The Nordic Inn
Slope-side at Mt. Crested Butte — 27 ski-in rooms, family-owned for 50 years.
A 27-room ski-in inn at the base of Mount Crested Butte, family-owned for 50 years. The Nordic Inn is the working alternative to the larger ski-village hotels — a small Scandi-Catskills (the lehotelist tag) lodge with simple pine-paneled rooms, a hot tub on the deck, and the lift line a one-minute walk away.
It is one of the few lodgings at the base that hasn't been bought by a brand. The Hartman family has run the Nordic since the early 1970s.
The setting
Mt. Crested Butte sits at 9,300 feet, four miles up from the historic town of Crested Butte. The Nordic Inn occupies a parcel about a one-minute walk from the Silver Queen Express ski lift at the base of the mountain. The historic town of Crested Butte (separate municipality, with the Elk Avenue restaurants) is a short shuttle ride or four-mile drive down the hill. The drive from Gunnison Airport is 35 minutes.
Crested Butte's terrain is steep, the village is small and aggressive about preserving itself, and the snow is dry.
The building
A 1970s-era lodge built in Scandinavian-traditional mode — pine paneling, peaked roofs, a stone-and-timber lobby with a fireplace. The aesthetic is a little dated in the right ways, like a hunting cabin in Norway your grandfather kept. Materials are pine, wool, and the occasional bit of brass. The renovation has refreshed without erasing.
The rooms
Twenty-seven rooms across two levels. Categories include standard kings, two-queens, and a few suites with sitting areas and gas fireplaces. Beds are kings or queens; bathrooms are tile, well-kept. From-rates open around $285 in winter — strong value for ski-in lodging at Crested Butte. Wi-Fi is fine; cell is normal.
Food & drink
There's no full restaurant. A continental breakfast is included. For dinner, the Mt. Crested Butte base has a few options (Rumours Wine Bar, Django's Slope Restaurant); the historic Elk Avenue restaurants — Soupçon, the Secret Stash, Sherpa Café, Marchitelli's Gourmet Noodle — are a four-mile drive or shuttle.
On the property
A heated outdoor hot tub, a sauna, a ski locker, and a small fireplaced lobby. There's no pool, no spa, no gym. The mountain is the program.
- Hot tub, sauna
- Ski locker, ski-in access
- Continental breakfast
- One-minute walk to Silver Queen Express lift
- Open year-round
Who it's for
- Skiers who want ski-in access at a fair price
- Family-owned-property partisans
- Couples doing Crested Butte who'd rather a small inn than a ski-village brand hotel
- Anyone who'd choose a 27-room family lodge over a Westin
Who it's not for
- Travelers seeking a polished modern boutique
- Anyone who wants a full-service hotel with restaurant, gym, and pool
- Pet owners (some rooms accommodate dogs; verify on booking)
Nearby
Silver Queen Express lift is one minute on foot. The historic Crested Butte town's Elk Avenue (with Soupçon, the Secret Stash, and the rest of the restaurant strip) is four miles down the hill. Kebler Pass and the aspen groves are reachable in fall. The Crested Butte Mountain Resort runs nearly all winter activities. For dinner: Soupçon for the contemporary kitchen; the Secret Stash for the locals' pizza; Marchitelli's Gourmet Noodle for the Italian.
