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Ouray Chalet Inn

My first hotel stay since early March and post COVID-19 quarantine was Ouray Chalet Inn in Ouray, Colorado, which has been nicknamed the “Switzerland of America” since the late 1800s. I met some friends from Texas who had road tripped for a week in Ouray and Telluride.

Here’s why I decided to stay there:  affordable, 1960s motel-like with outside entry to all rooms, location in the heart of downtown, and it’s a family-owned-and-operated motel. 

The gal checking me in put me in a room on the second floor and close to the office. As a female solo traveler, that location is important for safety. I really appreciated that thoughtfulness. Plus, I really enjoyed chatting with her and the gals in the office when I checked out the next morning.

My room was upstairs and on the right in this picture

My room had two queen beds. It was spacious and very clean. My two favorite things in the room – the bathroom swing doors and the grab and go breakfast. The swing doors kind of reminded me of saloon doors in a nod to Ouray’s Old West mining days. I also really liked that the sink and vanity area was totally separate from the bathtub/shower and toilet. The breakfast of coffee or tea, oatmeal and bars is perfect fuel for a day of adventure. I did ask if they started that because of Coronavirus, but they’ve provided breakfast like that for awhile, catering to the adventurers and sightseers I guess. The room also had a refrigerator and microwave. Traveling with a small cooler, I was happy to have a small refrigerator to put my drinks and perishable snacks in overnight.

I had a great night’s sleep. It was quiet with only the chirping of birds to wrestle me from my slumber early the next morning. If you heading to Ouray, I highly recommend staying at Ouray Chalet Inn.

Author Jennifer Broome spends a lot of nights in hotels since she’s traveled extensively across Colorado and the Southwest, visited all 50 states and over 35 countries.

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