Pikes Peak Inn — Hotel in Manitou Springs

We booked a non-smoking room with two queen beds at Pikes Peak Inn — and from the start, it felt less like a hotel stay and more like a failed Turing Test.

Upon booking, you’re hit with a message: 💳 “All reservations are subject to a $150 refundable incidental authorization.” Fair enough — but then begins the descent into a customer service black hole.

Shortly after booking, I got a text telling me to register and check in before 2 PM on the day of arrival. No front desk, no lobby, no humans — just a lonely number that sends you texts but refuses to answer them. I emailed. I called. I texted. I even whispered to the wind. No reply. Ever.

All I wanted was confirmation that our room had two queen beds and clarification on how we’d actually get into the room. But apparently, the “GM” is a malfunctioning AI who knows how to send messages but not read them.

Check-in day arrived and so did my anxiety — I had kids with me and didn’t want to be stranded with luggage, teens, and no access to a room. Finally, at 3:08 PM, the magic text came: our room number, smart lock code, and Wi-Fi password. No apology, no reassurance. Just cold, robotic data.

We checked in around 6 PM, and here’s the twist: 🛏️ The room was clean. ✔️ The bed was comfortable. ✔️ The floor, toilet, and room were spotless. ❌ A few towels seemed like they skipped the wash cycle. ✔️ And yes — the location is actually perfect: right at the start of downtown Manitou Springs, within walking distance to shops, restaurants, and attractions.

But… remember how we booked a room with two queen beds? There was only one. That second bed? A myth. A legend. A ghost in the reservation system.

So I gathered the family and said:

“Alright troops, we’ve got one bed, four people, two teens, and zero dignity. Let’s make this work. This is character building!”

I tried texting back the number — you know, the one that says “reply here if you have any concerns.” Still no reply. Not then, not after checkout, not ever.

I even went to the so-called “office” — which is just an empty building that probably hasn’t seen a human since 2019.

And the walls? Paper-thin. I could hear the next room changing their minds. We didn’t even bother with the shower. We slept, packed, and ran.

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🧾 Summary: • 📍 Location: Fantastic — right at the entrance to downtown Manitou • 🛏️ Bed: Comfortable • 🧼 Room & bathroom: Clean overall • 🧻 Towels: Some seemed… pre-loved • 🤖 Customer service: Nonexistent • 🗣️ Communication: One-way. Like yelling into the void. • 🛏️ Beds promised vs. received: 2 → 1 • 🤯 Overall vibe: Digital dystopia

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🧠 Final Thoughts:

Pikes Peak Inn feels like it’s run by a sleep-deprived chatbot, programmed by someone who forgot customer service is a thing. The location and clean room are the only things saving this review from a flaming zero.

Unless you’re okay with ghost beds, silent management, and total self-reliance, this place is a gamble. And if you’re someone who appreciates actual communication, human contact, or basic hospitality? Run.

Two stars — one for the one bed that actually existed.The second bed — and the manager — are still missing in action. The 2nd star is for...

We spent two nights at the Pike's Peak Inn and loved our stay there and Manitou Springs. We weren't sure what to expect when we pulled into the parking lot but the place is really cute with a retro vibe and it is literally in the middle of the vibrant little downtown, so the location is great if you want to walk around. We were lucky to get a room with a deck overlooking the pretty creek (it was a larger room with two sleeping areas). We really loved having that outdoor space to have our morning coffee and beignets that my husband got down the street. In the evening, we'd sit out there and have a glass of wine and listen to the water. The room was huge actually, with two king beds and a seating area and a nice bathroom. My teenage daughter loved having her own nook, so it worked out perfectly. We even ate takeout in our front patio area, where there was a coffee table and a little couch and chairs. My husband loved the relaxed vibe around smoking. There was even a glass ashtray on the patio table, and a hippie, laid-back attitude all-around, which we were happy to see. Elise at the front desk was very nice and helpful and mailed some postcards for us. ||||One great thing is that you can walk to the free shuttle stop to go to the Pike's Peak cog railway so you don't have to pay to park at the Broadmoor. It's an easy back and forth trip and the railroad is amazing--so worth it. Book ahead though! The inn is also mere minutes from Garden of the Gods and also an easy drive into Colorado Springs to the Seven Waterfalls park. ||||If you want a relaxed but nice base to explore Manitou and the surrounding area, this place is great. I would definitely stay there again and...

I recommend staying literally anywhere else in Manitou springs! Even a Motel 6 because at least they have employees and door keys!||The owner is running this on a shoestring budget. I think it's a one man show there is no front desk so they make you download an app just to check in and access your room.||The owner called (from an Texas phone number) 1 hour before our check in and said we need to sign the agreement before we can check in and that they had already gone home for the day at 3pm, we had never received an email though. The owner attempted to send it to my wife and I, we tried multiple phone numbers and emails and could not get anything. The owner said they couldn't do anything for us and would not give us access to our room even when we offered to provide cash or card directly. They insisted we cancel the reservation we made and make it again directly on their website. Very stressful to show up and find out you might not have a place to stay. The owner refused to tell us the booking ID they had which apparently differed from ours. We were eventually able to get a different booking ID from calling our booking agency and this let us in. The app was horrible and difficult to use and completely non-functional on the doors or for check out. We had to use the code to get in it felt very cheap, and there are no deadbolts on the rooms!||The actual rooms were fine and there were almost no other guests at the hotel. They had recently renovated but clearly on a budget corners were literally cut. The shower door was upside down, assembly instructions were left on the toilet, exposed wiring, and more! Save yourself some stress and...