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Twenty years in the making, Limelight Boulder has officially started welcoming guests—and scooping up superlatives. Since its opening this August, it is, of course, the newest hotel in town, but with 252 rooms (including 42 oversize suites), it’s also the biggest. It claims the most meeting space in Boulder and is certainly one of the most eco-friendly options as well. Situated at the intersection of University Avenue and Broadway on the Hill, Limelight Boulder is also the first and only hotel on the University of Colorado Boulder campus.
The result of a public-private partnership between the City of Boulder, the university, and Aspen One, Limelight Boulder is poised to cater just as much to locals as out-of-towners. “We want to be part of the fabric of the local community,” says Andy Reed, a senior vice president at Aspen Hospitality, subsidiary of Aspen One. “We want the community to feel like they have a sense of ownership of the hotel.”
Whether you’re visiting Boulder or have lived on the Front Range for decades, here’s how to make the most of a visit to Limelight Boulder.
1. Root for the home team.
If you didn’t stampede onto the Buffs’ bandwagon with the arrival of Coach Prime, a visit to the first hotel on acreage owned by the CU Boulder (nightly rates start at $299) might sway your allegiance. Throughout Limelight Boulder, nods to the home team’s black and gold influence the aesthetic, surfacing in the ebonized wood set against bronze, the charcoal and canary yellow carpets and patio furniture, and the massive slabs of marble (with slate- and amber-colored veins) at the front desk and lobby bar. Ralphie-approved ungulates appear in the bright prints by CU alum Jessica Moon and the coat hooks in each room.
Buffs superfans can book one of Limelight Boulder’s custom Game Day Experience packages, available at special rates and with upscale tailgates that include a live brass band, DJ, and elevated eats. If you forgot your Travis Hunter jersey, gear up at the new campus bookstore on the hotel’s first level, set to open later this year.
2. Space out in a meeting.
With the most event space in Boulder (26,000 square feet, including a 15,000-square-foot ballroom with 16-foot ceilings and a 170-person game room with billiards, foosball, and flatscreens), Limelight Boulder can host massive conferences and wedding receptions. The hotel’s smaller, boardroom-style spaces are perfect for your startup’s kick off or sprint, and notably, the agreement between the city, university, and hotel allocates funds for nonprofits to reserve space at no cost.
Nice: Nearly all the meeting rooms have Flatirons views.
3. Get buzzed.
No, we’re not encouraging anyone to overdo it at either the lobby bar or Ajax Tavern, though both offer curated collections of local spirits and suds (our fave: the whiskey-forward Basecamp Boulavardier, which is garnished with half of an Uncrustable). Rather, revel in Limelight Boulder’s status as the largest all-electric hotel in the U.S. (and second in the country).
The effort, which Aspen Hospitality’s Reed mentions was surprisingly difficult to marry with the building’s LEED Gold certification for eco-friendliness, wasn’t just made to appease Boulder’s famously environmentally friendly population. The pursuit of sustainable practices is actually woven into Aspen One’s core values in the promise to “take the long view.” So, in addition to going fully electric, Limelight Boulder also maximizes natural light and ventilation (thereby reducing energy needs), has a parking structure with pilings that preserve underground water flows, and uses native plants in its landscaping to decrease water consumption.
Bonus: Reed points out that as Boulder’s grid becomes “greener” over time with more renewable energy sources, the hotel itself does as well.
4. Relax poolside (or fireside).
No need to decide between mountains and water at Limelight Boulder—hit the second-story deck to find a heated rooftop pool with unencumbered views of the Flatirons. Post up under an umbrella to hide from the rays or step into the lounge pool to soak them up (don’t dive; it’s only three feet deep).
When temps dip, cozy up in the oversize hot tub (open year-round) or on a couch next to the 16-foot-tall outdoor fireplace.
5. Stop in (without an overnight rezzy).
The biggest hotel in town isn’t just a hotspot for those spending the night. “We wouldn’t have built it if it was a different location,” Reed says. “This was really the best spot because it allows us to live up to our brand standard of being a community living room.”
The extensive event space and lobby, with its community tables and armchairs, certainly invite day-only guests. Another destination for locals: Ajax Tavern. Breakfast and brunch crowds should try the hotel eatery’s olive oil pancakes (served with local honey butter), while lunch-goers should savor the house-made smoked pastrami sandwich. Popping in for dinner? Don’t miss the wagyu double cheeseburger and truffle fries that put Ajax Tavern’s original location at the base of Aspen Mountain (known as “Ajax”) on the map in the first place.
Another reason for day-trippers to swing by: original, custom artwork—such as hand-sewn books that create the contours of Mt. Sanitas and the Flatirons—adorn walls, ceilings, and tabletops on every floor.
Limelight Boulder began welcoming guests in August. Nightly rates start at $299. Visit limelighthotels.com/boulder for more information.
