Avenue Hotel Bed and Breakfast

The Avenue is a Victorian home surrounded by a yard with back patio, a whirlpool, and a garden strewn with antique wagon wheels and a kitchen sink. It was built in 1886, making it one of the older houses in the area, and it served as a boarding house for 50 years. This large home has seven guest bedrooms with private baths along with a Carriage House with two fully equipped one-bedroom apartments. It's set on a hill, its staircase guarded by a stone lion, and two flags – the stars and stripes and the Denver Broncos – billow over the covered front patio.The main house and Carriage House are full of historic heirlooms. Original oil paintings line the walls and there are a series of wooden shelves containing porcelain tea kettles, crystal vases, and handmade knick knacks. There are a few sitting areas on the lower level and rooms on the middle and top floors. There's also a breakfast room that opens up into the kitchen with a large communal table. Like the town of surrounding Manitou, the home has a civilized frontier feel about it.    

The Avenue is smack in the middle of the small, historic town of Manitou Springs, right next to the large lawn of a public library. All of the town’s coffee shops, antique stores, bars, and restaurants can be reached on foot in 10 minutes or less. There's free parking on the street behind the inn. The top three natural tourist attractions: Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and Cave of the Winds are each a six-minute drive away and can be reached by bus in about 10 minutes. Downtown Colorado Springs is a 15-minute drive away and Colorado Springs Airport is 30 minutes. Denver International Airport is about an hour and 40 minutes away by car.

Each of the seven guest rooms and two Carriage House units has its own individual color scheme and decor. Beds are covered in thick quilts (though the bedding may be too fussy for some) and feature antique iron bed frames or handcrafted wooden headboards. Decorations include antique upholstered chairs, ornately framed mirrors and paintings, cushy armchairs and love seats, and large hooded bedside lamps. Some rooms are more spacious than others, but all have private bathrooms, some with claw-foot tubs and others with shower/tub combos. Designed for adults and children 16 or older, a couple of the rooms have an extra single bed/futon but only one of the two Carriage House units allows families with younger children. All rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with cable and DVD players, and a selection of movies, robes, toiletries, wine glasses, and cork screws. 

Breakfasts are made fresh daily and can include omelets, French toast, pancakes, and quiche. The owners can accommodate special diets and gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options are available. For those not wishing to eat at the large communal dining table, a continental breakfast can be delivered to the room or provided to go. Homemade cookies are served in the afternoon. Other features include an outdoor hot tub for guest use and free parking located on the street behind the inn. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.