Market Data 
- When it comes to ski towns, Aspen, Colorado, is as expensive as it gets.
- Real-estate prices are sky-high, and visitors shell out hundreds for hotels and ski passes.
- From a $51 million mansion to a ritzy dispensary, I spotted luxury everywhere I looked during my trip.
A three-and-a-half-hour drive from my home in Denver takes me to one of the most expensive towns I’ve ever visited.
I’ve lived in New York City and traveled to some of the world’s most expensive destinations, such as Paris or Zurich. Meanwhile, a trip to Aspen, Colorado, transformed my definition of luxury.
In Paris and New York, five-star hotels and Michelin-star restaurants coexist alongside $1 pizza and cheap crepe carts. Aspen — for the most part — lacks the latter. Instead, luxury hotels and pricey dinners were practically my only options during my five-day visit.
Every day during my trip, I observed moments of opulence. Some I expected — yes, the mountain estates were shockingly grand, and the town’s five-star hotel had glamorous amenities that attract celebrities like Britney Spears and Beyoncé.
There were also surprising moments of extravagance in everyday life. Even purchasing cannabis was a luxe experience.
