If you love perfectly designed interiors and gather ideas for your own home by traveling to fresh locales, these four hotels (put together by our team here at Corken + Company) belong on your list of inspiring destinations for Colorado getaways.
Destination: Telluride
The Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection
Colorado’s palette changes with the seasons, but winter and summer vibes coincide at Telluride’s Madeline Hotel, which underwent a $10-million design upgrade in early 2021. The vibrant hues of wildflowers inspired the deep blue walls and pops of red and green furniture in the restaurant and lounge area, while custom crown molding in the lobby appears to be sculpted from snow. Together with plenty of reclaimed timber, light fixtures made from locally mined quartz, and the great room’s hygge vibes, the main floor exudes the feeling that you’re kicking off your ski boots in a European chalet.
While You’re There
Three can’t-miss spots in and around town.
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Eat: Year-old LittleHouse is a restaurant-meets-deli-meets-bakery that serves scratch-made food for lunch and dinner—and an addicting chocolate cake anytime. littlehouseeats.com
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Play: Rent a cross-country setup at the Telluride Nordic Association and hit the trails at one of the six Nordic ski areas around town; your four-legged friend can tag along on dog-friendly routes at both Priest and Trout lakes.
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Shop: Downtown—take the free gondola down the mountain—is a designated National Historic Landmark District, and many of its Victorian-era buildings are now home to must-visit stores, such as Crossbow Leather and Mixx Projects.
Destination: Silverton
The Wyman Hotel
Silverton, in southwest Colorado, is known for being a rugged, hardy town. But when Shane Fuhrman and Haley Morgan bought a historic red sandstone building on its main drag, their goal was to create a boutique hotel that offered something new to the area. “It’s a very relaxing, calm [area] with huge mountains surrounding us,” Fuhrman says. “To have this warm, clean, soft place to come back to is really nice.”
While You’re There
Three can’t-miss spots in and around town.
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Play: Heli-skiing the steeps at Silverton Mountain is on many an outdoorsperson’s bucket list, but beginners and families will probably feel more at home at Kendall Mountain, where there’s also an ice rink and tubing hill.
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Soak: Nothing screams “après” in Colorado quite like a cold beer and hot springs. Orvis Hot Springs, about 30 miles north of Silverton, is a little slice of paradise amid the scraggly peaks. (Heads up: The venue is clothing optional.)
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Eat & Drink: Avalanche Brewing Company whips up scratch-made pizza, tacos, wraps, and, of course, plentiful pints.
Destination: Colorado Springs
Kinship Landing
Upon walking through the front door, guests are immediately greeted by a fresh take on the hotel lobby: a jade-colored bar, hanging chairs, and the Greenhaus, where abundant plants hang from a gabled ceiling. A garage door opens to a patio outfitted with fire pits and a building-size mural by Denver-born artist Zane Prater. Contactless check-in offers weary travelers a break from making small talk. And the seating area for Homa, the on-site cafe and bar, is as much a kitchen table for guests as it is a hangout for locals.
While You’re There:
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Go: Satisfy your competitive side at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, a tech-savvy, immersive venue where you can up your knowledge for the next trivia night and race an athlete on a 0.1-mile-long track.
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Eat: You can feel extra good about digging into your cup of joe and breakfast sandwich at Switchback Coffee Roasters, which focuses on sustainable sourcing and roasts its beans right in the Springs.
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Shop: Ladyfingers Letterpress is more than a stationery store—though it carries a fabulous collection of cards. Its focus on local and sustainable goods makes customers feel even better about their purchases.
Destination: Denver
Clayton Members Club & Hotel
Cherry Creek North has seen a hotel boom in recent years, but Clayton, which began taking reservations in May, sets itself apart as a combination boutique hotel, members club(think: Soho House), and dining destination. But the best part is that hotel guests have access to all the members-only areas, including the rooftop pool, coworking space, fitness center, library (stocked by Tattered Cover Book Store), and two private restaurants. (Two other on-site eateries, Of A Kind and OAK Market, are open to the public, too.)
The Clayton is also a hub of creativity. Art awaits around nearly every corner, and many of the member events, which hotel guests are welcome to attend, are centered on artistic endeavors, such as gallery-like exhibitions and poetry readings. A stay at this new venue offers an immersive entrée into Denver culture—a place where “hotel” means a whole lot more than just a spot to lay your head. Rooms start at $279/night; claytondenver.com
While You’re There
Three can’t-miss spots in and around town.
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Go: Just four miles down Speer Boulevard awaits Meow Wolf’s delightful Convergence Station. This is the arts collective’s third permanent location and opened in September. It features the work of more than 100 Colorado artists and invites hours of wandering and discovery.
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Drink: Five Nines is Clayton’s covert cocktail lounge, tucked behind OAK Market. The expertly crafted drinks make for a sexy pairing with the space’s gemstone-hued fabrics, dim lighting, and live entertainment.
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Sweat: Just because you’re on vacation, you don’t have to skip your workouts: Barry’s brought its high-octane bootcamp classes to Cherry Creek North in April. Order a protein smoothie to refuel afterward.
