Holiday Inn
800 Camino Del Rio
Durango

Is this within walking distance to downtown historic district? Very Far?

Never mind. Answered my own question. I realized I could just go to Mapquest and get "driving" directions and mileage to somewhere in the historic distric. It said .22 miles to Strater Hotel.

Hotdogz, you are right. It's a couple of blocks from the historic district. You have to cross a busy street (Camino del Rio=Hwy 550) to get there, but there is a stoplight close to the hotel. Because it's on the other side of 550, the Holiday Inn isn't in the scenic part of town. It's right along the river trail, which is nice for walking in the evenings. It's also within 2 blocks of 2 grocery stores. (We only have 3 in town.) You might want to ask for a room facing the river.

Thank you. Since you are the Durango expert, do you think this is a reasonable choice for two nights lodging?
There's lots of choices, but this seemed a good trade-off between not paying the higher prices of the few better located places, but being close enough to walk. I was guessing that this would be a better location than the section of 550 that is more north, where there seems to be a lot of the discount chains.

Why not just stay at the Strater Hotel? We were there a few years ago, and it is very charming.

Go for it!

I haven't been in the Holiday Inn. It seems fine if you're trying to stay near downtown and don't want to pay those prices. The only downside is that it's on the other side of the main route through town. If you can get a good deal, go for it. The location is much better than staying farther north. Parking can be a real pain during the summer, so it's very nice to be able to walk from your hotel. If you're planning to come in the summer, there is a fun farmer's market held Saturday mornings just across the street from the hotel, in a bank parking lot.

Thank you SO much, this sounds like a good place for us.

laplatadiscount.com had a coupon for 20% off summer rates at the Holiday Inn, so I think we can get approx. $100 per night vs. $170 for Strater for 4 people. Plus there is a pool at the Holiday Inn, which will be good for the kids, although I don't think we'll be doing much more than sleeping at the hotel. I don't mind walking a couple of blocks and crossing 550 as long as there is a light to cross at.

Thanks again! Input from a local helps SO much! This is not the type of info you can get from a book or website.

Glad to help, hotdogz. If you have kids along, make sure you go to the cowboy show and dinner at the BarD one night. It's great for kids and adults, just a lot of fun, and reasonably priced. Our family goes once or twice a summer. They don't open until Memorial Day; it's good to reserve a few days in advance. (970) 247-5753. Look at prior posts for more info. Have a great trip!

Yes, I read about the cowboy show/dinner so that is on our "to do" list, along with the Melodrama. In case we can't fit both into our schedule, which would you recommend?

I'm hesitant to arrange an evening activity for the day we go to Mesa Verde. Do you need advance tickets/reservations for the melodrama? If not, we could pencil it in and decide that day.

I'd choose the BarD over the melodrama, although they're both good. You can probably get into the melodrama at the last minute. You're right about waiting to see what your energy level is like after Mesa Verde.

For the BarD, people with reservations line up at around 5pm to pick up tickets for seat assignments. (Ask when to line up when you call for reservations). If you have one member of your party there at that time, you can get a good table. You want somwhere 1) near the front, and 2) in a group that gets near the front of the dinner line. If you're near the end, you may not have time to finish before the tables start getting cleared. If you have any birthdays or anniversaries in your party, tell the people when you buy tickets and they'll announce them during the show.

After you buy tickets, you have to wait around looking in their little shops for about 2 hours till the dinner starts. We usually just send one adult to get the tickets, then take a short hike or read in the car till time to sit down. The rest of us show up later. We always take snacks and drinks so we don't get desperate while waiting.

Another tip, don't pay extra for beef AND chicken. There is almost always a chance to get seconds once everyone is through the line.

Thanks for all the tips. You're the best!