Come to Kelly Place Retreat and Bed and Breakfast on the McElmo Creek, outside of Cortez, Colorado if you like

- a quiet serene setting amidst mountains, desert and Ancestral Pueblo ruins
- a warm, welcoming stay in comfortable surroundings
- savory breakfasts that include local specialties such as blue corn, and homemade cookies and juices out all the time.
- a pace that lets you restore yourselves

We visited in September of 2007 , and kept extending our reservation of three days until we had stayed a week, something we don’t usually do. Kelly Place is great for the National Parks experience at Mesa Verde, as well as solo hiking in thousands of acres of adjoining Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, or the many ruins on the 40 acres of Kelly Place. Or, as they say in their notebook, just relaxing at Kelly Place. There is a library of books on the area, including archaelogy, history, art, almost everything, and the library covers one wall of the living area. Jarene and Marc, the owners, are quick to tell you that they are 11 miles from Cortez, where the nearest restaurants are, but that didn’t pose a problem for us. They provide a refrigerator if you have food.

This unique experience still stands out among our travels. We could put aside thoughts of work, problems, and enjoy.

Kelly Place is the place to go if you want to do more than the typical tourist things in the Four Corners area. It is not just a place to stay -- it is a place to experience. Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloan) ruins are right on their property.
Check out their web site, (--) for a description of the accommodations and costs. We stayed in the Deluxe Cabin which was $170 for two of us in early Oct.. It is a one-room cabin with kitchenette. Very private and allowed us to use the BBQ and cook our own meals and avoid the 10 mile trip into Cortez for lunches and dinners. At a lower price, duplex cabins also looked nice and were in a lovely location. We did not see rooms in the main lodge. Kelly Place is not fancy -- keep in mind that you are paying for use of the wonderful property as well as the cabin or room.
Their web site also has a good link to all the sites in the area -- Mesa Verde, Canyon of the Ancients, Hovenweep, the Heritage, Center, etc..
A self-guided tour pamphlet allows you to actually climb into 2 kivas and see other interesting sites right on Kelly Place's property. We took the 1/2 day archaelogist led tour (with Diane). The intro was on Kelly Place property and then we hiked into Canyon of the Ancients. Learned so much! Well worth it! We also did a 1/2 day horseback ride and saw additional Anasazi ruins in Canyon of the Ancients. Also great! Marc and Jerene at Kelly Place arranged both of these for us.
I would not recommend going to Four Corners in July or August -- it is very hot. Our trip in early October was perfect weather.
We ate 2 meals in Cortez on our way into and out of Kelly Place. Tequilas Mexican restaurant was excellent. Once Upon A Sandwich was also good for lunch.

Kelly Place is a unique, quiet B&B , nestled along McElmo Creek west of Cortez, Colorado. It is a great base camp to visit Mesa Verde and the new Canyons of the Ancients National Park (which it borders). Pleasant (but not fancy) rooms, great breakfasts, nearby canyons with ruins for hiking, a knowledgeable staff, and quiet and peace are its positives. I just wanted quiet and a shower when I stumbled on it while camping in the area. It was so much more than that. The staff encouraged us to hike up the small canyons just behind the B&B,, where there were tiny ruins. (Please help preserve these, and don't touch or take anything!). I didn't mind the drive to dinner, as I was going to be out all day anyway at Mesa Verde, and you go through Cortez to get back to Kelly Place. I think Kelly Place is a gem, and will stay there any time I am in the area.

This lodge is ten miles down a side road near Cortez and is often used by elderhostel or other groups interested in Indian archaeology (there are several Ancient Puebloan sites on the property). It's marvellous as a place to "slow down" in the middle of a hectic trip. Friendly owners and an excellent breakfast at a communal table offer the opportunity to talk with interesting guests. Within easy distance of Mesa Verde and the mining towns like Durango. Rooms are comfortable and pleasant (note that they are not cleaned daily).

Although they do evening dinners for groups they do not do so for individual travellors which is why I didn't give them a top rating since we found it a nuisance to drive into Cortez. The Italian restaurant in Cortez (Neros) whilst not haute cuisine is reasonable.