I confess — I’m a southwest Colorado fan, and at just under 300 miles away, the six hour drive is enough to require a mini vacation. Durango is one of my favorite destinations, a railroad and tourist town, and after two overnights in two of Colororado’s historic hotels, I opted for the budget friendly Durango Downtown Inn, within walking distance of the Historic Main Street. 
Arrival
Earlier this month, we were already in the middle of our 10-day Colorado-New Mexico road trip when we arrived in Durango via US-550 from the beautiful mining and railroad town of Silverton.The Durango Inn was a slight right onto Camino del Rio. The front of the hotel is nondescript 2-story brick building — but don’t let that or the connected chain restaurant fool you. This hotel is very clean, well run, with friendly staff, and convenient to everything downtown Durango.
The last two visits to Durango we stayed on Main Street the historic Strater and General Palmer Hotel. We traded a lower room rate ($150 vs $175) for a location only a couple of blocks from Main Street and 8-minute walk to the Historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train.
The lobby was roomy and generously decorated with southwestern and railroad themed decor. The far right corner contained complimentary light breakfast options (granola bars, oatmeal and coffee), and to the left of the front desk was a desk with a computer for guest access.
We arrived mid-morning, and our rooms were not ready. However, the staff was accommodating and stored our luggage (in an office behind the front desk), and even let us know which rooms we’d have when we return.
Accommodations
When we returned to the lobby later that afternoon, we again experienced amazing and friendly customer service — with a staff that gave us 5-star attention. (Can you tell I was blown away by the great service?) Since we already knew where our rooms were, we were able to plan our parking before we retrieved our luggage, which made the return even more seamless.
Our King rooms were simple by homey, with WiFi, TV, coffee makers and desks. We also had a microwave and refrigerator.
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Amenities & Dining
An indoor pool, fitness center and Jacuzzi keeps the traveler healthy, while the on-site Applebee’s chain restaurant is an affordable lunch, dinner and late night option for guests with full menu and full service bar. This Durango hotel even offers a laundry room, notching up another amenity created for guests using it as a home base to explore southwest Colorado where travelers can enjoy wide range of activities from hiking, hunting, fishing, river rafting, and of course, a ride on the historic train.
Our room was located on the side of the building toward the front, but within a minute, we were able to walk to the Animas River walkway, which bordered the back side of the hotel.
For those guests who prefer to experience dining outside the chain restaurant, dozens of restaurants are within walking distance including our favorite breakfast spot (with mimosas and Bloody Marys) on Main Street, Carvers Brewing Company, and multiple other options ranging from casual to fine dining.
Summary
When you’re exploring southwest Colorado, The Durango Inn Downtown is the perfect destination hotel for the traveler who wants to create an affordable home base hotel. Although I’m all about historic hotels, when you’re on a budget yet still enjoy great customer service without sacrificing location, you’ll find Durango Downtown Inn a delightful find. Check rates at the hotel website, or you can go to Booking.com and make a reservation.
Durango Downtown Inn provided a discounted rate for my stay; opinions expressed are my own. Photos courtesy of Durango Downtown Inn.
