Limelight Boulder, the first-ever hotel property operated in partnership with CU Boulder is officially open, marking a major milestone for Aspen One, the Limelight Hotels brand, CU Boulder and the City of Boulder. Arriving at a pivotal time for the destination, Limelight Boulder debuts with immersive amenities and experiences designed to capture the city’s vibrant creative spirit and contagious energy, connecting guests and the community alike to the best of Boulder.
Limelight Boulder serves as a modern destination for discovery, connection, celebration, and adventure. With sustainability at the forefront of its design, it is the largest all-electric hotel in the country, featuring 252 contemporary guestrooms and suites offering a tranquil retreat after a day of adventure. Incorporating rich blues, pops of vivid yellow, and crisp grays, each accommodation is intentionally designed to reflect Boulder’s bold persona while bringing the comfort, warmth, and functionality of a true home away from home, with the wood giving the space a light, airy feel, and grays nod to a modern sensibility. Designed in collaboration between Meyer Davis and HBA San Francisco, the guest rooms incorporate thoughtful touches, including expansive windows framing mountain views or views of Downtown Boulder to create an inviting atmosphere that balances style with a sense of place, featuring curved, flowing forms that combine with angular lines, creating a sense of movement that mirrors Boulder’s natural topography. Additionally, Limelight Boulder boasts a curated art collection helmed by Eaton Fine Art, including a suspended art installation set within the lobby. The property boasts 26,000 square feet of adaptable indoor and outdoor event space, designed by Bentel and Bentel, crowned by a stunning 15,000-square-foot ballroom that transforms seamlessly for any occasion. Whether it’s an intimate gathering of 10 or a grand celebration for 1,000, Limelight Boulder provides a distinctive setting that blends style, flexibility, and flawless execution.
Built to LEED Gold standards and incorporating a bright, contemporary aesthetic, Limelight Boulder’s design reduces emissions while merging sustainable living and sophisticated comfort. The property’s architecture and landscape architecture, helmed by the world-renowned WATG, create a vibrant community hub that reactivates a historic corner of Boulder. The architecture integrates programming that responds to the site and city context, aligning design vision with technical expertise. The landscape architecture uses native plants in both formal and natural arrangements. The central courtyard is anchored by a Flatirons-inspired fountain, a nod to Boulder’s iconic rock formations. The rooftop pool offers expansive mountain views, connecting the campus to its natural surroundings.
Located on CU Boulder’s campus, Limelight Boulder puts guests in the center of it all – from Pearl Street Mall’s shops and restaurants to outdoor escapes like hiking the Flatirons, kayaking Boulder Creek, and exploring more than 300 miles of nearby trails. Just around the corner from Folsom Field, home turf of the CU Buffaloes, the hotel debuts in time for the football season, presenting a spirited destination where students, families, and fans can come together to celebrate.
Limelight Boulder offers a range of well-curated amenities to enhance every stay. Guests can relax and rejuvenate in the heated rooftop pool overlooking the mountains, gather around cozy outdoor fire pits, or enjoy the dedicated coworking space, state-of-the-art fitness center, and lively game room. In-room comforts include safes, plush bathrobes, humidifiers, high-speed wireless internet access, and on-demand movies to ensure a relaxing and connected experience.
An assortment of culinary options awaits guests at Limelight Boulder, including the iconic Ajax Tavern. Bringing the celebrated après spirit of Aspen’s iconic slopeside dining destination to the Front Range with a unique local flair, Ajax Tavern perfectly combines alpine sophistication with Boulder’s signature blend of adventure, authenticity, and relaxed charm. Guests can indulge in beloved classics like the Ajax Wagyu Double Cheeseburger and Ajax Truffle Fries, along with new Boulder-inspired dishes including Butternut Squash Ravioli and Roasted Half Chicken. Complementing these offerings, the Ajax Airstream will make appearances at CU Boulder home games later this season, serving signature menu items to guests and fans alike during tailgates. The restaurant will also introduce unique immersive experiences, such as Steak Your Future, a unique program for graduating CU Boulder seniors that begins with purchasing a locally sourced steak that will be dry-aged in Limelight Denver’s Dry Aging Room, and culminating in serving the steak at a celebratory graduation dinner, flavorfully marking this milestone in their journey.
In addition to Ajax Tavern, the property welcomes Crepe Therapy Café, a beloved Aspen and Snowmass crêperie helmed by James Beard-honored chef Mawa McQueen. For the first time on the Front Range, Mawa brings her signature approach to Limelight Boulder with wellness-driven, artisanal crêpes made from the highest-quality sustainable ingredients and inspired by her Parisian upbringing. Menu highlights include the Crème Brûlée Crêpe (vanilla cream custard and brown sugar brûlée), and the Boulder Crêpe (gruyere & Swiss, rotisserie chicken, basil pesto, exotic mushrooms), which first debuted over 7 years ago as a tribute to the Boulder community.
A robust lineup of new brand programming is also offered across the property, including Limelight Live and Adventure Architects. These programs each represent Limelight’s unwavering commitment to providing its guests with unparalleled discovery and exploration opportunities that extend far beyond traditional accommodations.
Limelight Live, the brand’s new entertainment program designed to enhance the guest experience and embrace the local community, celebrates both emerging and established musical artists via weekly intimate performances as well as large-scale, seasonal concerts – and transforms the hotel’s spaces into premier destinations for gathering.
Additionally, the property serves as the catalyst for Limelight’s Adventure Architects program launch. Comprised of in-house local experts, the team of “Architects” carefully craft adventures that unlock the destination’s hidden gems. Tailored to guests’ interests and preferences, Limelight’s Adventure Architects create bespoke itineraries – including luxury transportation in premium Audi vehicles – to transform every stay into a journey of exploration.
Limelight Boulder joins the growing Limelight Hotels portfolio, which includes destinations in Aspen, Snowmass, Ketchum, and Denver, and soon-to-be Mammoth, California, as well as Charleston, South Carolina (coming 2028). Following in the footsteps of its sister property in downtown Denver, Limelight Boulder will extend the brand’s signature spirit of authentic hospitality to the Front Range of the Rockies.
For additional information, please visit www.limelighthotels.com/boulder and for reservations, please visit here.
Hotel website
Limelight Boulder
1295 University Ave
Boulder, CO 80302
United States
+1 303-547-9266
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