When planning your next Colorado getaway, consider these properties, which are sure to elevate any Rocky Mountain adventure.
MICHELIN 1 Key Hotels in Colorado
Clayton Hotel & Members Club
Denver
Located in one of the city’s best shopping and dining hubs, Clayton Hotel’s Cherry Creek location is the first sign that you’re in the middle of it all. Reviews of the hotel nearly always mention the friendly, concierge-style service, the mid-century design touches and amenities like Peloton bikes in the fitness center. Take a dip in the rooftop pool and relax in the sun with a cucumber caipirinha after a day of hitting the boutiques. In the evening, put on something special and head out to enjoy the neighborhood’s sumptuous dining scene.
The Crawford Hotel
Denver
Union Station – a bustling beaux-arts-style historic train station featuring towering ceilings, arched windows and glittering chandeliers — is more than a stopover, it’s a destination all in itself. Filled with acclaimed restaurants, shops and some of the city’s most popular gathering spaces, the station is also home to The Crawford Hotel. Featuring distinct rooms, suites and lofts, you’ll appreciate all the special touches — like opulent Victorian-era decor and themed accommodations crafted to feel like Pullman sleeper-train cars. While no two rooms are the same, they’re all steeped in Union Station’s colorful history as a more-than-a-century-old travel hub. Perks of the hotel’s location grant you privileged access: A daily scoop from Milkbox Ice Creamery, a cup of drip coffee from PigTrain Coffee Co., a craft beer from The Terminal Bar and priority seating at Snooze for brunch.
Four Seasons Denver
Denver
Situated in the middle of downtown’s urban core, the Four Seasons Denver doesn’t let you forget you’re in Colorado. Their well-connected concierge can connect you with in-demand tickets for a show in the nearby theater district, and the staff provides special amenities for guests with children. Choose a room with a mountain view, dine on Colorado-raised and -grown fare at the hotel’s EDGE Restaurant, marvel at artwork created by local sculptors and painters, and take advantage of the gourmet-lunch-to-go amenity to set you up with a delicious meal for your next hike or day on the slopes. In the evenings, you’re steps away from many of downtown’s best bars and restaurants, or you can stay in and enjoy handcrafted cocktails at EDGE Bar and all the comforts the Four Seasons brand is known for.
Four Seasons Resort Vail
Vail
A hotel located in one of the world’s top ski destinations is expected to roll out some spectacular mountain amenities, and the Four Seasons Resort Vail in Vail Village delivers. The three-story ski-concierge service offers a ski-in, ski-out experience with amenities to make your day on the mountain a breeze. Meanwhile, summer guests can enjoy the year-round heated pool, and s’mores on the outdoor fireplace make for delightful mountain moments. With a luxury, modern, lodge feel, most rooms boast a balcony with views of the peaks, an in-room fireplace and turn-down service that will get you rested and prepared for your next adventure. With stellar on-site restaurants, a bar, spa and state-of-the-art fitness center, you may never want to leave the property.
Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection
Aspen
Serving Coloradans and guests in style since 1889, Hotel Jerome is a paragon of historical preservation. From richly layered décor that evokes a mountain spirit to the bend-over-backward service and proximity to Aspen’s stylish slopes, you’ll be living the high life in one of America’s most buzzed-about ski towns. After a day on the mountain, revitalize your skin with a High Alpine Oxygen Lift facial or Mineral Healing Hot Stone massage at the hotel’s Auberge Spa.
The Little Nell
Aspen
Embracing Aspen’s treat-yourself vibe, The Little Nell sweetens the pot for guests with a luxury stay at a tucked-away mountain escape that’s right on the slopes. Lavish accommodations mix modern lines with a cozy-chic style. Here, you can focus 100 percent on relaxation and comfort, self-nurturing, being with family (that includes your fur babies) and amusements outdoors — no matter the season.
MOLLIE Aspen
Aspen
A boutique hotel set among the boutiques of downtown Aspen, the MOLLIE’s blend of Japanese and Scandinavian design and accouterments leaves you no choice but to surrender to its mountain comforts. Step onto the roof terrace for unparalleled Rocky Mountain views and soak up the sun or join the morning yoga class. Then fuel up in the cafe before heading out for a day of exploration and enjoying the postcard-perfect outdoors Aspen is renowned for.
Sonnenalp Hotel
Vail
A little slice of Europe in a town that echoes Bavarian charm, this Vail Village gem sets the standard for upscale coziness. With heated indoor and outdoor tranquility pools, en suite fireplaces, heated bathroom floors and large soaking tubs, a traditional fondue and raclette restaurant, and plenty of plush nooks and crannies for snuggling up with a book, staying at the Sonnenalp Hotel is like the epitome of an elegant, comfortable alpine retreat.
The Armstrong Hotel
Fort Collins
A tucked-away oasis in one of the state’s most lively college towns, The Armstrong Hotel is within walking distance of the city’s renowned restaurants and breweries. It’s the only boutique hotel in Old Town, and many of its charms harken back to romantic days of yore. When it first opened its doors in 1923, the three-story Armstrong was the tallest building in town. In 2002, new owners restored the red-brick structure and kept as many of the historical details as possible: Wooden windows, Douglas fir floors, period hall doors and facades with leaded, prismatic glass tiles are a few of the features that make this hotel a gem today. Each of its 54 rooms has been individually designed with its own warm style — soft plaid sofas, lamplit reading nooks, bold accent colors, and vintage rugs and wall decor. Guests can grab a creamy cortado from the on-site Mugs Coffee Lounge and sip it in the hotel’s homey library. Keep that 1920s vibe swinging downstairs at Ace Gillett’s Lounge to hear jazz and sip classic cocktails in the softly lit nightclub. A locally owned spa and deli are also just next door, enticing you to stay on this trendy block during your whole visit.
The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection
Fort Collins
Guests come to The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection for its excellent location in Old Town Fort Collins, the relaxed luxury, incredibly friendly service and in-room dining from the The Emporium’s brasserie menu, but they come back for the epically cool music-themed amenities. Celebrating the city’s love of live music, the hotel offers its musically inclined guests access to an instrument-lending library, a selection of vinyl records to take back to their room’s record player, an on-site live-music venue and bar called the Magic Rat, and an open-air lounge featuring live jazz performances, craft cocktails and mountain views — one of its signature suites also includes a baby grand piano! A variety of suites come with varying amenities like oversize soaking tubs and terraces or balconies, and the entire property features works by local artists that celebrate the beauty of northern Colorado.
The Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection
Telluride
If ever a resort embodied the perfect harmony of mountain opulence and adventure, this ski-in/ski-out San Juan Mountains jewel is at the top of the list. Literally steps away from the gondola that takes visitors up to Telluride Ski Resort’s terrain or down to one of the West’s most charming and historical towns, The Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection is ideally situated. Let the resort secure your lift tickets, warm your boots and lay out your skis and snowboards for you. Expansive guest rooms and suites have modern, alpine themes, many of which come with mountain views and balconies. Guests not starting the day on the slopes can book a complimentary spot in the resort’s outdoor Mountain Movement Classes, with options from cardio to yoga and meditation. The resort and its local adventure guides will also arrange made-in-Telluride experiences, from fly-fishing, sleigh rides and guided backcountry-ski excursions to private art classes, mountainside tea ceremonies and golf getaways.
Lumière with Inspirato
Telluride
With just 18 boutique residences and penthouses, Lumière with Inspirato is an exclusive ski-in/ski-out property with big-hotel amenities just steps from shopping and restaurants. The secluded one- to three-bedroom residences and three- to five-bedroom penthouses are outfitted with fireplaces, hardwood floors and hand-blown-glass fixtures; some have full chef kitchens, a separate steam shower and tub, and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Guests can prearrange a ski-equipment fitting or get a massage or acupuncture treatment from the convenience of their private residence. Other thoughtful features include a breakfast basket and altitude-acclimatization kit on arrival; a sauna and outdoor hot tub; warm-plunge and cold-splash pools; a lounge serving continental breakfast and afternoon après-ski snacks and drinks; as well as dog treats and dog-sitting services upon request.
MICHELIN 2 Key Hotel in Colorado
Dunton Hot Springs
Dunton
Dunton Hot Springs took the quintessentially Wild West ghost town — already an intriguing locale — and turned it into an unforgettable lodging experience deep in the mountains of southwest Colorado. The 1880s mining camp that once filled this valley did not have spa services, a fireside library or all-inclusive rates, but did have the same amazing views.Thirteen highly appointed, comfortable and rustic-looking log cabins, some of which were built by the town’s original miners, are nestled amid the green forests and gently flowing river of an alpine valley. Each cabin is unique, with period artifacts and decor mixed with modern conveniences. There are five hot-springs pools in which you can soothe well-worked muscles from fly-fishing, horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice climbing, heliskiing, yoga and more. The old camp likely did have a saloon, but not one where guests could watch the chef prepare the freshest meals using seasonal, local ingredients, pick up a picnic lunch before an outing or choose from a curated wine list.
Find other amazing accommodations on our Sleep Somewhere Cool in Colorado blog.