The longest-operating hotel in Golden, this AAA Three Diamond property began with Spanish-style architecture—changed hands and looks—but returned to its Spanish-influenced design and décor after extensive renovations and expansions in 1991 and 1998. Today, the Table Mountain Inn’s Southwestern adobe-like exterior (above) sets it apart from the surrounding Victorian brick storefronts on Washington Avenue, the city’s main downtown drag.

Park your car or let the valet take care of it for you (an overnight parking fee applies) and enter the lobby. Here, a corner fireplace, Southwestern tapestried chair backs and animal mounts on the plastered walls welcome you to the West.

Rooms (above) carry the same aesthetic, warm with deep red accent blankets, earth-orange tiles and painted walls, woven throw pillows, wood furniture and leather seating. Premium linens outfit the king- and queen-size beds. Some rooms come with views of South Table Mountain and Juliet balconies. Books about Colorado have been laid on coffee tables and desks. All the touches have been curated to remind guests that Golden is “Where the West Lives.”

The Southwestern theme continues to the Table Mountain Grill & Cantina where you’re as likely to find locals bellied up to the bar for a specialty margarita or savoring pollo asada for dinner as you are out-of-towners. The dishes (below) are prepared with locally sourced ingredients.

Breakfast during the week isn’t complete without the house made jalapeno cheddar biscuits. On Saturday and Sunday, arrive early to ensure your shot at scoring one of the freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

If the weather allows, ask to sit on the covered patio. Doing so permits you to watch downtown’s comings and goings, scope out the shops and consider if you’re up for hiking the mesa you saw from your comfy room. After all, notes the hotel’s general manager John Payne, Table Mountain Inn “is an excellent home base for outdoor adventures, from hiking and biking to fishing and kayaking.”

He adds that April through June is a good time to come, since guests are afforded “the opportunity to enjoy the late spring beauty of Golden and the surrounding areas without the peak summer hustle and bustle.”

AAA Inspector Notes:

“With its iconic Santa Fe-style building, this hotel has remained one of Golden’s most popular places to stay since it opened in 1925. Select a cozy standard room or a larger suite with a fireplace.”