They say that in times of economic turmoil, the one place you don’t want to be is the middle. Instead, the market niche to occupy is either ultra high-end or the value level, which tend to take less of a hit. Certain mid-market handbag makers have branched into more expensive wares, and that theory also certainly gives some explanation to how a Palm Beach, Fla.- mansion recently sold for its full asking price of a cool $81.5 million. Another sign of these ultra-luxury times? The continued growth of the Little Nell brand into vacation real estate.

The Little Nell’s fractional project in Aspen made news for its swift sales of multi-million dollar slope-side units. One-eighth interests in three-bedroom units now go for $1.9 million. Look at the rates at the famed Little Nell hotel in Aspen, which range from $750 to $5,350 a night in the prime ski season and top out at $7,200 a night during the holidays, to help explain how buyers are swallowing those sky high prices for a fractional home. There is also the Little Nell Residences under construction in Colorado’s new Snowmass Village. Some 70 percent of its 30 residences have sold since December. The ski-in/ski-out, two-bedroom whole ownership units start at $3.1 million. Obligatory ski valet and slope-side lockers included.

Now, the brand is looking to expand to Jackson Hole with a 50-unit condominium and hotel project. The Jackson Hole development is actually in Teton Village, Wyom. just outside of the town of Jackson at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Plans to build ski-in/ski-out residences as well as a spa and restaurant are now up for review by the local planning commission. No word on what condos at this latest Little Nell project might fetch, but consider that there are three homes currently for sale in Jackson with asking prices of more than $30 million and multi-million condos are common in Teton Village. No sign of a middle ground here.