It can be tricky for a hotel to effectively straddle honoring its historic past while addressing the desires of travelers’ modern tastes. In Colorado, Hotel Boulderado succeeds at those dual goals. Real Food Traveler’s Hospitality Editor, Ron Stern got to visit recently, showing us how everything old can be new again. Please note, this article originally appeared on our sister site, InGoodTasteDenver.com.
Save this article to Pinterest to help you plan your stay at Hotel Boulderado in Colorado. Photos by Ron Stern. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.
The Hotel Boulderado opened on New Year’s Day in 1909. Inspired by Italian Renaissance and Spanish Colonial Revival styles, its architectural design elements include a beautiful orange-red sandstone façade proclaimed “the pride of the city” by the local newspaper. Boulder’s first luxury hotel is still welcoming discerning guests more than 100 years later, offering them a glimpse of the Victorian past with modern-day amenities.
A Victorian couch in the Presidential Suite at Hotel Boulderado.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the five-story brick hotel’s name came from combining the words Boulder and Colorado. Wanting to encourage local growth, members of Boulder’s City Council raised the necessary construction capital for the hotel by selling $100 stock subscriptions.
Having stayed at the Boulderado before, my return visit was no less impressive. The open court design of the entrance was patterned after the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Above the lobby, a large warm-toned stained-glass ceiling creates a stunning first impression for arriving guests. This visual art centerpiece was meticulously restored after being damaged by snow in 1959. Each year the hotel displays an enormous Christmas tree in the lobby that is almost the same height (28-feet) as the atrium roof, an amazing holiday sight to behold.
The stained glass ceiling is the centerpiece of the lobby at Hotel Boulderado.
Hungry for more? Read about another Colorado destination Ron visited.
Eye-catching features of the retro architecture include the show-stopping grand Cherrywood staircase. As a popular wedding venue, the staircase is an iconic photo-op where many couples have posed while saying their vows. The rare Otis manually operated cage-style elevator is one of only a handful of its kind in the country and helps define the hotels’ classic sense of grace and luxury.
The cherry wood staircase at Hotel Boulderado.
One of the things that I always find fascinating about the Boulderado is their attention to the little historical details that are hiding in plain sight all over the property. In the lobby, for instance, there’s a 1920s football game that was there on opening day. The cost was a nickel per play. Although lost for a long time period, it somehow made its way back to the property for prominent display. Next to that is an antique National cash register that came from Valentines Hardware nearby. This was similar to the one used by the Boulderado back in the day. Perhaps, one of the most interesting, however, and somehow, easy to miss, is a porcelain water fountain to the side of the old lobby desk. The inscription reads, “Pure cold water from the Boulder owned Arapahoe Glacier.” At one time, many businesses in the city had these fountains with water originating from high in the mountains. The Boulderado is the only one left.
Hotel Boulderado’s Guest Rooms
Each of the guest rooms has been thoughtfully decorated in “modern mountain” or Victorian styles. These include premium bedding, complimentary Wi-Fi, High definition TVs, iPod docking stations, and organic bath toiletries.
Over the years many celebrities have stayed at the hotel including Douglas Fairbanks, Billy Sunday, Helen Keller, Robert Frost, and Louis Armstrong. The hotel has painstakingly retained or renovated Victorian-era furnishings which grace many of the rooms. The 700- foot Presidential Suite, for instance, has a large seating area and is adorned with Art Deco lighting, intricately designed wooden dressers and tables, and plush 1900-era couches.
A queen-sized bed and floral wallpaper grace the Presidential Suite.
Dining Options
Spruce Farm and Fish
Serving fresh brunch and dinner cuisine, Spruce Farm and Fish offers up the best inspired dishes from land and sea. The menu changes daily to take advantage of locally available ingredients. You can choose from small plates to salads, to burgers as well as farm and fish entrees. Seasonal dishes include items such as pan-seared sea bass on risotto or slow-roasted cab prime rib. For dessert, I suggest their mouth-watering triple layer carrot cake with oven-roasted walnuts, cream cheese frosting, and drizzled with caramel sauce.
Indulge in the Carrot Cake at Spruce Farm and Fish at Hotel Boulderado.
The Corner Bar
On any given day, you can find locals lounging at the Corner Bar. With both indoor and patio seating, you can enjoy some great, casual food, craft beer, or a cocktail. Located on a side corner of the hotel, this is the perfect spot to people-watch while conversing with friends.
License No. 1
Downstairs is where I found a perfect little hideaway simply called License No. 1. Designed after a 1920’s speakeasy, this was the city’s first legally licensed liquor establishment following prohibition. The space is illuminated with low lighting and has intimate seating for a romantic pre or post dinner libation. Enjoy a classic cocktail, wine, or beer from their extensive collection. They have live music on certain nights, a comedy show (Thursdays), and an open mic night on Sundays.
License No. 1 is named after the fact that the hotel’s 1920’s speakeasy held the first legal license for serving alcohol after prohibition.
Nicknamed the “Happiest City in America” by National Geographic, the hotel sits just a block away from the pedestrian-friendly Pearl Street Mall. If this is your first time to Boulder, you will be amazed at the diversity of shops, eateries and street performers that always draw crowds of cheering admirers. Just as in 1909, the Boulderado is still a sought-after destination for discriminating travelers. Although you will pay more than the opening day prices ($1.00-2.50 per night), you can share in the history and still enjoy a luxury experience at affordable rates.
To learn more about Hotel Boulderado and to make reservations for a stay or to dine, visit their website.
–Story and images by Ron Stern, “The Global Gumshoe” and RFT’s Hospitality Editor 
Please note: This was a sponsored visit; however, the author’s opinions are based on a fair and honest assessment.
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