Stanley Hotel

Designed and funded by Freelan Oscar Stanley, the Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 in Estes Park. The first-class resort helped make Estes Park into a tourist destination, especially after the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915. In the late twentieth century, the hotel gained notoriety as the inspiration for Stephen King’s horror novel The Shining (1977). Now part of the Grand Heritage Hotel Group, the hotel survived the September 2013 floods largely unscathed. Soon after, it expanded, adding a new health and wellness center.

Origins

Born and raised in New England, the inventor and entrepreneur Freelan Oscar Stanley first saw the Estes Valley in 1903. He was in his fifties and had recently been diagnosed with tuberculosis, which doctors said would cause his death within months. He immediately set out for the dry air of Colorado and soon drove one of his Stanley Steamer cars from Lyons to Estes Park. After a remarkably quick recovery, Stanley decided in 1904 to build a house in the emerging town of Estes Park, where he would spend summers for the rest of his life.

By 1907 Stanley had begun planning to build a grand hotel in Estes Park based on classic East Coast resorts. Estes Park was not on a railroad line, so good roads would be important. Stanley led efforts to improve North and South St. Vrain Roads, making it possible for tourists to drive through Estes Park on a loop that started and ended in Lyons.

In October 1907 hotel construction began on a rocky hillside facing Longs Peak. Stanley probably designed much of the hotel himself, though he did hire an architect. Like his Estes Park house, the hotel was to be an elegant Georgian Revival style structure. Stanley thought of the hotel as a summer resort, so the main building was planned without heat and was originally open only from June to September. The rest of the hotel complex—a Casino building for entertainment (not gambling), a Carriage House for the hotel’s Stanley Steamers, and several service buildings—was situated across the roughly 150-acre property. The buildings were all painted a mustard yellow color reminiscent of East Coast resorts.

While the hotel was under construction, Stanley invested heavily in the town. In the course of just a few years, he played a key role in establishing the town’s first bank, its water company, and its hydroelectric plant. Later he helped start the town’s sewer system and its public golf course. All of these efforts would contribute indirectly to the success of Stanley’s hotel, and some, such as the Fall River hydroelectric plant, were originally built for the hotel before being expanded to serve the town as well.

The hotel, called the Stanley, opened on June 22, 1909. It featured eighty-eight guest rooms and an all-electric kitchen designed by Stanley and powered by his Fall River hydroelectric plant.

After the success of the hotel’s first season, construction began on the Manor House next to the main building. A scaled-down version of the main building, the Manor House was probably part of the original plan. It was ready by the next summer. Its thirty-three rooms were fully heated, unlike the main building, allowing the hotel to operate year-round.

Early Years

The Stanley’s first golden age lasted through the 1910s, when Rocky Mountain National Park was established (1915) and Estes Park tourism boomed. During these years, fleets of Stanley Steamer automobiles drove guests up to the hotel from railroad depots in Loveland, Longmont, and Lyons. The Stanley was the kind of model mountain resort that had previously existed primarily in the Colorado Springs area, complete with a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, lawn and indoor bowling, croquet, and billiards. It had its own private water plant, laundry, and garage. On weekends guests could enjoy a lazy afternoon on the veranda, attend a Saturday evening dance at the Casino, and listen to a Sunday afternoon concert in the Music Room.

In 1926 Stanley sold the hotel to a group of Milwaukee investors, who refurbished the interior with new paint, carpet, and drapes. The group soon faced mounting debts, however, and in 1929 Stanley managed to reclaim title to the hotel in a foreclosure sale.

Stanley almost immediately resold the hotel to Roe Emery, who owned the Estes Park Chalets as well as the Rocky Mountain Motor Company. In 1935 he redecorated the bedrooms and gave each one a private bath. He also added new light fixtures, replaced the hydraulic elevator with an electric one, and painted the exterior white. Stanley continued to have lunch there, attend concerts, and sit in his favorite rocker on the veranda until his death in 1940 at age 91.

Postwar Decline

In 1946 Emery sold the Stanley to Abbell Management Company. In the early 1950s the new owners made several changes in an attempt to adapt the grand resort to the more informal style of postwar tourism. A swimming pool was installed on the front lawn, and the Carriage House was converted from a garage to a motel. The Carriage House motel did not last long, however, and for much of the late twentieth century the building was boarded up and used for storage.

In 1966 Abbell sold the Stanley. For the next two decades the hotel passed through several sets of owners. The property changed hands every few years and gradually deteriorated as maintenance and upgrades were put off. Despite that, the Stanley was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

It was during these years that Stephen King and his wife stayed at the somewhat shabby Stanley, in the unheated main building that was about to close for the season. While there, King got the idea for a story about a man who goes crazy at a remote hotel that is closed for the winter. The result was The Shining (1977), in which the “Overlook Hotel” stands in for the Stanley. The famous 1980 Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel was not filmed at the Stanley, but a 1990s television miniseries made with King’s input included scenes filmed at the hotel.

Today

In 1995 the Grand Heritage Hotel Group bought the Stanley. The company immediately undertook extensive renovations with the goal of restoring the hotel to its status as a first-class resort.

Under the Grand Heritage Hotel Group, the Stanley has embraced its association with The Shining and its reputation as a haunted hotel, both of which have helped revive the hotel’s business. The room where King stayed, 217, is now the most-requested room. The 1980 film The Shining plays on a continuous loop on one channel of the hotel’s televisions. In 2013 the hotel began to host an annual horror film festival, and in 2015 it built a huge hedge maze on the front lawn based on a similar maze in the film.

The floods of September 2013 washed out several roads to Estes Park and hurt tourism to the area. The Stanley suffered little damage, however, and after the floods it actually accelerated its renovation and expansion plans to boost the local economy and take advantage of post-flood state financing. John Cullen, owner of the Grand Heritage Hotel Group, announced plans to build a new wellness center near the hotel to capitalize on the trend of healthy vacationing.

In addition, in early 2015 Cullen secured a loan to help pay for what will be the largest renovation and expansion in the Stanley’s history. Buildings across the property will receive new roofs, air conditioning, carpet, and paint. The hotel will also add a new, fifty-room luxury residence hotel connected to the wellness center, as well as a large pavilion to host health seminars, corporate retreats, and weddings.

Designed and funded by Freelan Oscar Stanley, the Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 in Estes Park. The first-class resort helped make Estes Park into a tourist destination, especially after the establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915. In the late twentieth century, the hotel gained notoriety as the inspiration for Stephen King’s horror novel The Shining (1977).

Origins

Born and raised in New England, the inventor and entrepreneur Freelan Oscar Stanley first saw the Estes Valley in 1903. He was in his fifties and had recently been diagnosed with tuberculosis, which doctors said would cause his death within months. Stanley immediately set out for the dry air of Colorado and soon drove one of his Stanley Steamer cars from Lyons to Estes Park. After a remarkable recovery, Stanley decided in 1904 to build a house in the growing town of Estes Park, where he would spend summers for the rest of his life. He died in 1940 at age 91.

By 1907 Stanley planned to build a grand hotel in Estes Park. Since Estes Park was not on a railroad line, good roads would be important. Stanley led efforts to improve North and South St. Vrain Roads, making it possible for tourists to drive through Estes Park on a loop that started and ended in Lyons.

In October 1907, hotel construction began on a hillside facing Longs Peak. Stanley thought of the hotel as a summer resort, so the main building was planned without heat and was originally open only from June to September. The rest of the hotel complex contained a Casino building for entertainment (not gambling), a Carriage House for the hotel’s Stanley Steamers, and several service buildings. These buildings were scattered across the roughly 150-acre property. The buildings were all painted mustard yellow.

While the hotel was being built, Stanley invested heavily in the town of Estes Park. He played an important role in establishing the town’s first bank, its water company, and its hydroelectric plant. Later he helped start the town’s sewer system and its public golf course. All of these efforts would contribute to the success of Stanley’s hotel.

The hotel opened on June 22, 1909. It had eighty-eight guest rooms and an all-electric kitchen designed by Stanley and powered by his Fall River hydroelectric plant.

After the success of the hotel’s first season, construction began on the Manor House next to the main building, a scaled-down version of the main building. The Manor House was probably part of the original plan. It was ready by the next summer. Its thirty-three rooms were fully heated, allowing the hotel to operate year-round.

Early Years

When Rocky Mountain National Park was established in 1915, Estes Park tourism boomed. During these years, Stanley Steamer automobiles brought guests up to the hotel from railroad depots in Loveland, Longmont, and Lyons. The Stanley was a model mountain resort. It had a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, lawn and indoor bowling, croquet, and billiards. It had its own private water plant, laundry, and garage. On weekends guests could enjoy a lazy afternoon on the veranda, attend a Saturday evening dance at the Casino, and listen to a Sunday afternoon concert in the Music Room.

In 1926, Stanley sold the hotel to a group of Milwaukee investors who updated the interior with new paint, carpet, and drapes. In 1935 the hotel was resold to Roe Emery.

He redecorated the bedrooms and gave each one a private bath. He also added new light fixtures, replaced the hydraulic elevator with an electric one, and changed the exterior paint from the original mustard yellow to white. Stanley continued to have lunch there, attend concerts, and sit in his favorite rocker on the veranda until his death in 1940.

Postwar Decline

In 1946 Emery sold the Stanley. In the early 1950s the new owners made several changes in an attempt to adapt the grand resort to the more informal style of postwar tourism. A swimming pool was installed on the front lawn, and the Carriage House was converted from a garage to a motel. The Carriage House motel did not last long, and for much of the late twentieth century the building was boarded up and used for storage.

In 1966 the Stanley was sold yet again, and for the next two decades the hotel passed through several sets of owners. The property changed hands every few years and maintenance and upgrades were not done. Nevertheless, the Stanley was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

It was during these years that Stephen King and his wife stayed at the somewhat shabby Stanley, when the unheated main building was about to close for the season. While there, King got the idea for a story about a man who goes crazy at a remote hotel that is closed for the winter. The result was The Shining (1977), in which the “Overlook Hotel” stands in for the Stanley. The famous 1980 Stanley Kubrick film based on the novel was not filmed at the Stanley, but a 1990s television miniseries made with King’s input included scenes filmed at the hotel.

Today

In 1995 the Grand Heritage Hotel Group bought the Stanley for $3.1 million. The company immediately undertook extensive renovations with the goal of restoring the hotel to its status as a first-class resort.

Under the Grand Heritage Hotel Group, the Stanley has embraced its association with The Shining and its reputation as a haunted hotel, both of which have helped revive the hotel’s business. The room where King stayed, 217, is now the most-requested room at the hotel. The 1980 film version of The Shining plays on a continuous loop on one channel of the hotel’s televisions. In 2013 the hotel began to host an annual horror film festival, and in 2015 it built a huge hedge maze on the front lawn based on a similar maze in the film.

In early 2015 a loan was obtained for what is planned to be the largest renovation and expansion in the Stanley’s history. Buildings across the property will receive new roofs, air conditioning, carpet, and paint. The hotel will also add a new, fifty-room luxury residence hotel connected to the wellness center, as well as a large pavilion to host health seminars, corporate retreats, and weddings.

Freelan Oscar Stanley was born and raised in New England.  He was an inventor and businessman.  In 1903, at age 53, he went to Colorado and saw the Estes Valley for the first time.  He had a lung disease and the dry air of Colorado helped him get well.  He was a rich man who had invented a steam-powered automobile.  In 1904 Stanley decided to build a house in the new town of Estes Park. He lived there during the summers for the rest of his life.  He died in 1940 at age 91.

By 1907 Stanley had a plan to build a grand hotel in Estes Park.  There was no railroad going to Estes Park, so good roads would be important. Stanley worked to improve North St. Vrain and South St. Vrain Roads so tourists could drive through Estes Park on a loop that started and ended in Lyons.

The hotel was built on a rocky hillside facing Longs Peak. Stanley planned to use the hotel only in the summer.  The main building was not heated and was open only from June to September. There were other buildings on the 150-acre property. The buildings were all painted a mustard yellow color.

While the hotel was being built, Stanley gave a lot of money to help develop Estes Park.  He helped start the town’s first bank, its water company, and its electric plant.  All of these efforts helped Stanley’s hotel become a success.  The hotel was called the Stanley and it opened on June 22, 1909. It had eighty-eight guest rooms and an all-electric kitchen.

After the success of the hotel’s first summer, a Manor House was built next to the main building. It was ready by the next summer. It had thirty-three rooms and was fully heated so it could be open year-round.

Early Years

When Rocky Mountain National Park opened in 1915, Estes Park tourism boomed. In the following years, Stanley Steamer automobiles brought hotel guests from railroad stations in Loveland, Longmont, and Lyons. The Stanley had a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, lawn and indoor bowling, croquet, and billiards.  On weekends guests could enjoy a lazy afternoon on the patio, attend a Saturday evening dance, and listen to a Sunday afternoon concert in the Music Room.

Stanley sold the hotel in 1926.  In 1935 a new owner redecorated the bedrooms, adding private bathrooms to each room.  He repainted the outsides of the buildings white.

Postwar Decline

In 1946 the hotel was sold again.  The new owners put a swimming pool in on the front lawn.  In 1966 the Stanley was sold again.  Over the next twenty years it was sold over and over.  In 1977 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today

In 1995, the Grand Heritage Hotel Group bought the Stanley.  They updated many things that, once again, made the hotel a first-class resort.  A new fifty-room luxury residence hotel and a wellness center will open in 2016.