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INTERVIEW: STÉPHANE LACROIX, GENERAL MANAGER, HOTEL JEROME, AUBERGE RESORT COLLECTION, ASPEN: 'LIVING ABROAD BUILDS RESILIENCE, CULTURAL AGILITY AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.’ (États-Unis)
By taking the reins at Hotel Jerome, Stéphane Lacroix has taken on a major challenge and is showcasing French expertise at the helm of an iconic property in Aspen, Colorado's chic winter sports resort. |
Catégorie : Amérique du Nord et Antilles - États-Unis - Carrières
- Interviews et portraits
- Nominations - Carrière - Interviews
Interview de Guillaume Chollier le mercredi 17 septembre 2025
 Since May 2024, Stéphane Lacroix has been General Manager at the Hotel Jerome
Crédit photo © Lexy Brown / Hotel Jerome
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He first gained experience at Henri Sauvanet's La Ferme de Mougins before moving on to Restaurant Clavé and Le Moulin de Mougins, where he worked alongside Roger Vergé between 1989 and 1990. He then moved to the Principality of Monaco and Alain Ducasse's Louis XV in Monte Carlo, where he worked as assistant sommelier.
During his military service, where he was assigned to the Cercle National des Armées in Paris, he also worked at the Ritz on place Vendôme as a food and beverage attendant. The year 1994 marked a turning point in his career. Stéphane Lacroix joined chef Jean-Louis Palladin at the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC as sommelier, then Alain Rondelli Restaurant in San Francisco. Finally, alongside Michael Mina, the Frenchman directed the wine programmes and participated in the opening of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas in 1998 with Steve Wynn.
In 1999, he returned to California to the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, where, as F&B director, he met leading figures such as Sylvain Portay, Jean-Pierre Dubray and Edward Mady. The latter became a mentor whom he followed for more than 17 years through iconic properties such as the New York Palace, the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air. With a wealth of experience across the Atlantic, Stéphane Lacroix contributed to the opening of other exceptional properties as Executive Assistant Manager: the Baccarat Hotel in New York in 2015 and the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills alongside Luc Delafosse in 2017, before supporting the development of the Proper Hospitality group in Los Angeles, with four openings in six years, as General Manager.
Since last May, Stéphane Lacroix has been flying high. At an altitude of 2,400 metres, in the exclusive winter sports resort of Aspen, Colorado, he now holds the position of GM of the Hotel Jerome, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. This iconic property, founded in 1889 during the silver mining era and considered the resort's first ‘luxury hotel’, topped the Aspen hotel rankings this year, according to the World's Best Awards 2025, published in early July. This accolade rewards the work of the hotel staff, as well as that of the Friedkin family, owners of the group, who invested £3.7 million to refurbish the hotel during the low season, while remaining faithful to the property's historic roots.
It is in this renovated setting, alongside Christian Clerc, CEO and former president of Four Seasons, and Dan Friedkin, the group's owner, that Stéphane Lacroix is preparing to write an exciting new chapter in the land of Uncle Sam. The Auvergne native shared this new chapter with the Journal des Palaces.
Journal des Palaces: How would you define luxury hospitality?
Stéphane Lacroix: Discreet, sincere and deeply human luxury. True luxury is about anticipating without imposing, surprising without overdoing it. It's not just about high-end services, but about creating an emotion, a lasting impression.
For me, luxury is measured by a property's ability to make each guest feel unique, with elegance and authenticity.
You trained as a wine expert. Did you initially want to become a sommelier? How did you then switch to a position in ‘pure hospitality’?
Yes, wine was my first passion. I wanted to make it my career through sommelier work. But over time, I realised that what really drove me was the overall orchestration of the customer experience: that subtle balance between service, hospitality, atmosphere and emotion. This more comprehensive vision naturally led me to hotel management roles.
What led you to pursue an international career?
A keen curiosity, a desire to discover other service cultures, and the need to challenge myself in demanding environments.
The United States, and the West Coast in particular, attracted me with their dynamism, openness to international talent and entrepreneurial spirit. Here, if you have a vision and the desire to do well, anything is possible.
What do you think are the benefits of experience abroad?
It's a great way to accelerate learning. Living abroad builds resilience, cultural agility and emotional intelligence.
What sometimes surprises me are the differences in pace: in the United States, decisions are made quickly and executed immediately. You have to know how to combine high standards and speed without ever sacrificing quality.
How are French people perceived and welcomed in the luxury hotel industry in the United States?
Very positively! The French are associated with elegance, good taste and a certain rigour in the art of hospitality.
The French Touch is evident in the details: the care taken in welcoming guests, the selection of products, the way we orchestrate a refined experience without rigidity. It is a fluid, discreet luxury, but always intentional.
What do you appreciate most about your adopted country on a personal level? And on a professional level?
Personally, I appreciate the vastness and natural beauty of Colorado. Living in Aspen, surrounded by mountains, offers a unique balance between serenity and energy. Estelle, my wife, who is from Crans-Montana in Switzerland, finds familiar landmarks here.
Professionally, I love the freedom to act, the trust our owners place in us and the constant desire to progress and reinvent ourselves without resting on our laurels.
What do you miss most about France?
The art of everyday dining, long discussions over lunch, markets, fresh and seasonal produce... Everything that makes every meal a moment of sharing.
But even more than that, it's my loved ones: my parents, who are now 80, my brother Fabien and his little family. With Estelle, this creates a real need to reconnect more regularly with France, and also with Switzerland.
How is the winter season shaping up at the property you manage? Will there be anything new this winter? What are they? What sets this hotel apart from the competition in Aspen?
Winter is undoubtedly our peak season. This year, we are focusing on immersive, tailor-made wellness experiences and exclusive partnerships for our guests, including holistic retreats and cultural events in collaboration with major local institutions.
The Hotel Jerome remains unique in Aspen: it is the oldest hotel in the city, with a history closely linked to that of the resort. Its character, warm atmosphere, unique soul and recent renovation of the rooms and suites make it much more than a hotel, but a unique place, redesigned with a modern twist.
Is it more difficult to run a luxury property in the mountains than in a city or on the coast?
Yes, it's a constant logistical challenge. Supplies, recruitment, seasonality: everything is more complex. You have to work with sometimes limited resources while maintaining impeccable standards.
But that's also what makes the experience unique: you learn to be more agile, more united as a team, and to get the best out of a demanding environment. Running a mountain hotel also means forging links with the local community and giving real meaning to the concept of hospitality.
What practical advice would you give to luxury hotel professionals who want to work abroad? And more generally, to young people starting their career in luxury hospitality?
To those going abroad, be curious, respectful of other cultures, and take the time to observe before offering your opinion. It's not up to the environment to adapt to you, but the other way around.
To young talents, look for companies that train, inspire and push you to give your best. Don't try to rush things.
Luxury requires rigour, humility and lasting passion. But in return, it offers extraordinary careers rich in encounters.
 The Hotel Jerome has been ranked number one in Aspen according to the World's Best Awards 2025.
Crédit photo © Lexy Brown / Hotel Jerome
 The Jerome Hotel has 93 spacious and well-equipped rooms.
Crédit photo © Lexy Brown / Hotel Jerome
 Hotel Jerome features sleek, carefully decorated bathrooms.
Crédit photo © Lexy Brown / Hotel Jerome
 With its cosy, welcoming atmosphere and attentive staff, the Hotel Jerome is a true haven of luxury.
Crédit photo © Lexy Brown / Hotel Jerome
 The terrace at Hotel Jerome offers panoramic, unobstructed views of the Rocky Mountains.
Crédit photo © Lexy Brown / Hotel Jerome
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