Resort Press Room

The Gant Makes the Conde Nast Traveler 2007

Nearing the end of a three year renovation, The Gant offers sparkling new reasons to stay on property

Countless hours of research, hundreds of unannounced press trips and invaluable reader feedback, culminate in one of the ski industry's most coveted lists, the Conde Nast Traveler Ski Poll 2007. The Gant, a Destination Hotels & Resorts property, earned a first time placement on the Top 50 Ski Hotels list, ranking 48 and earning an overall score of 69.9. This industry accolade comes on the heels of a $7 million renovation effort and new condominium rating system that together further boast the property's reputation as Aspen's finest condominium resort.

The 12th annual rankings were announced in the current Conde Nast Traveler issue: The Best Places to Ski & Stay in North America. The Top 50 Ski Hotels rankings were based on ratings given by 2,308 Conde Nast Traveler readers who evaluated 235 ski hotels on five criteria: location, rooms, service, dining/food and facilities. The final scores were averaged from the percentage of respondents rating a hotel either "excellent" or "very good." Chosen hotels had to receive a required minimum number of responses to be included. The annual polling contains eight travel categories and received 28,104 responses this year.

"Ranking 48 in the Conde Nast Top 50 Ski Hotels 2007 and being located in the number two ski area in North America is an exciting and gratifying early holiday gift for all of us," said director of sales and marketing, Erin Peck. "It's fabulous to see that our hard work in renovating the property and our attention to guest satisfaction has been recognized, but we haven't stopped there. We are planning several new initiatives for our guests to enjoy in 2008."

Seven Million Dollar Renovations
One of the many noteworthy features of The Gant is the nearly completed $7 million, three-year renovation, which focused on enhancing the property's exterior grounds and communal interior areas. The property now enjoys an impressive main entryway, state-of-the-art radiant heated driveway, new outdoor lounging areas, refurbished meeting facility and guest lobby. These renovations, along with a new five-acre award-winning landscape, exhibit the ultimate in comfortable, contemporary design with the latest best practices in sustainable landscaping.

New Guest Service Managers
In an ongoing effort to exceed guest expectations, The Gant recently created two new Guest Service Manager positions to ensure on-property guest services are flawlessly executed. Kim Leith and Danielle Emme are the managers responsible for all aspects of the guest services department, including overseeing the "Gant Men" and front desk staff. New department standards and guest services have been introduced to ensure guests experience no less than the highest quality level of service and products.

New Condominium Standards
All 120 upscale condominiums, ranging from one to four bedrooms, are undergoing varying degrees of upgrades ranging from new furnishings and decor to state of the art electronic and entertainment systems and appliances to redefine The Gant's standard, deluxe and premier rating system. Specific upgrades include new beds, higher quality linens, such as down pillows and synthetic down blankets, linens and towels, and new kitchenware. These new standards were introduced in summer 2007 and since then more than 50 condominiums have completed improvements, with 17 achieving an elevated rating to deluxe or premier.

Ski Packages
While making travel arrangements at the property, guests can take advantage of various seasonal packages that offer savings and special activities. Packages to consider are the Fit Family, One Warm Coat and Fun Family Winter Vacation. Regardless of package selection, all guests will enjoy the comforts of condominium vacationing coupled with the conveniences of a hotel stay. Property
amenities and services include daily housekeeping, concierge, complimentary in-town shuttle service, heated swimming pools, jetted hot tubs, fitness center and more. For more information about these and other packages and promotions, please visit www.gantaspen.com or call 800.549.0530.

About The Gant
The Gant is Aspen's finest condominium resort. A resort within a resort, The Gant offers high quality, friendly hotel services at the highest level of any Aspen condominium property. Situated in a peaceful enclave at the base of Aspen Mountain with convenient access to downtown and the ski lifts. The Gant's privately owned condominiums are regularly refurbished and fully equipped, offering the comforts of home to today's travelers and meeting guests, with the services of a hotel.

About Destination Hotels & Resorts
Destination Hotels & Resorts is a privately held lodging management company headquartered in suburban Denver, Colo. With more than 30 independent, luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and golf clubs, Destination is the fifth largest independent hospitality management company in the country. The company's portfolio features more than 7,000 guest rooms, 10 golf courses and 12 full-service spas. Destination Hotels & Resorts properties are located in key metropolitan and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Houston, Denver, Dallas, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Austin, Phoenix, Portland, Palm Springs, Maui and Lake Tahoe. For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit www.destinationhotels.com.