It has a killer location. The Elizabeth Hotel is centrally located just two blocks from the center of Old Town Fort Collins, which means you can park your car and leave it until you check out—and Uber to the breweries.

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The Elizabeth Hotel is located in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins, on the site of the former Armadillo Mexican restaurant. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

And equally great style. Architecture by Denver-based 4240 Architecture and interior design by DLR Group balance feminine filigree details, intricate metalwork, and cast-plaster ceiling ornamentation with masculine accents of raw and aged wood.

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“Picnic,” an oil-on-canvas painting by Denver artist Kevin Sloan, includes subtle nods to Colorado, such as the incorporation of the score and lyrics of state song “Where The Columbines Grow.” Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

It’s filled with local art. The 130 original pieces on display throughout the hotel—curated by Denver-based art advisory firm NINE dot ARTS—celebrate music, nature, and local artists, especially those with a connection to Colorado State University. Nearly four dozen of the artworks displayed in the hotel’s guest rooms and public spaces were produced by a CSU alumnus or professor.

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Guest rooms open onto the sprawling second-floor terrace, which offers an inviting array of seating options. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

The (outdoor) living is easy. Many guest rooms open onto the hotel’s huge second-floor terrace, where the wine flows and fire pits blaze.

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An open-air terrace wraps around the top-floor Sunset Lounge. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

And the views are great. The second-floor terrace and the Sunset Lounge—the hotel’s top-floor, all-weather, open-air lounge—face west, delivering up-close views of the Front Range and its colorful sunsets.

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The Emporium Kitchen & Wine Market has an industrial-bistro vibe, serving up locally sourced ingredients in charcuterie platters, grilled flatbreads, and classic entrees. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel
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A Bowerbird coffee counter (and street-side walk-up window) serves drinks and sweet treats from the new coffee brand in partnership with Fort Collins-based Peritus Coffee Roasters. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

It has its own food scene. In addition to serving tasty breakfasts, brunches, lunches, and dinners (we’re ordering the house-made kielbasa, Bangs Island mussels, and bison bourguignon), the onsite Emporium Kitchen & Wine Market offers delicious alternatives to mini-bar fare and in-room coffee: well-priced wines, house-made charcuterie, farmstead cheeses, gourmet sandwiches, pizzas, and a Bowerbird coffee counter.

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The hotel’s live-music venue, Magic Rat, showcases a mix of big-name and local acts in a super-stylish lounge. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

There’s great music at every turn. Inspired by Fort Collins’ thriving music scene, the hotel caters to music lovers with Crosby record players in every room, a lending library—complete with string instruments, keyboards, and more than 1,000 vinyl records—and its onsite venue, the Magic Rat, which offers live music weekly, from big-name artists to local late-night jam sessions. The drinks at Sunset Lounge are inspired by music, too—this summer, try “The Piano Has Been Drinking,” a mix of tequila, lime, cilantro, and strawberries.

music suite elizabeth hotel
The Music Suite is filled with references to music, some subtle (a chandelier inspired by tuba valve piping), others less so (a baby grand piano). Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel
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Decorative tile and a sculptural tub adorn the Music Suite’s master bathroom. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel
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The party-ready Beer & Bike Suite is furnished with a beer-pong table. Sliding-glass doors open onto a spacious terrace. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel
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In the Beer & Bike Suite, a local brew flows from a tap, the fridge is stocked with craft beers, and the backsplash is tiled with bottle caps. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

The suites have cool themes. The Music Suite features a high-tech sound system and a glossy black baby grand piano smack in the middle of the living room; the Beer & Bike Suite has its own beer tap and a fridge stocked with canned and bottled local craft brews; and the Ram Suite (as in the CSU Rams) is an homage to all things green and gold.

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A sweeping marble staircase is a dramatic focal point in the lobby. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

It offers some of the best selfie spots in town, like the grand marble staircase that spirals up from the main lobby to the guest room levels.

classic suite elizabeth hotel
A classic suite offers a light-filled seating area furnished with tailored modern furnishings. Photo courtesy of The Elizabeth Hotel

And, of course, you’ll get a great night’s sleep.
Guest rooms are furnished simply and stylishly, with modern-leaning furnishings, upholstered walls, great lighting, cool decorative tile, and, best of all, fluffy, crisp-sheeted beds.

The Elizabeth Hotel, 111 Chestnut St., Fort Collins; 970-490-2600; theelizabethcolorado.com; Rates start at $189/night