Glenwood Springs’ newest boutique hotel, Hotel 1888, welcomed its first guests on Thursday after a grand opening ceremony with a ribbon cutting by the Glenwood Springs Chamber Ambassadors on Wednesday.

Nestled within the Stone Bath House at the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, the exclusive 16-room hotel is bringing “European-style luxury” to Glenwood one historic room at a time, according to a Tuesday news release from the resort.

“You have this amazing historic building and the goal is to allow the public to be able to experience it,” said Kevin Flohr, president and CEO of Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. “People are deeply interested in history and I think that’s become a lot of people’s adventures or vacations — to experience history, and this is one great place to do it.”

Construction for the new hotel, which was previously a spa, began in September 2024 and took around nine months to complete. According to Flohr, most of the contractors hired for the project were local, including the construction company — D.M. Neuman Construction Co. 

Named after the resort’s opening date — July 4, 1888 — the hotel pays tribute to the rich history of Glenwood Springs through carefully chosen decor. Historic artifacts, postcards and photos from 1888 to around 1900 are featured throughout the hotel. Many were sourced from the Denver Public Library and the Glenwood Springs Historical Society. During the grand opening of the hotel on Wednesday, the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort donated $5,000 to the historical society. 

“They’re such a valuable resource to our community, and they preserve the history, and this property is a lot of that as well,” Flohr said of the Glenwood Springs Historical Society. “There is a lot of history that can be experienced in this valley and in this town.”

Some hotel features — like the original fireplace in the 1888 Suite — preserve the initial bath house design created by Austrian architect Theodore von Rosenberg, according to the release. 

The hotel was carefully created to allow guests to take a step into the past while enjoying modern luxuries. Modern bathrooms, high ceilings and large windows — some offering water views — add to the luxury of the boutique hotel. The Silver Kings Suite even features a balcony overlooking the Grand Pool. 

“The experience is going to be amazing for anyone that comes here, and they’re going to be so surprised,” Flohr said. “Our first guests that have checked in today are so excited and thrilled, and on all of our tours yesterday, people were just amazed at the history within the building.”

Those staying in the hotel can enjoy a guest membership to the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort Athletic Club, as well as a full breakfast from the 1888 Bistro and access to all Glenwood Hot Springs Resort pools.

“It’s a serious, beautiful, historic addition to our community,” Flohr said. “It is for our community. All of our club members got the tour yesterday — those are all of our locals, and they enjoyed the tours. So it’s not just for visitors. It’s for our community to enjoy as well.”