With May flowers blooming, travelers are looking toward their summer vacation. Travel Writer Diana Rowe picks her favorite Colorado Hotels to plan your summer getaway. From Ouray to Durango, Glenwood Springs to Redstone, these unique Colorado mountain towns will make your summer vacation even more unforgettable.
Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs, located in beautiful Ouray in southwestern Colorado
Ski Hotels Make Perfect Colorado Summer Hotels
Located between Glenwood Springs and Aspen/Snowmass, there’s a new hotel in the valley. The Element Basalt – Aspen Colorado hotel brings affordability and amenities to the Roaring Fork Valley. Sure, its location is prime for winter activities, but summer in the Colorado Rockies offers Colorado’s best outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, golfing, shopping and more.
There is so much to love about Glenwood Springs, starting with the historic Hotel Denver, which includes an opportunity to taste local beer at Glenwood Canyon Brewpub.
Glenwood Springs is a four season destination offering activities for all ages. Start with a healing soak in the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool (Glenwood Hot Springs) and the new Iron Mountain Hot Springs (pictured below). Hike the nearby Hanging Lake, rent a bicycle, go rafting, or take your adventure to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.
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Unplugged Colorado Mountain Lodges
Located 30 miles from Glenwood Springs and 45 miles from Aspen, you’ll fall in love with the quiet Colorado mountain town of and Jonathon, your welcoming innkeeper at Redstone Cliffs Lodge. When you’re ready for a technology detox, go ahead and book your room at the Redstone Cliffs Lodge. Imagine settling into your Colorado mountain cabin with the Crystal River bubbling behind your room, surrounded by the White River National Forest.
An original 1902 mining town, today Redstone features shops, cafes, art galleries on its Mayberry-like Main Street surrounded by towering red cliffs. The Crystal River edges the town attracting fly fishers and lovers of rivers, families, and motorcycle enthusiasts.
Another destination prime for an unplugged vacation is the historic town of Ouray. Tucked away in the San Juan Mountains, book your summer vacation at the affordable and family friendly Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs, nestled in a “box canyon” at the base of the San Juans.
For travelers exploring beautiful southwest Colorado, the historic mountain town of Ouray is a must stop. Within an hour (depending on weather), you can arrive in Durango and Telluride via the scenic (and sometimes scary) San Juan Skyway and Million Dollar Highway. Be sure to include a visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the “mini Grand Canyon” of Colorado.
The Strater Hotel, a red-brick and limestone historic hotel in downtown Durango, Colorado.
Oh Durango, how I love you!
Durango is dramatic surrounded by red sandstone bluffs of the Animas River Valley and jagged peaks of the San Juan Mountains. And its downtown is a step back into the Old West with the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad whistling through town. Durango is also surrounded by outdoor adventures of hiking, mountain biking, rafting, zip-lining, and the finer things in life like exceptional restaurants, wine, vineyards, and boutique shops.
Book your Colorado hotel room on Main Street at the historic Strater Hotel or the General Palmer, or at the affordable Durango Downtown Inn, a short walk from downtown.
Looking for a Denver Hotels?
There are plenty of other places to visit in Colorado of course, including the biggest city of Denver, home to the largest airport.
