The Stanley Hotel

There are a lot of great things about The Stanley: - location is spectacular - bar service at night was excellent: both in and outside - the history and decor of the hotel is amazing. Well worth a Day visit. And the bad: - the rooms are not taken care of. And I don't mean they are old (which they should be!). Thermostat broken (room 309) doors with gaps of over and inch to the hallway, Floor heater cover broken. - service at check in: we had 2 tix for the tour and she didn't know what we were talking about. Someone else finally came to help and our tour time had passed and they said to go talk to someone else. Not helpful at all. - service at breakfast : 15 min wait with many many open tables. Not enough servers to handle breakfast - staff (except night bars) overall just simply not helpful. Overall: super interesting place to visit and have a cocktail. Not worth spending the night.

This Stanley is a great place for couples. We visited for our anniversary trip, and stayed in the Lodge (which was formerly a sportsman's/bachelor lodge) next door and steps from the hotel. I was pleased with the updated rooms, lack of tourist noise, and AMAZING breakfast. This is nearer to the parking, and outdoor entertainment. But keep in mind the rooms are small. If I had to do it over I would've booked the Stanley (Lodge) for one night, to experience it, eat at the nice restaurant, etc. But one night is sufficient.

I stayed here upon recommendation of family that has stayed there in the past. Was booked into the most popular haunted room 217. I expected to pay more for the room due to the historic significance. But, with the nightly rate that I paid I would've expected much more. Paying $500 a night I would've expected quality bedding and towels. Toilet paper was not stocked I had to go to a housekeeping closet that I found and also to get bath towels as there were only two. Also I was excited to watch the movie the Shining in my room at night and heard that they discontinued playing it on the room TV A few months back. Getting to the main desk for check in was a nightmare as I felt like I was at a theme park trying to get through the crowds of tourists that we're not guests at the hotel that were just there to tour. Calling the front desk is impossible as I constantly got voicemail. Seems that they are also ruining the tranquility of the area with building on every piece of property that is available around it. Heard from one of the employees that there was a mandatory meeting the next day and hopefully the senior management is going to address some of these issues. But they need to start with their outlook on the place as they're driving the guests out. Can say I've been there done that and won't be back.

I think my first visit to the Stanley was four years ago. My husband and I attended the Shining Ball, stayed in a haunted room on the 4th floor, and had a great time. Fast forward to 2017, our third stay at the hotel, this time with family who drove 20 hours to experience the place. Again, we stayed in haunted rooms, but the experience was not nearly as nice this time. Firstly, my room was not ready until 5:30 pm, when check in is 4:00 pm. For a returning guest and a $500/night room, this did not start our vacation off on the right foot. The grounds have really expanded and the place is crawling with tourists, for which the hotel does not appear to have the staff to accommodate. I feel as though the Stanley has traded in its charm for greed and profits. The manager, Greg, was very apologetic and comped us tour tickets. However, the ghost tours are really for those 10 and under as you play with lollipops and pencils the entire time and only visit three areas of the hotel. I would have been mad if I had paid $20/ticket for the tour. The grounds now have a new building (the Aspire), a wedding pavilion, a maze, and there is supposedly some sort of wellness center going in across the street. All of this is really taking away from the quaintness and charm of the Stanley and Estes Park itself. Such a shame...I don't expect that we will be back since we can stay in a nice hotel in Paris for $500/night...the Stanley is really out-pricing itself for the level of amenities, service and hospitality it provides. Also, there are many cabins to choose from that are excellent at a 1/3 of the price of the Stanley (Stonebrook Resort is our favorite place now in Estes Park)!

I'm a little overdue on writing this but... While I was staying in nearby Loveland, CO for work and decided to visit the Stanley Hotel. I traveled to The Stanley with a group of travel mates and we decided to do the day tour as the roads back out of the area could be tricky when heading back. Our tour guide was a great gal named Emily! She was such a naturally gifted story teller and had no trouble bringing the history of the hotel to life for everyone present! I would not hesitate to take another tour and would urge anyone planning one to see what times they might be able to have a spot on Emily's tours!!