5 New Colorado Hotels For Skiing, Aviation, Astronomy And More

Colorado has always been one my favorite places in the country to visit, from Denver with its amazing food, craft beer and craft distilling scene to the natural beauty and Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, from utterly charming Ft. Collins to the many world-class ski resorts. Currently the state is undergoing a travel revolution with several notable new hotels either just opened or just about to open, many of them important for travelers looking for great experiences.

Hotel Polaris, Colorado Springs

The United States Air Force Academy campus has long been one of the pre-eminent tourist attractions in this charming city, but there has never been a place to stay when visiting it until a week ago (November 14, 2024) when the aviation-themed Hotel Polaris opened. Most notably, it is the first hotel in the nation to offer commercial quality flight simulators as a guest amenity. The simulators reproduce the flight decks of two F16s and one Boeing 737 Max with seats, throttles, switches, pedals and yoke from original parts of vintage aircrafts and a 220-degree wraparound HD screen. Guests can select experiences ranging from an F16 dogfight to taking off from Denver International Airport and landing in London.

Younger visitors receive a glider kit and instructions for building their own paper airplane, along with Junior Cadets kids’ activities and K9 Cadets dog-friendly programs, with a portion of the hotel’s pet fee going to a non-profit that provides support to retired military and law enforcement K-9. The 375-room resort-style hotel is located at the North Entrance of the Academy, with six food and beverage experiences including the rooftop Aviator Bar with stunning views and a large full-service spa and wellness center, with fitness programs ranging from active classes to outdoor adventures in the Rocky Mountain setting.

Hotel Alpenrock Breckenridge, a Hilton Curio Collection Hotel

There are few truly new ski hotel openings in the nation (I wrote about a notable new one, the Hyatt Regency Deer Valley, UT here at Forbes recently), and the Alpenrock in Breckenridge is more of an upgrade, a reimagining of the former Doubletree property. But it is still big news at Breckenridge, which is typically the first or second most popular ski resort in the nation in terms of skier visits, and the most under-served major ski resort in the nation in terms of upscale hotel options, so this is a welcome addition.

The Hotel Alpenrock Breckenridge is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, the company’s group of independent hotels that don’t fit its other cookie cutter brands, but still part of the popular Hilton Honors a rewards program. Set to debut this winter, the 205-room hotel sits at the base of Peak 9, steps from both the slopes and Breckenridge’s charming historic mining town downtown. The design reflects the mountain setting and incorporates natural materials, high ceilings and open spaces, with a curated art collection focused on natural landscapes. The hotel will include two restaurants, Edwin, serving “reimagined alpine cuisine,” and Canary, a speakeasy-stye watering hole. There is a gear valet for winter and summer, as well as nearly 10,000 square feet of space for meetings, weddings and social events. It is currently taking reservation from late November 2024.

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Populus, Denver

The Populus is a hyper-modern, ultra-efficient and architecturally striking hotel, reminiscent of a futuristic take on Barcelona’s Gaudi works. It opened in October 2024 in the heart of the city, near Civic Center Park, 16th Street Mall, and the Museum and Performing Arts Districts. The Populus claims to be the country’s first carbon positive hotel, going beyond net-zero and reducing its carbon footprint through a combination of sustainable design and construction techniques, including low-carbon concrete, an insulated façade system and rainscreen, offset further by the acquisition of 7,000 tons of certified carbon credits and a hands-on tree planting and reforestation effort in partnership with the US Forest Service and other agencies. Populus also collaborates with local farms to promote regenerative practices, uses 100% renewable electricity and turns all food waste into compost.

The hotel has 265 guest rooms with a nature, Mountain West and Aspen-tree inspired design theme. There’s an art collection, curated by artist and environmentalist Katherine Homes, and all interior features, from materials to furniture and art, are sustainably designed in keeping with the building’s ethos. Food and beverage outlets include Pasque for all-day dining, Little Owl, a coffee bar, and on the rooftop, the signature restaurant, Stellar Jay, with outdoor bar, and garden terrace. It features sharing plates and live-fire cooking with an assortment of wild game, classic meats and fresh seafood.

Urban Cowboy, Denver

This 16-room boutique hotel also opened in October, 2024 in a Victorian style former 1880s mansion in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, and is the latest from the trendy Urban Cowboy brand with locations in Brooklyn, New York’s Catskills, and Nashville.

As is the style at the other locations, the Urban Cowboy Denver hotel is decorated with one-off “found objects” picked up on road trips across the country, the highlight of which is on Old West hand-carved wooden saloon bar from the1800s giving it the “cowboy” touch. There are signature hand-hammered copper soaking tubs in each room, with a side-by-side pair in the penthouse Honeymoon Suite.

The Public House bar and restaurant offers craft cocktails, small plates and wood-fired pizzas by famous Brooklyn-based restaurant Roberta’s, but with a focus on locally sourced seasonal ingredients. Urban Cowboy is a small but significant—and intentionally hip—addition to the Denver lodging and dining scene.

Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa

The most unusual hotel project in Colorado—and maybe the country—is this resort of glass domed structures in an International Dark Sky Reserve outside Alamosa, near Great Sand Dunes National Park and midway between Denver and Albuquerque NM. Astronomy has been hot at top hotels from the Swiss Alps to Chile and Hawaii to the Maldives in recent years, but there is little of note in the Continental U.S.—until now.

Billed as a take on luxury eco-tourism, when complete, the Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa will feature 20 futuristic domed stargazing villas with 360-degree views, spread out around a central structure with restaurant (Mediterranean), spa and planetarium. Even the smallest villa has a large jacuzzi tub, kitchen, radiant floor heating and observatory deck. Larger villas add a second floor, sauna and cold plunge. The resort is now accepting reservations from early 2025 but will open with just some villas, adding the other amenities later in the year.