Cheap X Games Accommodations
Look Outside Aspen to Book Last-Minute Hotels for This Extreme Event
Last year Aspen's WInter X Games drew 75,000 fans. If you haven't booked your accommodations yet, check the availability at these hotels in nearby Glenwood Springs.
Dozens of world-class athletes, hundreds of media, and tens of thousands of extreme-sports fans descend upon Aspen, Colorado, January 24-27, 2008 for ESPN's Winter X Games. The 12th annual winter sports competition (held at Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain since 2002) showcases some of the world's best skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers pulling some truly crazy tricks on the slopes.
In addition to competitions like Big Air, Slopestyle, SnoCross and SuperPipe, ESPN hosts "Apres-X" concerts and film screenings. It's a festival, party-like atmosphere during the races (held during the day and into the evening), which are all free and open to the public. The local bars are packed throughout the entire four-day event.
Needless to say, the X Games are an incredibly popular event. Since athletes, staff and media need to stay somewhere, unless you've already booked your accommodations in Aspen or Snowmass, chances are, local, affordable hotels and condominiums are sold out.
So, unless you've got a rich uncle, and can afford a room at the pricey resort hotel, or your college roommate is an Aspen ski bum and he'll let you crash on his couch, you'll need to look farther afield for a hotel room during the X Games. Here are some reasonably priced hotels to try in Glenwood Springs, 40 miles from Aspen, at the junction of Highway 82 and Interstate 70:
AmericInn Lodge & Suites at the Caverns
This hotel built in 2006 is adjacent to the Iron Mountain Tramway that brings visitors up to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, one of Glenwood's most popular attractions--try to fit in a ride up the scenic tram in between watching X Games races! Standard room amenities include free high-speed wireless internet, coffeemaker, refrigerator and microwave. Act like you're a kid again at the indoor waterpark with giant waterslide.
Complimentary hot breakfast and 24-hour coffee availability make this budget hotel a great option. Other nice features are a fitness room, hot tub and coin laundry. Room features include microwave and refrigerator and coffeemaker.
Clarion Collection Glenwood Springs
Get your daily java at the on-site coffee shop, or fuel your day at the complimentary daily breakfast. Some rooms have bunkbeds or sofa beds, others have full kitchens and whirlpool baths.
Across the street from the world's largest natural hot springs pool, this lodge includes admission to the pool with all of its rooms, most of which have two queen beds.
