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Travel | Making a small dent in the 1,200-bottle whiskey…

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Travel | making a small dent in the 1,200-bottle whiskey collection at the stanley hotel.

The Cascades, in the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, is home to a collection of more than 1,200 bottles of whiskey at last count.

ESTES PARK — “I’m going to start you guys off with some Scotches,” said Logan Rushing, the Head Bartender and Whiskey Curator for the Stanley Hotel, as he lined up two perfect rows of glasses and, between them, a bottle of 15-year Highland Park Scotch whiskey.

“We’re beginning in the North Orkney Islands,” he said as he poured. Geography, we’re about to learn, has a lot to do with flavor. Over the next few hours, we made our way down the coast of Scotland, across to Japan and, when we switched to bourbons, Kentucky.

I looked across all the glassware at Sean Gaughan, my whiskey-tasting partner for the night and longtime fellow adventurer. About every two years, Sean and I take some kind of trip, away from homes and families. It’s a rare, brief break away from busy lives, and it’s obvious that that’s what we were drinking to.

We clinked, sniffed and swallowed. It was a warm, earthy burn, and we took a moment to let it settle. The Stanley’s whiskey collection has more than 1,200 “expressions” from which to choose — it was once the largest selection in the state — but I’d never seen it up close. It was Sean’s first time as well, even though he plays in an Irish rock band called Big Paddy, whose tagline was once, “jigs, reels, and songs about whiskey.”

Logan swung a bottle of Macallan Rare Cask onto the table, and we began discussing things like peat, heather, moss and sherry casks.

Anyone can sample the wares; visitors can drop in anytime for a flight of three whiskeys. Our guided whiskey tasting was part of a customized version of the Stanley Hotel’s “culinary journey winter package for foodies.” We also had a night in the Aspire Residences (40 rooms and suites the hotel built and soft-opened last summer — they’re still completing the spa), a guided Sunday morning hike with Kent Mountaineering and two seats at Table, the pop-up, five-course dinner club the Stanley offers every weekend that features a rotation of renowned Colorado chefs and wineries.

That’s where we began, a few hours before coming to Whiskeytown: in front of a fireplace, sipping wine with 22 strangers, then sitting together with them around a long wooden table. On this evening, Chef Ted Schneider of Moe’s BBQ in Fort Collins took over the kitchen, pairing dishes like crispy pork belly and fruitwood-smoked duck with small-batch wines from Lost Prairie Winery, also out of Old Town Fort Collins. Our palates sufficiently warmed, Sean and I then walked over to the hotel bar to meet up with our whiskey guide.

“You’re going to notice some sandalwood and cedar notes, followed by tropical mango,” Logan said of the Bowmore Islay whiskey swirling in our glasses. “It was aged in Mizunara Japanese oak casks, which is very unique. You’ll notice a bit of floral spice and smoke on the finish.”

This time, as my friend and I raised another glass, no toast was needed, just a pause—and a shared, knowing nod—before the night continued.

If you go: Whiskey flights — three .75-ounce pours — start from $18-$25. Cascade (the bar inside the Stanley) is open 11 a.m. to close daily. 970-577-4001 or stanleyhotel.com .

Updated at 5:25 p.m. Dec. 15, 2016: This story has been updated to reflect the correct size of the whiskey flights and the number of rooms at Aspire.

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The whiskey bar at the stanley hotel.

88.00 Ambiance
95.00 Selection
74.00 Value
88.00 Service

A superb whisky bar boasting well over 1,200 bottles of whisky(e)y including some very rare offerings. The prices are up there but so is the altitude this bar is located at. Positioned in the Cascades Restaurant of the historic Stanley Hotel nestled in the Rocky Mountain National Park, this bar is impressive and a must try!!!

BSWproject27 scored this bar 86 points

A lovely bar in a beautiful mountain atmosphere. Better leave a substantial amount of time to view their whisky collection or ask the bartender to see the lengthy whisky list. A very impressive collection but not inexpensive to sample the goods.

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Savvy Travel Advice

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado: History, Hauntings, & Whiskey

Last updated: February 22, 2020 - Written by Jessica Norah 22 Comments

The Stanley Hotel is best known for being the inspiration for Stephen King’s bestselling novel The Shining and the subsequent film starring Jack Nicholson as the slowly driven mad overseer. The Stanley Hotel is located in Estes Park Colorado, the gateway to one of the most visited national parks in the United States: Rocky Mountain National Park.

Set amidst the beautiful mountain scenery of Colorado, The Stanley Hotel was built in 1909 as a grand summer resort that catered to wealthy travelers from the East Coast. The Stanley Hotel has a storied history that begins well before Stephen King stepped foot on the property, and the hotel once hosted guests like Molly Brown, John Philip Sousa, and Theodore Roosevelt. Today the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a member of Historic Hotels of America.

Visitors to Estes Park flock to the hotel to take a tour, have a drink at the Whiskey Lounge, and stay overnight in one of its historical (and perhaps haunted) rooms. We’ll share a bit of The Stanley Hotel’s history and our experience touring, eating, and sleeping at this famous hotel.

Table of Contents:

Basic Information about The Stanley Hotel

Here is some basic information for planning your visit and stay at The Stanley Hotel.

Getting to The Stanley?

The Stanley Hotel is most accessible for drivers by car. The Stanley Hotel is located 5 miles (15 minute drive) east of Rocky Mountain National Park and is about 40 miles (1 hour drive) from Boulder and 70 miles (1.5 hour drive) from Denver.

Address: 333 Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park, Colorado 80517

Unfortunately, there are no good public transportation connections to Estes Park or Rocky Mountain National Park at this time.

Room Types at The Stanley Hotel?

There are a number of lodging options available at The Stanley Hotel and on the hotel grounds.

Accommodations include:

Main Hotel – original historic hotel rooms with classic furnishings located in the 1909 main hotel building.
The Lodge – updated historic rooms with a boutique feel and more modern furnishings in the 1910 building built adjacent to the main hotel building.
Aspire – modern apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes and laundry facilities
Residences – fully equipped 1 to 3 bedroom modern condominium residences

Note that the rooms in the main hotel and the lodge do not have air conditioning, but that the Aspire and Residences rooms do have A/C.

Booking a Room at The Stanley Hotel?

Rooms rates range from about $200 to $750 per night, with the Stanley Classic standard queen rooms in the main hotel and the standard queen rooms in The Lodge being the lowest priced. “Haunted rooms” cost more than standard rooms.

Rooms can be booked by phone or online. If you want to request a certain room number or get a certain type of room (e.g., on the fourth floor, away from the tour path) you should book by phone directly with the hotel.

Special packages for dog owners (allowed in the Lodge), Rocky Mountain National Park visitors, and ghost lovers are available.

For best prices, check the hotel website for discounts and you can also check and compare prices here on Booking.com .

Dining at The Stanley Hotel?

There are several food and drink options. The Cascades Restaurant (reservations recommended) is a full-service sit-down restaurant specializing in American food with a number of Colorado specialties.

In the warmer months, there is The Patio where you dine on the outdoor patio area and there is often live entertainment on Fridays and weekends. The menu is focused on fresh seasonal food and small plates.

There is also The Whiskey Bar & Lounge located adjacent to the Cascades Restaurant that specializes in whiskey if you fancy a drink and it also serves casual cuisine.

You can also get crafted coffee and gourmet food, snacks, and gifts at Colorado Cherry Co.

Booking Tours of The Stanley Hotel?

Most visitors to the hotel do one of the offered tours. The main tours currently offered are the historical Stanley Hotel Tour which is offered during the day as well as special after dark evening tours. The tours covers the history of the hotel, the Stanleys, and the haunted aspects of the hotel. Both include a discussion of Stephen King and The Shining .

Tours include a short video which introduces the hotel and shows visitors the interiors of the most famous rooms in the hotel (217, 401, etc.), a tour of the Concert Hall, a walk around the exterior of the hotel, access to closed rooms on the main floor (billiards room, music room, MacGregor dining room), a brief hallway tour of the guest floors, and entrance into the service tunnel.

Tours do not include access into any of the guest rooms (obviously!) and children under 8 years of age are not permitted on the tours. However, there is a family-friendly tour available for those with younger children.

Tours can be booked in advance online or by phone (+1 970-577-4111) and the current price (as of February 2020) for the regular History Day Tour is USD $23.00 per person and it is $28 per person for the evening tours. There are discounts available for hotel guests, children, active military, AAA members, and seniors.

Tours do sell out, so it is best to book in advance if you know the date and time you want to visit. All those with a booked tour also receive free parking so have your booking confirmation handy when you drive into the hotel.

Parking at The Stanley Hotel?

Parking is limited at the hotel so they do charge a parking fee for non-guests (generally just in the busy summer season). Parking is complimentary for overnight hotel guests as well as those with advanced hotel tour or dining reservations, so have your booking confirmation ready for the gate attendant.

Book tours and meals in advance to save on parking! Parking for those without an advanced booking is currently $10 per vehicle.

Entertainment at the Hotel?

In addition to its regular hotel tours, The Stanley Hotel also regularly has live entertainment on weekends throughout the year at its Stanley Live venue. The venue hosts comedians, concerts, bands, concerts, mystery dinner events, and more. You can see what’s currently happening and book tickets here .

More Information?

The Stanley Hotel has an excellent informative website , and you can also email them at [email protected] or call them at (970) 577-4000 or 1-800-976-1377 for more information. They can also provide information if you are interested in holding a wedding or event here.

For more information about the area, check out the Estes Park visitor website , our suggested 2 day Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary , and the official park website for the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Why is the Stanley Hotel Famous?

The Stanley Hotel is famous for a few reasons. First for its historical place in the history of Estes Park and the development of the area. Second for its connection to Stephen King and The Shining , and lastly for the supposed hauntings and paranormal activity associated with the hotel.

Stanley Hotel History (Briefly!)

The man responsible for building The Stanley Hotel was Freelan Oscar Stanley . Stanley was born and raised in Maine and he and his identical twin brother Francis Edgar were entrepreneurs and inventors from a young age. The sold maple syrup, made concert-quality violins, ran a company specializing in photographic dry plates (which they sold to Kodak), and designed the Stanley Steamer automobile.

However, a life-threatening bout of tuberculosis in 1903 caused doctors to recommend that Stanley spend time in the curative Rocky Mountain air in Colorado. Stanley and his wife Flora went to Denver and later to Estes Park for the summer.

During the summer in Estes Park in a rustic cabin, Stanley’s health recovered and he decided to return each year to Estes Park. In 1905, Stanley had built and moved into his own property in Estes Park, a four bedroom house. However, the couple decided after a couple of years that they wanted to be able to be able to accommodate more of their friends and provide the sort of social life that would impress their East Coast millionaire friends, so they built the Stanley Hotel.

Completed in 1909, the Colonial Revival hotel featured the latest technologies, including a hydraulic elevator, electric and gas heating, running water, steam laundry, telephones in every guest room, and of course a fleet of Stanley “Model Z” Mountain Wagons that would transport guests to and from the local train depot.

To entertain guests, a Concert Hall was built which was also a gift for Flora as she loved to play piano. However, the hotel lacked central heating (until 1983!) so it was only a seasonal hotel during most of its history, closing down each winter.

Interestingly, The Stanley Hotel was not the first grand hotel in little Estes Park. The first was actually the Estes Park Hotel built in 1877 by Irishman Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quinn, who became the 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl. The Earl enjoyed the hunting in the area and bought up a large amount of land in a manner that made him a very disliked figure among the local people. In 1908, it would actually be Lord Dunraven who would sell F.O. Stanley the land on which he built The Stanley Hotel. Sadly, the Estes Park Hotel would be destroyed by fire in 1911.

The Stanley Hotel would host a number of wealthy and famous people in its heyday, such as socialite Margaret Brown (i.e. the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” of Titanic fame), composer John Philip Sousa, and Theodore Roosevelt. The Stanleys would arrange an array of summer activities for their wealthy guests, from concerts and picnics to bowling and horseback riding.

The building and development of the hotel would not only give the wealthy a place to holiday, it would also have a great impact on Estes Park. It provided employment and training opportunities for local residents and it helped improve local services. For instance to power the hotel, Stanley constructed the Fall River Hydro-Plant which brought electricity to Estes Park for the first time.

Stanley helped establish the first bank, funded the paving of roads, funded local schools, gifted vast tracts of land to the town, and helped Enos Mills on his quest to establish the Rocky Mountain National Park. The Stanleys and their grand hotel quite literally helped put the town on the map. The park was founded in 1915 and Estes Park was incorporated in 1917.

F.O. Stanley never made a profit on the hotel and operated it more as a pastime, eventually selling it in his later years. Flora and F.O. continued to spend summers in Estes Park at their private residence with Flora passing away in 1939 and F.O. in 1940 (aged 91).

Without Stanley’s vast fortune, subsequent owners had a difficult time maintaining the large resort hotel and it passed through owners, who like Stanley never managed to make a profit. By the time Stephen King fatefully showed up, the hotel was not in its best condition and it would be the fame of the novel and subsequent film The Shining that may have saved the hotel from the wrecking ball.

The Stanley Hotel and Stephen King Connection

The Stanley Hotel has a strong connection with Stephen King and The Shining . A big disappointment for a lot of visitors to The Stanley Hotel is learning that the hotel was not used in the filming of Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining and neither the hotel exterior or interiors are going to look very familiar to film fans. However, the hotel did serve as the inspiration for Stephen King’s third novel, The Shining and was used in the later TV mini-series .

In 1974, Stephen King and his wife Tabitha stayed overnight at The Stanley Hotel due to bad weather. Upon check-in the Kings discovered that it was the last day of the season, and the hotel was closing the following day, meaning there was limited staff and they were the only guests.

They had a bit of an eerie and surreal experience being the only guests in the large resort hotel and that night King had a nightmare about his son being chased by a fire hose in the hallways of the hotel. He reported that by the time he left the hotel, he had the basic plot of The Shining in his mind, which he would publish in 1977.

The novel quickly became a bestseller and remains one of King’s most popular novels. In 1980, Stanley Kubrick would direct the film version of King’s novel, choosing to film the vast majority of the movie on a film set, and using the Timberline Lodge in Oregon for a few of the exterior shots of the fictional Overlook Hotel.

The room number was changed to 237 in the film, something the Timberline Hotel requested as it did not relate to an actual room number at the hotel as they were afraid guests would not want to sleep in the room featured in the horror film (they were wrong!).

The memorable hedge maze in the film did not exist at the Stanley Hotel, the Timberline Lodge, or King’s fictional Overlook Hotel, but was added into Kubrick’s retelling of the story. Interestingly, a hedge maze (although much smaller in scale) was planted at the Stanley Hotel in 2015 because of its connection with the film.

Room 217 The Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado

King was generally disappointed with Kubrick’s adaptation of his novel and in 1997, Stephen King wrote a teleplay and produced a three-part The Shining TV mini-series directed by Mick Garris , using the Stanley Hotel as a primary filming location. Today both the film and the mini-series are played on a loop on one channel at The Stanley so guests can enjoy the films while staying overnight at the hotel.

The fact that Stephen King stopped at The Stanley Hotel was very fortuitous for the future of the hotel. The hotel at that point had fallen into decline and the success of the novel and film helped to greatly boost bookings for the hotel as well as lead to a fascination with the supposed hauntings at the hotel.

The hotel also served as a filming location for other films and TV shows, notably the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber . Jim Carrey requested to stay in room 217 during the filming but left the room after only a few hours, and refused to return. It is unclear why he refused, but it seems he got spooked by something. It is not surprising that 217 is one of the most popular and requested room at The Stanley Hotel. If you want the chance to stay here, be sure to book this room well in advance.

Spooky Tales at The Stanley Hotel

The Stanley Hotel has been regularly visited by Ghost Hunters and is believed to be one of the most haunted hotels in the country. Some of the reported paranormal activity includes mysterious figures appearing on the staircase, clothing being folded and packed away, the piano playing by itself, strange apparitions in portraits and photographs, unseen noisy children running up and down the halls, moving nightstands, and shadowy figures.

One supposed ghost is a former hotel chambermaid named Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson who in 1911 entered room 217 with a lit candle. A gas leak caused an explosion and she fell through the floor to the MacGregor dining room below. She survived with broken ankles and injuries; she was well taken care of by the Stanleys after the accident and spent the rest of her working life at the hotel. Now she is believed to be responsible for folding and putting away guests’ clothes and for her disapproval of unmarried couples sharing a room.

Other ghosts include the Stanleys, Lord Dunraven (original landowner), children, and a kissing cowboy. Most are said to be friendly ghosts (laughing, folding your clothes, playing the piano) or standoffish, not sinister. The large number of strange happenings is believed by some to have a geological basis related to the types of minerals and rocks under the hotel which you can learn about on the hotel tours.

If you are interested in the haunted history of The Stanley Hotel, I’d suggest considering the evening Ghost Tour, the Ghost Adventure overnight package (includes a K2 meter!), and choosing a room on the fourth floor. We were told the most haunted hotel room is 401, but rooms 217 (Elizabeth Wilson), 407, 428 (kissing cowboy), and 1302 are also said to have a fair amount of paranormal activity. The billiards room, hallways, and Concert Hall are also frequent settings for reported ghost sightings (visits are included in the hotel tours).

We personally did not see any ghosts and are not huge believers in the paranormal, but there were certainly some die-hard believers on our hotel tour!

keys The Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado

Can I Visit the Stanley Hotel without Staying Overnight?

The answer to this is a definite yes. You can visit the hotel in a few different ways, with most people visiting to take a day or evening tour of the hotel , which can be reserved in advance by phone or online. You can also come for a drink at the Whiskey Bar or meal at the Cascades Restaurant or Steamers Cafe.

If you do not have a tour reservation, you will likely be charged a parking fee so do try to book in advance if you can to save on parking and ensure you get a tour spot. If you do not take a guided tour and do not wish to stay overnight, you can still visit the exterior of the hotel, the recently planted hedge maze area, the gift shop, and the lobby area.

Unless you take a tour, you will not have access to the guest room areas, Concert Hall, service tunnel, or other areas of the hotel. If you are standing outside of the hotel facing the front entrance, the infamous Room 217 is the second floor room with the white balcony on the left side of the hotel. Just remember that all visitors should be respectful of the staff and paying guests who are trying to sleep, work, and eat here!

Our Overnight Stay at the Stanley Hotel

We spent two nights at the Stanley Hotel and during that time we did a hotel tour, ate two meals, visited the gift shop, and had drinks in the lounge, ensuring we had the full Stanley Hotel experience! We found it a great and convenient base for exploring the town of Estes Park and the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. Read Laurence’s post about our tips on exploring Rocky Mountain National Park .

Sleeping at the Stanley Hotel

We arrived in Estes Park around noon, and decided to try to check to see if our room was available early even though check in was not until 4:00pm. Our room was not ready but the reception called housekeeping and told us that it would be given priority and we would be called when it was ready. We left to grab lunch and received a call about 30 minutes later telling us that our room was ready, so we returned and checked in.

We were in Room 219, which I believe was a King Deluxe room. Our room is not considered one of the “haunted rooms”, but it was once part of the L-shaped Presidential Suite that also included 215 and 217. It was the presidential suite (room 217) that Mrs. Wilson, the chambermaid, had entered and fallen through the floor after the gas explosion. This area of the hotel was destroyed in the explosion and the large presidential suite was separated into 3 rooms.

Our room was spacious with historical charm, a comfortable King size bed, wardrobe, large desk, a Jacuzzi bathtub, large bathroom, flat screen television, and free wi-fi connection. The room also included complimentary bottled water, toiletries, hair dryer, iron, alarm clock, and a coffee maker.

We had views overlooking the front courtyard and a view looking into the distance towards the mountains. The second evening at the hotel, we watched Kubrick’s The Shining on the hotel TV (it plays all day) as Laurence had never seen it before! A great place to watch the film for the first (or fourth) time!

We have nothing but good things to say about the room itself; however, there were two minor issues we had during our stay.

First, we had difficulty connecting all our devices to the hotel’s Wi-Fi as the hotel’s router kept getting overloaded with devices (we were only able to connect 2 of the 4 our first day). This was a bit frustrating; the hotel staff apologized and said they were working on increasing their network capacity. By the second day, we were able to get all our devices to connect which was great and the connection strength was good once we were connected.

The second issue was that because our room was right next to room 217 where Stephen King spent the night, all the hotel tours stopped about 10 feet away and we had to listen to a 5 minute tour talk near our room all afternoon, about every 30 minutes. Also there were quite a few annoying tourists who thought it was fun to come up and scream and jump around next to the rooms and even knock on the doors. I was working one afternoon in the room and this was very annoying.

Of course the tours stop in the evening, but if you want peace and quiet, I’d recommend a room in the more private The Lodge (no public access and it is was built just a year later) or at least avoid the second and fourth floors of the main hotel.

That said, we still really enjoyed our room and it was a very comfortable place to spend our two nights in Estes Park. We’d definitely choose to stay here again.

lobby The Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado

Tours at the Stanley Hotel

We did the regular Stanley Hotel Tour which is a 90 minute guided walking tour. All tours begin on the ground floor area (a floor below the reception) and here you’ll find the Tour desk, a few museum display cases, and a video waiting area. The display cases include both historical pieces related to the Stanleys and the hotel, as well as pieces related to The Shining .

Our tour began on time and there were about 12 people on our tour. It started with a short introduction by our guide and then a short video about the hotel which focused on the interiors and history of the so-called haunted rooms. I thought this was a good way to show visitors these rooms since you don’t see any room interiors on the tour. Then we all headed outside and visited the Concert Hall, passing The Lodge on the way.

Built in 1910, The Lodge was originally called the Stanley Manor, built as a 2:3 scale replica of the main hotel. It was initially used to house unmarried male guests as it was considered inappropriate at the time to house single women and children in the same building as the single male guests.

In the Concert Hall we were able to sit down for a bit and our guide told us about the lives of the Stanley family, the building of the hotel, and about the famous guests and performers (e.g., composer John Philip Sousa and magician Harry Houdini) at the hotel.

The lives of the Stanley brothers who began their first business together at age 10 was very interesting and quite inspiring, making significant contributions to the photography and automobile industries. I also enjoyed hearing about the good marriage between F.O. and Flora Stanley. We were then given free time to explore a couple of areas of the Concert Hall before heading back outside.

We then walked to the front of the hotel to admire the recently planted hedge maze (not an original feature) and facade of the grand hotel. Inside, we were taken through the lobby, music room, billiards room and MacGregor dining room. People were given time to take photos and given tips for the best places for paranormal activity.

Most of the rooms on the tour are generally closed off to the public and only used for tours and special events. We also briefly explored the main staircase, the second floor guest hallway, and the supposedly haunted fourth floor of the hotel. We also learned about Stephen King’s stay as well as the making of The Shining film and mini-series.

The last part of the tour we headed back downstairs to the museum area and then into a short section of service tunnel area which connects the hotel to the staff entrance. The entire tour mixed historical information and facts with supernatural information about ghosts and paranormal activity. We both really enjoyed the tour and learned a lot, and it is a great way to see the hotel even if you are not staying here.

Dining & Whiskey at The Stanley Hotel

We had one breakfast and one dinner at the hotel’s Cascades Restaurant, as well as drinks in the Whiskey lounge with friends one evening. For breakfast, we thought there was a lot of selection and the portions were large and tasty.

But we were especially impressed with our dinner at the Cascades Restaurant. For appetizers we ordered the onion soup and the buffalo sausage with lentils, both were quite good. Then we had the Colorado elk loin and the beef short ribs, and while both were great, we highly recommend the elk loin as it was the stand out dish for us during our time in Colorado.

The restaurant is known for its steaks (we didn’t get a chance to try them) and their Colorado inspired dishes so we’d recommend focusing on those dishes. We also had an order of the truffle parmesan shoestring french fries which were so addictive! Sadly we did not have any room for dessert that evening but there were some great options on the menu.

During our time in Estes Park, a fellow travel blogger and friend Caroline from Caroline in the City also happened to be staying at The Stanley Hotel with her sister so we met up for drinks at the Whiskey Bar. The bar serves a variety of beer, wine, and cocktails, but is best known for having Colorado’s largest selection of whiskeys, bourbons, and scotch.

Laurence tried something called a Smoked Old-Fashioned which looked quite interesting and he really enjoyed the taste. I am not a whiskey drinker and the bartender actually made me my own drink after asking me what types of flavors I enjoy. It was some sort of pineapple, berry, lime, and mint concoction that tasted delicious and I wish I would have asked the exact ingredients to be able to replicate it!

We can highly recommend the Cascades Restaurant and Whiskey Bar, but do make dinner reservations in advance. The bar area can get quite crowded, especially during the summer so come early to ensure a seat.

Cascades Restaurant The Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado

Overall Thoughts on the Stanley Hotel

We had a great 2-night stay at The Stanley Hotel . Our room was comfortable, spacious, clean, and had all the amenities we needed. We also enjoyed the hotel tour and learning about the hotel’s rich history and more about the Stephen King connection.

The hotel also has the haunted history, which I personally found less interesting but it is a big draw to many of the visitors. Ghost hunter types should definitely consider the ghost tours and the overnight ghost packages. The hotel is a tourist attraction and its appeal to visitors does make for a less peaceful and relaxing stay in the main hotel than one might expect, at least during the afternoons.

Those that want more peace and quiet but still want to stay in a historical section of hotel, should consider The Lodge. Staff members were great during our stay, although we learned that the reception desk, restaurants, tour desk, and gift shop operate fairly separately, so it is often more efficient to call or go directly to the dedicated staff for whichever service you need rather than try to relay everything through the front desk staff.

We had a great dining experience and would particularly recommend diners to try the local Colorado specialities and ask for what is fresh and local. The bar is perfect for whiskey lovers and we both had memorable drinks from the bar. I love historical hotels and this is a grand ole dame of a resort hotel that has a rich history with a spooky twist.

For us, it was a perfect base for exploring the lovely town of Estes Park and the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park .

Hope you enjoyed learning about The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park and our tour through this historical hotel! Would this be a place you would stop if you were visiting Rocky Mountain National Park? Do you enjoy either historical hotels or haunted hotels?

As always, feel free to ask us any questions or leave us any tips or advice of your own!

**Disclosure: We were provided free accommodation and one dinner by The Stanley Hotel and Visit Estes Park covered our breakfast and hotel tour in order to review the hotel as travel writers. We covered all other expenses during our stay. This article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. You can read more in our Ethics Code about how we accept work.**

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Roy Lindblad Post author

July 4, 2020 at 10:03 pm

My buddy and I visited Estes park in the summer of 1979. We somehow wound up at the Stanley Hotel for a “free dinner” and an informational tour. I was a student in Ohio and my friend was between semesters in CT. Well as you might guess it was a time share pitch. The salesgirl was very attractive and very good. We were from the east coast with no jobs or money but we almost went for it. I always wondered what became of that effort to repurpose The Stanley. After seeing The shining a few times I made the connection with the Stephen King angle of the story.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

July 5, 2020 at 10:57 am

Thanks for sharing the story of your time at The Stanley Hotel. Interesting that they were doing timeshare pitches there 😉

Yes, the Stanley Hotel was definitely not at its peak around the time you visited but was on the way up after Stephen King’s The Shining book was published in 1977. So just a couple of years before your stay. It sounds like you weren’t aware of the connection at the time so they must not have been promoting it then. But now it would be hard to visit the hotel and not hear about the connection.

Happy travels, Jessica

Rayna Post author

February 22, 2020 at 3:22 am

I have read that there is a vortex at the Stanley hotel. Is this true?

February 22, 2020 at 3:34 am

Yes, if you go on one of the Stanley Hotel tours, especially the night tours, they will talk about potential hauntings and ghosts. There is reported to be a vortex, often referred to as “The Vortex” near the 2nd floor stairs as well as a few other areas of the hotel, including in the service tunnel. These are supposed to be areas of cosmic energy that allow ghosts to come and go between this world and the paranormal realm.

Whether you believe this is true is going to be based on whether or not you believe in such paranormal activity and ghosts. If you are going to be visiting Estes Park, I’d take one of the tours and see for yourself.

john Gibbs Post author

February 7, 2019 at 10:25 am

I was on line trying to find out what room was adjacent to room 217 at the Stanley Hotel because my Father and I stayed there in the late 70’s and in that room specifically. This was before Steven KIngs story the shinning had come out. I was attending the university of Denver at the time. My father came out for a visit and we drove up to Estes for the weekend and figured we’d find a hotel once we got up there. It was in the fall and once we got to Estes we saw the Stanley and went up to check it out. Indeed, back then the Hotel was no where near the condition it is in today and they were closing the Hotel after that weekend for the winter. We inquired how much it would be to stay there and they said it would be for only the one night since they were closing the next day. We would be the only guests. The guy working the desk gave us a great rate on a big room at the end of the hall on the second floor. Which I now know was Room 219. I don’t know if it still exists but there was a door in the room which connected to 217. There were two beds in the room. A large bed located where the one in your picture is and another smaller one (or maybe a rollaway on the other side of the connecting door to 217. I was awoken in the middle of the night with an uneasy feeling as if I had been shaken awake. As I lay in bed I could hear a strange scratching noise coming from the window which my father had left open a crack. I got up to investigate and it was coming from outside, so I bent down near the opening and looked out and realized it was the flag on top of the hotel snapping in a stiff wind. I went to the bathroom and when I came out I heard noises coming from the hall like bumping against the wall. I went to the door and cracked it open to see who might be in the hall, and when I looked down the hall there was furniture in the hallway against the wall and the light seemed dim. I closed the door and thought to myself what a strange time to be moving furniture, but the guy at the front desk had said they were preparing to close things up the next day so I brushed it off to that. When I got back in bed noises continued, but this time from the adjoining room. I finally fell back to sleep ,but not before once again feeling uneasy and a little bit scared maybe about the bed moving and things going on next door.

When we got up in the morning and were getting dressed my Dad asked how I had slept, and I related to him not well and that the movers had kept me up. I told him about the furniture in the hall, but when we opened the door there was none. When we were checking out , the clerk asked us how our night was and my Dad said go ahead and tell him. So I told him about people moving furniture around last night and making noise, and he looked at me funny and said what are you talking about. There wasn’t anybody here moving furniture last night, you were the only two people up there.

Years later, when I read that story about Steven King and his very similar story about, end of the season and staying there alone before it shut down and having a strange experience, a shiver went up my neck. I feel it now.

February 8, 2019 at 12:27 pm

Hi John, What an eerie but memorable stay at The Stanley Hotel with your father, thank you for sharing it with us and our readers! It does indeed send a chill down one’s spine!

I am sure if you call or email The Stanley they can provide more information about that specific rooms and if it is has changed since your stay during the 1970’s or not.

Best, Jessica

Robert Jackson Post author

January 21, 2019 at 11:00 pm

Hello, this is an amazing article on the Stanley Hotel. I like to visit in Colorado and thank you.

January 22, 2019 at 3:07 am

Hi Robert, Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Wishing you a great trip to Colorado. Best, Jessica

November 19, 2018 at 11:57 pm

Hello, This travel blog is very nice and the hotels are very beautiful in Colorado, thanks for sharing this blog.

November 20, 2018 at 2:58 am

Hi Robert, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Yes, there are many beautiful lodges and hotels in Colorado. The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is definitely a unique property. Best, Jessica

Keith Fye Post author

September 23, 2018 at 10:21 pm

how can I find out who the construction crew was ie the foreman and carpenters?

September 25, 2018 at 8:43 pm

Hi Keith, The main architects were Freelan Oscar Stanley and T. Robert Weiger, but I don’t know where you can find the crew information. If you are looking for information about The Stanley Hotel that is not included on the website, I would maybe first try emailing the hotel with your questions and see if they can help. Or if you are visiting, the guides may be able to find that information for you. Another place to contact if the hotel doesn’t know would be the Estes Park Museum which has a large collection of local historical information.

Hope that helps! Jessica

connie Post author

January 3, 2018 at 2:22 pm

Hi Jessica, My daughter lives in the Boulder area and we have been to The Stanley. I loved reading your article. It was so informative and took me right back to Estes Park. I didn’t get the chance to stay overnight, but it sounds wonderful! Again, Super article, well written.

January 3, 2018 at 5:25 pm

Hi Connie, Thanks so much for taking the time to right, we so love knowing that someone enjoyed our article or found it helpful. The Stanley is a very interesting American hotel and I hope you get a chance to stay there on a subsequent visit to Colorado! I have actually never been to Boulder but hope to get a chance to visit on a future trip to Colorado. Best, Jessica

Gary Post author

July 21, 2016 at 9:17 pm

Thank you so much for the amazing post on the Stanley Hotel…I really enjoyed a lot. I would love to tour this historical hotel in Estes Park as a fan of The Shining!

travelcats Post author

July 22, 2016 at 3:49 am

Hi Gary, Glad you enjoyed the post and I hope you get a chance to visit The Stanley Hotel some day. The tours are quite interesting, you can do the regular day tour or the evening ghost-oriented tour! ~ Jessica

Ruth Post author

July 18, 2016 at 10:18 pm

I enjoy the character and story behind places like this. I have never seen the movie but my curiosity is piqued now. I guess King’s genre is not my favorite. In San Diego, there is a hotel with a lot of history and stories about the ghosts that live in there (Hotel del Coronado). I have not visited yet. I did visited another haunted hotel in Old Town and the stories were spooky.

July 21, 2016 at 5:02 am

Hi Ruth, Yes, I also really love hotels with interesting stories and histories. The Shining is a psychological horror movie so may or may not be your thing, but is has had a definite impact on popular culture. I have not been to Hotel del Coronado in San Diego but sounds interesting! ~ Jessica

Rhonda Post author

July 17, 2016 at 7:53 pm

Great story about the hotel. The Shining gives me chills. Some of your wide angle and oblique view photos look like they could be “stills” from the movie.

July 21, 2016 at 5:00 am

Hi Rhonda, Thanks! If you have been to The Ahwahnee (now The Majestic Yosemite Hotel) at Yosemite, the interiors for the film were based loosely on that hotel, especially the Great Lounge area. The exterior shots at Timberline Lodge in Oregon. ~ Jessica

Seana Turner Post author

July 17, 2016 at 6:08 pm

The photo of you two in the mirror sort of creeps me out. I remember that movie so well, and I had no idea this hotel was in Estes Park — which I know is stunningly beautiful. I would love taking a tour and dining there, but I have to admit I’m not sure I would want to spend the night. Isn’t it crazy how much impact a film can have?

July 21, 2016 at 4:54 am

Hi Seana, The photo was not really intended to be creepy haha, but I can see how it might be. We both look really awkward in it. Yes, it is indeed amazing to think about how much a film can impact a place such as this hotel. ~ Jessica

The Whiskey Bar at The Stanley Hotel

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

The Luck Lucy drink is delicious! Our party enjoyed sitting out on the patio. The bar bites food is also tasty (though expensive) and the servings are small. Great atmosphere in a beautiful setting.

They had a limited menu but everything looked amazing. Our server was friendly and very thorough when it came to sanitation, etc. I think her name was Shelly? Sally? Anyway she was great. My family loved their meals and I splurged on the expensive lamb... shank which was so delicious I didn’t mind that it was room temp. The Stanley was beautiful as always, always a treat to visit. More

Classic bar, befitting its setting, the historic and magnificent Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. But it's not cheap, mind you. Service was very friendly and down to earth, even though the waiters are all suited up (they did mess up one of my drink orders).... Classic wooden bar and tin roof and lots of photos of famous visitors on the walls, the one that interested me most being the one of Stephen King. Considering the fact that King got his inspiration for The Shining in this hotel, it's not a big step to think of this bar as being the one that Jack Nicholson frequents in the movie adaptation... More

I was so excited to visit The Whiskey Bar while we stayed in Estes Park. Unfortunately, I have to say I was disappointed. The service was extremely slow and impersonal. It almost felt like they irritated to have customers. Food options were extremely limited -... they had no greens or salad of any sort and vegetables were almost non-existent. Perhaps it was due to COVID? My husband ordered the elk sliders which he tasted good, but for $20 his meal consisted of 2 small sliders and no side dish. I had the Peach and Burrata salad which consisted of a half of a peach sliced and topped with a tiny dollop of burrata cheese. For $18 I expected something a little more substantial than that. I would not eat there again. More

There were two hostesses standing outside the entrance of the Whiskey Bar. They never asked if they could help us. They were busy talking with each other. When we said that we wanted to go to the bar they said that they could not seat... us unless we were eating. We asked if we Could sit in the lobby area after we got drinks. They said yes. We went to the bar but had to wait about 10 minutes for the bartender to show up. After ordering each drink the bartender told us how much each drink would be. Almost like we wouldn’t pay. ??? After receiving drinks and paying for them we walked back to the lobby area to sit down and the hostess told us we’d have to sit outside to drink our drinks in the 30 degree weather. So we drank our VERY expensive drinks and left The Stanley without exploring. Not impressed. According to other reviews the place is run down from former glory. What a shame considering the history. More

I am a whiskey fan. Prior to arriving in Estes Park, I did research on whiskey and distilleries. This whiskey bar showed up in my research, so I added it to my list of places to visit. I wish I had skipped it altogether. There... was nothing enjoyable from start to finish. There are very few places to sit. We ended up back outside on the porch after we got our drinks. Getting a drink is an act of congress. You have to wait in a line. The three bartenders are working incredibly hard, but they are supporting both the whiskey bar and the restaurant. You might be the next person in line, but it still might be five minutes before they even talk to you. I waited 15 minutes to get one drink. The whiskey experience itself is non existent. Five months into the COVID pandemic and this place has not taken the time to create an inventory of all the whiskeys they have. Their nicely leather bound option is not available since they cannot allow each customer to touch it. When the bartender finally says what do you want you have to just know. They don't have time to tell you what they have. If they do tell you, the pricing is not available. You could be ordering a $50 pour and not know it. I would not make a return trip. More

The famous Stanley hotel has a fancy restaurant that serves special thanksgiving meals on the day. Me and my family visited this place and had a bad experience in general. The food for them was “meh” and cold for all of us. The waiting was... as I can best put it subpar in the supplying sense. The lower levels of staff were uncoordinated but most importantly mismanaged to a major degree. The water at our table was never refilled and when a family member used a pitcher it was already empty. When she asked our busboy to refill her water he could not find a filled pitcher. Our food being cold is most likely because of the lack of waiters or waiter-chef coordination which is once again on management’s part. I should also mention the 1 and a half hours it took to be served the appetizers and the main course came in an hour after the cold soup and on my part mistakenly ordered fruit salad. The food was also not worth the exorbitant prices and while it could be good the heating and and general taste makes the prices unimaginably high for decent food. Did I forget to mention that you have to purchase reservations to go in and pay high prices for the food. With all of this said I blame this mostly on the management for failing to coordinate and hire enough lower level staff. I also think that pay and lack of higher authority on things like alcohol use when the wine was finished being served the staff may or may not drink it because they can’t let it go to waste. I do see potential in this restaurant but management’s failure to solve easy to fix problems are the main reason why I cannot recommend this restaurant over places like Twin Owls. I think I have said enough so I hope that people in management will read this and work on increasing their quality of service. More

stayed four nights at the Stanley, decided to have a drink with my wife at the bar. Service was anything but delightful prices were outrageous and because of Covid we were unable to have our drink in the bar and asked to leave. Went for... the atmosphere and was not able to enjoy the experience. They were nice enough to tell us to take them outside. More

We ate at the Whiskey bar in the Stanley Hotel. I had a burger that was fine but not spectacular. My daughter wasn't really impressed with her meal, commented that the truffle fries seemed to have been previously frozen. A bit slow with keeping the... water full. The whiskey was good and of course they had the single malt I was after. I've never seen a bar so well stocked. More

My husband and I were in Estes Park for the weekend and had reservations on Saturday for the Aiden Sinclair show and Sunday for the Night Tour of the Stanley. We stopped in to the Whiskey Bar on Saturday for a drink prior to the... show. It was busy and the staff seemed overwhelmed and reluctant to answer questions that we had as we were making decisions about what drinks to order. As they were pricy, we didn't want to order something we wouldn't enjoy. Decided to give them another chance on Sunday before our tour. Less busy, but it took nearly 10 minutes for the bartender to acknowledge our presence (we were the only people at the bar). The bar area was littered with used drink glasses, receipts, and discarded fruit. When our drinks came, the outside of the glasses were sticky. We weren't staying at the hotel, but had contemplated staying in the summer on our next visit. After our experience, I doubt we will give them a third chance. More

My hubby loved a great “Old Fashion”. He got one here. He wanted more but had other things to do than drink. I had a raspberry cocktail that was wonderful considering I don’t like raspberries. The barkeeper is a good salesman. Very pleasant atmosphere and... a cool place to sit enjoy a cocktail. Beautiful decor. More

Very disappointed with visiting the whiskey bar at the Stanley. We stopped in for drink and the bartender was not friendly at all and not interested in being welcoming or suggesting us a drink. When I ordered a glass of champagne, he poured out the... last OZ of a bottle, then just left for a minute to go to another room to open and pour another bottle. Which, given the poor service to begin with, wasn’t appreciated and seemed very cheap. Technically, your not supposed to serve 2 bottles at once. We expected a bit more from a historic property. We wouldn’t return and am happy we didn’t spend more money here by booking a dinner reservation. More

Being a whiskey enthusiast we made this a definite stop. After a long day hiking we stopped in after the dinner rush to have a couple of drinks. The waiter was fine, but not as friendly as we hoped for. There was only one bar... tender and he was extremely busy yet still came out from the bar, served us our drinks, and briefly talked to us despite being buried in orders. The delicious old fashioned and friendly bar tender made it worth the trip. More

Because of COVID, we were unable to actually sit at the bar as we would have preferred. Instead, we were able to order cocktails and take them into the lobby and porch area of The Stanley Hotel. It was even better! Drinks are expensive, but... the service is great and we had a wonderful time. More

I have been engaged in a credit card charge dispute with the Stanley Hotel Cascades Restaurant/ Bar since my visit there last August. During a tour of the Rocky Mountains, there was a stop at the Stanley Hotel during which my grandmother and I had... a Redrum cocktail each for which we paid. When I returned to France, shortly afterwards I realized my card had been debited for an extra $78. After several email exchanges with the restaurant manager and the Accounting manager I was promised a refund but the money was never transferred to my account though they claim they have made the payment twice. It is important to note that at no stage has anyone from the hotel disputed the fact that the charge of $78 was erroneously taken from my credit card. More

THE WHISKEY BAR AT THE STANLEY HOTEL, Estes Park - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Service: 3.5

Visiting the Famous Stanley Hotel and Beautiful Estes Park, CO

By: Author Melody Pittman

Posted on Published: June 17, 2021 - Last updated: December 1, 2022

Visiting the Famous Stanley Hotel and Beautiful Estes Park, CO

(UPDATED NOVEMBER 2022) The Stanley Hotel ( The Shining Hotel) and Estes Park might be the best way to explore Rocky Mountain National Park and see a spectacular part of Colorado. This jaw-dropping area is plentiful with wildlife, elk, and big-horn sheep and has the ultimate historical, haunted hotel. Here are suggestions for spending your time at the Stanley Hotel and Estes Park, based on what my friend Sara and I did during ours.

Staying Overnight at The Stanley

The Stanley Hotel was built in 1909 by F.O. Stanley. It was his gift to his lovely wife, Flora, a western getaway from their Massachusetts life. The Stanley Hotel sits up the road from F.O.’s original cottage—today’s hotel was just a place for their friends to stay during their summer visits.

As with all of the elite at the time, F.O.’s guests would stay for the entire summer season, filling the hotel with prominent families and lavish parties.

In 1974, renowned author Stephen King spent the night in room 142 at The Stanley Hotel. He awoke from a nightmarish dream, and just like that, King had his start, finish, and characters for his most famous novel of all time, The Shining . The story was so renowned that it became a movie soon after.

The Shining movie wasn’t shot at The Stanley Hotel; a set was erected (on a sound stage in London) to the hotel’s filming scale. The details matched precisely.

However, years later, The Shining mini-series and Dumb and Dumber (starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels) were filmed at The Stanley.

One would nearly gasp when they see the sheer magnitude of the fine hotel amidst the stunning Rocky Mountain scenery. The famous hedge maze sits in front of the big front porch, a great place to pass the time and enjoy the fresh air. Inside, a fine dining restaurant (Cascades), tour desk, coffee shop, and upscale gift shop are offered for guests and visitors.

front-of-the-stanley-hotel-in-estes-park

The Stanley Guest Rooms

Mine and Sara’s classic hotel room overlooked the hedge maze and had a King-sized bed, writing desk area, armoire, 42″ HDTV, and complimentary WiFi. Though we had a lovely room, I missed not having a mini-fridge for personal use. The huge bathroom had a bathtub, which was great for warming up after being cold all day.

Besides the historic rooms in the central hotel, The Stanley Hotel also offers extended modern apartments and condos. It should come as no surprise that The Stanley has “spirited rooms” or those with a high paranormal activity level. We were sad that no spirits tried to communicate with us during our stay, but I met people who had encounters on our trip.

Food and Drinks at the Stanley Hotel

Sara and I had breakfast one morning and dinner another at Cascades Restaurant, the onsite hotel eatery. She had homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy for breakfast, and I opted for Denver Omelet with crispy red potatoes.

the-stanley-breakfast-biscuits-and-gravy

The Whiskey Bar , a separate area that shares the same menu as the Cascades, grabs your attention and has a welcoming feel. Fancy a bourbon or single-malt scotch? You can try 1,200 different ones here. There is also a creative cocktail menu to choose from other drinks, such as the Redrum Punch and the 291 Sm’oaked Old Fashion.

Sara and I sat at the illuminated bar for dinner. The bartender provided excellent service and made friendly conversation with his many guests. I couldn’t choose between two appetizers, so I had both for my meal. Sara had a traditional New York Strip that came with a house salad.

I recommend the creamy and rich Chicken Liver Pâté served with grilled bread and baby greens. The presentation was gorgeous, too.

I also had the Raclette Tartine served over smoked potatoes with arugula and bacon jam. It was an imaginative recipe creation.

Colorado Cherry Co. offers a full-service coffee bar, ice cream, grab & go items, and gourmet jams, jellies, and spreads in the hotel’s basement.

The Shining Tours

I found it surprising that The Stanley Hotel offers tours both day and night, several times per day. They fill up quickly with guests curious about the paranormal activity, the historical aspects, and the Shining movie connection.

Sara and I took the night tour with Robert as our guide. He did a fantastic job gauging what his audience was most interested in and scaling the tour to suit our needs. We began with a short film explaining the hotel’s history and the wonderful couple who created it. Then, we moved to the first floor to see the Stanley Steamer classic vehicle and learn about the hotel’s architecture.

Luckily, a wedding took place during our tour, so it had to be doubly modified because of that and the frigid outdoor temperatures. So, our group was granted access to some of the most sought-after rooms at The Stanley Hotel—407, 428, and Ghost Hunters’ favorite, 401.

The mother of all rooms is 217, which you may remember from The Shining . The occupants of that room were on our tour and allowed us to come inside and see the hotel’s famous Stephen King Suite. We were all crazy busy taking pictures with our phones and cameras, hoping to see some orbs or figures.

Our tour concluded in the basement as we went on a “behind-the-scenes” trek through the dark and tight spaces; it was the perfect closing. Besides the night tour, others are a 75-minute historic Stanley day tour (ages eight and over) and the F.O. and friends Family History Tour (geared toward kids eight and under).

Exploring Estes Park: The Mountain Town

Rocky Mountain National Park’s base is Estes Park, a charming town with many local shops and affordable eateries. My visit to Estes Park was during the off-season, so a few things were closed, but there were no crowds or traffic jams.

Colorado Homestead, Inkwell & Brew, and Macdonald Book Shop were my favorite shopping places. Be sure to save room for homemade taffy pulled onsite in The Taffy Shop — one of the only places in the country makes the tasty treat in-store since 1935.

If that doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, consider Purple Mountain Taffy for delicious caramels or Caramel Corn for candies and popcorn.

The Estes Park Mountain Shop was a great place to buy souvenir t-shirts, Colorado trinkets, and quality clothing and accessories.

I had the Indian buffet at Nepal’s Cafe with an all-you-can-eat or one single-plate option for lunch. Everything there was finger-licking good. Later that day, Sara and I grabbed fries from Penelope’s Old Time Burgers, a retro diner that boasts the best burgers in town and 1950s tunes.

We also had yummy chocolate chip muffins and cocoa from Notchtop Bakery & Cafe , and Mexican fare from Peppers Restaurant, a fast-food counter service eatery, for dinner.

My sweet tooth was satisfied by the Donut Haus donuts, recommended by our friends at The Postcard Jar .

Abundant Wildlife

I’m an animal lover, and Estes Park was an excellent place to find them. There was elk—huge and abundant elk—everywhere we looked. They roam through town like tourists. After several hundred pictures, you’d think I would have tired of them, but no.

We also saw wild turkeys, mule deer, and Bighorn sheep by the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance.

Rocky Mountain National Park

You can’t come to Estes Park or the Stanley Hotel without visiting Rocky Mountain National Park , one of the most stunning national parks. Sara has been to the Rocky Mountains dozens of times and was a fantastic tour guide. We whizzed around the park like we worked there, and mind you, it was 22 degrees, and the roads had 18″ of snow.

My favorite part of the tour was seeing Longs Peak, standing at 14,259 feet and the highest elevation at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Fun Fact: The park has 415 square-miles.

A Nature and Pop Culture Lover’s Dream Getaway

Our trip to Estes Park and The Stanley Hotel was spectacular. This is a place where the epic scenery and a landmark hotel outweigh any obstacles that may come your way, primarily weather and climate.

Happy travels!

Thanks to The Stanley Hotel for our complimentary accommodations. As always, reviews and opinions are 100% mine and unbiased.

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Read about more great places to explore:

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Monday 24th of June 2019

Looks like a fun place to stay. I'd definitely try that redrum punch! And those donuts and that salt water taffy!

Thursday 20th of June 2019

I've always thought it would be cool to stay at The Stanely Hotel. I mean, as long as I don't have a Shining-like nightmare! Having visited Colorado, I can easily imagine how stunning the backdrop of the Rockies must have been. I really love being around the mountains in Colorado, so someday I'll have to visit Estes Park and perhaps even stay at the Stanley Hotel.

cindy ladage

Wednesday 19th of June 2019

This is awesome. What a cool hotel. I love the porch! I would like to stay here and visit Estes Park too. The wildlife and the views are amazing! Thanks for sharing.

Doreen Pendgracs

The Stanley Hotel looks like a great place to stay. It's been a long time since I was last in Colorado, but for all the reasons you've mentioned, I'd love to go back and explore Estes Park.

Monday 17th of June 2019

What a fantastic trip you had! It's been a long time (20+ years) since I've been to Estes Park! I think it's time I get back!

MelodyPittman

And take Sara as your private guide. LOL ;)

Construction is currently underway

Crews are working to improve access to and from Rocky Mountain National Park with the Downtown Estes Loop Project.

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Taste the Flavors of the Rockies with this Unique Cocktail

There's no better way to enjoy the changing seasons than sipping on a locally-created whiskey cocktail. As the temperatures begin to drop and the fall colors paint the village of Estes Park, the Rocky Mountain Vieux is sure to please your taste buds.

The Stanley Hotel's Whiskey Bar at Cascades Restaurant features Colorado's largest selection of whiskeys, bourbons and scotch. Go back in time as you step into the bar and lounge to choose from over 900 expressions, including unique prohibition-style cocktails and a variety of beer, wine and other spirits. Feeling adventurous? Make this cocktail at home and share the special taste of the Rockies with friends and family.

Rocky Mountain Vieux Recipe

1 oz A.D. Laws Stanley Select by Laws Whiskey House

1 oz Maison Cognac

1 oz Carpano Antica

1 bar spoon Benedictine

Orange swath

Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain over a large ice cube. Enjoy!

Visit Estes Park

Estes Park Visitor Center

500 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517 | 970-577-9900

Visit Estes Park Business Office

P.O. Box 4426, Estes Park, CO 80517

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Spend a Spooky Night at the Stanley Hotel, The Inspiration of 'The Shining'

As we start to embrace sweater weather, changing leaf colors, pumpkins, and everything else that comes with autumn, we also get ready to get a little spooky . And what better way to kick off the Halloween season than by taking a trip to a haunted place that inspired one of most iconic horror stories of all time? Introducing the Stanley Hotel.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Stanley Hotel (@thestanleyhotel)

If you recognize the historic hotel, located in Estes Park, Colorado, you'll recognize it from Stephen King's 1977 bestselling novel The Shining and its 1980 film adaptation starring Jack Nicholson. But did you know that the story was inspired by true hauntings and paranormal activity within the place? Let's dive more into what happened here.

The Haunted History of the Stanley Hotel

Famous writer Stephen King and his wife had stopped to stay at the Colorado hotel back in the fall of 1974, checking into room 217, the Presidential Suite. The highly-recognized horror author had a nightmare in which he saw his young son being chased by a possessed fire house down the Stanley's long, empty hallways, causing him to wake up in sweat. This horrifying dream would be the catalyst for King's next story, T he Shining .

But long before the Kings had stayed at the haunted hotel, the Stanley had already earned a paranormal reputation. The hotel was completed in 1909 by elite entrepreneur and inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley (F.O. Stanley), co-founder of the Stanley Motor Carriage Co. And after his death in 1940, his ghost has been reportedly appearing to guests who check-in at the front desk. There have also been claims that the apparition of his wife Flora Stanley, a pianist, can be heard playing piano keys in an empty music room.

But although most expect murder and gore from haunted places, the Stanley Hotel simply isn't like that. It does have one traumatic story, however, that also happened in the same room that the Kings would stay in, just decades before. In the 1920s, a gas leak caused an explosion in room 217, almost killing a chambermaid known as Elizabeth Wilson. Although she did recover and return to her job, after her death, guests reported seeing her hovering and walking through closed doors. And unmarried couples have recalled feeling an invisible force wedging them apart as they slept, while single men report waking up to find their bags packed and left outside the door.

What to Do at the Stanley Hotel

The Stanley Hotel isn't just a place made for accommodations. And it also offers more than just its iconic name as a filming location (Jim Carrey once stayed and fled, never to return, while filming Dumb and Dumber ). Located at 333 E Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517, this historic place is just a short trip from the city of Denver!

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Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

Moscow metro underground small-group tour.

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Tour Information

Key Details

Mobile Voucher Accepted
Free Cancellation
Duration: 3 Hrs
Language: English
Departure Time : 10:00 AM
Departure Details : Karl Marks Monument on Revolution Square, metro stop: Square of Revolution
Return Details : Metro Smolenskaya
If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda , then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside scoop on whats gone on behind those walls.

Know More about this tour

We begin our Moscow tour beneath the city, exploring the underground palace of the Moscow Metro. From the Square of Revolution station, famous for its huge statues of soviet people (an armed soldier, a farmer with a rooster, a warrior, and more), we’ll move onto some of the most significant stations, where impressive mosaics, columns, and chandeliers will boggle your eyes! Moreover, these stations reveal a big part of soviet reality — the walls depict plenty of Propaganda , with party leaders looking down from images on the walls. Your local guide will share personal stories of his/her family from USSR times, giving you insight into Russia’s complicated past and present. Then we’re coming back up to street level, where we’ll take a break and refuel with some Russian fast food: traditional pancakes, called bliny. And then, stomachs satiated, we are ready to move forward! We’ll take the eco-friendly electric trolleybus, with a route along the Moscow Garden Ring. Used mainly by Russian babushkas(grannies) during the day, the trolleybus hits peak hours in the mornings and evenings, when many locals use it going to and from their days. Our first stop will be the Aviator’s House, one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and you’ll hear the legends of what has gone on inside the walls. Throughout your Moscow tour, you’ll learn curious facts from soviet history while seeing how Russia exists now, 25 years after the USSR.

Local English-speaking guide

Pancake snack and drink

Additional food and drinks

Tickets for public transport

Souvenirs and items of a personal nature

Tips and gratuities for the guide

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Traveler Reviews

This tour exceeded our expectations. Nikolai (Nick), our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great personality. He didn't take shortcuts and really covered everything that was on the agenda in great detail. We saw beautiful metro stations and learned the history behind them, including many of the murals and designs.

We did the tour with Anna her knowledge and understanding of the History surrounding the metro brought the tour alive. Well done Anna!

This tour was amazing!

Anna was a great tour guide. She gave us heaps of interesting information, was very friendly, and very kindly showed us how to get to our next tour.

Amazing beauty and history.

An excellent tour helped by an absolutely amazing guide. Anna gave a great insight into the history of the metro helped by additional material she had prepared.

great tour and guide - thanks again

great will do it again, Miriam ke was very good as a guide she has lived here all here life so knew every interesting detail.a good day

Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

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Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

IMAGES

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park
THE WHISKEY BAR AT THE STANLEY HOTEL, Estes Park
Cascades Whiskey Bar in the historic Stanley Hotel, Estes Park
Cascades Whiskey Bar at the Stanley Hotel
Now that’s a view • A look at the Whiskey Bar at The Stanley Hotel in
The Stanley Hotel via ThunderTix

COMMENTS

The vault at The Stanley Hotel
The Vault offers private, curated tastings exploring a little whiskey history, classifications (What's a bourbon?), and the best way to enjoy it (however you like). Tastings accommodate all levels of spirits enthusiasts. Questions or private bookings: [email protected]. Follow Us. @thestanleyvault. Book tasting.
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park
A Stanley Hotel History. 500 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517 | 970-577-9900. P.O. Box 4426, Estes Park, CO 80517. Visit the Stanley Hotel, the historic landmark that inspired "The Shining," and find popular events, an expansive whiskey bar, and a great view of Rocky Mountain.
Visit The Stanley Hotel
gallery stanley store contact privacy policy press/media center donation request sitemap careers The Stanley Hotel | 333 Wonderview Avenue Estes Park, CO 80517 | [email protected] | +1 (970) 577-4000
THE WHISKEY BAR AT CASCADES RESTAURANT
The wine program will awaken your inner sommelier, and the Stanley Select Old Fashioned, 291 Sm'oaked Old Fashion or Redrum Punch may just cause your cares to melt away. Hours. 11:00 AM - 11:00 pM sunday - thursday. 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM friday & saturday. 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Limited Bar Menu. Whiskey Menu>. Wine Menu>.
The Vault
Tastings accommodate all levels of spirits enthusiasts and last roughly 45-55 minutes. Ages 21+ ONLY. Valid ID is required. No refunds for forgotten IDS or missing your allotted time. We are happy to reschedule if done three of more days in advance. Questions or private bookings: [email protected]. Follow Us. @thestanleyvault.
Stanley Hotel Tour: An Honest Review (including Historic, Ghost, and
The Stanley Hotel was built in 1909 by inventor and businessman Freelan Stanley and is a famous landmark in Estes Park, Colorado. Famously known for being the location where Stephen King imagined the plot for The Shinin g, the Stanley Hotel offers 60-minute historic, paranormal, and Shining tours.
The Vault at The Stanley
Single barrels or special bottles, the Vault is a collection of The Stanley's other spirits (ONLY available here at the hotel). Most of these selections are 1 of less than 200 bottles in existence. The Vault offers private, curated tastings exploring a little whiskey history, classifications (What's a bourbon?), and the best way to enjoy it (however you like).
The Vault
Click here to resend tickets :: Check your gift card balance. For information, please contact 970-577-4076. The Vault - Whiskey History & Tasting at The Stanley Hotel on Sat - Feb 19, 2022 - 5:00pm...Tue - Oct 31, 2023 - 5:00pm. The "other spirits" of The Stan...
Stanley Hotel Tour
Stanley Hotel Tour. 1,653 reviews. #18 of 48 Tours & Activities in Estes Park. Historical & Heritage ToursWalking ToursNight ToursSightseeing ToursPrivate Tours. Write a review. See all photos. About. Estes Park, Colorado. Contact.
Making a small dent in the 1,200-bottle whiskey collection at the
This time, as my friend and I raised another glass, no toast was needed, just a pause—and a shared, knowing nod—before the night continued. If you go: Whiskey flights — three .75-ounce pours ...
The Whiskey Bar at the Stanley Hotel
The Whiskey Bar at the Stanley Hotel. ... Average Shop & Tour 88.00. Ambiance 95.00. Selection 74.00. Value 88.00. Service Photo by Slàinte Mhath. About. A superb whisky bar boasting well over 1,200 bottles of whisky(e)y including some very rare offerings. The prices are up there but so is the altitude this bar is located at.
Estes Park Hotel
The Stanley Hotel Spirited Night Tour is a 60-minute walking tour that will take you through the dark edges of the hotel. It is a unique way to experience the hotel's spirited tales with a knowledgeable storyteller under the ambiance of nighttime in the Rocky Mountains. Each tour offers you opportunities to explore, ask questions, and perhaps ...
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado: History & Hauntings
The Stanley Hotel is best known for being the inspiration for Stephen King's bestselling novel The Shining and the subsequent film starring Jack Nicholson as the slowly driven mad overseer. The Stanley Hotel is located in Estes Park Colorado, the gateway to one of the most visited national parks in the United States: Rocky Mountain National Park. Set amidst the beautiful mountain scenery of ...
The Whiskey Bar at The Stanley Hotel
The Whiskey Bar at The Stanley Hotel. Claimed. Review. Share. 152 reviews #30 of 60 Restaurants in Estes Park $$ - $$$ American Bar. 333 Wonderview Avenue Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO 80517-9665 +1 970-577-4001 Website Menu. Open now : 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM.
Visiting the Famous Stanley Hotel and Beautiful Estes Park, CO
In 1974, renowned author Stephen King spent the night in room 142 at The Stanley Hotel. He awoke from a nightmarish dream, and just like that, King had his start, finish, and characters for his most famous novel of all time, The Shining. The story was so renowned that it became a movie soon after.
Taste the Flavors of the Rockies with this Unique Cocktail
The Stanley Hotel's Whiskey Bar at Cascades Restaurant features Colorado's largest selection of whiskeys, bourbons and scotch. Go back in time as you step into the bar and lounge to choose from over 900 expressions, including unique prohibition-style cocktails and a variety of beer, wine and other spirits.
Stanley Hotel: Spend a Night at the Inspiration Behind 'The Shining'
The Residences are also a close walk to the Whiskey Bar, Cascades Restaurant, the Concert Hall, and more. The Stanley Historic District also serves as a stunning place for meetings, conferences, and weddings with their business centers and wedding venues. ... The Stanley Hotel Spirited Night Tour is a 60-minute walking tour with a knowledgeable ...
Estes Park Hotel
This 60 minute walking tour will introduce you to Mr. F.O. Stanley, his wife Flora, Stephen King, and other noteworthy visitors since 1909. The Stanley Hotel Historic Day Tour is a unique way to experience the hotel's history, architecture, folklore, and pop culture with a knowledgeable storyteller. Each tour offers you opportunities to explore ...
Private Moscow Metro Tour
Private Sightseeing Tours in Moscow: Check out 6 reviews and photos of Viator's Private Moscow Metro Tour
Private Moscow Metro Tour: explore the underground palaces
Moscow is home to some extravagant metro stations and this 1.5-hour private tour explores the best of them. Sometimes considered to be underground "palaces" these grandiose stations feature marble columns, beautiful designs, and fancy chandeliers. Visit a handful of stations including the UNESCO-listed Mayakovskaya designed in the Stalinist architecture. Learn about the history of the ...
Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour
Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable. Overview. Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda, then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside ...
Estes Park Tours
gallery stanley store contact privacy policy press/media center donation request sitemap careers The Stanley Hotel | 333 Wonderview Avenue Estes Park, CO 80517 | [email protected] | +1 (970) 577-4000
Moscow Metro Tour: Architectural Styles of the Subway
Opened in 1935, Moscow's underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow's underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.