Though it recently underwent necessary renovations, the Aspen residence still maintains the character from the singer-songwriter’s time
The home was part of John Denver’s Starwood estate, where he lived from the 1970s until his death.COMPOSITE: MICHAEL BRANDS/MOUNTAIN HOME PHOTOS; GETTY IMAGES
A residence in Aspen, Colorado, that was once John Denver’s guest house and music studio hit the market last week for $8.495 million.
Sitting on 5 acres, the two structures were originally a part of Denver’s estate—which the late singer described in his 1971 song “Starwood in Aspen”—but the property was divided up when the main house sold in 2016, according to records and listing agent P.J. Bory of Christie’s International Real Estate Aspen Snowmass.
The home is in one of the only gated communities in Aspen, Starwood, offering 24/7 security, which Denver funded in the beginning, Bory said. The “Rocky Mountain High” singer called the Starwood estate home from the early 1970s until his tragic death in a plane crash in 1997.
There’s a new deck looking out at the mountains.
Michael Brands/Mountain Home Photos
The seller, a Florida-based physician, bought the guest house and music studio portion of Denver’s estate in April 2023 for $4.75 million using a trust. He was not immediately available for comment.
The home was in need of some structural repairs, Bory said, as the previous owners had sold the home “as is” with some “deferred maintenance.” Repairs to the roof were made, and the sliding glass doors that line the front of the home and look out at the mountainous view were all replaced.
Additionally, since the home wasn’t Denver’s main residence, there was no functional kitchen, so the seller added a modern kitchen that flows into the open-plan dining and living areas.
“He’s a fan, and he thought it would be a fun project to do,” Bory said.
With the renovation, the seller also added a hot tub, a new deck and overhauled the property’s landscaping, which had been let go and overtaken by scrub oak, Bory said.
Since the renovation was largely structural rather than for aesthetics, the home still maintains the charm of Denver’s day and even some original features, including tile in some of the bathrooms, the wood beams and a stained-glass partition that came from the original main house.
“That was always his intention, to embrace the vibe of John Denver and what his original design was,” Bory said.
The larger structure on the property has three bedrooms, while the guest house/garage—which was Denver’s studio—has two.
In total, there are 2,912 square feet of living space, allowing the next owner the opportunity to build on top of the existing house to expand it to the allowed 5,750 square feet without having to buy more development rights, Bory said.
Besides its past ownership, the property’s biggest draw is its picturesque views of the valley stretching from Aspen to Snowmass, including the area’s four ski mountains.
“It’s about 10 to 12 minutes from downtown Aspen, and you’re sitting on 5 acres with the best views of Aspen and our valley that you could imagine, so you kind of have the best of both worlds,” Bory said.
