The Stanley Hotel is one of the most famous hotels in America, and one of the most talked-about haunted hotels in the world. Built in 1909 by the inventor F.O. Stanley on a hillside above Estes Park, its gleaming white Colonial Revival buildings and red roofs stand against a backdrop of Rocky Mountain peaks. In 1974, a stay in Room 217 inspired Stephen King to write The Shining, and the hotel has embraced its spooky reputation ever since.
The Stanley Hotel is one of the most famous hotels in America, and one of the most talked-about haunted hotels in the world. Built in 1909 by the inventor F.O. Stanley on a hillside above Estes Park, its gleaming white Colonial Revival buildings and red roofs stand against a backdrop of Rocky Mountain peaks. In 1974, a stay in Room 217 inspired Stephen King to write The Shining, and the hotel has embraced its spooky reputation ever since.
Location: Estes Park, Colorado, USA
The hotel sits above the town of Estes Park, at around 2,300 metres, at the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the United States. Denver International Airport is around an hour and a half by road, and Boulder about 45 minutes.
The national park, a short drive away, offers alpine lakes, wildlife and Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in America, which crosses the Continental Divide at more than 3,700 metres. Elk often wander through Estes Park itself, especially during the autumn rut.
Rooms and suites at The Stanley
The historic main building has around 140 rooms, each different in size and layout, with period-inspired decor and modern comforts, and many look out towards the mountains or Lake Estes. The hotel has expanded with newer lodgings on the grounds, offering more contemporary rooms and suites, which are often quieter and more spacious.
For fans, the most requested rooms are the ones said to be most haunted, including Room 217, where Stephen King stayed, and several on the fourth floor. Book well ahead if you want one of these.
Facilities at The Stanley
The hotel's public rooms, including the grand lobby, the music room and the concert hall, retain much of their Edwardian elegance, and its famous Whiskey Bar holds one of the largest whiskey collections in Colorado. Dining includes the main restaurant, Cascades, and casual options, with terraces overlooking the valley in summer.
Ghost tours, run daily, explore the hotel's history and its many legends, with longer night tours for the brave. There are also history tours, a hedge maze on the lawn in homage to the film adaptation of The Shining, and frequent events, from Halloween celebrations to film screenings.
The hotel's grounds sit on a hillside with sweeping views over Lake Estes and the surrounding peaks, and walking paths, lawns and terraces make it a pleasant place to relax between excursions. Its central position means you can be on the trails of the national park within minutes, then back for a drink in the Whiskey Bar as night falls.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is sunset from the hotel's front lawn, as the light fades on the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park and the white façade of the Stanley glows above the valley, a view that has barely changed in more than a century.
By day, drive Trail Ridge Road to the alpine tundra, hike to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake below Hallett Peak, or watch elk graze in the meadows of Moraine Park, especially at dawn and dusk.
Why The Stanley is one of the best mountain hotels
The Stanley Hotel earns its place because it combines genuine history, a spectacular mountain setting and a cultural fame few hotels can match. It is not a luxury hotel, and prices are high for what you get, especially at weekends and around Halloween. But as a base for Rocky Mountain National Park, and as a piece of American cultural history, it is unforgettable.
It was F.O. Stanley, co-inventor of the Stanley Steamer car, who first brought guests up the mountain road from the railway in his steam-powered vehicles, helping to create Estes Park as a resort. The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and walking its corridors remains a journey back to the golden age of mountain travel.
When to go to The Stanley
The Stanley is open year-round. Summer, from June to August, is the busiest season, with all of Trail Ridge Road open and the national park at its fullest; park entry may require timed reservations, so check before you go. Autumn, especially late September and October, brings golden aspens, the elk rut and Halloween events at the hotel, which are hugely popular. Winter is quiet, with snowshoeing in the park and lower rates, though Trail Ridge Road closes.
Questions, answered
- Is The Stanley Hotel the hotel from The Shining?
- It inspired the novel. Stephen King stayed in Room 217 in 1974, and the experience inspired him to write The Shining. Stanley Kubrick's film was shot elsewhere.
- How far is The Stanley Hotel from Rocky Mountain National Park?
- A short drive. Estes Park is the eastern gateway to the park.
- Does The Stanley Hotel offer ghost tours?
- Yes. Ghost and history tours run daily, with night tours available.
