High Country Hostel Prepares To Offer Unique Getaway Options
SILVERTHORNE, Colo, (CBS4)- The pandemic hasn't changed the cost of a family ski vacation, but it has created financial strain for many. It's why a new boutique-style hostel in Summit County could be a perfect solution.
"We have a motto that's kind of, spend the money on the activities that brought you here, not the bed that you're sleeping in," said Rob Baer.
Rob and his wife, Lynne, are the owners, operators and developers of The Pad in Silverthorne. It's a unique design utilizes storage containers for some of the rooms, and, when complete, it will have a combination of community living along with private, luxury suites.
"We have roughly 75 bunk beds and 11 different sizes of dormitory rooms, and then beyond that, we have micro rooms, small private hotel rooms, as well as regular deluxe private hotel rooms with balconies. We also have one- and two-bedroom suites that will have kitchenettes if you wanted to come up and stay a little bit longer," said Rob.
The 28,000 square foot building sits on two acres along the Blue River, where Silverthorne's old Robinson Dairy was located. It's where CBS4 first met couple in 2017 before they broke ground.
"Seeing it with the dairy on it, you know, it was underutilized, and there just wasn't a lot going on," said Lynne. "Now you know, standing on the roof and being in front of the mountains, it's exciting to be here, and we can't wait to have people up on the roof of our bar for events."
The Pad won't be fully ready until spring, but getting to this point has been a long process. A typical hostel-style stay means communal living and bunking with strangers. With the pandemic, the Baers have had to adjust.
"We can switch our focus to a little bit more of group travel where, if you had groups of friends coming up from the Front Range, you can book out an entire six bunk dorm and you can all stay in one room instead of having to book multiple hotel rooms," said Rob.
For the first time in more than three years, CBS4 toured the site, where construction crews were on the home stretch, building up the walls of the hostile.
Like many, the Baers have their sights set on a return to normalcy, but when The Pad opens in the spring, the say they're prepared for ongoing pandemic restrictions.
"We'll have a ton of outdoor area on our roof deck, we also have a big outdoor patio that's right on the bike path and the river too, so hopefully people- no matter what the situation is, can come and enjoy it," said Rob.
"As much as we're building this as a place for people to come and stay, we really wanted to be part of Summit County too, so we've already been working with our friends and local businesses to host community yoga. We're working on some fundraisers that will be new for the summer with some local nonprofits," said Lynne. "We just want this to be a gathering spot too, you know we're right in the middle of so many great things so we wanted to make sure to continue that."
You can start booking private events and larger groups and will be accepting individual room reservations when an official opening date is announced.
Rates begin at $45 and can run up to $350 depending on the size/type of the room, and the time of year.
LINK: The Pad Hostel
