The Most Historic Hotels in Colorado

Step back in time at this red brick property, the first luxury hotel built in Boulder. The name is a portmanteau of Boulder and Colorado, chosen so guests would always remember where they had stayed. It marked its grand opening with a gala ball on New Year’s Eve in 1908, and the first guests were able to check in on New Year’s Day in 1909. Over the years guests have included poet Robert Frost, jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman and trumpeter Louis Armstrong. Guests can take free self-guided history tours on the third floor and rooms feature a blend of Victorian-style and modern furnishings.

This grand hotel has a fascinating history. The land it stands on was originally a dairy farm before it was purchased and developed into The Broadmoor Casino by a Prussian count. It opened in 1891 but eventually fell into receivership and Spencer Penrose, a wealthy Philadelphia businessman, snapped it up. Penrose and his wife, Julie, went on to open the hotel as it stands today in 1918 in a bid to create a resort where ‘European elegance meets Western hospitality’. Thanks to extensions in keeping with the character, the hotel boasts 784 guest rooms.

Built in 1887, this hotel in the city of Durango is described as a living museum. The property has been operated for three generations by the same family. Rooms are decked out with beautiful handcrafted woodwork, period wallpaper and a staggering collection of Victorian furniture fashioned out of walnut wood. There are 88 bedrooms, all with unique decoration in keeping with the period, and the saloon and grille downstairs continue the historical theme.

When this historic Italian-inspired hotel was built in 1893 by Walter Devereux – a silver baron and one of the early settlers of Glenwood Springs – the west was booming. He sought to attract the wealthy and elite and poured vast amounts into the hotel’s construction, with attractions including tennis courts, a bird sanctuary and a stunning indoor waterfall. The property has been used as a temporary White House, and as a place of healing for the US Navy during World War II as it sits right next to the healing hot springs. There are four categories of room and a restaurant helmed by an award-winning chef.

Tucked at the foot of Pikes Pike, this historic hotel, built in 1873, started life as a stagecoach stop on the route from Colorado Springs to Leadville. It then evolved into a boarding house known as ‘The Inn’, before being transformed into a sophisticated resort hotel capitalising on the sparkling waters and mineral springs found in the region. Today the property has a AAA Four Diamond status, with 54 guest rooms uniquely decorated in the style of the late 1800s.

Conceived by Colorado architect Frank E Edbrooke, this Denver hotel was completed in 1891. It was the vision of three local building and brewing tycoons who saw the need to create a first-class hotel near Union Station. During World War II it played host to servicemen, who packed it from ‘its attic to the broom closets’, while over the years it has expanded with various renovations to include 80 refined rooms and suites. The property’s unique historical details continue to be maintained while amenities have been upgraded to meet the needs of modern travellers.

Perched above Denver Union Station’s iconic Great Hall, this smart hotel takes its name after longtime Denver resident, Dana Crawford. She worked tirelessly to preserve the iconic station, built in 1881, and eventually brought it back to its former glory. Highlights include 65ft ceilings, soaring windows, and stunning chandeliers. The rooms and suites upstairs retain elements of the past, such as exposed timber and brick, but with convenient amenities of today.

This hotel in Downtown Denver, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, prides itself on offering ‘extraordinary service’ since its opening in 1892. It was the vision of Henry Cordes Brown, a carpenter-turned-real-estate entrepreneur, and he spared no expense in its construction. It was built in the Italian Renaissance style, with Colorado red granite and Arizona sandstone used for the exterior. The grand atrium lobby is another highlight: it originally had 400 rooms but now there are 241 blending old with new.