Hotel Colorado


Rating:	Recommended
Price:

Want to step into the not-so-wild West of the late 19th century? This is the place. The stately Hotel Colorado, constructed of sandstone and Roman brick in 1893, was modeled after Italy's Villa de Medici. Among the most impressive hotels of the region in its day, the Hotel Colorado attracted all the VIPs of the era. Two American presidents -- William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt -- spoke to crowds gathered beneath the orators' balcony in a lovely landscaped fountain piazza. There are claims (disputed by some) that this is the birthplace of the teddy bear: The story goes that when a disappointed Roosevelt returned to the hotel in May 1905 after an unsuccessful bear hunt, hotel maids made him a small bear from scraps of cloth and the president's daughter Alyce named it Teddy.

The attractive guest rooms are individually decorated, most with firm double beds and the usual hotel furnishings; suites are more spacious, with upgraded decor and period antiques. Fifth-floor penthouse suites also have wet bars and refrigerators, as well as outstanding views. Two bell-tower suites, reached by stairs only, have double Jacuzzis and private dining balconies. They also have private staircases into the ancient bell towers, where 19th-century graffiti can still be deciphered. There's a full bar and a large outdoor dining and cocktail area, with gardens and a fountain for summer use. There's also a specialty coffee and juice bar; a chiropractor; and seasonal rental shops for rafting, biking, or skiing.