St. Elmo Hotel

The gnocchi and burger were both delicious, comforting, and satisfying without being too heavy. The kitchen seems thoughtful, and with the new chef and hotel management, things feel like they're heading in a good direction. St. Elmo has plenty of local history, though the place also feels renewed. I stopped in on a Thursday night and found the mood relaxed and easy. With the cozy setting and well-prepared food, it's somewhere I'd gladly return, whether I'm local or just passing through Ouray.

We went in for dinner after noticing the open front door while strolling through town. The little historic lobby had a book about the hotel and a menu for its newly reconfigured restaurant. A front desk clerk encouraged us to try it, and I'm glad we did. I'm from Philadelphia, and we were meeting a local couple there. The cellar dining room is intimate and charming, and the restaurant and building both have a lot of history. When the weather's right, there's also an interesting indoor-outdoor bar and seating area next to the hotel. We shared gnocchi with fresh garden salad and a bottle of Alexander Valley Pinot Noir. Someone else had pasta, and I had the Wagyu burger with beet salad. Everything was first-rate, and the service was impeccable. The new owners reopened the restaurant about six months ago and brought in a chef trained professionally in Italy. You can tell. This should be on your list when dining in Ouray, Colorado.

I didn't stay at the hotel, just ate at the tavern. The dim lighting and cozy atmosphere were especially nice while it was raining and thundering outside. I started with a blueberry mojito, a refreshing way to kick off the evening. The penne vodka was delicious, with generous chunks of trout and prawns, and the sauce was easily the best vodka sauce I've ever had. I believe our waitress said the new chef came from Italy, so reviews from three months ago or earlier may not reflect the current cooking.

It's a lovely, very clean hotel just off Main Street, and we enjoyed the unique stay enough to come back. Breakfast was my one disappointment. From the reviews, I expected more, but the choices were granola, yogurt, a pastry, and grapefruit, with nothing hot. The woman serving breakfast was incredibly sweet, though, and made it a pleasant experience. We'd definitely stay here again.