Hotel Colorado - Home of the Famous and the Furry

Glenwood Springs, CO –

Hotel Colorado has hosted many well-known guests throughout its century-plus history. Dignitaries, presidents, movie stars, and outlaws were drawn to the luxurious accommodations. This page introduces you to just a few.

President Theodore Roosevelt
In1905, Hotel Colorado became the temporary home of the President of the United States and his assistants during a three-week bear-hunting expedition. Already a fan of Colorado, Roosevelt stayed at the Hotel Colorado on multiple occasions. On a three-week trip in January 1901, the Vice-President hunted mountain lion on the Keystone Ranch near Meeker. It was reported by his guide that Colonel Roosevelt hung over a cliff to shoot a wounded lion between the eyes. Roosevelt’s first trip to Glenwood Springs delighted him so much that he returned year after year.

The Teddy Bear
Legend has it that the world's most irresistible toy, the teddy bear, was born at Hotel Colorado. To cheer Theodore Roosevelt after an unsuccessful day of hunting, Hotel Colorado maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material. Later, when he finally bagged a real bear, his daughter Alice admired it saying, "I will call it Teddy." The term caught on and became the name for the world's most popular toy, the Teddy Bear.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Rising quickly to wealth as a result of her husband’s abundant gold strike, Titanic-survivor Molly Brown visited the Hotel Colorado to enjoy one of society’s favorite playgrounds. Today, one of the Hotel's Bell Tower suites has been transformed into a living tribute to this dynamic woman. The Molly Brown Suite is magnificently appointed with family photos, memorabilia, and period furnishings.

Al Capone
During the roaring '20s, Hotel Colorado became an attractive playground for Chicago gangsters like Al Capone. It’s said that the Hotel Colorado erected a special entrance canopy that kept the arrival and departures of the notorious guests out of view. Another member of Capone’s Chicago gang, Diamond Jack Alterie, frequented the hotel wearing high-heeled boots, a ten-gallon hat, flashy diamond rings, shirt studs, watches, and belt buckles. Arriving at the hotel in large Lincoln convertibles, these big spenders swaggered confidently through the halls and grounds surrounded by a phalanx of burly bodyguards.

President William Howard Taft
Many presidents have visited the Hotel Colorado. On September 23, 1909, President William Howard Taft arrived in his private train car. He was presented with wild raspberries and mountain trout for breakfast, then spoke to 700 people from the Hotel’s Roosevelt balcony. When offered exclusive use of the Hot Springs pool, he declined, saying "I’ve found it’s much better for a man of my size not to bathe in public."

Pete the Bear
In the 1920s, one prized resident of the Hotel Colorado was Pete, a full-grown Colorado black bear. Occasionally, when Pete would decide to take a tour of the surrounding area, it was the job of groundkeeper, John Pretti, to find Pete and escort him back to the Hotel. The mischievous companion always returned willingly, strolling alongside John, back to his home at the Hotel Colorado.

About the Hotel Colorado
Hotel Colorado is located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, just off I-70, and a short drive from some of Colorado’s favorite destinations: Aspen (45 miles), Vail (65 miles), and Grand Junction (90 miles). The hotel has been a western landmark and destination for over 100 years, and recently underwent a multi-million dollar makeover of guestrooms, public areas and hallways, ballrooms, and the West Tower Bell Suite (dedicated as the Molly Brown Suite in 2003). Providence Hospitality Partners, LLC (Denver, Colo.) has managed the Hotel Colorado for several years and was instrumental in planning and completing the recently completed showcase restoration projects.