Your favorite place to stay - off the beaten path

[altagirl]

So last weekend my husband and I headed out to SolVista (Colorado) for a mountain bike race. We were looking for a cheap condo or lodging at the mountain and weren't seeing much left at a reasonable price and then looking for lodging in Granby I found this on Google Maps (actually in Hot Sulfur Springs):

https://www.riverside-hotel.com/

It totally reminded me of this cool old place in Silverton that we had stayed at several years ago on a ski trip, and I booked it. It was 10 miles away from the resort, but a nice straight drive. And it just looked too cute to pass up.

WOW was that a good decision. Beautiful little renovated rooms with the most comfortable down comforters you've ever felt. You had to share bathrooms, but they provided flannel robes and never had to wait for one. But the really cool part was the staff. It's family owned and they moved out from Kansas - sort of a living their dream thing. It's got a cool little bar downstairs where we sat and chatted with the owners and other guests for hours. And then we ate dinner... OMG yum. Best steak I've had in ages. And their dining room is right on the river running through town. So through the open window you could hear the water rushing by...

We never would have seen it from the road, and only found it through random luck of clicking on a link on a map... but it turned out to be the coolest lodging experience we've had in years (since living in Europe at least).

Anyway - I'd totally recommend it if you're headed to Winter Park or SolVista. Very much worth driving a few minutes to get to the resort.

Anyone else have any interesting lodging experiences or places they'd recommmend that you're not likely to find on Expedia.com?

 

[Shellski]

Not really off the beaten path, but that reminds me of the New Sheridan Hotel in Telluride (it IS the most famous landmark in Telluride), what a gorgeous hotel. I would much rather stay there than a condo in mountain village.

 

[SouthernSkier]

If any of you Divas make it down to North Carolina, then there are quite a few places worth visiting in the Blue Ridge mountains. A couple of my favorites are Valle Crucis and Maggie Valley. Both offer great opportunities for hiking and biking (both road bikes and mountain bikes). Valle Crucis is an old town located near Boone and Blowing Rock. I've stayed there a few times and it is one of my favorite places in the NC mountains. It is also near to the NC ski resorts (15-20 minutes away). Maggie Valley is farther south, and adjacent to the Smokey Mountains. This is another wonderful place to stay and visit.

Sorry I don't have any lodging suggestions. we tend to rent cabins in the mountains as opposed to B&Bs and hotels.

 

[CMCM]

This is our favorite summer place....in the Mendocino-Fort Bragg area of the Northern California coast. It's wild, unspoiled, uncrowded, quiet, incredibly beautiful. We always take our bikes, and right outside our room is a 10 mile bike trail right along the ocean. You can also ride horses on the beach. This is the greatest place to relax and decompress.

https://www.oceanviewlodging.com/

 

[mollmeister]

Hmmmm. . . I am a hotel junkie.

I really, really, really want to go to Dunton Hot Springs. I love *camp for grown-ups.* My sis and I MIGHT go there this fall for a couple of nights, to make up for some Xmas/birthday presents owing:
www.duntonhotsprings.com

Speaking of camp for grownups, I also lurve:

www.devilsthumbranch.com
and
https://www.crmr.com/emerald-lake-lodge.php

And this has great college-era memories for me:
https://www.dartmouth.edu/~doc/moosilauke/ravinelodge/
NOT luxurious, but fun, fun, fun, especially on a night when there's contra dancing.

And in a tropical context:
DH and I are probably going here (we have an *in*) for our 10th wedding anniversary:
https://www.hotelesencia.com/

 

[mollmeister]

And this place is a good time if you want to sorta camp and also have services:

https://www.costanoa.com/site.php

 

[mollmeister]

My sister would also suggest:

https://www.sfzc.org/tassajara/display.asp?catid=4,19&pageid=182

If you are interested in a Zen Buddhist retreat. Tassajara was greatly affected by the recent fires, but it has reopened and it is a very special place.

 

[tradygirl]

When my husband and I used to ice climb, we loved going to Ouray, CO. Although I've heard this little town can get pretty busy in the summer, it is the most peaceful, beautiful place in the winter. It's not that far of a drive to Telluride, and it would be an interesting option if you're heading that way.

The Victorian Inn is our favorite place to stay, although it is by no means luxurious. The best parts about the Vic are the location, the prices, and the hot tubs! It's right at the bottom of the ice park (10 min walk to climbing). The hot tubs are completely out in the open so you can take in the scenery while relaxing after a long day of climbing. There's also a hot spring - the Box Canyon Inn near the Vic actually has little miniature hot spring tubs. There's a big hot spring pool down the road as well.

There are tons of cool places to stay there, from hotels to B&B's to cabins to houses, and it's ridiculously affordable in the winter. Not much going on in the winter, but that's what makes it so great. Hit the Bon Ton for a great dinner and be sure to hit the Historic Western hotel bar.

 

[lynseyf]

Maybe a bit far for a weekend ;) but if anyone ever goes to Bangkok I can totally recommend this place.
https://www.oldbangkokinn.com/introduction.php
It is quite small, it only has 10 rooms, but they are all furnished individually. each room is themed after a flower and the owner makes their own toiletries scented with the theme of your room. It is a women and her son who own it and they were both so helpful, they helped us make the most of our time and recommended the best order to see things in and would help us plan our route every morning over breakfast.
Bangkok is such a huge city and I think I would have felt a bit bewildered by it arriving after a 20hr flight so it was nice to find some where small and friendly.