The Ruby of Crested Butte

We park the car when we get here and don't need it again until we leave. Crested Butte is walkable, the bus stop is about two minutes away, and a shuttle heads to the mountain every 20 minutes. That's a big part of why my wife and I have kept coming back for almost 10 years. It really does feel like a European-style guest house. The rooms are small and don't have TVs, but the inviting shared spaces make that easy to live with. Mornings over coffee and breakfast feel like being at a friend's place, and it's natural to chat with other guests by the fireplace. Breakfast changes a little day to day, with yogurt, fruit, granola, baked goods, and more. Upstairs there's room to linger over breakfast or eat takeout for dinner. Fresh cookies arrive each afternoon, and the back-deck hot tub has towels provided.

The room's on the small side, but it's got what you need, and the shuttle to the ski hill is right nearby. I loved the cozy, home-like feel and how welcoming it was from the start. There are nice places to hang out, tea, afternoon wine, and a roomy hot tub with a mountain view. I'd stay again.

The walls don't block much sound, though every room has a noise machine, and you can hear what's happening nearby. Rooms are small, a bit worn, but clean and cheerful. The Cristiana Guesthaus has a fun, homey feel and plenty of extras for its size: bikes to borrow, a hot tub, sauna, coffee and tea, plus lobby wine and cookies. Breakfast was on the small side, with lots of fresh choices and an orange juice press. It's easy to walk to Elk Ave.

We loved the location, the dog-friendly setup, the clean room, comfortable bed, and nice breakfast. But around 4 am someone tried to get into our room, and that left us feeling really uneasy. The lobby stays unlocked all night, while the room doors have neither peepholes nor deadbolts. We tried to reach staff, but there's never anyone at the desk, just someone available through a ring camera. For what this place costs, they should add another lock to the doors.