Slideshow: Stay at this Aspen Hotel and Get a New Q7
Check into the Limelight Hotel in Aspen, Colorado and enjoy the complimentary mints... and Audi Q7.
America's Alpine Village
With some of the best ski and snowboarding slopes the world has to offer, few destinations can compete with Aspen Colorado. Known not only for its skiing, Aspen offers unique art galleries, amazing food and nightlife, and unmatched shopping to the mix. Add in the slew of celebrities you'll likely rub elbows with, and the breathtaking mountain passes beckoning to be driven, and it's no wonder Aspen is on so many people's must-visit destination lists. Although the slopes have been closed since April in Aspen, now's the time to make plans for the 2018-2019 ski season (or for summer mountain biking and/or spa experiences). The newly renovated Limelight Hotel has a way for you to incorporate a complimentary Audi into those plans.
The Limelight maintains a new Audi Q7 for guests to drive. To use the Q7 all you have to do is check in, sign some paperwork (a liability waiver) and reserve the Audi for whenever you'd like to use it. There's no mileage limit, though they do ask that you bring it back within a two hour period of time so that other guests have a crack at it.
Folksy
Frequent visitors to Aspen will no doubt be familiar with the Limelight name. The establishment started out as a no-nonsense watering hole for cowhands and serious skiiers—serious enough to forgo the luxury of lifts. Famous folkie Glenn Yarbrough, of the band the Limeliters, ran it as a club for a time in the '50's until the band became so successful that he had to hand over the reigns. The above photo shows Glenn Yarbrough and Marilyn Child performing opening week 1957 at the Limelight Lodge's nightclub.
From Lodge to Hotel
The Limelite Lodge and Ski and Spur Bar went through a series of different owners until 2005, when it was demolished to make way for an entirely new, and sustainable, construction. The new 126-room facility was called the Limelight Lodge when it opened for business in 2008. It changed hands again in 2012, becoming the newly dubbed Limelight Hotel. It's central location, a mere five-ish minute walk from the Aspen Mountain ski lifts and Aspen Art Museum is ideal and means you'll have no problem getting around if you aren't in the mood for the Q7 driving experience.
The Q7 Experience
Forbes Magazine recently took the Limelight up on its Audi offer and found the Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system perfectly suited to the task at hand. They singled out the Q7's driver-assistance tech for special praise: "Despite being around now for 16 years, the Q7 is ultra-modern in its driver-assisted features which not only kept us in our lane, but anticipated turns and adjusted to local speed limits." Forbes recommended scenic Highway 82 for its sweeping vistas and occasional glimpses of wildlife. They praised the Audi's comfort, quality, and quiet cabin, and were pleasantly surprised at the Q7's road manners, saying: "It was a nimble mountain driving experience despite the vehicle's size and 4,696 pounds, cutting mountain corners easily and getting a (relative) move on when you want it to via its 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder, 252 horsepower engine."
Bring Fido
Not only does the Limelight make the Q7 available to guests, they'll pick you up at the airport too, meaning you can save that rental car coin for an extra bottle of wine, or a healthy tip. And for times when walking or driving aren't to your taste, the Limelight has bicycles available for guests' use as well. It wouldn't be Aspen without a hotel fireplace and the Limelight doesn't disappoint in that department either, plus a bit of the old Limelight spirit has survived in the lounge where live music can be heard in the evening. The overall vibe of the hotel is relaxed and inviting, and that welcoming feeling is extended for everyone in your family—including Fido, because the Limelight is dog-friendly.
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