The Armstrong Hotel, a Fort Collins’ Original

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel

Built in 1923, and named after the owner of the home that once stood on the property, this historic hotel is a Fort Collins’ original. A stay at The Armstrong Hotel isn’t just a step back in time, but a visit to a slower day and age. 

In the front, the hotel boasts original transoms over the front display windows. These leaded prismatic glass tiles diffuse light into the lobby. As soon as one crosses the original Terrazzo floors, which were popular in the 1920, time slows down. 

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel

Here, the clocks are analog, not digital, and the books on the shelves are real and not just empty covers for display only. The Chesterfield couches invite guests to sit a while, perhaps sipping a coffee and reading a printed newspaper. This nod to a less hectic way of life—one where cameras had real film, phones didn’t take pictures, and wristwatches were for telling time and not just a fashion statement.  

The wallpaper in the lobby, a guest favorite, features elements highlighting the flora and fauna of Colorado and Fort Collins. The custom wall coverings feature renderings of Heart Buttercups and Red Clover, as well as the Colorado state flower, the Columbine. There are birds in the form of a Black-Capped Chickadee and Black Billed Magpie.

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel

During our stay last month, I learned that the wallpaper is the most Instagramed item at the hotel. I would have thought it was art. The art in the lobby is vibrant and tells a story. Curated by NINE dot Arts from Denver, the Salon Wall represents influential Fort Collins residents who have made a mark on the town.  

Some of the people are Temple Grandin, distinguished faculty member at Colorado State University, located down the road, as well as the university’s first African athlete Lt. Col. John Mosely, who was also a Tuskegee Airman. There are others, too, by artists Haley Hasler of Fort Collins and Michael Dowling of Denver. 

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel

Up the curved stairway near the back of the lobby, by two comfy-looking wingback chairs, this boutique hotel features 54 unique guest rooms and suites. Here, the theme of history and vintage life permeates through plaid sofas, whimsical art, local pressed and famed flowers and even vintage shoe forms on the walls.

The rooms are spacious, many include a separate bedroom and sitting room, and the hotel is dog-friendly. This is an important factor for us when we travel, as like many Coloradans, we like to travel with our dog Fritzi. This was her second time staying at The Armstrong Hotel, and in fact, it was here where her first-ever elevator ride occurred in 2019, just months after we got her. She’s a lucky travel dog. 

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel

Open Friday through Sunday, Ace Cafe operates in the lobby of the hotel. Brunch is popular, and the dog-friendly patio is a plus. Sometimes brunch is accompanied by live music, as Fort Collins is a city brimming with musicians. Beneath the hotel, and kind of hidden, akin to a speakeasy, guests will find Ace Gillette’s. Named after a 1930s liquor smuggler and owner of the Northern Hotel in Fort Collins, The Armstrong’s Hotels bar is an ode to him. 

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel

Featuring classy bartenders, jazz on the record player, low lighting and lots of places to converse with friends, this has been a Fort Collins hot spot since it opened in 2010. An excellent place for a date night, guests can enjoy a menu of everything from charcuterie to burgers. 

Drinks include items like the Chai Society, described as “spiced, creamy, and gently boozy: modern comfort in a glass.” The recipe is brandy, apple liqueur, Happy Lucky chai tea (local), caramel foam and topped with a dehydrated apple. The Armstrong Hotel has everything necessary for a great Fort Collins escape, including a coffee shop next door to the hotel. Really, what more do you need?

Photo: Courtesy The Armstrong Hotel