Ouray Inn — Hotel in Telluride

There are places you go to — and then there are places you feel. Ouray Inn belongs to the second kind.

Tucked just off the bustle of Main Street, it doesn’t try to impress you with flash. Instead, it welcomes you like a long-lost friend. The log-framed walls, the crisp scent of pine in the air, the rustle of aspens outside your window — everything about it whispers, not shouts. It’s the kind of quiet that wraps around you like a warm flannel blanket.

Our room was simple in the most comforting way. No forced luxury, just honesty. And that honesty is rare. There’s a lived-in warmth here, a quiet dignity that you only find in places built by people who cared. We learned that a couple named Kenneth and Dorothy Moorhead ran the place for over a decade with near-mythical precision — they once went 11 years and only lost four towels. Somehow, that small fact says more than any brochure ever could.

But what truly moved us wasn’t just the setting — though waking up to those mountain peaks kissing the morning sky is a memory we’ll carry forever — it was the stories this place holds in its bones.

One evening, sitting outside under a navy-blue sky scattered with stars, we heard about a guest who once checked in quietly, many years ago. A man, soft-spoken, traveling with his wife. He had asked to be taken deep into the mountains, somewhere remote, unreachable. The innkeeper obliged, driving them out toward the base of Uncompahgre Peak. Only later would he realize who that quiet man was: J. Robert Oppenheimer. A man who had helped split the atom — now seeking wholeness in the stillness of these mountains.

There was something haunting and beautiful about that. Because as we sat there, my wife and I, in the very same quiet, we felt it too — the need to unplug, to disappear, not out of fear, but to remember who we are. And maybe that’s what Ouray Inn offers more than anything else: the space to be still, and in that stillness, to feel human again.

We didn’t just stay at a cottage — we stepped into a story. One that’s still being written, one guest at a time.

And if you ever find yourself needing to escape the noise — not just of the city, but of the world — you’ll find peace here. In the shadows of the San Juans. At the quiet little inn that even history...

Not autism friendly

While I understand the hotels “strict 48 policy for cancellations” I feel the need to warn other families so they are not out the money like we were.

My daughter has Asperger’s with auditory processing disorder. She usually does fine in hotels, even noisy ones, as long as the noise is consistent.

Our welcome was great and the inn is located in a perfect area. We checked in and went to dinner down the street. The couple who checked us in were very kind and helpful.

We got back to our room, and the temperature in the room was perfect. Nice and cool. We got ready for bed and that is when things went downhill. After about an hour, I was feeling extremely hot. Of course I am old and attributed it to a hot flash. But my daughter was commented she was so hot she was melting. All night the air conditioner made noises like clicking, sometimes even banging. The noise changed every few hours. I never heard it click back on to cool the room. Just noises changing all night. It was the worst night and we barely got any sleep. Opening the window helped cool the room off, but the noises coming from the a/c made it extremely difficult for both of us to sleep, but was especially upsetting to my daughter.

Not to mention we could not even close the bathroom door without it catching on the floor and making a terrible noise. We were afraid of damaging the door because we could already see it splitting at the bottom where the door hit the floor.

The next day I commented that we got no sleep and the a/c was making noises all night (and not your typical a/c in the window. We have used those for years and know what sounds they make). That we would have to cut out stay short (we had 2 nights). I was then informed of the strict cancellation policy. I asked if I could explain the situation to the owners directly. I was told the owners are extremely busy.

I waited a full week and a half after our stay in hopes of a refund for the unused night. Again, I understand their strict policy, but want to warn others so they are not out so much money for an...

It’s a nice inn. Everything is fine except for the wifi — which isn’t a big deal. I've no complaints about the room or the hotel in general. As far as Ouray motels go, you probably can't do much better.

Unfortunately, there was a big mixup with my reservation and I was forced to leave 2 days earlier than expected. Prior to leaving home, I had called and spoke to a gentlemen about extending my stay a couple days. He said he could make it work, and would move things around so I could stay in the same room the entire stay. I specifically asked him if I would have to switch rooms for the 2 extra days, and he said no he could move things around so I would be in the same room the entire time. Fast forward to today, I was politely asked by the lady at the front desk why I hadn’t left my room and that they only had me staying until today. I told her about the conversation I had prior to my stay, and I showed her the call log on my phone. She called the gentlemen I spoke to, who then called me, and told me he had no recollection of our conversation and that I would have to leave. I informed him I had showed the call log to the front desk, and he came up with several other suggestions -- ultimately landing on me misunderstanding what he had said. I did not hallucinate our conversation. Also, when I checked in, the person at the front desk could not find the key to the room number written on my reservation, so I was placed in another room. I would not be surprised if this is related. The ball was absolutely dropped by the inn here. Ultimately, they don’t have me down for the next 2 days and they have no vacancy now, so I am heading home 2 days earlier than expected. I’ve been visiting Ouray for the better half of a decade, and would have gladly stayed here again, but this experience is...