- Alpine Trail Ridge Inn (Estes Park; tel. 800/223-5023 or 970/586-4585): This is a top-notch independent motel, right next to the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Proprietors Jay and Fran Grooters are also great sources for hiking advice.
- Boulder Outlook (Boulder; tel. 800/542-0304 or 303/443-3322): The Outlook is fun, fresh, and definitively Boulder, with two bouldering rocks, a huge dog run, and discounts on bike rentals and other activities. The rooms are larger than average and the indoor pool is superb, complete with a waterfall and a mural of a cloud-speckled sky.
- Hotel Bristol (Steamboat Springs; tel. 800/851-0872 or 970/879-3083): Lodging with character, historic ambience, and unusual room layouts appeal to us at this reasonably priced 1940s hotel in downtown Steamboat. Rooms are small, but the family units easily accommodate four people.
