The Hotel Boulderado is the historic hotel of downtown Boulder. Open since 1909, the hotel currently provides a luxury experience for modern-day travelers.
Much of its history and charm has been preserved for today’s guests. Hotel Boulderado is located just a short walk away from Boulder’s famed Pearl Street Mall. Walking into Hotel Boulderado is like walking back into time. For me and my family, it was a unique experience that we’ll never forget.
A Hotel with History
Before I share much of the history of the hotel I feel I should note that this information was shared with me by Hotel Boulderado’s in-house historian. She gave me a fascinating tour of the hotel. Guests can sign up for the tour, as well.
Hotel Boulderado was originally funded by local town residents and opened in 1909. At the time there about 4,000 residents of the town, and about 2,000 people showed up at the grand opening of the hotel on New Year’s Eve.
Built during the Victorian Era, Hotel Boulderado architecture feature elements of Italian Renaissance and Spanish Revival architectural style. A lot of the woodwork is the original and made from cherry.
The tile in the lobby is original and maintained by experts. Next to the traditional lobby area were three rooms. One was a writing room for women.
Another was a smoking room for men, and the other room was a dining room. The dining room is the longest-running restaurant in town.
Restaurants
The hotel boasts a number of restaurants from which can be purchased a wide variety of high-quality food, alcoholic beverages, and coffee. Our family enjoyed a meal at the Spruce Farm and Fish.
I enjoyed their fish and chips. It was delicious. The coleslaw that came with the fish and chips had a unique, refreshing flavor. You’ll have to try it yourself to guess what the secret ingredients are!
Some of their other options are: Pine Street Patio, The Corner Bar, License No. 1, and Boxcar Coffee.
Hotel Boulderado sells a number of packages that include some of their excellent food. Some of their packages include their high-end food options orto-go lunches for local adventures.
One package which might interest families like ours is the Happy Camper Package. It includes in-room sleeping bags, tent, lanterns, and a backpack with treats and a stuffed animal for the kids. There might even be s’mores, but I’m not completely sure.
Location
Hotel Boulderado is located in downtown Boulder. It is a short walk away from the Pearl Street Mall. Our family walked a section of the mall. There were a lot of interesting shopping and food options. There were some public art fixtures, and, overall, a lively, vibrant atmosphere.
Boulder is home to the University of Colorado, and is located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Luxury
Despite the age of Hotel Boulderado, it is certainly a luxury hotel. It has a valet and they can take your bags to your room. They have one of the oldest operating elevators in the country.
The Otis elevator is the original elevator of the hotel. I can only describe it as like the elevators that you see in old movies. It has an accordion-style grate and a bellhop has to operate the elevator for you.
It buzzes when you get to your floor. Most importantly, the beds and bedding were soft and comfortable.
To get the best feel for the grandeur of the hotel you should enter the hotel from the south side. The current front desk is located in the former writing room and on the east side of the building. The architect originally designed the building for people to enter from the south entrance. Entering that way helps you to appreciate the impressive staircase and the large stained glass window.
The old front desk is on the west side of the lobby. Again, it looks like it belongs in an old movie!
The guest rooms are appropriately furnished. The furniture and decor match the building. A few things might feel a little dated by itself, but overall everything is either well-maintained or new, with more of an antique style. The rooms definitely feel luxurious.
The rooms might seem unusually structured. I soon realized that our room used to be two rooms. Apparently, hotel rooms in the past didn’t have their own bathrooms. Rooms in Hotel Boulderado shared a bathroom with another room, or they took turns using a more communal bathroom at the end of the hall. One of our rooms had beds in it, and the other had a television, couches, and a desk. We were able to fit our whole family of five into a room with two beds. We made a blanket bed on the floor for one of the boys. He loved it!
Conclusion
Overall, Hotel Boulderado is a unique, luxury hotel with history and delicious food. By staying here you can enjoyable become a part of its history. You can ride the same elevator, walk on the same tile, and eat in the same place that people did for the last hundred years!
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