Estes Park Luxury Hotels & Destination
Estes Park CO Luxury Hotel
If you just need to get away from it all, consider a luxury hotel escape to Estes Park, Colorado. Serving as the premier gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Forest, Estes Park is a sure site to see. Be a part of nature during a luxury hotel stay where beautiful mountains provide some of the most incredible scenery you will see in the US. Each season in Estes Park brings beauty of its own and provides ultimate peace and relaxation. A luxury hotel stay in Estes Park will have you returning year after year.
If you just need to get away from it all, consider a luxury hotel escape to Estes Park, Colorado. Serving as the premier gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Forest, Estes Park is a sure site to see. Be a part of nature during a luxury hotel stay where beautiful mountains provide some of the most incredible scenery you will see in the US. Each season in Estes Park brings beauty of its own and provides ultimate peace and relaxation. A luxury hotel stay in Estes Park will have you returning year after year.
Your Estes Park luxury hotel may be nestled in the woods with breathtaking views from any window, have a cozy fires in the lobby making any season warm and inviting as you find an inglenook to read a book or enjoy a delectable beverage, while dreaming in front of the flickering flames. Spectacular ambience with sophisticated attentive service is what you are guaranteed to find at any Estes Park’s small luxury hotels. The luxury hotel associates will treat you as their number one priority, assuring fabulous, personable service around the clock.
Estes Park History
Archaeological records show that the humans have lived in the area for at least 12,000 years. These early people were known as the Clovis culture, after the unique shapes they gave to the flint ends used on their projectiles. Although the Clovis likely replaced earlier cultures, no evidence has yet been discovered.
It was the year 1800 when adventurous European explorers arrived in the Estes Park area. One of the first organized and recorded explorations was undertaken by Major Stephen. H. Long in 1820. As head of the Yellowstone Expedition his mission was to explore west, document and map the region. Longs Peak is named after him and is the tallest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was the discovery of gold that brought speculators to the Estes Park area. Although most of the gold mining was to the south, one miner did discover the valley. Joel Estes had struck it rich in the California gold rush and upon discovery the beautiful valley, he decided to move his family and a herd of cattle into the beautiful meadow. In 1864, William Byers, the owner and editor of the Rocky Mountain News, visited the area and named it Estes Park in honor of his host. Shortly after, Estes found the high altitude and short growing season made cattle ranching impractical, and sold his homestead to Griff Evans who established a dude ranch. One of Evan's guests, the Earl of Dunraven, was so enamored of the area he decided to buy the entire valley for his own resort and hunting preserve. Local ranchers and the Earl entered a power struggle for the area. The Earl tired of the battle, abandoned his efforts.
Large cattle ranches were established in the 1870's. W. E. James built the Elkhorn Lodge and a 'fish ranch', one of the earliest examples of commercial fish farming. F. O. Stanley, originally a guest at the Elkhorn Lodge, came seeking respite for his tuberculosis. He was the inventor of a key part of the photographic process and co-inventor of the Stanley Steamer, a successful motor car. The mountain air proved to be beneficial for his disease and he decided to build a luxury resort, the Stanley Hotel. He spent more than half a million dollars to create his resort, which was completed in 1909. The publicity of the cost and the natural beauty of the region coupled to make Estes Park a luxury hotel 'destination'. This luxury hotel resort continues to this day with millions of people having stayed here including Pope John Paul II, the Emperor of Japan and President George W. Bush. In 1976 and 1982, downtown Estes Park was flooded. The second flooding prompted a period of urban renewal for Estes Park. The efforts resulted in a beautiful and pedestrian friendly downtown, and earned Estes Park the nickname 'The Gutsiest Little Town in Colorado'.
Estes Park Attractions
Estes Park is so picturesque that it is an attraction in its own right. Luxury hotel guests can enjoy the vistas of Estes Park on a walk, a hike, a bicycle ride or from the very comfort of their own vehicle. The majestic mountains, verdant green valleys, and rushing mountain streams are candy for your eye, so don’t forget your camera as you’ll want to relive every moment of your Estes Park luxury hotel vacation.
Estes Park is home to the historic Stanley Hotel. This is where Stephen King wrote more than half of his book "The Shining". Estes Park luxury hotel guests needn’t be nervous as the hotel is a fabulous place to visit.
No visit to Estes Park would be complete without a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. With over 350 miles of trails that wind up and down through vales, alpine tundra, high meadows, and montane forests, Estes Park is a truly unique gem. Estes Park luxury hotel guests of all skills and ages can find an invigorating challenge. Roosevelt National Forest on the east side of Estes Park offers lower elevation trails through forests and historic sites. Some of these less-trafficked trails are open to bikes, horses and dogs. One area of special interest is Little Missouri Badlands. Theodore Roosevelt described the land as "so fantastically broken in form and as bizarre in color as to seem hardly properly to belong to this earth". Estes Park luxury hotel will treasure time spent wandering through this unbelievable landscape.
The Estes Park Aerial Tramway is an easy way for luxury hotel guests to be in awe of the scenery. Starting in the Estes Valley, the tram takes visitors above the tree tops to the majestic summit of Prospect Mountain. Up and down, enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the ranges of the Continental Divide, Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park Village.
Estes Park is rich with historic places of interest for luxury hotel guests to explore. The Baldpate Inn boasts a unique collection (over 20,000) of keys. The White House, Mozart's wine cellar, the Pentagon, Westminster Abby and even Frankenstein's castle keys are just a few of particular interest. The Moraine Park Museum at Rocky Mountain National Park and the Stanley Museum use a variety of exhibit methods to bring history to life for the Estes park luxury hotel guest.
Estes Park Shopping
Shopping in Estes Park has a European feel to it with more than 300 quaint shops. Friendly owners serve and guide you to the perfect item to remind you of your Estes Park luxury hotel stay.
Estes Park’s proximity to the national park means lots of suppliers of camping, fishing and equipment for other outdoor activities. Purchase fly fishing equipment as well as casting gear in the local shops for those mountain streams begging to be fished. Check with your Estes Park luxury hotel concierge to arrange preparation of your catch whether by the hotel restaurant or to take home.
Don’t miss the Estes Park art galleries during your luxury hotel stay. The Estes Park artists and craftspeople have unique items for sale including galleries devoted entirely to glass or wood. These a wonderful places to find fabulous souvenirs of your Estes Park luxury hotel sojourn.
Estes Park Dining
The dining experience in Estes Park is dominated by small specialty restaurants. From barbecue to Nepalese, donuts to pizza, Estes Park has it all. No chains, just small places with their own unique style and recipes for hungry Estes Park luxury hotel guests to savor.
For the luxury hotel visitor spending weeks in Estes Park, you never have to eat in the same restaurant twice. With over 160 restaurants listed for Estes Park, there is great variety. Many establishments feature local fish and game, so be adventurous on your Estes Park luxury hotel getaway to taste some of the best game you will ever eat.
Estes Park’s sports bars have the latest in satellite technology, so luxury hotel sports fans will never miss their favorite teams in action.
Estes Park’s sports bars have the latest in satellite technology, so luxury hotel sports fans will never miss their favorite teams in action.
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