Old Town Inn
Family-owned — 33 rooms in the historic district, walking distance to Elk Avenue.
A 33-room family-owned inn in the historic town of Crested Butte (the lower town, not the ski-village up the hill), walking distance to the Elk Avenue restaurants and a free shuttle ride to the mountain. The Old Town Inn is the working town-side option — built in mountain-traditional pine paneling, with simple rooms and rates that haven't been pushed into ski-resort territory.
It is the answer for travelers who want to be in the actual town, not the marketing town up the hill.
The setting
Crested Butte (the historic town) sits at 8,900 feet in the upper Gunnison valley, four miles below Mt. Crested Butte and the ski mountain. The Old Town Inn is on Sixth Street, two blocks off Elk Avenue's restaurant strip and a five-minute walk to most of the town. The free RTA shuttle to Mt. Crested Butte and the ski lifts runs every 15 minutes in winter.
The historic town is one of the better-preserved 1880s mining towns in Colorado. The 4-mile drive up to Mt. Crested Butte (the ski village) climbs about 400 vertical feet.
The building
A 1990s-era inn built in mountain-traditional pine-and-stone idiom — pine paneling, exposed beams, a stone-and-timber lobby with a fireplace, and corridors that smell like a cabin should. The aesthetic is restrained Western — pine, wool, the occasional Pendleton blanket. Nothing has been redesigned for Instagram.
The rooms
Thirty-three rooms in standard categories — kings, two-queens, and a few suites with sitting areas. Beds are kings or queens; bathrooms are tile, well-kept. Some rooms have gas fireplaces. From-rates open around $245 in winter — solid value for a winter Crested Butte stay. Wi-Fi is good; cell service is normal.
Food & drink
There's no restaurant. A continental breakfast (with hot items) is included. For dinner, Elk Avenue is two blocks: Soupçon (the long-running contemporary kitchen, in a small alley shack), the Secret Stash for pizza, Marchitelli's Gourmet Noodle for Italian, the Brick Oven, and Sherpa Café for casual. The Hartman family at the Nordic up the hill is a separate operation.
On the property
A heated indoor pool and hot tub, a sauna, a ski locker, and a small lobby. Free shuttle service to Mt. Crested Butte's lifts via the public RTA system. There's no spa or gym.
- Heated indoor pool, hot tub
- Sauna
- Ski locker
- Continental breakfast
- Walking distance to Elk Avenue
- Free shuttle to Mt. Crested Butte ski mountain
- Open year-round
Who it's for
- Skiers who'd rather stay in the historic town than the ski village
- Travelers who want to walk to dinner — Elk Avenue's restaurants are two blocks
- Couples doing Crested Butte for the town more than the mountain
- Anyone for whom "family-owned, no chain" is a deciding factor
Who it's not for
- Skiers who want true ski-in/ski-out — that's at Mt. Crested Butte, four miles up
- Travelers needing a full-service hotel with restaurant and spa
- Pet owners (verify policy with the front desk)
Nearby
Elk Avenue's restaurants are two blocks west — Soupçon, the Secret Stash, and the rest of the strip. The Mt. Crested Butte ski mountain is four miles up the hill via the free RTA shuttle. Kebler Pass (closed in winter) is the legendary aspen-foliage drive in October. The Crested Butte Music Festival runs in summer. For dinner: Soupçon is the destination; the Secret Stash is the lively pizza; the Brick Oven is reliable.
