A historic 1888 Victorian hotel in downtown Durango, featuring the world's largest collection of antique American walnut furniture and the legendary Diamond Belle Saloon.
The Strater Hotel has anchored the corner of Main Avenue and 7th Street in downtown Durango since its construction in 1887. Conceived by Henry Strater, a twenty-eight-year-old pharmacist from Cleveland, the grand structure was built using 376,000 native red bricks and hand-carved sandstone cornices, opening its doors on August 31, 1888. Henry Strater, lacking hospitality experience, leased the property to H.L. Rice but neglected to exclude his own pharmacy space from the lease. This oversight led to a bitter dispute and Strater building a rival hotel next door, though both men were ultimately ruined by the Silver Panic of 1895. In 1926, a consortium led by Earl A. Barker Sr. purchased the aging property, beginning a ninety-five-year period of stewardship by the Barker family. In May 2021, ownership transitioned to Ross Garrett and Karen Hutcherson, who continue to operate the landmark as an independent property. The building itself is an architectural showcase of eclectic Victorian design, blending Italianate Romanesque structures with Renaissance Revival details and a prominent corner tower.
Inside, the hotel houses the world's largest collection of American Victorian walnut furniture, a curatorial effort that began in 1963 when the owners discovered a particularly striking walnut bed in Room 322. Today, the lobby and eighty-eight guest rooms are styled with these heavy, dark-wood antiques, complemented by vintage Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper, patterned carpets, and gaslight-style fixtures. The woodwork in the lobby, designed in collaboration with master woodworker Charles Schumacher, features intricate cherry wood carvings and secret compartments, including one hidden in the main staircase. Each guest room is individually configured, with many dedicated to figures from regional history. Room 222, the Louis L'Amour Room, is perhaps the most famous. The prolific Western novelist regularly stayed in this room to write several of his Sackett series books, specifically requesting the space because it sat directly above the saloon, where the muffled sounds of ragtime music helped him capture the atmosphere of the frontier.
The social life of the hotel revolves around its historic venues, each offering a distinct window into the past. The Diamond Belle Saloon is a legendary honky-tonk where bartenders and waitstaff dress in late-nineteenth-century attire, including garters and corsets, and ragtime pianists perform on a vintage upright piano. For a more formal dining experience, the Mahogany Grille features polished wood, white linens, and a menu of contemporary American dishes that reference classic Western ingredients. Adjacent to the lobby, the Office Spiritorium serves craft cocktails in a library-like setting dominated by dark wood and leather. Throughout the public spaces, windowed showcases display historical artifacts, mining tools, and antique collectibles, transforming the hallways into a living museum that connects modern travelers directly to the late-Victorian era of Southwest Colorado.
Request Room 222, the Louis L'Amour Room, where the famous Western author wrote several of his Sackett novels while listening to the ragtime music rising from the saloon below.
Where to Stay — Curated accommodations hand-picked by Basecamp West. Glamping, boutique hotels, historic lodges, and unique stays across the American West.