Best Stays in Estes Park, CO
As many of you flock to the Rockies for your summer vacations, we know it can be a daunting task figuring out where to have the perfect stay. Many of the lodging accommodations in Estes Park are centered around cabins, mountain lodges and camping. However, you do have options depending what you are looking for.
We have vacationed in Estes Park when we didn’t have much money to spare and when we wanted to experience a more comfortable stay after a day hiking through Rocky Mountain National Park.
Whether it be a true mountain lodge experience, romantic getaway, upscale hotel or rugged camping stay this guide covers it all.
Heads up: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you book at no cost to you. We only link to stays and experiences we'd actually choose for ourselves.
Best Areas to Stay in Estes Park
When it comes to what area you want to stay in, it is totally up to your personal preference. Do you want to be close to downtown so you can walk the River Walk or do you want to be secluded outside of town to experience all the Rockies have to offer? Do you want the comfortable amenities of a modern hotel or a more rustic stay?
Luckily, Estes Park is a pretty small town. You can stay outside of town and still just be a short drive away from downtown Estes Park. Ideally, you want to be set up close to downtown Estes Park and close to Rocky Mountain National Park entrance and it’s not difficult to find accommodations that meet those requirements.
If you don’t have a car, we really recommend staying in or near downtown Estes Park, so you can easily walk around and have close access to transport shuttles to RMNP.
We felt like we found the perfect place to stay that checked all boxes. On our latest trip we ended up staying at the Riversong Inn Retreat, a local bed and breakfast. It was just a short drive away from Estes Park and RMNP entrance, had cozy rooms and lots of outdoor space to relax along the river and gaze at the mountains.
Decide what is important to you in your lodging and let that guide your decision of where to stay. The most important thing is to have the experience you want, the area you stay isn’t as important since everything is fairly close by if you have a vehicle.
The 5 Best Hotels & Lodges in Estes Park
Riversong Inn Retreat
Like we mentioned previously, this is where we stayed on our last visit to Estes Park and will likely be where we continue to stay on return trips.
Ideal for couples, this bed and breakfast is a 7 minute drive from downtown Estes Park and a 7 minute drive to the RMNP entrance/visitor center. It is located right on the Big Thompson River, so you get to continue your enjoyment of nature even after leaving the park. The outdoor amenities truly shine here. Not only can you sit riverside and watch the water rush by, but you have access to saunas and hot tubs that are scattered throughout the property. There is also an outdoor fireplace to keep warm at night and lounge chairs/hammocks to relax in the mountain side.
Being a bed and breakfast, you of course have breakfast included with your stay. Each morning there is a delicious hot buffet ready for you in the main area of the house. What’s great about this inn is the wide variety of rooms available. Each has it’s own vibe and amenities. Some have their own private outdoor spaces and many include large soaking tubs and fireplaces. We stayed in the Mountain Rose room which had a fireplace, claw foot tub and large shower overlooking the mountaintops.
We absolutely loved our stay here and can’t wait to check out some of the other rooms in the future.
The Landing at Estes Park
This is a hotel we would love to stay at in the future. Walking up to the hotel and on site cabins feel like you are in a European mountain town.
Featuring 9 suites, 3 riverfront cabins and 2 villas this hotel has you covered. Many of the suites showcase mountain or river views and balconies/patios to sit back and enjoy a hot cup of coffee on a cool morning. You can also sit along the river in Adirondack chairs, fish steps away from your suite or cabin or relax by the outdoor firepit in the evening.
We love the contemporary cabin feel and stone fireplaces in many of the rooms.
This hotel is also a great location just 5 minutes from the RMNP entrance and 10 minutes from downtown Estes Park.
The Stanley Hotel
This is probably one of the most well-known hotels in the United States. If you’re a fan of Stephen King, you should definitely recognize this hotel. This hotel helped inspire The Shining after King stayed at this hotel with his wife.
This hotel has so much history and you are in for a really unique experience with a stay here. They offer several different tours including historic tours, ghost tours, The Shining tours, Whiskey tastings and the frozen dead guy tour. I actually did do a ghost tour here on one of my visits, but didn’t get the best tour guide. It can be hit or miss depending who you get, but it is still a fun time either way.
There are many accommodation options to choose from here including the Stanley Hotel, the Lodge at the Stanley, the Residences at the Stanley or Aspire Hotel + Spa. If you are interested in the paranormal and don’t mind a more rustic stay, then book a room at the main Stanley Hotel. For a more modern stay, book at the Lodge at the Stanley or Aspire Hotel. If you have a larger group, you will want to stay at the Residences.
Located just a 5 minute drive to both RMNP entrance and downtown Estes Park, the location can’t be beat. If you don’t have a car, you can still walk downtown as it is about a 20 minute walk.
The Maxwell Inn
The Maxwell Inn was one of the the options on our list to stay at. It was initially built as a single family home and has been renovated into the lovely inn it is today. This place feels very much like a mountain lodge.
The rooms are simple, but comfortable. Just across the street, they have three “on the river” queen rooms. Featuring riverside decks and kitchenettes, these rooms are best for those wanting a quiet, private retreat and where I would definitely stay.
Included with your stay is a light continental breakfast and access to gas fire pits and a hot tub located on the property.
This inn is located near Fall River and is a short 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk from downtown Estes Park and a 10 minute drive to RMNP entrance.
The Estes Park Resort & Spa
Up next is The Estes Park Resort & Spa for those looking for a more upscale and luxurious stay. Located directly next to Lakes Estes, you will have a gorgeous view on the lake against the Rocky Mountains. Each room or suite comes with impressive amenities with some including: balconies, lake views, mountain views, fireplaces and soaker tubs.
If we were willing to spend a little bit more on accommodations this is where we would stay. The rooms are well-appointed, clean and have a modern cabin vibe. The perfect place for a romantic getaway.
If that weren’t enough the hotel also has an on site spa to relax after a long day of hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park. As well as a fitness center, restaurant and marketplace open 24 hours a day.
If you are interested in an accommodation for a larger group or a longer stay they even have private cabins that are eligible for weekly, monthly or long term stays.
This hotel is in such a beautiful location, but still just a short 5 minute drive from downtown Estes Park and about 10 minutes from RMNP Entrance.
The 4 Best Cabins & Campgrounds in Estes Park
River Spruce, Idlewide and Nicky’s Resort
These three resorts are all in a row located right along the Big Thompson River and are owned by the same people. Here you can expect to stay in comfortable cabins that give you the true Rocky Mountain experience. This place is extra special because when they say “on the river” these cabins are truly right on the river.
This is the type of place you stay to enjoy the great outdoors comfortably with a fully equipped kitchen. The cabins are quaint and homey and are so convenient for packing up lunch for a hike or grilling out at night.
At River Spruce you will enjoy a more private experience with a personal hot tub, firepit, and BBQ grill. Idlewilde also includes these amenities, but they are for community use. Lastly, Nicky’s Resort has a more hotel feel with rooms and suites instead of cabins and access to community firepits and grills. All also have access to outdoor games like corn hole.
Located just 5 minutes from RMNP entrance and 10 minutes from downtown Estes Park, it is easy to get around and explore.
Hermit’s Hollow Campground
Campgrounds fill up fast near Estes Park. We were lucky to find this gem located in Hermit’s Park on our first trip to the area. This campground is about a 20 minute drive to RMNP and 10 minute drive to downtown Estes Park.
You’ll book through Larimer County and find sites for tents, RVs, and even cabins. It’s a campground, so the cabins are pretty bare bones with no electricity.
We booked a tent site here and had our own firepit and picnic table. The sites were spread out enough we felt secluded and enjoyed some light hiking around our site. The bathrooms were clean, but there are no showers. We enjoyed our stay! It gets very cold at night, so come well prepared, we camped here in mid-August and it still got very cold.
Estes Park Campground at East Portal
This campground is about a 10 minute drive to RMNP and 15 minute drive to downtown Estes Park. It is so close to RMNP you can even hike right to Lake Sprague and there is plenty of hiking in the area.
You’ll book through Reserve America and find camp site options for tents and RVs.
This campground has a few more amenities than Hermit’s Hollow. The camp sites have firepits, picnic tables and food lockers. There is also a playground and bathrooms with showers available for use. The sites are shady and secluded for privacy. Overall, a very solid campground pick!
Rocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground
This campground is about a 15 minute drive to RMNP and 25 minute drive to downtown Estes Park. This campground is even closer to RMNP action. You can definitely hike right into the park, but there is also a shuttle stop right in the campground that can take you to many different trailheads in the park throughout the Bear Lake corridor.
You’ll book through Recreation.gov and find camp site options for tents and RVs without hookups.
This campground amenities include firepits, picnic tables and food lockers. The bathrooms are toilets only, no showers. The sites have some fantastic views. Pick this campground if you are all about that hiking in RMNP.
Final Thoughts
Picking a place to stay can be overwhelming especially with all of the options in and around Estes Park. Ultimately, decide what kind of accommodations you want (full service hotel, BNB, cabin or camping).
From there we suggest deciding whether you want to be walkable to downtown Estes Park, walkable to RMNP or if you have a car, pick a place that is the both of both worlds and just a short drive to each.
Personally, we like to make sure we are relatively close to each. Our top picks are Riversong Inn Retreat and the Landing at Estes Park. These both are great mid-range options that are comfortable while still being steps away from nature.
Be sure to check out our Two Day Itinerary for RMNP, Moderate Hikes in RMNP and RMNP Timed Entry Reservation Guides to help plan the rest of your trip.
Happy trails!
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