The next time you book a stay at a Colorado hotel, you may see a new room option among all the double-queens and kings: rooms with bunk beds.
No, they’re not hostel-style bunk rooms shared with strangers (though plenty of those exist, too). They’re private guest rooms like you’re used to, with the added bonus of one or two bunk (or lofted) beds.
Designed for families and groups of people traveling together, bunk beds are becoming big business at several new and newly renovated lodgings throughout the Centennial State. Like a vacation rental, they allow groups to stay together comfortably all in one place, instead of splitting off into separate rooms. They can also make travel more affordable and, frankly, more fun, especially for little ones.
If the last time you gleefully called “dibs” on the top or bottom bunk was years (maybe even decades) ago, you’ll feel just like a kid again at these Colorado hotels.
The Wyman
When Shane Fuhrman and Haley Morgan bought a 1902 building in downtown Silverton in late 2016, they had their work cut out for them, and spent the next 2½ years renovating and restoring the property, which reopened as The Wyman Hotel in May 2019.
Among its 15 rooms, the hotel has two suites that incorporate bunk beds: one with a king bed and two twin extra-long beds lofted above it, and the other with a king bed, an adjacent set of twin extra-long bunk beds and an extra-long daybed. (The Wyman also has a shared bunk room with 10 beds.)
They added bunks to the suites — which also have kitchenettes — to help bridge the gap between a traditional hotel room and a vacation rental. Silverton is off the beaten path in southwest Colorado and it’s tiny (home to roughly 500 residents), so there aren’t many options for groups or families coming to ski the expert-only terrain at Silverton Mountain or drive off-road vehicles in the San Juans.
“We just wanted to maximize the capacity and the utility of the building,” said Fuhrman, who is also Silverton’s mayor and owns two hotels in nearby Durango. “We thought there was a better way to do double-queen rooms and be a little more fun and creative, a little more design-forward.”
The Wyman Hotel, 1371 Greene St., Silverton, 970-799-4952
Kinship Landing
Kinship Landing has room layouts and options you won’t find at a traditional hotel. (Case in point: It has an outdoor “camp deck” where guests pop their own tents and sleep outside, plus private and shared bunkrooms.) That’s because the boutique hotel’s goal is to help travelers connect with Colorado Springs residents and have authentic experiences in the region, not spend all of their time (and money) hidden away in their rooms.
To that same end, Kinship Landing has six rooms that include one queen bed topped with a lofted twin. They’re designed to be just the right size for small groups or families, who still have plenty of room to spread out in the hotel’s light-filled common areas and beyond.
“We like to get people here and then push them out our doors and let the Pikes Peak region be the hero,” said Bobby Mikulas, the hotel’s CEO and co-founder. “That insertion into the local scene, that hand-off to the best of our trails or art galleries or live music, that’s something we’re doing in a unique way.”
Kinship Landing, 415 S Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-203-9309
Ptarmigan Inn
Located right at the base of the slopes at Steamboat Ski Resort, the Ptarmigan Inn has long been a favorite among skiers and snowboarders in the winter and hikers and mountain bikers in the summer. In 2019, crews completed a $5 million renovation of the iconic ski-in/ski-out property, built in 1969 when the resort still had dirt roads. In the process, they created a handful of rooms with a king bed and an adjacent set of twin bunks.
These rooms give families a little more room to spread out (especially when they’re traveling with gear). They’ve also been a hit with traveling sports teams.
“They’re really popular in these outdoorsy places,” said Shirli Sensenbrenner, senior vice president of design and development services for CoralTree Hospitality, which manages the Ptarmigan. “For families, it creates this really special moment — kids love bunk beds.”
Ptarmigan Inn, 2304 Apres Ski Way, Steamboat Springs, 970-879-1730
The Eddy Taproom & Hotel
Golden gained a new hotel — and several new bunk beds — with the opening of The Eddy Taproom & Hotel in June 2021. The Eddy has bunks in three of its 49 rooms and suites, including a roomy junior suite with two queen beds, each topped by a lofted twin. (There’s also a sofa sleeper for even more room to spread out.)
With their whimsical, sleepover vibes, the bunks are so far helping The Eddy stand out in a sea of boutique accommodations.
“You get into boutique hotels and a lot of people are doing the same thing. What can you offer that provides differentiation and a unique experience for our guests?” said Shirli Sensenbrenner (see above; CoralTree also manages The Eddy). “The bunk beds provide another option so you’re not getting the same old room you stay in at every other hotel.”
The Eddy Taproom & Hotel, 1640 8th St., Golden, 720-442-8150
The Pad
With its easy access to four major ski resorts, abundant hiking and mountain biking trails, Gold Medal fly-fishing and other outdoorsy activities, Silverthorne is a popular destination for families and groups of friends. When Lynne and Rob Baer built The Pad along the banks of the Blue River (incorporating upcycled shipping containers into the design and construction), they wanted to offer rooms for every price point and situation — from $45-per-night bunks in a shared dorm-style room to $350 private suites and everything in between.
The Pad, which opened late last year, also has rooms with one queen bed and an adjacent set of twin extra-long bunk beds (with access to a communal bathroom), as well as rooms with a set of twin extra-long bunk beds and an en suite bathroom.
“We liked the idea that a group of friends traveling together could stay comfortably in a room together without a lot of effort,” said Lynne Baer, The Pad’s co-founder and general manager.
The Pad, 491 Rainbow Drive, Silverthorne, 970-445-7767
Life House, Lower Highlands
When it opened its Lower Highlands location in November 2020, Life House created a unique new space for family and friends to congregate in Denver. For travelers or locals doing a staycation, the 17-room boutique hotel has several bunk bed chambers, which are guest rooms with four, six or eight bunks designed for groups.
The bunks have full-size mattresses and luxurious velvet privacy curtains, so each person in the group has a roomy, private space to retreat to at night. And after exploring the Mile High City all day, everyone can meet back up for dinner and drinks at Wildflower, the hotel’s on-site cocktail bar and restaurant.
Life House, Lower Highlands, 3638 Navajo St., Denver, 866-466-7534
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