Ouray is a great location to stay if you’re touring the San Juan Mountains area of Colorado. It’s a small historic town, so choices for hotels are limited. I chose the Chalet Inn due to TripAdvisor recommendations. The rate was very good (about $65/night) and it was located in the center of the little town within walking distance to shops and restaurants. The Bon Ton restaurant in the basement of the St. Elmo Hotel a block away was pretty good.
The hotel is run by very conscientious management. So you’ll find clean rooms and helpful staff. However, this is a very old hotel and the room I had for 3 nights was comparable to a guest room in your grandmother’s house. The room was small with a tiny bathroom and had very old furnishings. There was even piped in lounge music from the fifties and sixties through a speaker on the wall (which can be turned off fortunately!). The room I was given was in the basement portion of this 2 story hotel, but there was natural light coming from a window looking into the back of the property. However, I could hear the guest above me walking around at 5:30 a.m., so noise may be an issue for you.
Now being more familiar with Ouray, I would look into spending a little more money and staying at one of the other hotels within a two minute walk of this one. Not that there’s anything really wrong with this hotel if you’re comfortable with old furnishings and a no-frill stay. It’s quiet and cared for, just not a place where you’ll want to spend much time in your room.
