Skier-focused hospitality brand launches in Aspen

A new hospitality brand, First Chair, has launched in Aspen as of June 1, with a focus on providing experiences for the diversity of skiers who travel to the area.

First Chair is founded by former Wyndham and Vacasa executives and backed by a local team based in the valley.

“The company is built around an approach rooted in local connection, transparent homeowner partnerships, exceptional property stewardship and consistently seamless guest experiences,” a press release states.

First Chair’s Aspen portfolio includes 38 units with Aspen Mountain Lodge and 41 standalone homes from Aspen all the way to Redstone.

“When you talk about premiere ski destinations, you can’t do that without making sure you’re talking about Aspen and Snowmass,” said Chief Operating Officer Bob Milne. “It just fits into our overall vision of having a company that can cater to the skier. There’s nothing more magical than that.”

Milne is a passionate skier himself, he said, as well as a former ski instructor.

First Chair’s debut portfolio — acquired from Casago in December 2025 — also includes homes in other Colorado locations and across Wyoming, Montana, Vermont, Idaho, California, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, according to the release. But First Chair CEO Rishi Nigam, who previously served as CEO of Urbain Hospitality Group and as senior vice president of Global Corporate & Strategic Development with Wyndham Worldwide, emphasized in the release how every location deserves its own local feel and attention to detail.

 “As the vacation rental market continues to expand and become more generalized, we saw a fantastic opportunity to create a new, highly focused hospitality brand that showcases and celebrates the special destination communities we serve in a very tailored way,” Nigam said. “Aspen is one of the country’s most iconic mountain destinations, and it requires a hospitality model that reflects the quality, expectations and local knowledge that define the market.” 

Milne echoed this sentiment to The Aspen Times, noting that First Chair will make sure hospitality starts at the front of every door.

“I think the hospitality side of vacation rentals has gotten lost a little bit,” Milne said. “Especially with skiers, they really appreciate that. Those things go a long way and that’s where I want to make sure we rise above the pack.”

Milne noted that First Chair properties will offer everything from value stays to luxury.

“Skiers are kind of a unique group. It’s not a one-size fits all,” Milne said. “There are the people that are just out of college … we have to have an accommodation that works for them. There are people that are families that want to teach their kids how to ski … and then there’s also the people who love the glitz and the glamour of Aspen and want to stay in a really luxurious place. I’m trying to find a little bit of everything because that’s what I find skiers are.”

What’s happening in Aspen, in one click.

Sign up for our morning newsletter at AspenTimes.com/newsletter

And First Chair is focused not just on hospitality for visitors but hospitality in conjunction with stewardship of local homes.

“Stewardship is really making sure you oversee their asset as if it were your own,” Milne noted.

Homeowners will have access to an advanced homeowner portal that provides real-time visibility into reservations, calendars and revenue performance, integrated technology tools to support coordination across reservations, housekeeping and maintenance, targeted marketing to increase property visibility and more.

For more information or to book a stay, visit first-chair.net.