Presiding over its shady, scenic block one short walk from the iconic Pearl Street Mall since New Year’s Day 1909, the elegant Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado, is rich in history and local lore. This summer the hotel unveiled the results of a $2.5 million renovation, highlighted by a redesigned lobby with a new sycamore wood bar surface and an updated second-floor mezzanine featuring 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. The lobby bar serves cocktails, small plates and Boxcar Coffee beverages, creating a relaxed gathering spot for guests and visitors.
Known for its famous guests—Helen Keller, poet Robert Frost, musician Benny Goodman and actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.—and for occasional ghost stories, the hotel also appeared in Stephen King’s novel Misery (Viking Press, 1987). One of its most distinctive features is a 1908 Otis elevator that still requires an attendant to ride.
Designed by William Redding & Son in Italian Renaissance and Spanish Revival styles, the Hotel Boulderado offers 160 rooms and suites across two distinct wings. The North Wing presents 118 recently renovated rooms with a modern mountain aesthetic, while the Historic Wing preserves 42 Victorian-inspired rooms that reflect the property’s original character. Four corner towers punctuate the exterior, and the lobby sits beneath a striking stained-glass canopy. A curved cherrywood staircase links the fifth floor with the lower lobby level, where License No. 1 channels a 1920s speakeasy atmosphere and offers an extensive selection of top-shelf spirits, inventive cocktails and live music Thursday through Saturday evenings.
Dining options include three venues, most notably Spruce Farm & Fish, where chef John Payne crafts a locally sourced menu with fresh, sustainable seafood flown in daily. Brunch is a particular draw: it’s served all day, seven days a week. The hotel hosts a variety of seasonal events and holiday teas, and it is famous for the annual lighting of a 30-foot Christmas tree in the lobby as well as a festive New Year’s Eve party.
The property is pet friendly and offers complimentary dog-walking services along with special rooms stocked with dog amenities. Human guests can request service in a 1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow for trips to nearby Boulder destinations and trailheads. In addition, a complimentary shuttle—operated in a 15-seat Mercedes van that accommodates dogs—provides downtown transportation, making it easy for guests to access excellent hiking and walking routes with their four-legged companions.