The Stanley Hotel

[Guest BillP]

We're out in Denver this weekend, celebrating my wife's 61st birthday with family. Yesterday, we drove northwest through Boulder and Lyons to Estes Park. The road en route had been washed out in places by the recent floods and there was a lot of damage. We saw houses knocked off their foundations and smashed, cars and trucks wadded up and a huge amount of piles of debris. A sobering reminder of the force of Mother Nature.

We had no particular destination other than to arrive in Estes and nose around the shops. However, upon spying the glorious sight of the Stanley Hotel, we bee-lined it there, parked and ascended grandly into the magnificent lobby. The building and grounds rival any of the fabulous turn-of-the-century resort hotels throughout the country. Because it was built by one the Stanley twins, the lobby prominently displays a Steam Car in the lobby.

We arrived ten minutes before the tour started so decided the champagne could wait and took a delightful hour and a half tour of the grounds and buildings. Supposedly, there is some ghost history there, so we heard all about that, but all in all, it was a very interesting walk through of a grand property. And the champagne and chocolate cake were delightful.

It's an easy and scenic ride out of Denver and fun way to spend a leisurely day.

Thanks, Bill

[MarrsCars]

Being a fan of The Shining I have admired the Stanley as being the location where Stephen King stayed when he first wrote the story, being inspired like you were but perhaps in a different way. I see you're in Ohio, if you ever want to check out a hotel that I dare say rivals even the Stanley, and most others I have seen, visit West Baden Springs hotel in French Lick, Indiana. There is another famous hotel called the French Lick Hotel that is more traditionally grand, but West Baden is simply a jaw dropper with what was once the largest structural dome in the world, it's restored rooms and property including formal gardens, and it even once had a wooden horse track. If you spend the night, stay in one of the inward facing Atrium rooms with a balcony. The perfect anniversary or romantic getaway spot.

Check out some images I found on this blog, some show the massive and priceless Rookwood fireplace: http://davelandblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/back-home-again-in-indiana-west-baden.html

General google images here: West Baden google images

Edited November 10, 2013 by MarrsCars (see edit history)

[alsancle]

I'm a big fan of the grand hotels and we have many here in New England. If you are ever in the White Mountains check out the Mount Washington Hotel. One of the largest and most Grand of them all.