Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection Announces The Retirement Of Legendary Hotelier And Beloved General Manager Tony Dilucia

ASPEN, COLO. (March 10, 2020) – Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection today announces the retirement of legendary hotelier, beloved friend and General Manager Tony DiLucia.  Over the last 32 years, DiLucia has led the historic crown jewel of Aspen with warmth, gusto and heart. Throughout his illustrious career, DiLucia’s own journey often mirrored the thoughtful evolution and fascinating tales of the historic hotel, which he guided through countless milestones, including several thoughtful renovations that breathed new life into the hotel while still respecting its historical landmark status. Most recently, DiLucia oversaw Hotel Jerome’s ambitious enhancement project.  Completed in 2018, the project included converting the 140-year-old Aspen Times newspaper building into a character-rich event space, adding a seductive underground speakeasy bar called Bad Harriet, injecting new life into Aspen’s favorite outdoor courtyard and debuting new residential style suites.

 

“Words cannot express how deeply special Hotel Jerome is to me.  The hotel has played such a significant role in my life and personal story,” said Tony DiLucia, general manager of Hotel Jerome. “I have accomplished everything I dreamed of and more at Hotel Jerome, so the time has come to step aside and get to know the hotel in an entirely new way. I will always be Hotel Jerome’s biggest fan, and although I will no longer be general manager, I know we will still write many great stories together.”

 

Always more than a general manager, DiLucia will stay closely connected to Hotel Jerome and the Aspen community, which he holds so dear – whether as a bon vivant at the hotel or a trusted friend and neighbor beyond its storied walls. After all, they say everyone in Aspen knows DiLucia. So much so that running to the grocery store for parsley can turn into a two-hour affair of hellos and conversations. The story is no different at Hotel Jerome, where DiLucia has created Aspen’s most cherished and cheerful gathering place where all are welcome exactly as they are.

 

“All of us in the Auberge Resorts Collection family will miss working with Tony and we sincerely thank him for his endless contributions to Hotel Jerome’s story,” said Craig Reid, chief executive officer, Auberge Resorts Collection. “Tony has left an indelible mark on the hotel and we look forward to seeing him around Aspen and at Hotel Jerome, where he will always have a home.”

 

Long before welcoming locals and guests as Hotel Jerome’s consummate host, DiLucia first came to the hotel in 1986 to work in the kitchen during an externship from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.  He arrived at Hotel Jerome just two years after his godfather, Dick Butera, saved it from destruction by purchasing it in 1984. Over the years, DiLucia worked his way up the ranks at the hotel and held positions including Director of Events, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage and Director of Sales and Marketing, before being named general manager in 1992. Following an illustrious, 16-year tenure where his flawless professionalism and tireless attention to detail was always on display, DiLucia departed Hotel Jerome to become a partner at Aspen Associates Realty Group in 2007.  In 2011, he returned to Hotel Jerome when Auberge Resorts Collection assumed management. At this time, DiLucia was tapped to help usher in a new era for the iconic hotel, which closed for five months in August 2012 to undergo an extensive restoration and transformation. Under DiLucia’s leadership, Hotel Jerome has received countless awards and accolades that have played a pivotal role in reaffirming it as one of the great hotels of the American West.

 

DiLucia is an avid supporter of many non-profit organizations in Aspen, including Aspen Community Foundation, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Aspen Historical Society, Anderson Ranch Arts Center and Aspen Music Festival. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the Aspen Community Foundation and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Previously, DiLucia was president of the board of trustees of the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and a trustee of the Aspen Historical Society. In 2012, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association honored DiLucia with the prestigious Molly Campbell Service Award, which recognizes one Aspen local who provides outstanding volunteer service and stewardship to the community each year. DiLucia currently serves as a Fellow of  the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.