Our moms said we would come back and stay at this hotel.   And we did.   Here we are at the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.   Many say this hotel is haunted.   Movies have been made here.   And we love it here.  Come on humans.   We ducks climbed the stairs and are waiting for you on the porch.

Let’s go humans

It is time to register for the night.

Checking in

We walked up one flight of stairs to our room.   This area at the top of the stairs is very light.   We loved the mirrors, the chandelier, and the beautiful window.

Looking out from our floor

The sitting or reading area is also very pleasant.   We admired this lamp standing on an old pump.

Great lamp pole

The humans had appointments with Madame Vera.

Visiting Madame Vera

We liked this psychic.   However, the humans won’t tell what she told them.    Isn’t this a calm feeling area?

View of conversation area from our room

This small conversation area can be seen from our room and is just outside the back door of our wing.   We think plants and fire pits are comfortable and soothing.   We think it is time for lunch.   Here is our table.

Outside dining area

The weather was so nice and sunny, outside seating was our preference.   The view of this fountain was nice.

View of waterfall during lunch

We love the sound of cascading water.  Stevie, Soapy Smith Duck’s dog, is with us.   Stevie knows that the container contains lunch treats for her.

Stevie is hoping for leftovers.

The Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for Stephen King’s novel, The Shining.  Although the original movie was not filmed at The Stanley, Stephen King later produced a mini series of The Shining, that was filmed here at this hotel.   This is the doll house that was used in the TV mini series.

Doll House from The Shining mini series

Many movies have been filmed here, including the comedy, Dumb and Dumber.   As you can see, the natural setting of this hotel is film worthy and the hotel itself, rumored to be haunted, is also beautiful and photogenic.   In the lobby we liked this 1910 Stanley Steamer, Model 60.

1910 Stanley Steamer

Freelan Oscar Stanley (F.O. Stanley) and his twin brother, Francis Edgar Stanley owned Stanley Dry Plate Company which produced plates for photography and later the owned Stanley Motor Carriage Company which produced the Stanley Steamer.    This is the bar of the Stanley Hotel, which has been in films, including Dumb and Dumber.

Bar at Stanley Hotel

On previous visits we have enjoyed lunch here at these tables.

Eating area in bar

This hotel opened in 1909 as a guest house for F.O. Stanley’s wealthy friends from the eastern part of the United States.   F.O. Stanley was diagnosed with tuberculous in 1903.   The recommended treatment at that time was relaxation and clean air.   Like many with TB, F.O. Stanley spent summers in the Colorado mountains.   The public restrooms have old elegance.

Public ladies room has old fashioned elegance

When the Stanley Hotel opened in 1909, it featured a hydraulic elevator, dual electric and gas lighting and was the first hotel in the west to have telephones in every room.  In the evening we enjoyed a performance by Aiden Sinclair of Illusions of the Passed.

Waiting for Illusionist, Aiden Sinclair

We did not take photos during the performance.   The show was very good.   If it was magic, is appeared very real.   Ghosts of the past were called and answered by causing bells to ring.   If you visit The Stanley, we recommend this show.   However, on our next visit we will take the evening ghost tour.    Many believe the hotel is haunted and say they have seen ghosts.   Primarily ghosts of happy children on the fourth floor.   Soapy and his mom took the tour a few years ago, but will all hope to go again.   We ate a leisurely breakfast on the front porch while enjoying this view.

View from terrace while eating breakfast at Stanley Hotel

Later we walked around the hotel grounds and saw this bronze elk.

Colorado Traveling Ducks on bronze elk

It did make us smile.   October, 2014 we were here and the lawn of The Stanley was a temporary home to a herd of elk.

Elk herd on the Stanley lawn in 2014

In the fall, the elk often roam all over town and then return to the nearby Rocky National Park.   Before leaving for Denver, we took one more photo, showing Lake Estes and the fabulous Colorado Rocky Mountains.

From Stanley Hotel view of Lake Estes and Colorado’s Rocky Mountains

We hope you visit here soon and also enjoy the spectacular views.