The Western Hotel & Spa Ouray
Step Back In Time With a Stay at the Western Hotel & Spa in Ouray
by Holly GoSpritely
Western Colorado’s newest hotel destination, The Western Hotel & Spa in Ouray is one of the few remaining 19th-century wood-frame hotels in the United States. I had the opportunity to experience this meticulously restored landmark and it is stunning. It may sound clichè but when I walked through their double doors I felt as if I stepped back into Ouray’s mining-era glory.
Not a thing has been overlooked in the building’s restoration. Elegant touches, furniture, and décor match the building’s old western charm. Originally built in 1891, during Ouray’s mining boom days, The Western is one of the state’s last remaining wood frame hotels. Denver-based Zeppelin Development reimagined it as a sophisticated, European-style hospitality experience and a luxurious home base for outdoor recreation and succeeded.
Preservation was the priority for the team as they renovated the 132-year-old structure. Everything they could preserve was taken into account, including an early 20th-century mural on the floor of The Saloon. Original taxidermy and art, stained glass windows, tin ceilings, the original front desk, hand-painted wallpaper, and the original hand-carved bar all grace the space they had originally occupied.
The hotel’s guest quarters include eight queen suites, four double queen suites, two king suites and two deluxe king suites located on floors two and three. Each room is punctuated with luxurious baths, gas fireplaces, large vintage mirrors, custom flat-weave wool rugs, and kitchenettes outfitted with a sink and two-burner stovetop.
The Spa, located on the lower floor of the hotel, is a unique, intimate retreat offering Nordic therapeutic treatment methods and a horseshoe-shaped subterranean hot and cold saline plunge pool.
On the hotel’s main floor, the old west charm continues in the Grill and Dining Hall, with a menu inspired by traditions of the Ute tribe and local ingredients. Culinary director, Nic Weber, who has worked extensively throughout Colorado and California, including on the James Beard Award-winning team at Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver and three Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, creates seasonal menus of Western Colorado cuisine with a focus on local sourcing.
The Saloon is connected to the Grill and will have you wondering if you have stepped back in time with their pre-Prohibition era classic cocktail offerings.
This fabulous new hotel offers a welcoming, mountain-town curated experience, where understated luxury meets the original historic character.The Western is located at 210 7th Avenue, Ouray, CO 81427. For more information, please visit www.thewesternouray.com.
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