This sweet tradition at Glenwood Springs’ “Grand Dame of the Rockies” has been a guest favorite since it started in 2010. All of the hotel’s extravagant holiday decorations will be in place through January for anyone who wishes to extend their holidays.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 20, 2024) — For the fourth year in a row, Hotel Colorado is included in the list of “The 2024 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Most Magnificent Gingerbread Displays.” It’s one of just two hotels in Colorada to make the cut, with the other being the Broadmoor in
Colorado Springs.
This truly sweet Hotel Colorado tradition started in 2010 with the creation of a large-scale gingerbread house near the suite at the northeast end of the hallway on the ground floor of Glenwood Springs’ “Grand Dame of the Rockies.” Visitors were so charmed by the structure that the following year, the Legends Coffee and Gift Shop became the focal point. Constructing the giant gingerbread surround is a feat that takes a crew of four approximately one week to bake and build.
“The gingerbread house is one of my personal favorites,” Larry MacDonald, General Manager, Hotel Colorado, explained. “The smell of the just-baked gingerbread hits right as you walk in the door. It really sets the tone for the season. All of us here at Hotel Colorado are proud to receive this recognition
once again.”
According to Historic Hotels of America (HHA), gingerbread houses are a German creation, perhaps inspired by, or popularized by, the fairytale “Hansel and Gretel” in the early 1800s. Immigrants to the United States brought ginger and gingerbread traditions with them. As an art form for pastry chefs and a sweet treat for children, gingerbread decorating is a tradition to unite the generations, and gingerbread displays are the centerpieces of elegant lobbies at the world’s most prestigious hotels. Year after year, legendary hotels, resorts, and inns create magnificent gingerbread displays to delight and inspire guests.
The HHA press release states, “The life-size, interactive holiday gingerbread display at Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, wraps around the hotel’s Legends Coffee & Gift Shop, and invites guests to enjoy a seriously sweet shopping experience. The gingerbread house is 16 feet high, 12 feet long, and 14 feet wide, and was built using 311 pounds of gingerbread and 8 gallons of frosting. Four team members worked together for over a week to bake, build, and decorate the sweet and spiced gingerbread display.
The gingerbread display at Hotel Colorado is a time-honored tradition and has been a major part of the hotel’s holiday displays for the past 15 years. Although it has moved locations, it is now a tradition to build the gingerbread display around the exterior of Legends Coffee & Gift Shop. Naturally, with over 300 pounds of gingerbread displayed, the halls of this historic hotel are filled with the aroma of molasses and ginger. The gingerbread house is on display as part of the hotel’s large-scale holiday decorations.
The hotel is open to anyone to visit, take photos, and enjoy the beautiful gingerbread display. Located in the great Rocky Mountains, Hotel Colorado is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2007 and dates to 1893.”
The gingerbread house, colorful lights and decorations continue through the end of January for those wishing to extend their holidays.
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About Hotel Colorado
Located at 526 Pine Street in historic Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Hotel Colorado first opened its doors in 1893. The hotel has been used as a temporary White House, as a place of healing for the U.S. Navy during World War II, and a community focal point from its inception. Today, Hotel Colorado is a beautiful step back in time, inviting guests to enjoy the cool mountain air, exceptional service and legendary hospitality in a recently renovated property that has restored the “Grand Dame of the Rockies” to its former glory. Hotel Colorado is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is a member of Historic Hotels of America and has just completed an $8 million comprehensive guest room renovation.
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