As a Denver resident, I’m in Boulder a few times a month and think of it as the perfect spot for a staycation, especially to unwind after the holidays. The end of December is a beautiful time of the year, but after the work dinners, cocktail parties, and travel to see far-flung family, one glorious night in a hotel, exploring a town I love, is the perfect way to rest, reset, and begin the year in the right mindset.
Tucked into University Hill, the newly built Limelight hotel is the ideal home base for a quick getaway. I brought my husband along for the evening, making sure we checked in before sunset. We quickly dropped our bags in the room, swapping boots and jackets for bathing suits and fluffy robes. From there, it was off to the second floor to take in the views of the snowcapped flatirons from their year-round outdoor pool and hot tub.
On this particular visit, my husband and I ended up chatting with two Thetas who were staying in the hotel because the plumbing was out in their sorority house. As an SEC alum from the 2010s, it was a blast to hear how much college actually hasn’t changed (they still use clickers!) and to talk to people I would otherwise just pass on the street.
That is the magic of the hot tub and part of why it was my first priority for this stay. There’s something about that environment that encourages conversation and storytelling, and I always meet the best people. Plus, as the steam rose off the water and the stars came out, I found myself starting to unwind and lean into the visit, committed to seeing the town through fresh eyes.
After adequate time as human soup, Iouri and I met a friend who lives in Boulder for dinner. Deciding where to eat was difficult with the coziness of the hotel beckoning us to try Ajax Tavern and all of Pearl Street just a stone’s throw away. Ultimately, we decided on Mister Oso, letting the pozole and birria tacos transport us to warmer places.
After dinner, we faced a major choice—return to the hotel to rest or continue in the revelry? We checked the schedule at The Fox Theater and even contemplated an open mic night before ultimately deciding to head back to the lobby bar for a nightcap.
The older I get, the more I appreciate adequate seating, music you can easily talk over, and bartenders who start with a water. This is exactly the experience at the Limelight’s lobby bar, and we tucked into one of the couches, recounting some of our favorite college stories as we watched the Thetas trickle in from an event. After accidentally talking and giggling until almost midnight, we said goodnight to our friend and made our way upstairs to get some good sleep.
When we got to the room, we closed the blackout curtains securely and turned off our phones (and alarms!) to really lean into the vacation part of the staycation. The next morning, we woke up naturally, having both slept well. Then, and this is imperative, we opened the curtains and got back in bed to marvel at the views and enjoy a slow morning in each other’s company.
Perched in the corner of the sixth floor with floor-to-ceiling windows, the flatirons look absolutely stunning. It was the best way to start the day—and it made me so unbelievably grateful to live in Colorado.
The views do not end in the room. The building was seemingly constructed to orient towards the foothills, so as we packed up and headed out, we caught seemingly endless glimpses while waiting for the elevator, contemplating lobby coffee, and checking out.
From there, we decided to try a new-to-us coffee shop, January Coffee. We split a fluffy, gluten-free financier and two dirty chai lattes and enjoyed them in the shop once a table opened up. Even on a weekday, it’s busy, which is not surprising given how good it is.
After coffee, we had a little time to sneak in some of our favorite Boulder things. I got a piece of vintage jewelry from Erica Simon to celebrate a successful 2025, and Iouri thrifted a pair of utility pants from Apocalypse. We saw Aliyana Gewirtzman’s art in person at The New Local and picked up a copy of Broken Country from Boulder Bookstore.
Eventually, meetings and life called us back to Denver, but for a day, we got to break from routine and bring the ever-important traveler mindset to a place we hold dear.
To learn more and book your stay, visit, LimelightHotels.com/Boulder