A Good Name You can't go wrong with a hotel that has "palace" in the name! But there's always a risk that a hotel built in 1909, might not be so palace-like in 2017 Back in the Day This vintage photo shows the Palace Hotel when it was young. Today When we pulled up to the hotel last June, the hotel looked just as charming as it did over 100 years ago. Not too much has changed. The Entrance The Palace no longer includes the corner cafe, so the hotel is actually fairly narrow. I loved having 2 doors. The door on the left took us into the lobby. The door on the right took us directly to the staircase. Cute Lobby The small lobby was bright and welcoming, with Victorian furniture and colorful gallery art. I Love Stairs We headed up the stairs to our second floor room. The stairway was wide and well lit, which is nice when you're lugging lots of junk. Beautiful Wood I was sort of glad we didn't have to climb higher, but the woodwork was lovely... so I wouldn't have complained. Curves and Accents When we reached the second floor I was impressed with the curious, curved wall and trio of decor that greeted us. I had to pause and enjoy the wall sconce, gold radiator, odd little chair and lacy table display. Nice! Room 204 We opened the door to a nice surprise! We hadn't realized our "room" was really a suite with sitting room, kitchen, bed area and bath. We made use of the comfy, swivel chairs and the tiny dining area. Cute and Retro The little kitchen was pretty adorable. I loved the glass shelves in the window and the soft, silver tones in the cabinets and pressed tin. Bed and Bath The bathroom had great vintage style features, but all was spotless and new. The rounded corner shower was pretty nifty. The bath products smelled nice. The linens and pillows were luxurious. We each had a nice bedside table and lamp, so there was no fighting. We've learned not to expect that with historic hotels. Art Some would not appreciate this very odd print that we found in the sitting area. But I was pretty delighted and spent quite a while staring at it. At least it wasn't above the bed, or I might have had bad dreams. Five Windows Don and I usually go for the cheapest rooms, so we're always extra excited when we have a corner room. We had 5 windows in our cute little space. I loved peeking out at the old buildings and mountains, beyond. Snack Time We were traveling with a bottle of champagne, so we decided to set up a little toasting area, next to the golden radiator. It's possible that you might want a radiator in June, when you're in Colorado. But the weather was hot and we enjoyed the working air-conditioner. The night before, we'd slept with fans and open windows in another Colorado hotel. Walking in Salida The location of The Palace was ideal. We were just steps away from the Arkansas River, where we watched kayaks coming through the rapids. We ended up eating dinner at The Boat House Restaurant, with its green awning and umbrellas and river view. Neon at Night I love a little neon. It always seems extra whimsical in a small town. Of course there was a little noise at the Victorian Bar across the street. That made things seem more citified... but the hum of the a.c. helped with that. Morning In the morning, a little platter of goodies was waiting outside our door. We made our own coffee in the room and enjoyed it with muffins and parfait, with fruit, granola and yogurt. Walking off Breakfast We took a walk after breakfast and found the river much quieter. Lots of locals were out walking dogs and a mama and baby deer wandered down one street. What's Notable? I was surprised at how clean and lovely this old hotel felt. If Salida had been a big city or a more upscale tourist town, I might have expected more. I really thought we would be staying in a quaint hotel, with creaky floor boards and quirky decor. But it was much better. So did the Palace Hotel live up to its name? I'm not sure it felt like a real palace, but all the little surprises made me feel pampered like a picky princess. So I guess I'll say it passed the test. I would definitely stay again.
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7/16/2022 12:48:46 am
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
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