Aspen One is expanding The Little Nell’s hospitality platform with a new brand, a Rockefeller Center hotel and a major Aspen renovation planned for 2027.
Aspen One, through its Aspen Hospitality division, has announced Nell Hotels, a luxury hotel brand built around the legacy of The Little Nell in Aspen. The launch is anchored by The Nell New York, a 134-room property scheduled to open in fall 2027 at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. The hotel is planned as the first and only hotel within Rockefeller Center and New York City’s only Relais & Châteaux property, extending an Aspen-based hospitality proposition into a prominent urban setting.
Nell Hotels will comprise three expressions: The Little Nell, the Residences at The Little Nell and The Nell New York. The company describes the collection as centred on warm, intuitive hospitality, cultural connection and distinctive access, with each property guided by principles including creating a sense of home, engaging with intention and generating après energy. The structure keeps the Aspen hotel and its residences at the centre of the brand while giving the New York project a distinct identity.
The Nell New York represents an investment of more than $350 million and will convert former office space above Rockefeller Center into an intimate hotel. Planned facilities include an all-day dining venue, lobby bar, wine lounge, spa and a fine-dining restaurant on the 17th floor. Its design is intended to reflect Rockefeller Center’s Art Deco character and cultural role, while an art collection is expected to feature emerging and internationally recognised artists from New York and elsewhere.
The announcement also sets out a substantial reset for The Little Nell. The Aspen property is scheduled to close temporarily in April 2027 for a comprehensive renovation and is reported to be reopening in time for the 2027–2028 ski season, with work spanning guest rooms, public spaces and dining outlets. During the renovation, the weddings programme and Wedding Deck are expected to continue operating, while the Residences at The Little Nell will remain open for bookings.
The expansion gives Aspen One a way to carry an established hospitality identity into a second destination without presenting the portfolio as a broad, standardised chain. The Nell New York is instead framed around access to the studios, galleries, dining rooms and cultural institutions that shape Manhattan, while the Aspen property remains the foundation of the brand. Together, the projects position Nell Hotels around carefully selected destinations, continuity of service and a more place-specific interpretation of luxury hospitality.
