If you’ve driven past 914 S. College Ave. in Fort Collins in the last few months, you might have noticed that the former Best Western University Inn has a new look.
It’s hard to miss, with a Barbie-pink facade and ornate floral displays marking the entrance of the remodeled boutique hotel across the street from Colorado State University. Just inside the overhang, two propane fire pits and a swimming pool with glass walls invite you to linger before settling into your room. Enter the pink and maroon lobby, and it becomes obvious what owner Ashley Stiles’ wants her guests to feel: comfy, cozy and a little “extra.”
A large velvet couch, sheer drapes, shoppable clothing rack and coin-op candy machine decorate the space, along with a refreshment station stocked with edible goodies, fresh Lima Coffee Roasters beans and Buxton-branded candles from Severance-based Raven Wick Candle Company. Above the fireplace is a painting Stiles made of the woman who inspired it all: Nina Belle Buxton, her grandmother.
“It’s not pretentious, but it’s a little over the top,” Stiles says. “It’s a little bougie, and that’s exactly how she was.” →
From drab to fab
Stiles had been eyeing the property for years before purchasing it in October and transforming it into The Buxton Hotel. She had worked in development for 17 years—including six with Realberry (formerly McWhinney), a local real estate developer—and was busy running her own business, Tribe Development Company, which she founded in 2019. Finally, a stay at one of her favorite properties in Todos Santos, Mexico, made her pull the trigger.
“It’s 54 rooms, and I absolutely adore it,” she says of the Mexican inn. “I thought, ‘Why am I not buying that hotel in Fort Collins? The feeling I just experienced is what we need.'”
Stiles knew she wanted to draw inspiration from her grandmother, whose home was pink, and her grandfather, who wore Stetson and smelled like cigarettes. She believes the hotel’s location allowed her to combine the two.
“This section of College Avenue isn’t as restrictive as Old Town, which is so precious and all about preservation,” she says. “This gets to be weird, quirky and fun.”
She and her team donated the Best Western’s mattresses to families in need in Poudre School District and sent the rest of the furniture to Habitat for Humanity or listed it for free on Facebook Marketplace. Then she channeled her grandparents’ aesthetic, bringing in leopard-print carpet and cowboy hats from Greeley Hat Works, which she hung in every room. Jewel-toned stools, pink and maroon wall paint and Western-themed art tie everything together, making the 38 double occupancy rooms and 31 kings all unique. →
Wellness retreat meets Western saloon
In each of the rooms, Stiles added a red light therapy mask and vagus nerve headset to help guests unwind after a long day. As of mid-June, she was getting ready to open the hotel’s wellness center, which features a cold plunge, infrared sauna, red light booth and hydro massage bed. The wellness center isn’t just for hotel guests: Anyone can make a reservation, pick up a key in the lobby and indulge in some self-care.
Since Fort Collins is so dog friendly, The Buxton allows guests to bring their furry friends for a stay. Stiles took that to another level by offering infrared dog beds, which help pets recover after procedures at CSU’s vet hospital.
“I worked with the same company [that makes the red light booth], and we developed infrared pet beds,” she says. “Guests can tell us that they need a little infrared bed, and we’ll bring it to their room.”
Also coming soon is The Caldwell, a Western-themed restaurant and bar (and a nod to Stiles’ grandfather’s middle name). True to Fort Collins’ love of good food and great drinks, the spot will offer breakfast and a full-service coffee bar from 7-11 a.m. and will reopen for dinner and drinks from 4-10 p.m. There’s a customizable photo booth for special events, and the space will double as a live music venue bringing in local artists.
“We’re going to have an open mic night for CSU music students, so it’ll be a place for them to do practicums and internships,” Stiles says. “We’re also working with the fermentation program at CSU so that students will be able to develop a beer that will be on tap. I can’t wait to watch them rolling little pony kegs across the street.”
Stiles, who is Chickasaw, spent much of her childhood visiting her grandparents in Osage County, Okla., where she developed a deep appreciation for community and gathering around a shared table. Those experiences became a guiding influence in the transformation of The Buxton.
“There’s a pretty big juxtaposition between being indigenous and being a real estate developer,” Stiles says, “but what that’s done is help me put community first over the individual. That’s how we approach our projects. It’s ‘How do we contribute and bring people in?'”
