Hotels in Colorado Springs (Craig, Woodland Park: apartments, rentals, condos)

[beegan]

Any recommendations for a hotel in the "perfect" location? We'll be visiting CS for the first time before our big move there so we'd like to be as centrally located as possible.Our mission of this trip is to get a feel for where we'd like to move to and to familarize ourselves with the area. Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

[KickAssArmyChick]

I think the Marriott TownePlace Suites Colorado Springs on Centennial Blvd is in a good location. It's close to Garden of the Gods and to I-25. ( Exit 146 )
I actually stayed there when my apartment was destroyed by fire in September and loved it.

[Mike from back east]

Centrally located to me means in our relatively small downtown, in which case the Antlers Hilton takes the cake for location. The whole of our downtown is walkable from there, and it's safe.

If you don't work from home, where is the job located, what is your price range for buying or renting and are schools an issue?

Have you researched the available info on this site or starting out cold?

[beegan]

Thanks KickAssarmychick (love the name) and Mike!
We have researched a lot of the info on this site and others.Im being transfered from MI out to CO, and I will be working in and around CS.Essentially Ill be working about a 50 mile radious around the city. We are primarily just trying to get a feel for where we would like to live. Ill be out there about 6 months before my husband so we arent sure weather to start me off in an apartment/condo-then pick our home/area or what...so needless to say we will be exploring a lot of CS in a short time. We really love the Woodland Park area, but Im not sure if i want to be that far from the city/security until he arrives. I guess that's the girl in me

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by beegan

Thanks KickAssarmychick (love the name) and Mike!
We have researched a lot of the info on this site and others.Im being transfered from MI out to CO, and I will be working in and around CS. Essentially Ill be working about a 50 mile radious around the city. We are primarily just trying to get a feel for where we would like to live. Ill be out there about 6 months before my husband so we arent sure weather to start me off in an apartment/condo-then pick our home/area or what...so needless to say we will be exploring a lot of CS in a short time. We really love the Woodland Park area, but Im not sure if i want to be that far from the city/security until he arrives. I guess that's the girl in me

By all means rent for 6-12 months so you can pick exactly what works for you in the way of commuting, schools, amenities, eateries, shopping, culture, etc. IMO, commuting a lot from WP to a 50-mile radius of the city is going to eat you up on gas plus hours of driving time and will get very old very fast. Lots of safe apartments, condo's, TH's and SFH to rent here.

[beegan]

Mike,
We're thinking that will be the best option until we understand the area.I dont have to worry quite yet about children/school district but would love to be in an area full of old fashion beauty and history.
But in the mean time I know the scenery will be worth the hours spent driving.Coming from the Detroit area...well Im not even sure how to finish that Just kidding-Detroit is fabulous, regardless of what most will say.
Anyhow, would you recommend any local publications advertising homes,condos in and around the area for rent?Any local pubs we should visit,or restaurants??
Thanks for your time!

[Summerz]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Centrally located to me means in our relatively small downtown, in which case the Antlers Hilton takes the cake for location. The whole of our downtown is walkable from there, and it's safe.

If you don't work from home, where is the job located, what is your price range for buying or renting and are schools an issue?

Have you researched the available info on this site or starting out cold?

I worked at the Antlers many moons ago, very nice indeed.

Also i TRIED to ice skate at the Broadmoor, 5 Star Hotels & Luxury Resorts in Colorado | The Broadmoor | Golf Luxury Spa Vacations another really nice place to stay and or just visit yet rather pricey.

[DOUBLE H]

Originally Posted by Summerz

I worked at the Antlers many moons ago, very nice indeed.

Also i TRIED to ice skate at the Broadmoor, 5 Star Hotels & Luxury Resorts in Colorado | The Broadmoor | Golf Luxury Spa Vacations another really nice place to stay and or just visit yet rather pricey.

Summerz is right. The Antlers IS first class. I grew up in the Springs for several years, fondly remember the old Antlers, hated to see it torn down but understood why.

The Broadmoor? Pricey? Yep! One word adjective? Awesome!

[mogon]

Originally Posted by beegan

...would love to be in an area full of old fashion beauty and history.

Parts of downtown fit this, as does Old Colorado City. Both have a fascinating history and some fascinating architecture. Very diverse housing stock too. Some parts are safer than others, but the Springs, unlike so many urban areas, has a very liveable downtown.

By the way, in terms of a long term hotel stay, identify the ones you are interested in (and I'd second the Antlers Hilton), then send a fax to those hotels (and make sure it has all the hotels on the heading, so they each know they're not the only one) with your dates and "request for a proposal" concerning what they would charge you. Follow up with a phone call to the manager(s). The rates you see on the hotel's website are purely a suggestion and apply mostly to one-off travelers who are staying a few nights. But for a long-term guest, particularly in this economy, the manager is usually empowered to do most anything to get your business.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by beegan

Mike, We're thinking that will be the best option until we understand the area.I dont have to worry quite yet about children/school district but would love to be in an area full of old fashion beauty and history.

But in the mean time I know the scenery will be worth the hours spent driving.Coming from the Detroit area...well Im not even sure how to finish that Just kidding-Detroit is fabulous, regardless of what most will say.

Anyhow, would you recommend any local publications advertising homes,condos in and around the area for rent?

Any local pubs we should visit,or restaurants??

Thanks for your time!

Old fashioned beauty and charm:

Check out The Old North End. North of downtown, walkable even from the Antlers. Streets that run north/south, like Weber, Wahsatch, Cascade and cross streets. Up as far as Penrose Hospital at Jackson St, plus a few more blocks. Zip codes there are 80903 and 80907.

For a funkier side of town, off to the west of downtown a few miles is Old Colorado City (search the forum on that term and on OCC). Zips are either 80903 and/or 80904. Older small homes, like purple bungalows. Walkabout to eateries. Good food here, try Paravachini's at Colorado and 26th for great Italian, but there are so many more on the west end of OCC.

Not much charm on the far north and east where I'm at, it's all tract housing, very nice, but not what you're looking for.

Publications:

The national realtor site does rentals as well as sales. Put in a zip or a city name and click a few options.

Tons of other sites, like rent.com or rentals.com etc.

Beware Craigslist, lots of scammers, read the warnings, check with us on specific CL listings if you wish. If an ad sounds too good to be true, it's probably a Nigerian scammer.

Best local paper is The Gazette. The Indy has a few ads too.

Zip code map may come in handy.


FOOD

Lots of food in the downtown. Antlers is fine. Across the street from there is Phantom Canyon brewpub which is excellent. Another block east is Tejon, which is Spanish for Street of Many Eats. Like the Jack Quinn Irish Pub or The Famous steakhouse or dozens of others. Sunday Brunch at the 5-star Broadmoor is not to be missed. Search the forum with keywords like sushi, mexican, pizza, italian, steak, Broadmoor, etc to find existing info.

Up towards WP people swear by the Bear Mountain Grill and the Swiss Chalet.

In Manitou, a touristy town just west of the city, are a ton of places like the Craftwood Inn, Briarhurst Manor, Stagecoach Inn, Mona Lisa (fondue) and many more.


It'll take you a year to try all of these places and to search out your perfect home.