A giant, sparkling white fir and a festive holiday brunch in a historic Rocky Mountain setting—yes, please. That scene unfolds each year at the storied Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado. Guests arriving at the hotel are greeted by twinkling lights and an enormous lobby tree, a much-loved local tradition. The hotel selects its annual tree in partnership with Native Nursery from nearby Golden.
© Hotel Boulderado
Opened on New Year’s Day in 1909, Hotel Boulderado has long been a beloved local landmark. Over the years it has hosted notable guests such as Clarence Darrow, Helen Keller, Robert Frost and Louis Armstrong. Early stage and screen stars like Ethel Barrymore and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. also stayed here. The five-story building blends Italian Renaissance and Spanish Revival styles and is recognized by the Historic Hotels of America as well as the National Register of Historic Places. Today the property offers 160 guestrooms and suites that range from historic Victorian décor to a more modern mountain-chic aesthetic.
During the holiday season, there are several special offerings. On Thursdays you can catch a stand-up show at the Underground Comedy Showcase. On weekends through Dec. 17, the hotel serves special holiday teas on the mezzanine, where the tree is on full display. The mezzanine also hosts an abundant Christmas Day buffet featuring chef-carved whole leg of lamb, maple-glazed bone-in ham, stuffed red bell peppers, cracker-crusted Verlasso salmon, honey-buttered roasted parsnips, turnips and tri-colored carrots, shrimp and crab cocktail claws, bourbon pecan pie, a chocolate station and many other seasonal dishes.
© Hotel Boulderado
The hotel’s dining venues—Spruce Farm & Fish and The Corner Bar—offer their full regular menus alongside holiday additions and seasonal specials. Recent features have included pork belly mac and cheese, gnocchi pesto, and blackened snapper with crab étouffée, providing comforting and elevated options for festive dining.
Celebrate New Year’s and the anniversary of the hotel’s original opening with live music, a Champagne toast and late-night snacks at License No. 1, the property’s speakeasy-style cocktail lounge. After a leisurely morning, stroll over to Boulder’s pedestrian-only Pearl Street Mall—just a block from the hotel—to walk off your sweets and explore local shops and galleries.