ESTES PARK
The Dunraven At The Estes Park Resort

The Dunraven At The Estes Park Resort

1700 Big Thompson Ave.CO 80517, ESTES PARK, United States

Wine • Drinks • Italian • Seafood


"I am simply flabbergasted (and I so rarely use that word) by this hotel 's pricing. First and foremost, this is NOT a 4 star hotel. I spent upwards of $900 for TWO NIGHTS (no breakfast included) during the summer. I live in New York City, and I know what kind of experience one should have at a $450/night hotel. My experience is as follows:I 'm greeted by Stormy the only positive worth while interaction I had with either the staff or facility. She 's pleasant, but noticed that I recoiled when I heard the room rate. I booked this room a month in advance and must have forgotten how expensive it was. It 's a really nice hotel she tells me twice with an air of desperation.My partner and I are given our keys and told where our room is. Upon entering, I notice something strange. A sink, about 3 feet away from where I was to sleep. In most hotels, if the bathroom sink is in another room besides the bathroom, it is usually *beside* the bathroom on a tiled floor not feet away from your face when you sleep (more on the bathroom in a moment).Before I wash my hands, I immediately step in a puddle of water. Makes sense again, the sink is next to your bed on a carpeted floor and people splash a bit when they wash their hands I guess? Weird. The bar of hand soap provided seemed to take 4 minutes to completely wash off. Not sure what that was about (not to mention awful tasting mouth wash).Upon examination and use of the bathroom and shower, I am immediately transformed back to the 1950s. Stale peachish orangish paint, rusted silver fixtures (not the appealing kind), a heat lamp with a manual dial, and quite possibly the worst water pressure I 've ever experienced in any hotel I 've ever stayed. What is usually a 5 minute shower took me 15 minutes just based on how long I had to stand there like a naked idiot with the showerhead turned upward, while the at a drip water attempted to reach me. Awful. At least the (small) towels were clean.Beds and sheets were comfortable and clean.The rest of the room was dull, boring, and unremarkable which included the deck we had which faced the parking lot and another room and was basically unusable for anything but a step out.I 'm writing this review because I feel completely take advantage of. $900 for 2 nights I can stay at Le Méridien for $100 less and that 's in the heart of NYC. This is rural Colorado and had several issues. Later in our trip, we stayed at the Drury Inn Suites in Denver for $166/night (legit 1/4 of the price) and it was beautiful. Modern everything, beautiful soap, a bathroom with a sink *inside* of it, breakfast and even a light dinner was included.I 'm fine if you want to give me a hotel from the 50s, but charge me a price from the 50s."

Big Horn Restaurant

Big Horn Restaurant

Estes Park, 401 W Elkhorn Ave, 80517-9029, ESTES PARK, United States

Soup • Seafood • American • International


"Smokin' Dave's is an American BBQ restaurant here in Colorado. This one in Estes Park is, in fact, the original location that open in 2007. They also have locations in Lyons, Longmont, and Denver. I haven't eaten here in a long time. Not for any particular reason, it just hasn't happened. I discovered their Denver location in 2020 and remember liking their tried and true take on BBQ. They don't specialize in one specific region, but rather pull from their favorites i.e. Texas brisket or St. Louis ribs. After a spectacular morning at Rocky Mountain National Park, Smokin' Dave's seemed like a fitting meal to recharge the batteries. The patio was full, so I buckled up at the bar since a refreshing beer was also on my radar. I do have to point out that the service was a little absent at first. The host told me to seat myself at the bar, and a few bartenders didn't greet me for quite some time. Pet peeve of mine when I acknowledge the staff before they do to me, but eventually someone came over. The two meat platter was the move after a hike. It comes with two sides and cornbread. My platter included the aforementioned Texas brisket and St. Louis ribs. I also ordered baked beans and coleslaw as my sides. The ribs are bar none some of the best I've had in Colorado. They're meaty, unctuous, and pull off the bone perfectly. No sauce required if you ask me! The brisket was also very good. Juicy and tender, with the fatty pieces stealing the show. For sides, the baked beans were in a thin sauce which I would have preferred thicker, but still delicious. They are cooked with meat and very flavorful. The coleslaw I could've done without personally. Also, why don't they serve mac and cheese here? I would've LOVED mac and cheese! Smokin' Dave's is a super reliable BBQ restaurant with succulent meats and a solid beer list. Whether you're checking out the OG in Estes or one of their other locations, odds are you'll get a damn good meal!"