The new hotel development will occupy a goal-line location at the base of the MV gondola station where pedestrians may access the property off the gondola terminal and from the plaza below.

“There are few properties available for hotel development in the Town of Telluride, and this new project will help us meet our regional lodging needs,” explained MV Town Manager Paul Wisor.

“Ron Allred envisioned A Four Seasons Hotel in this location he planned MV,” added MV Assistant Town Manager Michelle Haynes.

“This flagship site is where projects like these were slated to be located since MV’s inception,” Fandel agreed. “This is the realization of a 30-year vision.”

Two prominent Florida real estate developers partnered for this project for their first domestic venture outside their home state. Fort Partners is a privately held real estate and development firm led by entrepreneur Nadim Ashi that has opened four such hotels across Florida including its flagship property The Surf Club. Merrimac Ventures is a real estate investment and development firm with focus on residential and mixed-use development led by brothers Nitin and Dev Motwani.

“We saw an amazing opportunity to be part of the beloved, historic Telluride community,” said Dev Motwani, President and CEO of Merrimac Ventures. “Our goal is to create a true 5-star experience, an extraordinary luxury residential and hospitality destination that not only provides a brand-new experience in MV but reflects the inimitable character for which the Telluride area has always been known.”

Motwani says it was crucial that the development blend seamlessly with existing buildings across MV.

While the site is 4.5 acres in size, the developers proactively decreased site coverage to about 50 percent of what could have been developed, breaking up mass and scale across three structures.

“They created public walking paths and green spaces between structures rather than building a hulking mass that might otherwise overwhelm the site,” he said.

In 2019 the project began a rigorous planning process. The applicants eventually agreed to include 10 on-site employee apartments and to increase a donation to the MV deed-restricted and community housing fund from $2.2 million to $2.5 million.

“The planning was smooth, and the development team are among the most experienced hotel developers the region has ever worked with,” Haynes recounted. “They understand they’ll need to provide additional housing or recruit additional staff by way of employer incentives to accommodate all housing needs to staff the property.”

Community benefits from the project totaling $7.4 million include a village pond, paths, and plaza improvements, a new public bathroom and additional town/gondola parking spaces, among other public amenities.

Even though construction may last three-plus years, marketing the residences will start next month. World-class contemporary architecture designs by Olson Kundig out of Seattle and New York and bespoke interiors by Clements Design out of Los Angeles. Buyers will purchase residences based on renderings, aerial and drone imagery, and detailed floor plans — a common buying approach in a market like Telluride’s where new properties are infrequent, leading to pent-up demand.

The hotel residences range from one to five bedrooms, all individually owned with the opportunity to rent. Pricing starts at $4 million for a one-bedroom hotel residence and goes up from there for private residences including multi-bedroom penthouses with expansive decks and 360-degree views.

“The private residences are separate from the hotel and have private elevators as well as oxygenation in the primary bedrooms and some guest bedrooms,”  “The floor-to-ceiling glass and mix of materials inside and out are spectacular.”

One of the property’s three restaurants will likely feature a well-known chef offering dishes with European flair. Additional hotel amenities include ski-in/ski-out mountain access, an expansive spa and state-of-the-art gym, an indoor lap pool and outdoor hot tub, underground parking, and ballroom and retail spaces.

Inquiries are being received for all units, and they’re cautiously optimistic about a “strong initial wave of contracts during this ski season and into summer.” Potential buyers could be described as “active and sophisticated travelers and investors who seek world class properties and amenities that offer hard-to-replicate experiences in beautiful and discreet environments.”

A luxury hotel hasn’t been built in the region in more than ten years, and Fandel anticipates the project will qualify as one of only three 5-star resorts in Colorado along with The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and The Little Nell in Aspen.

Between now and when they break ground, the developers will continue to work on construction drawings to meet terms of the approved planned unit development (PUD) and those associated with purchasing the property.

For more information on the Four Seasons project, visit tellurideprivateresidences.com.