A top-floor penthouse at Element 52 in Telluride, Colorado, is listed for $8.1 million, offering a combination of ski access and full residential service that is rare inside the town’s limits. The 48-residence building sits along the San Miguel River, and its Southwest Building penthouse, Unit SW402, exemplifies the pairing of privacy and hotel-style amenities.
The morning routine at Element 52 begins in the building’s ski lounge, where a valet has boots and skis ready. A private funicular carries residents up to the Telluride Trail, eliminating the need for a shuttle or a walk to a lift line. By late afternoon, skiers can return directly to the building. After a soak in one of the heated outdoor pools, dinner on Main Street is a short walk away. In summer, the same address offers access to the San Miguel River trail, leading to Town Park and its festivals.
Telluride’s resort has two bases: the historic town at the bottom of the mountain and Mountain Village, reached by gondola. Most full-service, ski-in, ski-out lodging is in Mountain Village. In town, ski access exists at a handful of condominium complexes and a small hotel near the lifts, but ski access paired with full residential service is rare. Element 52 is one of the few places that offers both.
The penthouse’s location provides the access, while its position adds privacy. It sits at the top of the Southwest Building with a single neighboring unit. “While it’s located in a full-service hotel, this unit lives like a single-family home on the slopes,” says Rick Fusting, the listing broker. The residence shares only five feet of wall with one other penthouse and none with any other unit.
Service at Element 52 is extensive. A year-round staff runs the front desk, a ski valet has gear ready each morning, and the concierge team handles grocery stocking, dinner reservations, and a local car service. The concierge’s reach extends into town, where much of Telluride’s dining sits within a few blocks. Near the gondola, 221 South Oak serves chef Eliza Gavin’s New American menu in a converted Victorian house. On Colorado Avenue, the Chop House occupies the historic New Sheridan Hotel. For nights in, residents can have sushi from Kazahana or Thai food from Siam delivered.
The penthouse’s layout reinforces the single-family comparison. Its 2,797 square feet are spread across the top two floors, providing vertical separation like a townhouse rather than a single-level condominium. The materials follow the building’s mining-era design, with stone and plaster walls paired with walnut and stained-concrete floors, and radiant floor heating throughout. The kitchen has a gas range, and the unit includes three full baths, one with a steam shower, and a half bath. As a corner unit, it draws light from two sides and offers mountain and town views, plus a deck for outdoor living.
The bedroom plan includes three bedrooms for owners and adult guests, plus a bunk room for children or friends. An elevator runs directly from the residence to the garage, where the unit has two heated, covered parking spaces. A snowmelt system keeps outdoor surfaces clear. The home is offered fully furnished, with custom selections and paint palettes by the design studio Tweed, allowing a buyer to move in or begin renting immediately. Rentals would run through Auberge, which manages the building’s rental program, though the unit itself has not been rented.
Ski access, full service, and a walkable address each exist elsewhere in Telluride. Inside town limits, they rarely come together in a single building, and even less often in a residence that lives like a house. This penthouse offers that combination in July as much as in January.
