Located just off Manitou Springs’ bustling main street, The Cliff House at Pikes Peak is known for its grand, turreted facade and close proximity to Colorado Springs. In the shadow of the Front Range and sporting some tall peaks of its own, this artsy town is famed for mineral pools and is an ideal jumping-off point for many Colorado adventures.
What began as a stagecoach stop is now a refined-yet-quirky hotel with spectacular mountain views and eccentric rooms — each one a little more over-the-top than the last. Coming complete with gas fireplaces, two-person spa tubs and steam showers, it is no surprise that The Cliff House is an 20-plus-year AAA Four Diamond Winner.
Nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak, The Cliff House combines the glamour of a bygone era with modern-day sophistication and services — think floor-to-ceiling Victorian drapery, different in every room, along with the convenience of complimentary Wi-Fi. Fun fact: Built in 1873, the inn has welcomed guests longer than Colorado has been a state!
It, no doubt, would have to be the commanding views of Pikes Peak, the 14,115-foot pink-granite behemoth known as America’s Mountain. Located west of the hotel, it’s one of the state’s most popular fourteeners (mountains that top 14,000 feet). You must head to the tippy top for some of the famous Summit House doughnuts.
A winner of a DiRoNa Award and the AAA Four Diamond Award in fine dining, The Cliff House Dining Room is a Colorado crown jewel. The chef crafts dishes that will make your mouth water. Indulge in bites of tart and sweet lemon-blueberry cheesecake, savory Colorado Bison rib eye and fresh-caught Rocky Mountain trout.
Check into the one-of-a-kind Buffalo Bill Suite — you’ll feel like you’re in a truly luxe, High Plains campsite set indoors. There's even a lamp with cowboy boots as its base.
Grab a spot on the veranda, breathe in the fresh Rocky Mountain air and be blown away watching the sun set over the mountaintops. For a more literal sensory experience, the heated toilet seats — which draw rave reviews — are perfect on a chilly Colorado morning.
“This hotel was very charming and very well placed in the quirky town of Manitou Springs. You could walk to most shopping and, for the outdoors people, a very short drive to Garden of the Gods, etc. The inn was very beautiful, Victorian-style with history. We had a beautiful, large room with a wonderful view. We highly recommend it.” — CSatterwhite, Tripadvisor
Take a five-minute walk to Manitou Springs’ boutique shops and restaurants — be sure to pop into Commonwheel Artist Co-op and Skye Candle Co. for all the goodies. Explore the museums and Ancestral Puebloan structures just a mile down the road at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. Drive the Pikes Peak Highway to the summit or relax and enjoy the views from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Hike among 1,300 acres of towering sandstone formations in the Garden of the Gods Park or take a free tour of the eight mineral springs that give Manitou Springs its name.
Photos courtesy of The Cliff House at Pikes Peak
