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By Root 2992 0

bed-and-breakfast has 27 forested acres with hiking trails and a trout pond, as well as prolific wildlife and beautiful wildflowers. Very quiet, the inn is at the end of a country lane. The comfortable rooms are decorated with a blend of antique and modern country furniture. All have large tubs, separate showers, and fireplaces; some have refrigerators, and six units offer jetted tubs for two. Smoking is not permitted. Gourmet candlelight dinners ($101 per couple) are available by advance arrangement, but you must supply your own alcoholic beverages.

Stanley Hotel

333 Wonderview Ave. (P.O. Box 1767), Estes Park, CO 80517. ☎ 800/976-1377 or 970/ 586-3371. Fax 970/586-4964. www.stanley hotel.com. 140 units. TV TEL. $169–$249 double, $279–$319 suite, $349–$799 condominium, $1,500 presidential cottage. AE, DISC, MC, V.

Fans of the automotive, the historic, and the horrific should check out this hotel. F. O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steam Car (the Stanley Steamer), built the elegant hotel in 1909, and a flurry of recent projects have restored it to its Victorian grandeur. In 2004, the Stanley gained a new spa and a series of unattached one- to three-bedroom condo units that are the most lavish in town. The equal of European resorts the day it opened, the Stanley was constructed in solid rock at an elevation of 7,800 feet on the eastern slope of the Colorado Rockies. Today the hotel and its grounds are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Stanley Historic District. Each room differs in size and shape, offering a variety of views of Longs Peak, Lake Estes, and surrounding hillsides. All have pay movies and dataports. We prefer the deluxe rooms in the front of the building, with views of Rocky Mountain National Park. There is a restaurant, an outdoor heated pool, a tennis court, and an exercise room.

GRAND LAKE AREA (WEST SIDE OF THE NATIONAL PARK)

For a complete listing of lodging and dining choices in the Grand Lake Area, contact the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 429, Grand Lake, CO 80447-0057 (☎ 800/531-1019 or 970/627-3402; www.grandlakechamber.com).

Black Bear Lodge

12255 U.S. 34 (P.O. Box 609), Grand Lake, CO 80447. ☎ 970/627-3654. www.blackbear grandlake.com. 17 units. TV TEL. $75–$175 double. DISC, MC, V.

Located 3 miles south of town across from Shadow Mountain Lake, this comfortable and well-maintained establishment is a great bet if you're looking for an attractive motel with Western ambience. Some units have two rooms, and some have kitchenettes. Of the 17 units, bathrooms in eight have showers only; the rest have tub/shower combos. The property has a small heated outdoor pool, a sauna, two whirlpools (indoors and outdoors), and a playground. All units are nonsmoking.

Daven Haven Lodge

604 Marina Dr. (P.O. Box 1528), Grand Lake, CO 80447. ☎ 970/627-8144. Fax 970/627-5098. www.davenhavenlodge.com. 16 cabins. TV. $85–$135 unit for 1 to 4, $135–$195 unit for 5 to 8. DISC, MC, V. 3-night minimum during holidays.

Set among pine trees about 1 block from the lake, this group of cabins is a good choice for those seeking peace and quiet in a secluded mountain resort–type setting. There's a welcoming stone fireplace in the lobby plus old Coke machines and several antique jukeboxes—they actually play 78 rpm records! The cabins vary in size, sleeping one to eight people; each has a kitchen and its own picnic table, and six have stone fireplaces. Decor and furnishings vary, but most have attractive light-wood walls and both wood and upholstered furniture. You'll also find a lovely patio, volleyball court, horseshoes, and a bonfire pit. The Back-Street Steakhouse (see "Where to Dine," below) serves dinner nightly in summer and 4 nights a week in winter. All cabins are nonsmoking.

E.G.'s Garden Grill & Country Inn 1000 Grand Ave. (P.O. Box 1618), Grand Lake, CO 80447. ☎ 970/627-8404. www.egs countryinn.com. 3 units. TV TEL. Summer $125–$165 double, rest of year $95–$125 double. Rates include full breakfast. Children under 8 not