If you’re looking for a mountain escape, try Telluride in the southwestern corner of Colorado, nestled in the beauty of the San Juan Mountains. Whether you’re drawn for the hiking, festivals, skiing, shopping or dining in the historic town of Telluride or nearby Mountain Village, there’s enough to keep you busy for days – or weeks.
Telluride is located more than 300 miles southwest of Denver and 100 miles northeast of the Four Corners, so you’ll want to hang your hat for awhile to fully appreciate this little town’s big charm.
Here are our top picks of where to stay in Telluride, from luxurious hotels to places you can lay your head without breaking your wallet.
Franz Klammer Lodge at Fairmont Heritage Place
Located in Mountain Village
567 Mountain Village Blvd.
888-728-0355
www.fairmontheritageplace.com/heritageplace/klammerlodge
EXPENSIVE
Beginning at the top, the Franz Klammer Lodge is the best of show, with all the luxury amenities and facilities a high-class mountain traveler could desire.
Guests will stay in deluxe and spacious two- or three-bedroom units that afford all the amenities of home: a fully equipped kitchen, living room and dining room areas and fireplace, along with extras, such as spa tubs in the master baths and a private balcony. There’s even pre-arrival grocery shopping upon request.
Most visitors begin their stay at the beginning of the week, so the lodge has a complimentary cocktail reception on Monday night. From there, your time can be as packed or as leisurely as you want. The Franz Klammer can plan a full itinerary before your trip even happens, or you can take advantage of the 24-hour concierge service to book activities on a whim – from golf or skiing to outdoor adventures to dinner reservations.
If it’s relaxation you came for, check out the Franz Klammer’s Himmel Spa. It features five massage treatment rooms, a room for facials, indoor and outdoor hot tubs and 24-hour heated pool and fitness center. A variety of massages, body wraps and other spa treatments can be custom fit to suit your needs. There are even oxygen treatments to help with the thin mountain air.
Its location in Mountain Village also offers a good base for exploring the wonders of the mountain town and village. The lodge itself doesn’t have a restaurant, but many restaurants are close neighbors, and the Franz Klammer Bar and Club Room will suit if you want drinks and socializing.
This lodge is also a private residence club, with the opportunity to own a piece of the luxury vacation property.
Capella Telluride
Located in Mountain Village
568 Mountain Village Blvd.
970-369-0880
www.capellatelluride.com
EXPENSIVE
Capella Telluride hits a sweet note, with trendy and sleek alpine architecture and a harmony with its location in the San Juans. The hotel and condos blend man-made and nature, with dark-wood and granite interiors and picture windows and outdoor balconies to let the views in.
Lodging isn’t the only perk: Capella’s dining pampers guests, too. The Onyx Restaurant features local foods and international fare in a trendy yet relaxed atmosphere, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Suede Bar is another gem. With glass walls enclosing the bar and dining area and doors propped open during warm weather, the Suede Bar continues Capella’s interest in the outdoors. The hip atmosphere and weeknight live entertainment draw visitors and locals to enjoy a tall glass of the bar’s signature Constellation beers and ales brewed by Smugglers (Telluride’s only brewery).
Capella caters to the active as well, providing guests with a list of what to do, where to go and where to eat in Telluride based on personal preferences. It also sets up adventure trips and ski lessons, and makes other arrangements for any season.
Other Capella amenities include a skating rink in the Capella Plaza, a fitness center and indoor pool and hot tub – all equipped with mountain views.
Capella spa offers an extensive treatment selection, detoxing, relaxing, scrubbing and energizing guests’ minds and bodies after they’ve enjoyed a day in Telluride.
Families can also take advantage of Capella’s Kids Club that keeps the tikes entertained with activities and games so mom and dad can plan their own list of activities.
The Peaks Resort and Spa
Located in Mountain Village
136 Country Club Drive
970-728-6800
www.thepeaksresort.com
EXPENSIVE
As the name suggests, the Peaks Resort and Spa finds its place above Mountain Village, affording lofty views of the mountains and the town in luxurious accommodations that wrap travelers in inviting, bold mountain décor.
The rest of what the Peaks has to offer makes staying in your room difficult, though. The hotel’s ski-in/ski-out access to Telluride’s mountain snow is a big plus, but even spending a day inside the hotel can be fun. The Peaks has an expansive fitness room, yoga and Pilates classes, indoor rock climbing wall and a lap pool with a water slide to the lower level indoor/outdoor heated pool, Jacuzzis, steam rooms and Roman tubs.
And, of course, the spa. The award winning treatments, saunas, meditation lounges and spa dining put the Peaks Spa on the map. After rejuvenating the whole body, guests can also beautify themselves at the Peaks salon that offers nail, hand and foot care, hair cuts and styling, waxing, makeup application and tanning.
Dining options include the Lift Café and Appaloosa Bar & Grill for casual meals, and the Palmyra restaurant, an upscale dining experience with panoramic views of the colorful sunsets over mountain peaks to go along with your meal.
Hotel Columbia
Located in Telluride
301 W. San Juan Ave.
970-728-0660
www.columbiatelluride.com
MODERATE
With the San Miguel River flowing right outside its doors and the free mountain gondola only steps away, the Hotel Columbia makes a perfect home base for exploring the historic town of Telluride or voyaging over the hill to Mountain Village.
The spacious rooms blend modern with a historical flavor. They are cozy and comfortable, with sitting areas and stylish décor. The larger suites feel like home, with trendy living room and kitchen areas divided from the bedroom. The sleeping space features pillow-top beds covered with ultra-soft bedding that makes falling asleep as easy as listening to the soothing river flowing out your window.
The friendly staff adds a personalized and welcoming touch to your stay, and is part of what makes the Hotel Columbia one of the top-rated hotels in the area. It also helps that the entire town of Telluride – with its shops, dining, hiking and activities – is within walking distance from the hotel, and the gondola gives access to all the skiing, snow sports and shopping available in nearby Mountain Village.
Columbia’s restaurant and bar, the Cosmopolitan, offers dining just a step from the lobby, with an ever-changing menu and vintage wines to go with every dish.
New Sheridan Hotel
Located in Telluride
231 W. Colorado Ave.
800-200-1891
www.newsheridan.com
MODERATE
The New Sheridan Hotel, built in 1895 during the town’s gold rush and located on Telluride’s main street, keeps history alive and well for its guests.
The Victorian architecture lends well to the mansion home-feel of the hotel, and the historic photos of Telluride’s beginnings add context to your stay. The original portion of the hotel blends seamlessly with the newer portion (built in 1995) that replaced the rest of the building burned down in a 1907 fire.
Rooms range from interior, well-decorated and comfortable bedrooms to suites with a view and sitting room. All guests can access the two rooftop hot tubs that overlook the heart of Telluride and the San Juan Mountains.
The New Sheridan’s Chop House Restaurant offers a high-class dining option featuring steak, seafood and organic local food. The saloon-type Historic Bar is a popular gathering place, offering drinks and a tie to the town’s history.
Mountain Lodge
Located above Mountain Village
457 Mountain Village Blvd.
970-369-5000
www.mountainlodgetelluride.com
MODERATE
For a stay in Telluride outside of town, the Mountain Lodge at the end of the gondola line has its own small community with upscale lodge rooms, hotel suites, luxury log cabins and condos.
The lodge’s ski-in/ski-out mountainside location is ideal during the winter, as is the main lodge’s immense fireplace with its Western-themed log and stone décor. The year-round deck area with heated pool and Jacuzzi basks in the views of the surrounding canyon and is the party place when the lodge throws social gatherings.
On site, guests can dine at The View Restaurant and Wine Bar, shop at the general store or use the lodge’s grocery shopping service. There’s also an exercise room, steam room and ski lockers. For other activities, the gondola is a short walk away to gain access to Mountain Village and the town of Telluride.
The Inn at Lost Creek
Located in Mountain Village
119 Lost Creek Lane
970-728-5678
www.innatlostcreek.com
MODERATE
The Inn at Lost Creek is a small hotel in the heart of Mountain Village that exudes warmth and comfort, from the stone and beam lobby to each of the individualized suites.
Guests have access to luxury amenities at Capella Telluride’s facilities, and the inn’s own two roof-top spas can be reserved for private parties. A Wii fitness center, babysitting appointments and other special-arrangements are among the Inn at Lost Creek’s more quirky services.
The inn’s 9545 Restaurant and Bar – getting its name from Mountain Village’s elevation – serves Southwestern fare. On its second-story level, the patio and large windows have great views of the village and the surrounding mountains.
The Victorian Inn
Located in Telluride
401 W. Pacific Ave.
970-728-6601
www.victorianinntelluride.com
BUDGET
One block away from Hotel Columbia – and thus from the gondola – the Victorian Inn is a value motel with all the location perks of its upscale neighbors.
But we’re not talking Motel 6 here. The inn has the comfy accommodations you would expect to see in a standard hotel, but with Telluride’s charm spun in.
Room options range from a standard queen bed to the adjacent “Cozy Cottage” for those wanting to make a true stay of it. Amenities include a continental breakfast, outdoor hot tub and sauna, and the special for families: kids ages 12 and under stay free.
The true highlight of the Victorian Inn is the money you save while still enjoying an incredible location one block from Telluride’s main street.
Telluride Town Park Campgrounds
Located in Telluride
500 E. Colorado Ave.
970-728-2173
www.telluride-co.gov
BUDGET
If you really want to get close to the action (and save some dollars), the Telluride Town Park Campgrounds offer a very affordable means to get in touch with nature.
This summer-option lodging means pitching a tent – or hauling in a camper trailer if you’re lucky enough to get one of the big spots – in Telluride’s town park. This is the place to be for summer festivals and activities a tent zipper’s length away. The park is also at the edge of town and the beginning point for many great nature trails and hikes around the Telluride area.
Campsites are doled out on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a maximum stay of seven days for every 30, but each plot is a reasonable price: $15 for walk-up camping and $20 for sites with a place to park a vehicle.
Amenities are limited to the public restrooms and 5 minutes of hot shower time for $3 in quarters (but cold water is free!). This option is all about enjoying Telluride in its wild form, but with downtown right down the street.
If You Go
Go to www.visittelluride.com for more information about things to do in the Telluride area.