First Bite, and A Look Back in Time

First Bite Boulder kicks off today, and many local restaurants are offering diners a prix fixe three-course dinner, including Q's Restaurant. (Click here to see the menu they are offering.) To celebrate First Bite, I thought I'd share some interesting tidbits of the history behind the Boulderado dining room, where Q's now calls home.

Upon our opening on New Year's Day of 1909, a newspaper article in the Daily Camera touted all the luxuries the Hotel Boulderado had to offer. In addition to the guestrooms and the building, the reporter commented on the dining room and kitchen as well:
"The spacious dining room, with its snowy linen, polished silver, and delicate bouquets, gave promise of the tempting delicacies and huge banquets that are to come. The kitchen, with its massive ranges and variety of modern conveniences, appeared equal to the tasks of furnishing the best and the most that could be demanded of it. The handsome electric chandeliers, the exquisitely patterned rugs, the profuse decoration of palms, ferns, and flowers, the beautiful music of the orchestra, all added to the sum to make a perfect total."

The above photo is how the dining room looked; it was so formal that there were no waitresses on the staff, only waiters, who wore white gloves while serving, and tables were set with small bowls of water so guests could wash their fingers between courses.

Over the past century, the dining room at the Hotel Boulderado has undergone a multitude of changes and renovations, as has most of the original building. We've done our best to keep anything original intact, even if it has to be moved somewhere else. Case in point: the photo below may look to you like an empty hallway. But the three light fixtures you see in it date back to the hotel's opening and were originally located in the dining room.

On the same floor on the other side of the building, you'll find a chair sitting in a corner (below photo), which is the most recent addition to the living history museum on the west side of the third floor at the Hotel Boulderado. The story is that we've had this chair in storage for many years, but it was only recently that we sent it out to have the cane seat replaced by a skilled tradesman who specializes in antique pieces.

If you happen to stop by Q's Restaurant during First Bite Boulder, be sure to take the Otis elevator up to the third floor to explore the antiques and learn more about what it was like to live like the Victorians would.

Day 222 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Inside Otis

Check out the view of our 1906 Otis elevator from the inside!

Day 213 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Otis' Gate

Our Otis elevator is installed with its own gate to protect the attendant and guests who are riding the elevator between floors.

Day 209 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Sarah "Noe-tis"

Sarah Noe (now Sarah Danzl) has always been a fan of the Hotel Boulderado, and especially of our original elevator, Otis. So when it was time for Sarah to marry Jon, she knew there was no place better than the Boulderado. Sarah was kind enough to take time out of her busy day to pose for a photo with her beloved Otis.

Day 183 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Otis Bell and Sign

BBRRRRRRRINNNNNG! That's the sound you hear when you call our 1906 Otis elevator in the Historic Section. This is the bell responsible for that big noise. When a guest on a particular floor calls the elevator, the bell rings to let the elevator attendant know, then he or she looks at the panel attached to the bell. There should be a light lit up corresponding to the correct floor, letting the attendant know which floor the guest is waiting on.

Day 166 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Otis' Control Box

Here is a close up shot of the control box that runs our 1906 Otis elevator in the Historic Section.

Day 152 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Elevator Sign

Signs like this one pictured here point out to guests the location of our original Otis elevator.

Day 129 of 365 Days of Boulderado Photos ~ Otis

How can anyone not love our 1906 Otis elevator? He's so popular he's on Twitter!

Beneath the Elevator

A lot of people are familiar with our Otis elevator in the historic section. I recently learned a few details about it that I thought I'd share, along with some rare photos of the inner workings of the Otis.

Even though the plaque next to the elevator declares it a 1908 model, it's really from 1906. Back then, if an elevator needed to be installed in a new building, they would install the elevator first and then build around it. Therefore, the Otis was installed in 1906 and then the Hotel Boulderado was built around it.

Our beloved elevator actually broke down several weeks ago when the brake chain needed replacing. Believe it or not, we had to track down a manufacturer in Switzerland who had to custom-make us a replacement part! While they were working on it, I snuck down to the basement to take some photos of the elevator's "guts":

Here's a shot of some of the maintenance equipment we use to keep it running smoothly.

I totally geeked out over this: signature Otis elevator lubricant to keep those parts in shape!

Historic Tours at the Hotel Boulderado

Did you know that you could take a historic tour of the Hotel Boulderado? They are a lot of fun, and it gives you the opportunity to learn more about the history, architecture, and stories behind the hotel. Tours begin in the lobby, and then you take the Otis elevator up to the fifth floor and work your way down the staircase until you reach the lobby level again, visiting guest rooms and interesting focal points along the way. Tours need to be scheduled ahead of time, and this can be done by calling us at (303) 440-2880.

Top 10 Boulderado Blog Posts of 2009

Have you noticed that everybody and their brother seems to come up with their own "Top 10" list towards the end of the year?

I couldn't resist jumping on the bandwagon.

Top 10 Reader's Favorites Boulderado Blog Posts:

10. The Old and the New

9. Munchkin Masquerade

8. December at the Boulderado

7. Don't Forget!

6. Boulder Wilderness Shuttle Visitor Packages

5. The Michael Jackson Dance Party SOLD OUT!

4. Hugh Mark

3. Otis Elevator

2. Drinking Fountain in the Lobby

1. That Staircase!

(PS: I ranked the posts according to how much response each generated through user comments on the blog and on Facebook.)

The Old and the New

Something about the Hotel Boulderado that continues to fascinate me is how well the old-style charm is maintained while keeping current with the changing times. Stepping into the building, you can almost feel yourself slipping back to 1909, especially with things like our Otis elevator and display cases showcasing antique items. And then you see someone using our complimentary high-speed wireless internet on their laptop in the lobby, or see photos uploaded to Flickr, and you're reminded that this is indeed the 21st century.

One feature in a couple of our North Wing guestrooms keeps true to this marriage of the old and the new. Four of our Traditional Queen rooms (445, 446, 447, and 450) on the top floor feature built-in window seats that overlook Broadway. It's easy to curl up on these big seats, peek out the window, and imagine how Boulder looked one hundred years ago. Here's a picture of Pearl Street from about 1905, four years before the Boulderado opened its doors, to get your imaginations going.

Otis Elevator

Some people love it, some people hate it. I hear "It's so charming and authentic!" or "It's scary. Why can't I control it myself?" and I know people are talking about the Hotel Boulderado's historic Otis elevator. It's the only still-operating model of its kind this side of the Mississippi, and it is true that you need one of our staff members to operate it. It was installed in 1908 and the elevator you take today on the historic side of the hotel is the very same one from 101 years ago. It has become quite popular with wedding photographers, like Mark Cafiero (picture below), who are looking to infuse the Boulderado's antique charm into their couple's wedding shots.

Taking a ride on the historic Otis elevator can make your tummy do flips on its way up or down, and sometimes you have to take a big step to reach the floor if the attendant misses it. But it also embodies the historic nature of the Hotel Boulderado, and that's why I love it.