All work and no play......
The Stanley Hotel, located in Estes Park, Colorado has a long and storied history with more than one big name Hollywood hit to its credit. The hotel is a Colonial Revival style Inn built at the turn of the century and opened to the public on July 4, 1909. The name originates from the owner, Freelan Oscar Stanley better known for the infamous Stanley Steamer.
The Stanley's most famous guest, Stephen King, spent the night in the 1970's inspiring his novel 'The Shining'. Arriving at the end of the season, King and his wife Tabitha were the only guests checked in. Describing the eerie surroundings King found himself instantly inspired. As he puts it 'It was like God put him there to see those things.' After a quiet and lonely dinner, Tabitha went to bed but King spent the night at the bar and walking the abandoned hallways. He says:
"That night I dreamed of my three-year-old son running through the corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming. He was being chased by a fire-hose. I woke up with a tremendous jerk, sweating all over, within an inch of falling out of bed. I got up, lit a cigarette, sat in a chair looking out the window at the Rockies, and by the time the cigarette was done, I had the bones of the book firmly set in my mind."
The hotel was not featured in the Stanley Kubrick film based on King's novel, instead opting for The timberline Lodge in Mount Hood Oregon. King criticized Kubrick's version heavily and eventually was able to recreate the film he had envisioned as a mini-series in the 1990s. This version, truer to the novel, characters and intent of the story was filmed at the Stanley Hotel with King overseeing production.
The Shining is not the only film credit enjoyed by the Stanley Hotel. In the Jim Carey classic 'Dumb and Dumber' when Harry and Lloyd arrive in 'Aspen' to return the suitcase full of cash, they're actually in Estes Park. The exterior hotel shots, including the Lamborghini on the front steps and the interior bar shots are on location at the Stanley Hotel. The moon landing newspaper still hangs in the lobby bar.
The Stanley Hotel was built as a retreat for the embattled Freelan Stanley to escape the symptoms of his progressing tuberculosis. Thinner, dry air was recommended and proved to be just what the doctor ordered. Though the hotel has enjoyed much notoriety and more than a little publicity for its paranormal connections, they have shied away from encouraging this image under current management. The hotel does offer a paranormal activity tour for guests but requests for TV appearances, documentaries and exposes on things going bump in the night are routinely declined in favor of glorifying the rich and colorful past the property has to offer outside of scary stories. As seen below the Stanley Hotel still has plenty to offer: