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.

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.