The eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies region offers an excellent choice of accommodations, from five-star hotels to isolated but beautiful lodges. Denver, in particular, has an especially rich selection of places to stay, but other areas also boast top-notch bed and breakfast establishments (B&Bs). Budget travelers need not worry either as the region abounds in good hotels with quite reasonable rates.
Luxury Hotels around Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
Beyond all argument, the best hotel in the region is the Brown Palace Hotel, located on the outskirts of Denver's LoDo neighborhood. It's also the priciest. The hotel was founded in the late-19th century, and ever since, it has hosted current, future, and former heads of state, celebrities, and models. Elvis Presley, the King of hotel accommodations, called the Palace the best hotel in the world. A compliment from the King is hard to top!
Another fantastic hotel is the Stanley Hotel, located deep in the heart of the Colorado Rockies' Front Range. This Georgian-style hotel can be found in Estes Park, at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. With an elevation of 7,500 feet, it boasts excellent accommodations; and it's famous for at least these two reasons:
- It was the inspiration for the hotel in Stephen King's “The Shining.” King and his wife were staying there, in Room 217, when the idea for the plot came to him. If you stay in Room 217 you'll either be inspired, or freaked out.
- It was the location for the hotel shoots in the Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels flick “Dumb and Dumber.” If you stay in one of the hotel's rooms you might find yourself a bit less smart by morning. On the other hand, it might just be the thin air.
One more regional favorite is The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. Like The Brown Palace, this five-star wonder has hosted royalty, presidents, statesmen, actors, and sports celebrities. This castle-on-a-hill has its own nickname: “The Grande Dame of the Rockies.” It was founded in the late-19th century as a casino, but in 1918 it was re-consecrated as a grand resort. In-season, a good room will cost about $450 per night, while off-season (for example, December) it's about $250 a night.
Hotelsaround Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
In Denver, you'll find the largest variety of and best hotels in the LoDo neighborhood, with a wide range of choices regarding price and quality. These hotels are conveniently placed, as LoDo, or Lower Downtown, is Denver's center for entertainment, eateries, and all kinds of shopping. In Boulder, many of the hotels are in the downtown area and close to the University of Colorado. There are hotels of varying quality in the downtown area of Cheyenne and its outlying areas, and in Colorado Springs there are hotels in the downtown area, in the Broadmoor Area, and west of the city near Garden of the Gods.
The old mining towns such as Cripple Creek and Idaho Springs boast old-style hotels, many of which run as luxury hotels, as well as the standard hotel fare found anywhere else in the country. Hotel rates across the region are reasonably priced.
Bed and Breakfast around Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
Denver's got a great selection of B&Bs, mostly located to the west of City Park, close to or to the east of the LoDo neighborhood. They are usually converted old Victorian houses, set up on hills surrounded by green grass and trees. The following two are particularly worth looking into:
- The Capitol Hill Mansion Bed and Breakfast Inn is unique and well regarded, with its castled appearance creating a haunting atmosphere.
- The Adagio Bed and Breakfast is another good pick, somewhat opposite in appearance to the former: its warm, inviting gingerbread-style windows and peachy color will charm you even on the coldest nights.
Boulder also has a small but good selection of B&Bs. Boulder is a very sprawling city (not in a bad way, just a fact), and this means you have a choice when it comes to B&Bs whether you want your stay to be within-city, or more on the outskirts in view of the mountains. Within-city you'll have more of a chance to experience downtown Boulder's reputation as a center for fun entertainment, while on the outskirts you'll have more of an opportunity to experience nature.
Outside of Denver and Boulder, there are large selections of B&Bs in Colorado Springs and nearby Cripple Creek. In the former, they're usually located on the outskirts of town, and a good amount are to the west as well, around West Cimarron Street. In Cripple Creek, as the whole city's less than a mile from end to end, there's a good selection all around town. In particular, Carr Manor provides for a unique experience, as it is situated in an old redbrick school dating to the 1890s. Don't think sleeping arrangements are limited to nodding off at your desk, however, since this first-class accommodation is stocked with a wide selection of rooms, as well as amenities like fitness and massage facilities.
Ranches near Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
Colorado and Wyoming are both in ranch territory. As such, most places you go, you can't escape seeing a ranch or two tucked into the mountains or situated in rolling fields. The ranches are either dude ranches, where you can participate in the work to be done, or guest ranches, where the only work to be done is R&R, on your own time-frame.
In the eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies, the ranches start a few miles south of Denver, with Lost Valley Ranch in Sedalia, and go all the way up to Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne. At all of these facilities there's a huge selection of activities available, with excellent guidance thrown in. Swim, fish, canoe, hike, and, of course, ride - to your heart's content. Accommodations include all amenities, including accommodations, food, tours, horses, and most anything else.
Campgrounds around Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
Camping out just about anywhere in the eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies region affords an excellent way to get in touch with nature and enjoy the scenery or the outdoors. Campgrounds come with or without RV hookups, and some offer cabins as well; most offer shower facilities.
Motels around Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
Motels offer some of the best lodging bargains in the region and are often found close to the interstates or on the outskirts of the larger cities like Denver, Cheyenne, and Colorado Springs. Motels can also be found in the smaller cities and towns in the region. Note that while they're cheaper than other accommodations, many times you need a car in order to reach them.
Hotels in Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Cheyenne Wyoming and the Eastern Rockies
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