalp in Vail, for a dose of European charm and Rocky Mountain hospitality

As someone who visited Europe every summer with her British mother and three sisters, I long for the European charm and service I experienced in the Alps as a child. Thankfully, Colorado has a few five star hotels and Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail is one of them, bringing Bavaria to the Rockies. Bavaria, for those who don't know, is one of Germany's most beautiful regions.  A favorite of ours, we keep going back to the Sonnenalp Hotel, Vail every fall.

The image in my mind of Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail was imprinted years ago when my husband and I joined our friends for their annual tradition of celebrating Mother's Day over brunch in the glassed-in Terrace of Ludwig's. The image is of our friends bathed in beautiful natural light at their table with heaping plates of crab claws, salmon and cured meats, and this was just the beginning of a marvelous brunch fit for a Queen, or for mothers who should be treated as one in the same. This image is what prompted us to return to the Hotel this past October to have a romantic interlude and celebrate our 27th Anniversary.

Sonnenalp Hotel provides an exceptional experience for travelers year round in the heart of Vail Village, Colorado. Five generations after the family’s humble beginnings in Bavaria, the Sonnenalp in Vail, which opened in 1979, offers guests a unique blend of European charm and Rocky Mountain hospitality from its 112 elegant suites and 15 hotel rooms to its world-class dining and extensive amenities, including its own Golf Club located in Edwards. The hotel is the first LECS Certified Hotel in Colorado. Sonnenalp Hotel received One MICHELIN Key hotels in 2024 and is a member of Leading Hotels of the World

Sonnenalp Restaurants

The Sonnenalp offers dining options, and can make arrangements and recommendations for you anywhere in town. 

  • Ludwig's - Lavish European breakfast sourced with healthy, organic locally grown ingredients.
  • Treff Cafe (NEW): A European Street Bar. Treff, meaning 'meet,' in German, is symbolic of the vision of the café which is a quaint, casual meet-up place for quality food and drinks. A perfect place to gather with friends and family before or after a day of adventuring for coffee, fresh pastries, authentic German fare, wine, creative cocktails and more.
  • Bully Ranch - Steaks, burgers, salads and specialty drinks for lunch, dinner and everything between with a beautiful outdoor patio.
  • The Swiss Chalet - Fondue, raclette and alpine specialties in a charming, Swiss-style setting.
  • King's Club - Live entertainment, comfortable seating and renowned hospitality create a perfect stop before or after dinner. (CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS)
  • Harvest - True American cuisine and expansive views at the Sonnenalp Golf Club. Also available for private parties.

Sonnenalp Hotel Spa 

The Sonnenalp Spa has 2 outdoor hot tubs and one in the spa, as well as a heated indoor/outdoor pool. Similar to the dining room of Ludwig's, the Spa is cheerful with beautiful natural light filtering in through the glass covered veranda, accented with splashes

Having just returned from a trip to Europe, we felt immediately transported back with the serene Bavarian architecture; soft white arches contrasting beautifully with dark wood accents and Alpine furniture. The spacious bathroom, with its heated marble floors, double sinks and oversized jacuzzi tub, was a dream after a long day. Even the bright hallways charmed us with their curved, troweled walls and classic Bavarian motifs. Every detail, down to the crisp linens and cloud-like pillows invited rest and comfort.

After a fabulous evening of dining with our friends who we met in Italy, we slept in, waking up absolutely ravenous. Downstairs at Ludwig’s, our favorite sunlit breakfast room ensconced in glass windows, we savored our breakfast of Eggs Benedict paired with rich Lavazza coffee before slipping back into the hot tub for one more indulgent soak.

October might just be the perfect time to visit Vail; peaceful, golden, and unhurried. Experiencing “the other ski resort” without the crowds was a rare treat. The air was filled with the earthy scent of wet leaves and the faint smoke of wood-burning fireplaces, and for a moment, I was transported back to those early ski-bum days when I used to ski the bowls of Vail. A time when life was about how hard you could ski and how gracefully you could stumble home in your boots. I reminisced... just enough for Wade to handle.

Sonnenalp Hotel Vail Chef

The Executive Chef of Culinary Operations at Sonnenalp Hotel is Joshua Marshall. A graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program and Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Josh has over 15 years of experience working internationally at top luxury hotels

A well traveled foodie, Joshua has sharpened his knives at many luxury properties including the Waldorf Astoria in Naples, Florida, St Regis Resort, Dana Point, CA, W Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, Sofitel in Guangzhou and the Four Seasons in Denver and Jackson Hole. The new menu at Ludwig’s features locally sourced ingredients and regionally inspired items with little twists of tastes from the American Southwest and Asia.

No items found.

Sponsors

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Organization
Category
Organization
Category
Organization
Category
Organization
Category

Testimonials

Corneliu Fagaraşan
Architect

Aspen Business Connect completely exceeded my expectations. From the moment I showed up I felt welcomed into a community of open, curious, and genuinely supportive people. It’s not just networking—it’s real connection. I’ve built friendships, found opportunities, and gained invaluable insight simply by being part of the group. The environment Jillian has created makes it easy to show up, be yourself, and grow both personally and professionally.

Hudson McNamee Osprey Design Studio
Owner

I came along and was immediately connected with a lot of entrepreneurs from all backgrounds. A year and a half later I have gained a plethora of connections and advice from people from all walks of the entrepreneurial journey. This valley works by word of mouth. That is the most effective way, and being a part of this has gained me the most high quality clientele that respect what I do, compensate me fairly and I don't have to go through the entire vetting process every time. I learned so much from so many different types of people. It's been invaluable to my growth as an entrepreneur and a small business owner.

Grayson Rutherford Sinclair Building Architecture Design
Director of Operations

I've been blown away by the professional connections that I've been able to make since joining Aspen Business Connect. I've even had the opportunity to make trade relationships... [and] brought multiple artists onto my company's projects that I wouldn't have otherwise found had I not been a member of ABC.

It's unmatched and unrivaled by anything else in the valley and such a special meeting and connecting place for professionals of all different backgrounds. Jillian does an incredible job making her network ours and she's the most well-connected woman in the valley, always bringing in new people from different places who have different experiences and backgrounds to share. Overall it's one of my favorite things to be part of in the valley, from our socializing events and specialized dinners to our more professional focused events , it's given me the opportunity to make great friends in the valley and even professional relationships. All of us are better off for it.

Jeremy Joseph
Jeremy Joseph Photography

I opened a gallery called Jeremy Joseph Photography, which was a place to display my fine art prints of the Colorado Wilderness and Wildlife. Shortly after opening that space, I started to realize the need for me to be more  integrated into the local community. After a short meeting with Jillian, I realized really quickly how valuable her network could be to get more integrated into the community. The amount of people and relationship building you can do is pretty impressive. Every time that I show up  I always have a bit of a vibrationally tingly inspiration because of everyone's stories and what they're doing. Just a great place to be a part of the community and get inspired for your small business.

Derron Cloud, State Farm Agent in Basalt and Aspen.
Agent

What I have enjoyed from Jillian's group, Aspen Business Connect, is I've met lots of different people, different individuals. There's great events. I have probably not only gained clients but I’ve also been able to provide clients to those other folks that I've met. I've also made friends. Several people that I met in the first meeting that I went to, I've played golf with and our families hang out together. I have also had many, many referrals from those people. This group has been fantastic for networking and learning and just meeting lots of great and wonderful, interesting people.

Dominic Del Signore Homestead Circus Productions
Founder

Being a member hasn't just grown my business; it has fundamentally changed my life in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Jillian is a master at the art of connection, and her dedication to this community is nothing short of brilliant. She understands that when you connect local businesses as genuine resources for one another, you aren't just facilitating 'transactions', you are proliferating a culture of friendship, growth, and playful engagement that makes our community thrive... Great organizations only succeed with great leaders, and Jillian’s mission to foster an environment where we all succeed together is incredibly effective.

Marisa de Lempicka Tamara de Lempicka Estate Foundation
Owner

I've been a member with Aspen Business Connect for about five years now and it's been wonderful. Jillian does an amazing job at connecting people. I always leave the events inspired, empowered, with new ideas. It's really really been a great addition to my life here in Aspen, and it's a great reason to hear what other people are doing in the community, to feel part of this amazing community. The people in this group are amazing. I've /made some really lifelong friendships.

Shari Havroud of Aetio Health
Nutritionist
I am so grateful for Jillian and Aspen Business Connect, for introducing my work to the team at Aspen Strong where we created a successful Food/Mood kids series.  From there, I have been given the opportunity to work with the Aspen Youth Center, Aspen Family Connections and the City of Aspen!” 
All of these engagements have helped me expand awareness about the benefits of medical nutrition therapy.  Just one introduction led to many more.  I would highly recommend joining the Aspen Business Connect network!"
Diane Utz, ESQ Ferguson Shindler Law Firm
Construction Litigation

Thank you once again! You’ve created something really special and have done an amazing job pulling together the movers and shakers in this Valley. I’ve lived all over the country but have never witnessed a network like the one you’ve built and are continuing to build. You are such an inspiration!

Eric Amyot Keystone Species CO
Instigator of Change | Generative Community Builder

ABC makes networking easy. More than that, the intention and energy, mood, and support for every entrepreneur and business regardless of their scale or industry, is always positive.

Harry Teague - Harry Teague Architects
Owner

Thank you Aspen Real Life and your team. Very informative and well organized panel discussion. Wonderful to network with such smart, fun crowd. Keep up the good work.

Jerome Osentowski Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute
Founder & Director

Last week Jerome, Eden, and Brook melted our minds with their wisdom on the state of our food systems, what they're doing about it, and what we can all do to improve the health of ourselves and the Earth. Thanks Aspen Business Connect for organizing this great event!

Thanks so much Jillian for putting these together. We were glad to see so many people who care about their food, we got so many business cards! Amazing

Rose LeVan Sustainable Settings
Co-Founder & Office Manager

Thank you Jillian for giving us the opportunity to talk with our community via Aspen Business Connect! Your crew is amazing.

Michele Cardamone - Michele Cardamone Photography
Owner

I just went to Jillian's Aspen Business Connect meeting at Aspen Kitchen with a panel discussing the importance of eating local and nutritious food without pesticides. There was so much positive energy in the room and such an eclectic mix of local business representatives. It was such a perfect way to connect with members of our community. Bravo, Jillian! I can't wait for more!

Molly Dodge Bosque Aspen

Such an amazing event, Jillian!! Thank you for including us and for everything that you're doing for this community and beyond. You're an inspiration and connecting people is the most satisfying thing. Xoxox

Bill Infante, Hangai Mountain Textiles, Co-Founder & President at Breakthrough Communications, Basalt Town Council Member.
Principal & Co-Founder

Great evening. Great initiative. Great connections. Thanks Jillian Livingston for bringing the business community together!

Marisa Hallsted The Mindful Vine
Founder

We thought you’d love that we all connected over a fabulous dinner. Turned into a blog post, a mastermind group, a newly designed ring from gems from my ancestors and who knows great collaborations between some of us in the future! Thanks for being our connector and for all you do!!