The Cliff House at Pikes Peak
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The town of Manitou Springs grew up around the gold mines in the Pikes Peak area in the late 1850s. The structure that became the 20-room boarding house known as "The Inn" originally was a stagecoach stop on the route from Colorado Springs to Leadville, one of the most famous stagecoach runs of the American West. Even the earliest guests, mostly trappers and hunters on their way to or from Colorado Springs, were drawn to the inviting parlors and rambling porches. When the mines in Leadville proved bountiful, many rich capitalists made their way through Manitou Springs, bringing more business to the small inn. There were times when tents had to be pitched next to the building to accommodate the overflow of guests.
When the gold strikes in the Pikes Peak region began to play out, travel through Manitou Springs dwindled. By 1876, The Inn was struggling to find guests. Fortunately, over the next half-dozen years, interest in the town's ancient mineral springs was beginning to increase. For hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years, the springs had bubbled up from underground limestone aquifers that carbonated the water and infused it with minerals. The water was cool, good-tasting and had a high concentration of minerals that benefit the body. American Indians had been drinking it straight from the springs for hundreds of years, believing them to have healing powers.
The Inn's future was intertwined with the springs by Edward E. Nichols, who had come West in the 1870s to fight a battle with tuberculosis. Having beaten the illness, Nichols moved permanently to Manitou Springs, a town where he served as mayor for eight terms. In 1886 he bought The Inn, renaming it The Cliff House and converting it to a sophisticated resort hotel that capitalized on the sparkling waters and mineral springs in the region.
In 1914, Nichols collaborated with Colorado Governor Shoup to found the Manitou Bath House Company. The new company turned the struggling community into a resort specializing in water therapies. The Cliff House at Pikes Peak capitalized on the sudden influx of wealthy clients eager to take advantage of the healing powers of the springs. The hotel became a resort for the wealthy and remained popular well into the 20th century. In the 30 years that followed the founding of the Manitou Bath House Company, Nichols expanded the hotel from 20 rooms to 56, and eventually to 200. The result was the beautiful, four-and-a-half story building that still stands today.
The Cliff House at Pikes Peak became a prime vacation destination for the wealthy, and guests included Theodore Roosevelt; Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria; William Henry Jackson; Charles Dickens Jr.; P.T. Barnum; Thomas Edison; Clark Gable; F. W. Woolworth; and, J. Paul Getty. All guests of The Cliff House received the personalized attention expected at a premier resort hotel. Concerts were scheduled on the grounds each evening, and each morning guests were given programs detailing the evening's entertainment. Each evening, guests enjoyed formal dinners, then delighted in the evening's concert. After enjoying the entertainment, guests were encouraged to walk across the street to the Soda Springs for a glass of fresh spring water before retiring. The Cliff House at Pikes Peak even had underground tunnels leading from the hotel to the spa across the street.
In later years, a bathhouse was built at the spa, and bell boys from the hotel would cross to the spring to fill bottles and glasses with the sparkling water for the guests. The Cliff House at Pikes Peak soon became the most popular hotel and spa in the Colorado Springs region, drawing people from all walks of life and from around the world. For all its successes, The Cliff House at Pikes Peak also endured some hard times and disasters. In 1921, a flash flood roared down Williams Canyon and washed through the hotel's Grill Room, a small sandwich and soda shop in the rear of the East wing, destroying all the hymn books and buckling the floor all the way to the ceiling.
California real estate developer James S. Morley bought The Cliff House at Pikes Peak in 1981, turning the historic building into a 42-unit apartment building. But in its second disaster of the century, the building caught fire in March, 1982, the fourth floor roof sustaining so much damage it had to be replaced. In addition, the interior was stripped of all plumbing, plaster and floor coverings. The water damage sustained from the fire was so extensive as to threaten the very existence of the building, so immediate action was taken to preserve what remained. Due to the local economy, the building stood vacant for 16 years.
Since The Cliff House had been placed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the fire also raised concerns among citizens groups and government agencies that supported its renovation. In 1997, Morley committed to the restoration, vowing to restore the hotel to its original distinction and fame, preserving the Rocky Mountain Victorian architecture of the 1800s, but incorporating 21st Century state-of-the-art technology and amenities. $10 million worth of restoration, refurbishing, and loving care have realized this vision.
On September 15, 2006 The Cliff House at Pikes Peak was sold to Gal-Tex Corporation and is now under the management of 1859 Historic Hotels www.1859HistoricHotels.com 1859 Historic Hotels remains commited the current management team including Paul York General Manager. Paul has been with The Cliff House since prior to the re-opening in July 1999. Gal-Tex has also purchased The historic Wheeler House and plans to renovate this property.
About The Cliff House at Pikes Peak Originally built in 1874, The Cliff House at Pikes Peak is located in Colorado’s historic Manitou Springs at the Front Range of the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Adjacent to Colorado Springs and 70-miles south of Denver, the 55-room Cliff House, second oldest hotel operating in Colorado, features 19th century Victorian charm, décor, and architecture with 21st century technology and service. Following a $10 million renovation in 1997, the hotel now offers studios, junior and deluxe suites, and celebrity suites decorated to evoke memories of such former guests as Theodore Roosevelt, Clark Gable, and P.T. Barnum. Accommodations range in price from $145.00 to $475.00. The Cliff House, a member of Historic Hotels of America and Conde Nast Johansens and is included on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The Cliff House Dining Room features the Continental Nouveau cuisine of Chef Scott Savage. With a front veranda, open gardens and patios offering panoramic Rocky Mountain views, The Cliff House at Pikes Peak is the perfect base from which to enjoy the Pikes Peak Cog Railroad, Cave of the Winds, Garden of the Gods, Manitou Cliff Dwellings Preserve, and Miramont Castle.
The Cliff House at Pikes Peak has just recently received the distinction of “Top 100 Hotels of the World” from Travel + Leisure Magazine.
For further information, visit www.thecliffhouse.com or www.1859HistoricHotels.com , email info@thecliffhouse.com or call 888-212-7000.
