Strater Hotel

An excellent hotel in the heart of downtown Durango. The room we booked was a tad bit small for the four of us, but it was what was available. Upon checking in, the staff was extremely accommodating in finding us another room which has been cancelled a day prior. That was the first of many positive experiences! The hotel was very well kept and maintained. Although parking was not adjacent to the hotel, the lot it was in (on the other side of the rail tracks behind the hotel) did not feel unsafe or too far away. It was nice to have such a variety of shops/restaurants nearby and be within a few blocks of the rail depot. The room had two very comfortable queen beds, a roomy bathroom and plenty of windows for natural light. The only gripe would be the single wall mounted mini split air conditioner that struggled to cool the whole room in record heat, but that's a very minor nitpick given the age of the building and the 100 degree heatwave. Otherwise I wish we had more time in our stay to enjoy all the hotel had to offer

By far my favorite historical hotel I’ve ever stayed in! Incredible attention to period detail. Professional, accommodating and friendly staff. Special shoutout to our server Keyna who went above and beyond. Also Lora at the front desk was so kind and helpful. Sebastian the bartender was wonderful and last Jessica who was off duty but provided us great information.

We didn't stay there but thoroughly enjoyed our visits to this beautiful, historic hotel. We were on a week long motorcycle tour and decided to stop in for a cold drink. There was live entertainment and the help was very pleasant and cheerful. I met the Food & Beverage manager, Jesse after asking for directions to the restrooms and he offered the 3 of us a very informative historic tour of the facility. He was very kind and knows that of which he spoke. We had so much fun that we came back for a lovely steak dinner and again, they killed it! Service was great, food was excellent and Jesse came by our table just to say, "Hi". I will definitely come back and highly recommend this property.

I LOVE historic hotels and this may be one of the best I have ever stayed in. The hotel (and Rob who provides historic tours) have done a fantastic job of documenting and preserving the historic story of this hotel. Our room #323 was absolutely amazing! Highly recommend this hotel. I will never stay anywhere else in Durango going forward.

What a cool hotel. The Strater has been around for 137 years and they kept all the old charm and history. Located in the heart of Durango. Easy to get to wherever you want to go. The GM Jessee took me on a personal tour and he honestly is a gem of the place. He is so knowledgeable and truly enhanced our experience. What an amazing place to stay for the last night of our 8 day roadtrip through Colorado.

We stumbled across this place and it was honestly the most unique location we stayed at our whole trip. The whole hotel had a cool atmosphere, especially since we happened to be there the same weekend as a Bluegrass Festival! The hotel is right downtown, plenty of parking, and the attached bars/saloons are cool. The jacuzzi room that you can reserve was an unexpected treat!

Tina assisted me with my original reservation. When we checked in we asked if a King room was available. She promptly re-assigned our room to a King with a great location. Perfect view of the morning train going by! Wonderful hotel staff from desk to housekeeping! They even brought us a coffee maker upon request.

We booked a private dinner for my Grandmother's 88th birthday for 20 of us who were visiting from Denver. Erica (sales rep) was easy to work with and flexible in ensuring all our dietary needs were met. Food was wonderful and the room was lovely. Chris (server) was the absolute best! Our Grandmother ended up getting sick and he went above and beyond to make sure she was taken care of; he was a true hero for us!

Wow this was one great stay. A Historic Inn of America, the Strater Hotel was so well appointed, maintained and cared for. From the moment we entered, we were treated like special guests. Every person behind the main desk was friendly and offered excellent advice on the best restaurants, what to see and do, how to park, get around, etc. Perfect. Our room was spectacular, with 12 foot ceilings and a 4 poster bed. Comfortable mattress ensured a good nights rest in our well-appointed, and very spacious room. Bathroom was spotless and luxurious, especially for a 100+ year old place. Quiet, well padded carpets throughout the entire hotel. There is a lively bar off the lobby. Be sure to stop by. Parking available in their 2 lots. Ice machines available Wi-Fi worked well. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a hotel this much.

Great Room, fabulous deck to watch the 4th of July Fireworks. Great Room, fabulous deck to watch the 4th of July Fireworks.

This wonderful haunted hotel in downtown Durango has been here since like 1887 or so. So that means more than 50,000 patrons potentially have slept in the same room as us on the 4th floor. From top to bottom this is a first class establishment. I love how the workers dress in period costumes. They were all so pleasant and professional. The place is decorated to the 9's and well maintained. I love how they have secret hiding spots like the Rosette in the lobby for children to find a treat. They have convenient parking close by in this tight area downtown. It was such a great experience staying here. We loved listening to the steam locomotive train passing behind the hotel to and from the station. It was so much fun stepping back in time. Thank you.

Very expensive and lacking a lot of amenities for the price. Their layout was interesting and supposedly haunted as well. There was a train that was supposed to stop honking and running around sundown but we got woken up in the middle of the night due to the train honking and coming by. They did not have a mini fridge in the room or even coffee. Overall I would avoid this place and choose a cheaper and more basic option. Lastly, I wanted to add that for some reason we were told that the door at the end of our first floor hallway was an emergency exit but to go through it anyway, we proceeded to do so and the alarm went off immediately. We were then told that there was another emergency exit that we should have taken which was located off to our left and wasn't explained very well. Throughout the day we noticed 4 more alarms go off by other guests in a short period of time!

A really cool old hotel in Durango, the Strater is not officially haunted. Wink wink. The guest books in the rooms tell a lot of cool stories, and the place is pretty close to everything from a wine shop and brewery to the train station. At night, the hotel bar becomes like an 1800s saloon. It's a cool vibe.

NYE in Durango! Seems like the place to be if you are a "Burqueno". We ran into several people who traveled from Albuquerque to bring in 2024! You walk into the Strater and you are taken back in time with the beautiful wood counters and walls. This place has some history and rumor has it, it is haunted. We loaded into the elevator after checking in and headed to the third floor. Our room had a view of Main Street and it was roomy enough for both my husband and I. The bed was a bit smaller than we are used too but all decorated with old style charm and beautiful wood finishes. The bathroom was much more modern with all the amenities. You are walking distance from just about anywhere you want to go from the Strater. It is perfect for a weekend stay and the staff provide great service and friendly smiles. The Diamond Belle Saloon is a fun place to have a beverage and listen in on all the buzz around you. We look forward to our next stay!

Let me start with , this hotel is very old and the ambiance is fantastic. The staff is great with checking in and out. It is perfectly located right in the heart of the wonderful shopping and dining area. The housekeeping group didn't really clean the room as much as just make the bed. The room was small and the bathroom was tiny. The shower was made for someone much shorter than me and I found myself hitting elbows and arms trying to take a shower (horrible experience). This hotel has no accessibility - no valet parking or luggage assistance. There are no ramps. The only way to get yourself and your luggage into the hotel is up steps. Be prepared. This was our first and last stay here.

Nope. Had a bad customer service experience. Parking which I needed was not available so I ended up paying this place $300 and then searching for a Holiday Inn with a parking lot for another $200. Prove me wrong, Strater. I've been staying with you for decades.

If history and ghosts are your game, The Strater is your place to be! There is a ton of history here, old furnishings, A LOT of old patterned wallpaper, and curtains, along with very old carpeting. If modern is your jam, I recommend visiting this place but not staying here. I stayed here for the weekend with my kiddo for the Polar Express ride. It was $500 for two nights with no breakfast and NO COFFEE!!! I haven't stayed in a room ever where they didn't offer a room coffee pot. I looked everywhere before we came to see if they had a hot tub and all the reviews said no. Then when we went to find our room (which was an epic adventure in itself because of all of the twists and turns in the hotel) sure enough we ran into a jacuzzi room that apparently you have to rent in advance. It would've been nice to know that so we could've rented it and brought our swim wear. The train station is pretty much next door so you hear the train horn until about 11pm in the evening and it starts up again around 8am. The shower was tiny and there is barely any water pressure. The mattress had springs that made noises. It was decent but nothing comfortable enough to write home to. Our room was fairly clean but there was hair on our towels and the carpet definitely needs cleaning. There are a lot of updates needed in my opinion but I guess they get away with no updates because of the history and "The Shining" aura the place gives off. Overall... I'm am glad we checked it out. It's definitely more about the history and ghost over modern amenities and comfort. Cheers!

The entire hotel is eye candy! The eclectic style tells such a story. What a pleasurable step back into history. The staff were courteous, our room (Louis LAmour suite) was so inviting and relaxing. We were here coincidentally during Durangos 28th annual Bluegrass Meltdown and in addition to the venues all over town we were able to enjoy free nightly jam sessions from local musicians downstairs in the lobby. The location is perfect, right in the middle of historic downtown, walking distance to amazing restaurants, bars, and the train depot.

Hotel rooms needs updating even if it's a historic building. Carpet in rooms are dirty & front desk barely answers the phone. Asked for a quiet room and got one facing the back and train tracks. Super noisy and train blowing its horn until at least 11PM due to Blues fest. Hotel manager was very nice and understanding however she said she couldn't move us and would provide a discount on our room which never happened and tried calling her twice now , left a messages and she has never returned my call. This is not a 4 star hotel .

Historical hotels offer an experience distinct from the standardized chain stay. Ornate woodwork, antique furniture, intricately patterned wallpaper & carpet, and uncommon architecture enhance the feeling you've escaped daily life. That's what vacation's all about and the Strater delivers. Over the Christmas holiday, we were in town to take my son on the Polar Express. The Strater's two blocks from the train station. We'd stayed there before and booked it again this time. Their rates were only a hair higher than the nearby chains. Besides the ambiance, what did we like? Beds were super comfy Staff proved friendly, patient, and helpful with routine concerns. One went out of her way to help us out, tracking down hot water and herbal tea from the hotel restaurant. Complimentary coffee in the lobby that doesn't suck The Spiritorium offers a chill vibe and comfortable setting for an evening drink Free parking across the street Free wifi was much faster than expected Soft, comfy towels However, older hotels have some trade-offs. Our room was on the small side of cozy--fine for two, cramped with three guests, despite two beds. No fridge. No coffeepot. The bathroom had zero counter space and was always chilly. While there's only one elevator, we never had to wait long and the wide staircase is right there if you're in a hurry. Unrelated things to ponder: The free parking can fill up at night, but staff will help you find something nearby. We found a staff member parked in the guest lot. I told the front desk manager, and the car was gone right away. For better or worse, the Durango-Silverton train runs right behind the hotel. It's loud, but if you came to town for it, the short walk with no parking hassles may be worth it. Overall, if you're in town for the train, the Strater's location sells itself--as long as trading some modernity for historical ambiance is in the cards. I enjoyed my first stay more than my second, as the novelty wore off a bit.

We've lived in a nearby city to Durango for 24 years and this is the first time we've spent the night at the Strater. It is a wonderfully well restored historic hotel and the staff were very nice, competent and accommodating. It is very expensive but in line with all the other historic hotels in the area. My wife and I discussed our stay after and couldn't think of a single negative.

Strater Hotel, soooooo much history. The Strater Hotel is one of my go to places. It is just full of fun. Although I've never stayed at the hotel, I always have to go there to check out to see what's going on. We usually have a drink or two and sometimes we even enjoy the dinner. Inside the hotel it has very different atmosphere 's. One side is called "The Diamond Belle"who Adam plays the old-time piano. "Mahogany Grille", high in, and "The Office". All three Offer a very unique atmosphere, and we love them all. I WOULD RECOMMEND.

Got charged extra fees which was told to us wrong upon making the reservation. They wouldn't fix it or they did not know who made the mistake. No accountability of their staff and obviously no communication. ​

Super fun hotel in a great location. Holly went above and beyond to help us get our truck and uahul parked when we had a little trouble finding the parking area. The private hot tub room was a unique experience!

A trip to celebrate our anniversary and ride the Polar Express brought us to Durango. A friend recommended the Strater as a great place to stay. We agree, if not for the rooms definitely for the interior. If it weren't for the modern amenities you may think you've stepped back to the turn of the 20th century. Our room came with floors that creak, brass head and foot boards, dresser with marble top and curtains straight out of the 1920's. The only thing miss in was the claw tub. Our room faced the railroad tracks and we could heard the narrow gauge steam engine chugging by on its rounds. The downtown location puts most things in walking distance, a bonus. Absolutely a great place to spend a few nights in Durango!

Phenomenal service! Rachel is the server you want and need! We made a last minute 8 person reservation on a Friday and they were more than willing to accommodate. Rachel handled our birthday party with true kindness and efficiency. 15 years in the restaurant and I have to say if I owned a restaurant I would try to poach her and get her a job with me. 5 stars for Rachel!!

Woaw what an interior here. Located in center of the historic downtown. We just visited to see the oldest hotel in Durango and charm to see it through eyes. Excellent interior and decor. You get the feeling of old times. Restaurants attached from outside too and almost everyday events are organized. Stay here if you can otherwise atleast visit to snap them in your camera.

Hubby and I stopped in for a drink at the bar. It was like going back in time to a Western saloon. The staff was dressed I old town gear and one even played an old time piano. We didn't have anything too fancy, so didn't spend a lot of time or money there, but we had fun. The staff was very friendly and laid back. Cheers!

Staying in Durango and stopped for happy hour. Drinks were great. The server made a wonderful mock tail for my teen and the music and vibe was so fun! Servers and locals were super cool.

Hotel was great with historic atmosphere, and the staff was helpful. Great location and easy to walk around town. The rooms were small but clean, you would expect this in a historic hotel. Carlos the night shift manager was very helpful and nice. The only thing I would change would be to have coffee in the room. Would strongly recommend staying here.

I drove into Durango on a late afternoon via US-550 from Silverton. I had last been to Durango 25 years ago. I don't remember it that well. Never really stayed the night in this town before, and so I had no idea where we would sleep, for I had made no reservations to stay anywhere. I had a full box of camping gear in the back that we still hadn't used, but then again, I wasn't really spotting any ideal places to pitch a camp just looking around as I drove through the middle of Durango. Therefore, I kept driving through what seemed to be the main part of town until I laid my eyes on the Strater Hotel! Awesome. The wife and I both love staying overnight in old historic hotels! I parked a half block away, fed the meter, and meandered inside to inquire their room availability. It turned out room 326 (The Will Rogers Room) was available and with my AAA discount, was less than $200. I paid for the room, and with that, the camping box inside my Jeep would never open once during our Colorado road trip. Now, I have a couple of complaints with this place. First, I stubbornly took one of the hotel's luggage carts down the stairs to the outside sidewalk. I thought it was really odd that there wasn't a ramp, but I needed to push it down the street where my Jeep was parked so my wife could take everything upstairs. Now mind you, no one there inside the hotel lobby did anything to stop me from carrying out this part of my plan. I drug the luggage cart down the stairs and to my Jeep, loaded it up without issue, and I followed my wife back to the hotel. I assumed the ramp to get inside the hotel must have been on the other side of the building, and that once we rounded the corner, it would be there. It's not. That other entrance around the corner also has stairs to get in. Seriously. It's like the ADA doesn't apply to this place or something. Thankfully, hotel employees met us at the door where they helped me get the luggage cart carried up the steps. But then they informed me of another problem: The hotel's elevator was broken. This is my second complaint. Someone should have done something to stop me from even using a luggage cart at all! Ugh! At this point, I'm more than simply annoyed. I refuse any help offered to carry anything upstairs. I'd do it myself! And I did it. It nearly killed me. (Damn this altitude!) After I hauling up the luggage, I moved my Wrangler and parked it in the small lot directly behind the hotel. I used the back door from this parking lot (a door which I believe only works until 5:30 pm) to get back into the hotel. Upon entering through this door into the hotel, I noticed another door, with a sign saying something about a hot tub or Jacuzzi or something. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. So I directly march down to the front desk and inquire about it. It turns out that this entire hot tub room can be reserved and used by hotel guests at no additional charge for a 30 minutes increment up until 9:30 pm (as the room officially closes at 10:00 pm). So I reserved the room for 9:30 pm that night. If your wondering, no one ever showed up after 10:00 pm to kick us out of the hot tub room. In fact, it's as if they forgot anyone was in there at all. Seriously, this private hot tub room kicks ass, and I would have never even known about it had I not come in through that back door and spotted it. I'm willing to bet most people who have stayed in this hotel are oblivious to its existence.

What a wonderful stay and such a classically beautiful hotel in the heart of downtown Durango, CO. Perfect for celebrating my moms 70th birthday! They even left a card & some chocolate. Staff was friendly and the rooms clean. Definitely take time to stop in at their saloon Diamond Belle for a refreshing beverage and some ragtime-like entertainment! Looking forward to our next stay!

Don't usually spend $250/night for a hotel but decided to treat ourselves. Room was very small and bathroom was spartan--typical of a historic hotel. Second day front desk messed up so our keys didn't work and then another couple was given keys to our room! Imagine our surprise and theirs when they opened the door! After that our keys didn't work AGAIN so I had to go back down to the front desk and have them reset. When I told the desk clerk that I was not very happy, he only said, "Sorry about that." The final frustration was that the drinking glasses were not replaced after the room was cleaned so I had to trek down AGAIN to the front desk to get new drinking glasses. You too can have this great experience for $250/night.

What a nightmare. Unfortunately, this is not a good place to stay. Old and run down. The room was stuffy, dusty and smelly...like the carpet and furnishings have been accumulating dust for 100 years. The heater was loud. We had to open the window to breathe -- and then got to listen to the HVAC systems and other outdoor noises all night. I like historic hotels, but not this one. I hear a new owner plans a major renovation. Until then, stay elsewhere.

A grand old hotel. We did not sleep here but snooped around all the public areas and felt some history. Like stepping back in time even if just for a few minutes.

This is a great historic hotel. Look for the nooks and crannies. Great bar and restaurant and staff.

Thanks to the Durango fires, I scored a room same day. This never happens. For road-trippers, you'll be pleased by the convenient location of their parking lots. I paid about $165 thanks to a flash sale. Apparently room 421 is unpopular because of the double bed. Traveling alone, no issues. What an amazing room; top floor corner with view of the downtown area and the mountains beyond. The bathroom is huge, an expanse of vintage tile with separate areas for sink, toilet and shower. There was even a small black towel for make-up. Loved the period wallpaper and furniture. There was a couple guest books on the bed, filled with stories from other patrons of 421. Anyway, the location is smack in the middle of the downtown shopping district with excellent restaurants and pretty special vintage and modern retail stores. ( found a vintage pair of cowboy boots). BTW, 11th street has a great permanent lunch and dinner food truck space complete with picnic tables and a bar. I had the tempera shrimp over rice with a side of wakami. The french bakery down the street had yummy fruit crepes. The prices were shockingly high, but to be expected given the area's proximity to Telluride. Back to Strater. A member of The Historic Hotels of America, It's filled with American Victorian-era furnishings and lots of history. The Strater was completed in the late 19th century and displays artifacts from Durango's mining town past. A plaque on #222 explains it was the favorite writing room of author Louis L'Amour. What's not to love? Book well in advance. No regrets.

They have a 10 minute loading zone right at the hotel entrance to drop off luggage. After check in you get a permit to put on your dash and go park the car in the couple lots behind the hotel building. I don't think they have valet or at least the service was not offered. All the spots in their parking lots were filled on a Wednesday night so I had go find a meter spot overnight and move it 8am next morning. Lucky it was a warm summer night but if this was winter weather it would not have been fun. The hotel had character and it's located right on main street close to all the restaurants. The shower tub didn't drain and the room was a bit outdated built in 1887. We got woken up by the Durango & Silverton steam train at 7:30am because it was right outside our window. The highlight of our stay was the Diamond Belle Saloon where they had live piano playing and the delicious Old Fashioned drink made by bartender Evan. Overall it was a good experience but be warned if your a light sleepyelper.

We stayed here for 2 nights & had a blast! There's a saloon connected to the hotel and they have live music. The first night was a guitar player & the 2nd night was a very talented piano player. They have good food and drinks as well. Such a fun atmosphere!

Just realized I never reviewed my stay last year. It came up in my Facebook memories and all the horrors of my stay came flooding back. This Hotel is very well located but its a run down place peopled by support staff who lie to your face and honestly dont care about your comfort at all. Here is my review, all my F bombs removed and replaced by *** As of now I am checking out of this place in the morning and will find another place to stay tomorrow night here in Durango. They can either refund my payment or I will dispute the charges with Chase. This fucking hotel turned a great day into a terrible one. I cannot recommend this place. There are dozens of places on the main road. I will just find one tomorrow. ok, I just checked out of Strater Hotel. I will be checking into a Homewood Suites later but at a rate over $100 higher. Others may think my complaints are not worth my anger, but I just cannot stand being lied to especially by someone I am paying for a service. Yesterday we checked in, went to the room and it was hotter than I like. I am not Bernie Sanders but I appreciate his desire for a cold or even cool room. The AC was set on 68 but the room was 74 and there was no cool air flowing out of the vent. So I went to the desk and asked if the AC was broken. I received at best a confusing answer. I told them I am not mad, I just need to know if it's broken so I don't unpack and can either get another room or go stay somewhere else. The lady and gentleman at the desk assured me it wasn't broken, but it was just turned on and it takes a while to cool. I asked one more time in very plain English. Is the AC broken or is it going to cool down. I was assured it would cool down. No problem, I went for a drink and snack and went back after around 90 minutes and the temp was 73 so I thought ok, maybe they are telling the truth. We went out for a bit and had dinner down the street and when I went back to the room it was 74 again. So I go back out and now the same 2 people tell me well it's an old hotel and the air doesn't work well we will give you a fan. By now it's 6:15 and the Hockey game was about to start and I told them I will give it to 10p and if it's not working I am going to find another place and I expect no problem from the hotel in refunding my money. They said we will see what we can do and I said honestly I don't care what you do, I will just dispute w Chase. 10p comes and by now my granddaughter Bella is asleep and its 74 and I miserably toss and turn with almost no sleep all night. I make the reservation at Homewood and take the ladies to their spa then go back to pack the room and check out. I see a woman in an office who looks general managerial and I speak to her. She now tells me the AC has been broken for 2 days and I almost lose my mind. These f***s just lied to my face at least 4 times. That is inexcusable in my book. The GM agreed w me and removes tonight's charge and said she would see about a discount. I will give her a chance to fix but I will be lighting these guys up on Yelp and Google when I get home. There were other smaller issues in addition to this but I could have overlooked them if I wasnt just flat out lied to. Ymmv but I would not ever stay here again.

NOTE: This is a two-part review. The first part is an assessment of The Strater as a hotel. The second part documents an instrumental trans-communication (ITC) session I conducted here in September 2018. ______________________________________________ Part 1: The Hotel The Strater exudes a sense of Victorian opulence (mahogany furnishings, colorful cushions, ornamental vases and lamps), but the amenities are far from antiquated. Unlike most "historic" hotels, the rooms are spacious and boast walk-in showers large enough to accommodate individuals taller than five-foot two. The mattresses are soft (perhaps a little too soft -- a minor quibble), clean (no bodily fluid stains), and modern. During our one-night stay last September, my father and I ran into only one problem. All three entrances are accessible only by stairs, so guests with ambulatory issues should look elsewhere. My father suffers from moderate idiopathic neuropathy in his legs, so transporting luggage to and from our room proved difficult. I carried the vast majority of our belongings myself, but even I felt like Del Griffith (sans charming loquaciousness) dragging his trunk around in "Planes, Trains & Automobiles." A ramp leading to the entrance would be too steep, so I'm not sure how The Strater could address this issue. Perhaps one of the hotel's benevolent (?) spirits could be persuaded to apport the luggage. Luggage transportation issues aside, my father and I enjoyed our stay at The Strater. Our nicely furnished two-bedroom suite set us back only $120, so the place only *looks* expensive. Historic hotels are indubitably more charming than corporate chains, much in the same way the antiquated adverb "indubitably" is more charming than its modern counterpart "undoubtedly." Would I recommend The Strater over, say, a Best Western? Indubitably! Fun fact: The Strater is featured in the original "National Lampoon's Vacation" from 1983. Remember the scene where Clark Griswold calls the front desk clerk a "total creep" for refusing to accept a personal check? Yep, that scene was filmed at The Strater! Only I know such things. See my pics and screenshots from the hotel and movie. ______________________________________________ Part 2: The ITC Session Before I delve into my paranormal experience at The Strater, allow me to explain what I mean by "ITC." Instrumental trans-communication (ITC) refers to the use of physical "spirit boxes" and apps to communicate with spirits. These devices facilitate communication by providing phonetic gibberish (random audio samples, white noise) that spirits can manipulate to form words and sentences. Spirits don't use their own voices; they use whatever audio source the operator provides. ITC is similar to electronic voice phenomena (EVP), but the latter refers to disembodied voices captured from thin air, which even the most seasoned paranormal researchers have difficulty obtaining. ITC typically yields more impressive results, as spirits seem to be more adroit at manipulating raw audio than they are at producing EVP. The first time I entered The Strater (September 2017), my clairsentience went into overdrive; I could "feel" the presence of several spirits, but one in particular stood out to me visually. The mental image was clear: a well-groomed, heavyset Caucasian man (approx. 55-60) with a handlebar mustache. My interest was piqued, so I told my father we needed to spend a night here the following year. I felt tempted to delve into the hotel's history, but I chose to remain ignorant; names, dates, and events could potentially influence my investigation and lead to false positives. When I returned as a guest the following year, I conducted an ITC session in my room using two well-respected apps: Spiritus and Vocibus. About twenty minutes later, I began receiving direct responses to my questions. In response to the question, "How many spirits are present in this hotel?," I heard a clear number: "11." I then asked, "Can one of you step forward and tell me your name?" The answer: "Emily." I then asked "Emily" why she remained there. Most ITC responses are frustratingly short (a few syllables at best), but the reply that followed was anything but: "Hen-ry...keeps...us safe." Could "Henry" be Henry Strater, the hotel's namesake? A skeptic would probably claim that I'd seen or heard the name at the hotel and that my *interpretation* was an example of audio pareidolia. I have no way to refute that criticism, but I've been conducting ITC long enough to filter out the paranormal wheat from the chaff; I know what I heard. So many questions remain unanswered. Who is Emily? Is "Henry" none other than Henry Strater? How does Henry keep the spirits "safe"? Is Henry the man I envisioned the year prior? What did Henry Strater look like? Perhaps I will return one day and learn more.

Nice classic bar and historic hotel! Must come listening to their wonderful piano player who was very talented in the evening if you are in town. Love love love their dirty martini and cocktails. Meghan was very nice. Great stop!

Oh my goodness! This place is gorgeous!!! It really is a blast from the past. Everything is well preserved, clean, and organized nicely. The staff was also friendly and helpful. I do have to warn you: this hotel is HAUNTED!! I didn't know that when I booked it. Ghost story later to come... but the hotel itself has a good restaurant. We for the nachos and artichoke dip appetizer. Both were big portions and delicious. They also have a hot tub room that you reserve privately. It was nice and clean. The rooms are spacious, have their own thermostat. Our room has two beds, a desk, chair, dresser and television. Great room for a great price! Ghost story: I promise you I though I saw something or someone in the corner of my room. From my understanding the spirits are friendly, they just roam around. Before I knew it was haunted I walked the hotel to explore around midnight and I thought someone was following. When I return to the room my fiancée found the room journal where previous guests write their stories. Turns out it is haunted. We found out at 12:30am! I was definitely scared, but I am alive and my fiancée slept great. I would recommend staying here for the calm vibe, nice staff, and a blast from the past. Also they are dog friendly!

What a great place! Staff was fabulous. My wife and I stayed 2 nights here recently. We stayed the night before our train trip to Silverton and again before we headed back home. We were met with a smile and treated very well. Rooms were clean and beautifully furnished. The desk clerks were very helpful with information on the area. It is located just a couple of blocks from the railroad station. If I am in Durango again I will definitely stay here if at all possible.

This is definitely an experience to do once in your life. This historic hotel is amazingly well preserved with a really interesting history. We stayed in the President Ford Suite. It was really cool knowing that a US president stayed in that same room. We did not see any ghosts or spirits

If you go to the Strater make sure your room is not above the bars. We could hear the music coming up through the floor of our room for hours. Could not sleep until we'll after it stopped. Could even hear the musicians voice clearly. The desk clerk had no idea of this but did not offer anything other than it might stop by 10 pm. The music could not be heard in the desk area.

Went to the restaurant for a late lunch. New York "steak" was terrible - pathetic piece of meat, with something that was supposed to be a peppercorn sauce on top (it was an oily substance that tasted like garlic). Vegetables were some small slivers of carrots and zucchini. Loaded baked potato was ok-ish...

Where to start? I know it's usually sold out, so many people must like the hotel. Here are some of the issues: 1. Rooms are dark, old and depressing. At least ours was. The one small window opened to a view of tires on cars in the adjacent parking lot. So don't stay in a room that starts with 1. 2. No coffee in the room. Except in the "premium" rooms. Coffee in the lobby consists of a carafe of tepid coffee and a pitcher of milk that needed to be refilled. 3. No laundry facilities. 4. Our shower was smaller than a phone booth. Smaller than an RV shower. That's no exaggeration. 5. Room is crammed with antique furniture. See #1 above. I'm sure there are some upsides, but none come to mind just now.

Last week i had 2 nights booked at The Strater. I ended up checking out after one night. I HIGHLY recommend that no one stay here. I just cannot stand being lied to especially by someone I am paying for a service. When we checked in, I went to the room and it was hotter than I like. The AC was set on 68 but the room was 74 and there was no cool air flowing out of the vent. So I went to the desk and asked if the AC was broken. I received at best a confusing answer. I told them I am not mad, I just need to know if it's broken so I don't unpack and can either get another room or go stay somewhere else. The lady and gentleman at the desk assured me it wasn't broken, but it was just turned on and it takes a while to cool. I asked one more time in very plain English. Is the AC broken or is it going to cool down. I was assured it would cool down. No problem, I went for a drink and snack and went back after around 90 minutes and the temp was 73 so I thought ok, maybe they are telling the truth. We went out for a bit and had dinner down the street and when I went back to the room it was 74 again. So I go back out and now the same 2 people tell me well it's an old hotel and the air doesn't work well we will give you a fan. By now it's 6:15 and I told them I will give it to 10p and if it's not working I am going to find another place and I expect no problem from the hotel in refunding my money. They said we will see what we can do and I said honestly I don't care what you do, I will just dispute w Chase. 10p comes and by now my 8 year old Granddaughter is asleep and its 74 and I miserably toss and turn with almost no sleep all night. I make a reservation at a nearby Homewood then pack the room and check out. I see a woman in an office who looks general managerial and I speak to her. She now tells me the AC has been broken for 2 days and I almost lose my mind. These people just lied to my faces at least 4 times. That is inexcusable in my book. The GM agreed w me and removed the 2nd night's charge since i was leaving. A broken AC happens, no big deal. I would have just stayed elsewhere if they told me the truth. Instead they lied to my face on multiple occasions and that is just unacceptable. Ymmv but I would not ever stay here again.

This was a stop on our trip throughout Colorado we stopped at historical hotels this historical hotel was very nice the room was small but well decorated our shower was very small it reminded me of a shower that you use on cruise ship !!Some of the negatives was no breakfast in the restaurant or included In room rate this was a upscale expensive hotel in the middle of town which was good because you could walk around. no coffee pot in the room and no refrigerator or microwave I can do without refrigerator microwave but most hotels and I've been to always has a coffee pot in rooms they did have coffee downstairs but you would have to get up and go down the elevator ( only one elevator in hotel ) to walk steps were very steep !!! The ( One elevator very slow )when we checked in our friends room was ready and they told me they would call me they never did I asked for service in my room which they said they would do but they never got around to doing it That's one of the important things I feel especially in an upscale hotel room service every day to clean your room and take your dirty towels out Basic amenities !!Front desk were very nice and helpful just know the limitations of this hotel it would be a good place to stay because of the location and parking is included

Don't get married here. They tell you things are inclusive in the fee after asking and checking multiple times, but then blindside you with an extra $1600+ bill. We still don't know what it was for since they never gave us a bill or even an explanation. My husband and I decided to elope at The Strater because it is a beautiful place I've grown up visiting and we were SO EXCITED it was within our tight budget. When we talked with Emily (who is EXTREMELY hard to get ahold of btw) she assured us the things we were discussing were included in the fee. But that is not the case apparently! I was charged DOUBLE what we were expecting to pay. Not to mention the ceremony was longer than we asked for, the music wasn't played on cue, and they got our dinner order COMPLETELY wrong. Not even one person got the food they wanted. The food we paid extra for. It just felt like it was thrown together and I have 4+ phone conversation with Emily which feels like it should have been enough to pull off a small elopement with 6 guests. All we wanted to do was elope on a budget in a beautiful city and all we got was a huge bill we weren't expecting/weren't notified of and an over drafted credit card for a half-assed event. UPDATE: We've been talking with the hotel for the past two weeks trying to sort out the billing issues. They agreed we were overcharged and we discussed getting a refund, but they didn't give us the right amount back. We were majorly shorted so we called back and discussed the correct amount. 5 days later I have another charge on my account. Did I receive notice or a bill? Of course not! What is going on here!?

I just do not get the hype with this hotel. I have been to many of the big "haunted" and old hotels in the state, and this was the least impressive. I booked this hotel after canceling a local hotel because I have been camping for a week and wanted a more authentic experience. After reading reviews about the happy hour and jacuzzi, I quickly booked. When I checked in, I was told the restaurant was closed( yelp shows it's open) and the front desk basically told me to have a good night. I assumed the jacuzzi was not open, since it was reservation only, and she or he never mentioned it, but we met a couple who said they were offered it. WHY AM I PAYING A RESORT FEE when everything is closed, including all the restaurants? Parking is also not ideal, no matter where you park, you are walking. I asked for a luggaeg dolly and was told you have to walk up stairs no matter how you come in, so if I carried it in and took it up piece meal, that would be best. Now, where the parking is, there is a door, but that door is closed, so you have to lug it all to the front of the building. The room was way dated, small, and very loud. Housekeeping was in the hallways cleaning and talking before 8am, which did not make the space welcoming. Nothing special and the shower is smaller than a Manhattan hotel room. You are paying for the location. Worst part was we found a great place for dinner, and when we came back, the hotel was all locked up. No one ever mentioned that. You have to ring a doorbell and wait to be let in. When we got upstairs, my partner wanted to grab his bag from the car, but didn't because of the security process. There is not a security gaurd waiting by the door, its almost as if you ring a bell and wake someone up. I saw rooms tonight for half the price in the area and I changed my reservation to book here and will not jump to do that again.

Beautiful historic hotel! Hotel is a well maintained, clean facility with antique furniture and a very welcoming staff. My sister and I had dinner in the hotel restaurant which was delicious. Don't however expect to sleep late into the morning because the train runs early and loudly behind the hotel.

It's a nice classic hotel that looks 100 years old, but they updated the basics and made everything else look 100 years old. There's a nightclub on one side, and a restaurant on the other side. The staff seems very nice. There seems to be a lot of stairs, not wheelchair friendly. The elevator can hold about four people, max. There's a lot of neat things to look at: crown moldings, wallpaper, old phone booths, paintings, furniture, etc.

Cute downtown hotel considered the best in the city. BUT the temperature control is centralized and kept hot during the day (and night) in summer, with no screens on the windows - so you roast or face bug bites. Just not worth being this uncomfortable.

Can't tell you anything about the hotel itself, but I'm glad to speak on the "best old fashioned in Durango" at their bar. By far, the worst old fashioned I have ever had in my life. Color closely resembled slightly dingy dish water. However, service was great... just DO NOT ORDER THE OLD FASHIONED! Go a block down the street to the Derailed Pour House and get a proper drink (recommend the Kentucky Campfire).

Oh My Goodness! Thank-you for a clean and lovely room here at the Strater. Twice before, we stayed in the "other" historic hotel in town and were sorely disappointed! This was such a refreshing change and experience that was noticeable upon approaching the Front Desk. The staff was friendly and accommodating. Our room, while small (as we expected) was beautifully appointed and extremely clean. The mattress comfortable and unlike the previous hotel experience, this bed feels solid and doesn't clunk with every move! The bathroom, compact and clean, suited us fine. Thank-you, to the Strater, for a wonderful experience.