As vaccines continue to roll out across the state, Coloradans are ready to get back out there and travel. But the prospect of planning a road trip — even a short staycation — can be overwhelming as we enter our second summer of the coronavirus pandemic. Where do you go when you haven’t been anywhere in a year, maybe longer?
If you’re craving comfort and familiarity, consider revisiting your favorite, tried-and-true destinations. Or, if it’s novelty you’re after, plan a trip around one of these brand new Colorado hotels, which run the gamut from cute, budget-friendly hostels to luxurious lodges you can have all to yourself.
No matter where you travel this spring and summer, read up on all the local COVID-19 guidelines at your destination, as well as any hotel-specific rules you’ll need to follow during your stay. And remember that these guidelines are changing all the time, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for any updates between now and when you travel.
The Imogene
Plan a longer road trip to Ouray (aka the Switzerland of America) and stay at The Imogene, a new hotel located inside a renovated saloon and brothel. There are just six guest rooms here, all featuring local art and little glimpses of the building’s history. Clawfoot tubs, restored hardwood floors that still show the burn marks from oil lamps, oversized windows and an exposed foundation help this intimate hotel feel like a historic home away from home. There’s also a rooftop bar, a custom-built wood stove sauna and a cozy whiskey-forward lobby bar. Nightly rates range from $135 to $275. The Imogene, 740 Main St., Ouray, 970-325-8885, theimogene.com
Clayton Members Club & Hotel
Part hotel, part membership club, the Clayton features 63 guest rooms in the heart of Cherry Creek. When you stay at the new hotel, you can access the amenities typically reserved for members, including the fitness center, rooftop restaurant and pool, coworking lounge, library, sunroom and members-only restaurant.
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The hotel is also home to three public-facing bars and restaurants, including Five Nines, a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge, and OAK Market, an all-day eatery with grab-and-go food and drinks. Helmed by executive chef Brandon Duley, on-site restaurant Of A Kind features Mediterranean- and California-inspired coastal fare ranging from hummus plates to hearth-fired meats. The starting nightly rate is $299. Clayton Members Club & Hotel, 233 Clayton St., Denver, 303-511-1600, claytondenver.com
Aspen Street Lodge
Still not entirely comfortable staying in a hotel with strangers? You and your closest pandemic-pod friends and family members (up to 26 adults and six children) can rent out Aspen Street Lodge, the first new boutique hotel to open in Aspen in more than 25 years. The new hotel is available for total buyouts (a pandemic trend that’s likely here to stay) starting at $22,000 per night for summer and fall and $25,000 per night during ski season.
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Located a block off downtown and offering views of Aspen Mountain, the lodge has nine guest rooms, a two-bedroom penthouse apartment, a rooftop deck with a heated pool and hot tub and a full outdoor kitchen (complete with a pizza oven). The hotel also has a massive game room with a bar, gear closets, a heated gear room for skis and snowboards, a theater room, a yoga room and all the equipment you need to play in the mountains (think: bikes and standup paddleboards). There’s even a resident chef who can prepare a full breakfast every morning.
The hotel can also curate experiences for your group, including a private yoga class, skiing and cycling with mountain guide Chris Davenport or a painting and cocktails session with Aspen artist Kelly Peters. Aspen Street Lodge, 200 South Aspen St., Aspen, 970-989-3090, aspenstreetlodge.com
The Pad
This summer, check into The Pad in Silverthorne, a new boutique, hostel-style hotel built from upcycled shipping containers. The hotel, which is on track to open in June on the banks of the Blue River, features 101 beds spread across 36 rooms ranging from dorm-style bunks and micro rooms all the way up to suites. There’s also a 3,000-square-foot rooftop, complete with a bar, event space and hot tub, plus gear storage, a small co-working space and an on-site restaurant. The Pad was recently certified as a pending B Corp (a rigorous social and environmental standard for businesses), with a goal of achieving full certification when eligible after being open for 12 months. Rates range from $45 to $350 per night. The Pad, 491 Rainbow Drive, Silverthorne, 970-445-7767, thepadlife.com/silverthorne
The Rally Hotel
When was the last time you played tourist in your own town? Because of the pandemic, it’s maybe been awhile. For a fun staycation, book a long weekend at The Rally Hotel, a brand new space in the McGregor Square development near Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. Even the name is a nod to baseball, since a “rally cap” is a hat worn inside-out or upside-down by superstitious fans rooting for a come-from-behind victory.
And if you’re not a baseball fan, that’s OK, too. You’ll still appreciate the 182-room hotel’s prime LoDo location and other amenities, including the sweeping views from the skybridge rooftop and pool deck, the extensive art collection curated by NINE dot ARTS and the three on-site bars and restaurants (The Original, The Rally Bar and The Grandstand). Want to actually meet your reading goals in 2021? Each room features a selection of books curated by staff at the Tattered Cover. Nightly rates start at $179. The Rally Hotel, 1600 20th St., Denver, 1-833-681-0717, therallyhotel.com
The Eddy Taproom & Hotel
Start making plans now to visit The Eddy Taproom & Hotel, a new 49-room boutique hotel on the banks of Clear Creek in Golden slated to open June 1. Located at the site of the circa-1860s Golden Fire Brick Company, the four-story hotel has its own food truck (Truck Eddy), taproom, covered patio with a fire pit and lots of room for lawn games and live music. There are also two rooftop patios with mountain views. Inside, the aesthetic acknowledges the site’s industrial roots with a blend of contemporary and vintage decor. Rates start at $209 per night. The Eddy Taproom & Hotel,1640 8th St., Golden,720-442-8150, theeddygolden.com/
Life House, Lower Highlands
For a laidback weekend getaway with your friends or family, check into Life House, a new 17-room luxury hotel in the Lower Highland neighborhood designed for groups traveling together. In addition to suites and traditional king rooms, you can book a bunk bed chamber with between four and eight full-sized beds for your crew. The vibe here is Victorian Industrialism meets Wild West, all within a rich, rustic color palette featuring deep navy, burnt orange, burgundy, gold and black. On-site restaurant Wildflower offers plant-forward tapas, natural wines, meads, cocktails and coffee. The starting rate is $190 per night. Life House, 3638 Navajo St., Denver, 866-466-7534, lifehousehotels.com/hotels/denver/lower-highlands
Kinship Landing
If you want to “rough it” without really roughing it, then Kinship Landing — a new hotel in Colorado Springs — has a room for you. You can pitch a tent in the hotel’s outdoor camping room, which offers views of Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain and comes equipped with a private bathroom for when nature calls.
The hotel’s other rooms — 34 suites and junior suites and six eight-bed bunk rooms — are just as adventure-inspired, but with a few more creature comforts. The lofted bunk rooms feature noise machines, privacy screens, secure storage and access to a private kitchen. Suites feature deep soaking tubs, in-room fireplaces and overhead garage doors for making the most of the summer weather. On-site, there’s also a cafe and bar, a huge outdoor patio, gear storage and community seating. Rates range from $20 to $175 per night. Kinship Landing, 415 S Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-203-9309, kinshiplanding.com
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