For many decades, Monarch Mountain Lodge in Salida, Colorado has been providing memorable experiences for guests around the country with its array of outdoor attractions, panoramic mountain views and supremely convenient location on the crest of Monarch Mountain, making it less than 5 miles from the Monarch Ski Area and easily accessible to many of the area's charming local towns. Comfortable rooms with inspiring views, tranquil outdoor hot tubs, and an indoor pool are what you'll find here. Spend a day adventuring in the great outdoors, unwind with a soak in the hot tub and then retreat to your cozy accommodations for the night. When it's time to explore, visit historic downtown Salida or the array of outdoor activities that make Monarch Mountain the perfect getaway for all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts!
Probably a convenient place for skiers, but summer-time travelers should probably opt for a hotel at a lower elevation, especially if they are just passing through. If you stay in the summer make sure you procure a fan for your room ASAP. They have a bar that is adequately stocked but the restaurant is not able to handle even the basic breakfast run. Their outdoor hot tubs and indoor swimming pool are all in terrible condition. And you need to negotiate either a flight of stairs or a steep ramp with your luggage when exiting the front lobby before you can get to the first elevator. Of course, the surrounding landscape is spectacular, with a wonderful stream rushing through the trees behind the lodge.
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Date of stay: August 2019
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
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In emerging from these tough times, the Monarch Mountain Lodge staff are friendly, respectful and keep the place homey. This is an old lodge that arguably needs updating, but the rustic nature and prime location a few miles east of Monarch Pass makes it worth the stop. Normally a ski lodge, its great as a base of operations for hiking and biking in the summer too. Carl runs the diner, and is very capable as a "one-person-show" - never misses a beat.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ask for a room facing the mountain side away from the road
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Roann G, Guest Services / Front Office at Monarch Mountain Lodge
Responded Jul 23, 2021
Hi Great to hear your thoughts on our dedicated staff especially Carl. It is our priority to make your stay exceptional. We are so happy you had a great experience at Monarch Mountain Lodge.
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The Monarch Inn is not a chain hotel. It is a large hotel, run well by a young staff. It caters to young active people who love the mountains, hikers, bikers, climbers, and skiers. The hotel clientele goes to bed late and gets up early and the hotel is very family friendly. The rooms are clean and the bed was good, the bathroom was very clean but not enough counter space. The outside of the hotel looks a little run down as do the hallways but rooms were good. The relaxed attitude of the staff and the comfortable decor made this hotel feel similar to a house with a happy family. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. We ate breakfast and it was excellent, best we had on our trip. Two eggs, toast, sausage and coffee was about $9.00. Carl and Vanessa did a wonderful job with breakfast and a thank you to Carl for installing the hummingbird feeders and keeping them full. It was so nice to eat breakfast, watch the hummingbirds flit around as the sky changed from pink to blue. The landscaping on the back of the hotel is beautiful. This hotel is beside a busy highway and even though we had room on the third floor with a highway view, we were not bothered by traffic noise.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Good Restaurant
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Roann G, Guest Services / Front Office at Monarch Mountain Lodge
Responded Aug 20, 2021
Hi enteJ Thank you for taking the time and sharing your feedback regarding your stay! We’re glad that we could make your stay fantastic at Monarch Mountain Lodge. We’d be happy to serve you again with the same awesomeness the next time you visit our hotel.
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The Monarch Mountain Lodge provided us with a very unique lodging experience. The outside of the building looked somewhat rundown and could use some paint and updating for sure, but once inside we were smiling. The elevator took us to the fifth floor where we found our room to be spacious, comfortable beds with plenty of pillows, towels, etc. The swimming pool was great for laps, perfect temperature and even had some rafts and other float devices. The outdoor hot tub was relaxing and the one time that it would not start, the maintenance man was there in minutes to flip a switch behind a panel. The restaurant was a bonus and Carl cooked us delicious meals made exactly to order. Austin bent over backward to be sure we had ample towels, help with our cart and had lots of information about the area that was very helpful. We even found a Thai restaurant in Poncho Springs about 10 miles away, with authentic food made by a woman who was born and raised in Thailand and used her grandmothers’s recipes. She told us all about her life and even sold some dry goods that were brought back from Thailand when she goes back there yearly. There was a pond and a few trails and bridges behind the property and lots of history. We loved this old time gem.👍
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:No A/C. Fan in room. We were comfortable. Late July and we slept under a quilt. No problems...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Roann G, Guest Services / Front Office at Monarch Mountain Lodge
Responded Aug 20, 2021
Hi 975jackh, Thank you for taking the time and sharing your feedback regarding your stay! We’re glad that we could make your stay fantastic at Monarch Mountain Lodge. We’d be happy to serve you again with the same awesomeness the next time you visit our hotel.
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After opening the door to our room, my wife immediately suggested we find a new place to stay. The old and dated room smelled like someone had used a whole can of Febreze to cover up some other unpleasant smell. There was a big hole in the ceiling, over the tub. When I spoke to the front desk, they said that the "asset manager", Kelly Ritz, would not give a refund. I called her anyway and spoke to possibly the rudest person I have ever encountered. When I explained that my wife did not want to stay there because of the condition and smell of the room, the "Asset Manager" became irate and would not let me continue. I said, we just want our money back and to stay elsewhere. She refused. I pleaded that I didn't want to leave a bad review and she interrupted and threatened that "it would be a very expensive bad review". She then hung up on me. The front desk staff were unable to do anything about the situation and I could tell they were embarrassed by their bosses behavior. There are no dining options close by except for the on sight restaurant/bar (which was closed that night & I wouldn't have eaten at even if it were open). Only one dirty hot tub was operational, the "heated pool" was cold, and there was a weird black cat wondering the basement halls. At one time, I'll bet this was a really nice place, but it's not at all what the internet pictures depict.
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Date of stay: March 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:I would stay in Salida.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kelly Ritz, Owner at Monarch Mountain Lodge
Responded Jul 26, 2021
Our photos are EXACTLY like the hotel, right down to our brass 70's light fixtures. Side Note, Mr. BeaverCreak-bound--Complaining about the place on the morning of day three is little suspicious. Salida (less than 20 minutes away) has some truly amazing hotels & restaurants hope you find one that is a fit. Happy Travels! Kelly Ritz, owner.
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This hotel is disgusting. The "Deluxe King Room" ($165) was way over priced and the floor and chair covered in dog hair. The blinds were broken, providing little privacy. I'm allergic to dogs, so I spoke with the front desk about my being uncomfortable staying there. The supervisor wasn't on duty and I was told I'd hear back about a partial refund by the end of the day. I left and got a great spot in Salida. When I was finally contacted over 24 hours later the owner screamed at me and refused to give me even a partial refund. Thank you to Tyler & Alyssa who were very polite, compared to their boss.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am going to be extremely forgiving with my remarks because I stayed there one night in August 2020 when the I-70 fires in Colorado were rerouting many people through this area. As a result is was busier than usual for that time of year. That said, the hotel appears to have up-priced rooms for that period because availability was scarce. The hotel is extremely outdated and in bad need of a refresh or makeover. Just a coat of paint would be a big improvement. The grounds are very nice but the hotel itself is pretty nasty. The only good thing I will say about the rooms is that the beds were comfortable. Someone said in a previous review that the inside of the hotel is better than what you see on the outside. Not sure what that person was looking at. The restaurant was an absolute joke. 4 items on the menu and it took extremely long time to get your food much less even order. Lack of good help there and they kind of were spaced out to be kind. You would be best served to drive a little further into one of the nearby towns for a better place to stay. I regret not doing that myself but the ads for the hotel are nothing like the hot mess it actually is.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:No good rooms I can see there
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I called ahead to make sure of two thing: restaurant would be open (30 min drive to food if not) and hot tubs cleaned regularly. Was assured of both. Arrived for a four night stay and was told restaurant closed next two days (turned out to be three). Hot tubs filled with little kids were literally filled with yellow water. Yellow, no joke. Asked to cancel three out of four nights. Told with 72 hour cancellation policy, we could only get credit to return to place we were trying to leave. Cancelled night 4. Staff is nice enough but are literally not there in the mornings - as in call off site at the front desk if you need something. bathroom vent system broken so cold air pours in to your rooms bathroom. Enjoy putting on a sweater to take a pee. Sheets were clean but pillows were crap and made it hard to sleep. Salida is a very nice town with good food. Zero reason to stay in this dump. Owners clearly could care less about this place.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Get one in Salida
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kelly Ritz, Owner at Monarch Mountain Lodge
Responded Feb 17, 2023
Hi C326Slmatthewo--Thank you for the kind words about our staff. Gotta admit, hey are truly the best!. And the good word about our cleanliness. So sorry your didn't like your pillow! Happy Travels! Kelly
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This hotel was way over priced for what we got. The WiFi was only available in the lobby area. The room was in need of a lot of updates. Wallpaper was peeling off the wall, black mold was behind the toilet, no central air for circulation. The only obvious outlet to charge phones was by the door and was regulated by the light switch so we would have had to keep the light on all night in order to charge our phones. Only two other outlets in room which were behind bed and TV cabinet. Bathroom was very outdated with no fan, shower curtain stained, and mold all over the tiles. We thought the convenience of being close to Monarch Ski area was a benefit, but it was definitely not worth it. Definitely will not come back and it was a big waste of money.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I very much enjoyed my stay. First and foremost the staff really made my time here enjoyable! From front desk check-in to dinner in the restaurant everyone was amazingly friendly and extremely helpful in every way. Everywhere I went in the hotel was very clean.
I want to personally thank Aaron. He helped me in the restaurant. Great guy! If you needed anything.. he likely already brought it to you or is in the process of getting it! I also want to put a shoot out to Carl, he was also very helpful in my stay here!
I put 5 stars based on how I prioritize my stay. Personally I view my experience with staff as top priority full stop. I put amenities second.
This hotel has a lot to offer. There are Hiking trails straight out of the back door. There is a lovely stream fed pond, with a nearby fast flowing creek. A lot of very nice outdoor spaces for gathering or just sitting. There is a Game room with all you would want from a billiards table to a ping pong table and even arcade games. A large IN DOOR pool very nice and clean. Also the are 2 outdoor hot tubs. So much here I’m sure I missed some.
Above are all my positives that I took away from my stay.. Here are some negatives: it’s an old building; this means some things are as “nice” as a modern hotel. Hot water for the shower was fine for me no issue, others might say different.
So if you don’t mind an old building and enjoy a little bit of adventure Stay here!
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Roann G, Guest Services / Front Office at Monarch Mountain Lodge
Responded Jun 24, 2021
Hi X8599LMjoshuas, Great to hear that you had a good stay in our hotel. We appreciate your rating. Also, your commendation with Aaron and Carl will be duly noted and will ensure that we'll continue to provide excellent customer service. Visit us again soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi Mark,
This is not something we are used to as we have just opened, but I'm sure we would be able to work something out to store your packages safely.
As for getting a room without a reservation, I would expect that since the summer is not very busy for us, save for a few larger events throughout, you shouldn't have much trouble booking a room depending on when you show up.
If you would like to discuss further, please feel free to call the front desk and ask to speak with me.
Hope this helps,
Rich
Hello, my name is Carolyn. I am the Operations Manager here at the Monarch Mountain Lodge. We can accommodate you parking on the lot, however we would not want to be responsible for any damages, theft or issues of any kind. Does $5 a day for the parking sound reasonable to you? If, so then I estimated it at around $90 for the duration. Just let me know, and we look forward to meeting you.
There are more places to choose from in the Monarch area.
PRICE RANGE
$111 - $135 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
monarch mountain hotel monarch
LOCATION
United StatesColoradoMonarch
NUMBER OF ROOMS
90
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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