In the heart of downtown Boulder, Colorado, the historic Hotel Boulderado has been a mainstay since 1909. Let’s look closer inside this elegant Victorian-style hotel with a speakeasy and two restaurants with full bars!
Disclosure: This review of Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colorado, contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you purchase a product or book a hotel through one of these links. As always, all opinions shared in this post are my own. You can read my full disclosure here.
Elegance and History at Hotel Boulderado
For over a century, the landmark Hotel Boulderado has stood at the corner of Spruce and 13th streets in downtown Boulder. The historic property opened to guests on January 1, 1909, after hosting a grand New Year’s Eve gala.
Today, the hotel remains one of the most recognized landmarks in Boulder, and it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.
Among the hotel’s timelessly elegant features is a remarkable stained-glass ceiling in the grand lobby. Since central courts were an architectural trend in the late 1800s, the hotel’s architects, William Reddy & Son, designed the hotel lobby with a central focal point — a beautiful ceiling made from cathedral glass imported from Italy.
Unfortunately, the original stained-glass ceiling was damaged by heavy snowfall in 1959, but the current ceiling was installed in 1977 to recapture the lobby’s original elegance and grandeur. Now, it’s a stunning backdrop for wedding photos and a highlight of the hotel lobby.
During a renovation in 2017, the hotel’s front desk was relocated to create a computer bar, where guests can work on their laptops with a view of the original safe and hotel key boxes.
Other noteworthy features include the beautiful wooden staircase, the mosaic-tiled floor throughout the lobby and into the restaurant’s dining room, and the functioning drinking fountain that piped fresh water from the city-owned Arapahoe Glacier [sic].
Another of the hotel’s impressively preserved features is the Otis elevator, which is over 110 years old. I enjoyed riding in the operator-attended elevator to the Boulderado’s upper floors during my tour. If you stay at the Hotel Boulderado, you may also be able to ride this functioning piece of the hotel’s history.
As we walked through the hallways, I spotted an antique radio, old-fashioned trunks left by travelers, and other relics of the hotel’s storied past.
Hotel Boulderado Guest Rooms & Suites
Staying in one of the Hotel Bouldero’s historical guest rooms or suites would be like stepping back to the end of the Victorian era. Each of these rooms and suites is elegantly decorated with polished cherry wood furnishings and turn-of-the-century-style decor.
If staying in a historical room is not your thing, you may prefer the more modern North Wing, an expansion constructed in the 1980s. The North Wing guest rooms, which includes all of the hotel’s accessible rooms, are outfitted with modern-day furnishings while maintaining the hotel’s sophisticated, stately vibe.
Although this historical hotel dates back to the early 1900s, the amenities are designed for today’s traveler. All 160 guest rooms and suites have air conditioning, Wi-Fi, laptop-friendly workspaces, flat-screen TVs, mini fridges, Aveda bath products, plush robes, and coffee/tea makers.
Dining at Hotel Boulderado
For eating and drinking, Hotel Boulderado offers three on-site establishments.
Spruce Farm & Fish
Spruce Farm & Fish serves elegant seafood-and-farm dinners, breakfasts, and weekend brunches featuring fresh ingredients from Colorado farmers and ranchers.
Dinner service begins at 5 p.m. daily with entrées such as Rocky Mountain Trout, Bison & Bacon Meatloaf, and a 16-oz. Certified Angus Beef T-Bone steak topped with horseradish cream, blue cheese butter, or bordelaise wild mushrooms.
Weekend brunch, served from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, features savory and sweet dishes, including house-smoked salmon eggs Benedict, raspberry Danish pancakes, and a classic Denver omelet. You can pair your brunch with a mimosa, a cup of Boxcar Coffee, or a mocktail!
On weekday mornings, hotel guests will find breakfast items served until 11 o’clock.
All of the menus, including the kids’ menu, feature some vegetarian and gluten-free options, including a delicious gluten-free chocolate torte for dessert. Limited vegan dishes are also available.
Reserve your table at Spruce Farm & Fish
The oyster bar at Spruce Farm & Fish inside the historical Hotel Boulderado (© Erin Klema)
Spruce Farm & Fish (© Erin Klema)
Spruce Farm & Fish (© Erin Klema)
License No. 1 Liquor Bar
License No. 1, the Hotel Boulderado’s basement speakeasy, earned its name for holding the first liquor license in Boulder.
Interestingly, although Colorado has become a craft beer drinker’s destination, Boulder was once a dry city — both before and after Prohibition. In 1969, Boulder undid the ban on booze, and the Hotel Boulderado’s basement bar has legally served its patrons ever since, with Manhattans, Negronis, other classic cocktails, and wines by the glass or bottle on the menu today.
Beyond the adult beverages, the menu’s elevated bar food seems just as tantalizing as the dinner dishes upstairs at Spruce Farm & Fish, with options such as a burrata appetizer with speck, poached rhubarb, balsamic macerated strawberries, and grilled rosemary foccacia; a “Colorado hot chicken sandwich” with Colorado hot sauce, chipotle aioli, and coleslaw on a brioche bun; and an Angus Beef burger topped with Fontina, hot honey balsamic bacon jam, arugula, and a Calabrian chile pesto.
Of course, one of the best reasons to go to License No. 1 is for the entertainment. The bar hosts live music Wednesday through Saturday and comedy showcases every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.
License No. 1 (© Erin Klema)
Buffalo Trace Single-Barrel Select Kentucky Bourbon hand-selected by the Hotel Boulderado staff at License No. 1 (© Erin Klema)
The Corner Bar
At the corner of 13th and Spruce, The Corner Bar has been a happening gathering spot for the past 20+ years among locals and travelers alike. On a sunny day, the patio is the place to be!
Happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. daily with discounted draft beers, wines, cocktails, and light bites, but the bar also has a full food menu and late-night eats.
As for drinks, there are rotating draft beer taps, canned domestic and imported beers, wines by the glass or bottle, mocktails, frozen drinks (also available without alcohol), and seasonal and classic cocktails. Try the Boulder Mule made with Colorado-crafted Breckenridge Vodka!
Reserve your table at The Corner Bar
The Corner Bar (© Erin Klema)
Beer tap handles at the Corner Bar (© Erin Klema)
The Corner Bar at Hotel Boulderado (© Erin Klema)
Hotel Boulderado Essential Info
- Location: 2155 13th Street, Boulder, CO 80302
- Phone: 303-442-4344
- Parking: Valet ($40/night, $4/hour)
- Average Room Rates: $229 – $586
- Accessible rooms available
- Dogs allowed
- Amenities:
- Game room
- 24-hour fitness center
- Complimentary access to One Boulder Fitness
- Hotel tours with in-house hotel historian subject to availability
- In-room Wi-Fi
- Electric car charging station
- Laundry facilities
- In-room mini fridge
- In-room microwave upon request
- ATM
- 24-hour front desk
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Concierge services
- Fireplace in lobby
- Dining:
- Two on-site restaurants with full bars
- Basement speakeasy bar with a food menu and live entertainment
- Room service
- Event space for corporate meetings, weddings, and other private events
Book Your Stay at Hotel Boulderado
When visiting Boulder, Hotel Boulderado is an excellent option for travelers who prefer historical hotels, unique upscale accommodations, and a downtown location with shopping and dining within walking distance.
With its proximity to Pearl Street Mall and modern amenities, including free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and on-site parking, it’s easy to see why Hotel Boulderado has been beloved by travelers for over a century.
What a beautiful hotel – maybe if I ever decide to go to Colorado…..
I’ve never been to Boulder, but I have family in Castle Rock. I love how that menu used scrabble letters!!
This looks so incredibly awesome! I’ve never been to Boulder, but it’s on my list of places to see!
I’ve never visited Boulder, but it looks like a place I would love. I love modern, but staying at historic hotels gives a trips away an extra special feeling.
Wow what a neat place to visit. That hotel has so much personality and character!
Wow, this hotel is amazingly gorgeous! I’ve never been at a historic hotel but would love to stay at one!
That’s such a gorgeous hotel. I would love to experience this some time soon. 🙂
Amazing review, Erin! What are your highlights of Colorado?
In 10 days I went to Denver, Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, Boulder and Fort Collins. Highlights include taking the cog rial train to the top of Pikes Peak, touring the Olympic Training Center, driving through the Rockies, and exploring the dining and craft beer scenes.
I love historic hotels and am disappointed I missed this one when we visited Boulder. That chenille bedspread is cool. I remember when my mom had one of those.
Wow, it’s almost like stepping back in time! We love finding places like this to explore and enjoy – the history is a big part of a city’s charm. It’s been years since we’ve been in Boulder, but don’t remember the Boulderado at all! Obviously, we need to go check this out. 🙂 Thanks for sharing on #WeekendWanderlust!
Historic hotels are my favorites. If only walls could talk!! This is a beautiful property and not too big. Would love to stay one day.
Cool! Reminds me of the Historic Strater Hotel we stayed at in Durango. It was so old I thought for sure it’d be haunted but luckily no spooky sightings for us! #WeekendWanderlust
I really like places like this! They have a character that is difficult to emulate. I can’t believe the elevator has a Twitter account. That is so funny! My husband would love the oysters at Spruce. #WeekendWanderlust
WOW!! That place looks amazing. Like not just a hotel, but a whole experience. I love oysters, so I’d basically never see anything else but the hotel. Poor Boulder 😉
#WeekendWanderlust
I love Boulder! This looks like a fun place to stay…I’ll have to see if they are dog-friendly!
I just love that name — Boulderado. So catchy! The stain glass ceiling is spectacular, the rooms cozy and very attractive, too!
Very cute hotel. I loved the chenille bedspread, so old-fashioned but one of my faves. That ceiling…wow!
We recently did a drive through Colorado and just spent a few hours in Boulder. I’m sad we missed the Hotel Boulderado looks like a terrific hotel and a great place to get a bite and a beer too.
I have stayed at a few historic hotels in Chicago but never a victorian style. I love all the original touches they left in the hotel.
Wow. Gorgeous hotel! I recently traveled to Denver and Boulder for a work trip, it was my first time in Colorado and it’s so pretty there. 🙂
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