Loveland
$170-1,084 per night
A huge party paradise for business retreats, bachelor parties or family reunions that sleeps 14 with five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The Idlewild Inn would be a mullet if it was a hairstyle: There’s the business out front and a party in the back. The Inn’s classic, even stoic, brick exterior houses a colorful, bright and somewhat wild Southwestern setting that calls for large groups to have fun within its walls.
“The owner of this property snatched it up specifically to make it into a destination, party-gathering type of house,” says Brooke Hicks, the operations and guest services manager of Urbanize, which runs the place. Urbanize has more than 50 properties, most of them Airbnb-type rentals, that it manages in the Northern Colorado area, and the Idlewild is easily one of the largest ones.
“Work crews will stay there, or corporate events or wedding parties,” Hicks says. “It’s a super flexible space, and the backyard is super, super fun.”
The backyard includes the space and equipment for sand volleyball, a mini putt-putt green, horseshoes, tetherball (recess, anyone?) and a warehouse gym, along with a hot tub. Indoors, there’s a foosball table, cocktail lounge and two kitchens.
The Idlewild is located right off Eisenhower Boulevard near Lake Loveland, which explains its conservative exterior, Hicks says.
“He didn’t want to do anything super crazy on the outside,” she says, “but when you walk inside, you’ve entered a whole other world.”
Photos by Avory Marie, Aval Media.
Berthoud
$150-500 per night
This unique home is in a quiet location and sleeps six with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Hicks took her children, all under age 8, to this home because she wanted a private, relaxing weekend and thought it looked fun. She told them it would look like an igloo.
“Now they constantly ask about the turtle house,” says Hicks, who also manages the place with Urbanize. “It’s one of my favorite properties to stay at.”
The quirky design is fun for kids, but beyond that, the home’s high ceilings, open layout and many windows allow natural light to flood in. Those windows also reveal views of Longs Peak and her many sisters up and down the Rockies. When you’re done enjoying the sights, you can pick from a wall of board games, ride bikes in the rural setting without fear of traffic or take a short trip to Highland Lake.
“It feels like you are out in the middle of nowhere,” Hicks says, “but really, you are just 10 minutes from civilization.”
The home’s classic interior isn’t as whimsical as the outside design, but it does have a few quirks, including, fittingly, a small collection of turtles that guests have added to through the years.
Hicks’ kids surprised her by how much they loved it: The fun appearance and ability to explore and play outside stuck with them.
“They thought it was the greatest vacation they’ve ever taken,” she says.
Photos by Alyssa Benson, AB Consulting & Media.
Estes Park
$165-395 per night
A two-bedroom vintage cabin downtown that’s five minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park and sleeps six with three beds and one bathroom.
It’s a good thing Heather and Jason Grim had plenty of love to spare for Estes Park, the place where they got engaged and married. The cabin they purchased needed a lot of TLC.
“It was in rough shape,” says Heather, who lives with Jason in rural Fort Collins. “It didn’t even look like a cabin at first.”
The Grims were up for the challenge. They redesigned, revamped and refurbished the cabin in between Heather’s shifts as a veterinarian. The goal was to keep the vintage feel of the place but add in extra touches that bring up recollections of the good ol’ days. They decorated the cabin “head to toe” with trinkets, paintings and photos of the Rocky Mountains and the wildlife that live there. The place is more than 100 years old, but Heather says it’s pretty much a brand-new home with all their renovations.
“The number one thing is the feel the cabin gives you,” Heather says. “Our guests say that over and over. They comment on how cozy it is.”
There’s plenty to do even if you don’t go into the national park every day, as the Grims stocked the cabin with old games, installed a fireplace, situated a hot tub under the stars and supplied a personal guidebook where Heather lists their favorite local businesses, restaurants and hikes. There’s also a washer and dryer if you want to wash your clothes after a hot summer hike.
The couple bought the cabin so they could enjoy their good memories of Estes Park and rent it out when they aren’t using it themselves.
“It’s something that ties us to the area forever,” Heather says.
Loveland
$300-450 per night
Pray for a good stay at a church, originally built in 1906, that has been renovated to sleep eight with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms.
When Alicia Lewis first looked at this downtown Loveland church, she was in her early 20s. She was approved to buy a house, a great accomplishment at that age, but she didn’t think she could afford to renovate it.
“It was still literally a church,” Lewis says. “I didn’t want to sleep in a pew.”
She regretted not purchasing it for years, so much so that she kept a notification on in case it ever went up for sale. During a stay in Texas with her husband, Josh, her phone pinged. She bought it sight unseen.
Most of the hard renovations were already done by past owners, she says, including “all the electrical stuff.” They left original touches, such as the stained-glass windows, and the balcony, so you can look down on the main floor.
“It’s a homey space,” Lewis says, “but you also still feel like you’re in an old church.”
Groups like to stay at the church because it’s close to the McCreery House, a wedding and reception venue, and others like to take family photos there. Lewis, who works in finance, sometimes shoots her TV show and podcast, “Retire Colorado,” in the church.
Lewis still loves to stay at the church with her girlfriends on occasion to remind her of those younger days when she coveted it.
“It’s such a peaceful, amazing space,” she says.
Photos by Brian Martinez, Colorado Staging + Design + Media.
Windsor
$160-600 per night
Craft in the countryside with this Windsor home that sleeps 12 with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Kelli Smith used to book hotels with her friends as a fun way to craft over the weekend. She had those trips in mind when she purchased this Windsor home and renovated it into a crafter’s paradise.
“It was adult woman time,” Smith says of her past trips.
Smith redesigned the wide-open basement to allow for the same kind of crafting parties she enjoys with her friends. She can set up tables for any project, including scrapbooking, quilting or sewing, if guests request it.
“I’ve also done a couple right before Christmas,” Smith says of her wrapping parties.
She suggests booking a hobby trip in the winter, when it’s cheaper, as her place is close to downtown Windsor and just a few blocks from Windsor Lake and the community pool. That makes her place popular (and pricier) in the summer. She says many groups will use the full kitchen in the house for potluck dinners while they do their projects.
She loves the projects but really values the time to get away with her friends. The house isn’t in the boonies, so it’s perfect for partial getaways as well.
“Sometimes there are still things you need to do, like go to a kids’ game,” Smith says, “but you can still escape. Sometimes you need a break.”
Photos Alyssa Benson, AB Consulting & Media.
Other Places to Check Out
Loveland
$130-725 per night
This home sleeps nine with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. When you’re not sleeping, take advantage of the children’s indoor climbing wall, monkey bars, cornhole and hot tub.
Greeley
Average of $123 per night
Travel back in time in this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that sleeps six, located in the Monroe Avenue Historic District a block away from cafes, restaurants and the UNC campus. The Victorian setting also has modern upgrades such as AC, electricity and Wi-Fi.
Fort Collins
Average of $148 per night
Show off your CSU pride by booking this green-and-gold cottage with two bedrooms and one bathroom (sleeps four). It’s close to CSU and Old Town.
Windsor
$285-1,930 per night
You can host your own tournament at this 5,300-square-foot home that sleeps up to 20, has seven bedrooms and five bathrooms and features a pickleball court in the backyard.
