Hilton Road Trip Review: DoubleTree Hotel in Durango, CO

Durango, CO – Mile 1244.5

I recently had a great opportunity to join some friends on an 8-day motorcycle trip for which I served as the “chuck wagon”, following in my car.  It was a great experience to see much of the country I’ve never seen before (you can see the entire trip if you’re interested on Intersect.com).

Part of the adventure was that we would plan each day of the trip over breakfast and choose a destination as a group. I am a travel brand loyalist in the George Clooney “Up In The Air” sense of the word.  I’m a HAH – Hilton, American Airlines and Hertz (sounds like a Meyers-Briggs type) and I am fiercely loyal. I traveled over 200 days last year and these companies do everything they can to make my life easier. As a top tier member of each program, I enjoy the perks they offer; however what is most valuable to me is the travel friction the programs remove from the process.

DoubleTree Hotel in Durango, Colorado

The first couple days, when we arrived at our destination city, we found many of the hotels were booked solid.  I offered to help the group using my Hilton toolkit (iPhone app, web, phone). The next day, we decided our next stop would be Durango, CO. I used Hilton’s iPhone app to book a room at the Doubletree Suites (a Hilton Banner) in downtown Durango. Within a couple minutes I was able to quickly book two nights for all of us. We were done, so after a 300+ mile day we were greeted with a beautiful place to stay on the banks of the Animas River.

The hotel was amazing and filled with beautiful hardwoods and nestled in Aspen trees. We sat on the deck overlooking the river and shared a beer while talking about the day. The staff was so friendly and helpful and recommended a great spot for dinner in town just a couple blocks walk from the hotel. I found the Hotel to be an especially comfortable respite at the end of a long day.

The following morning we visited the hotel restaurant for breakfast hoping to have a good meal before we headed out for the day. We found a fully appointed buffet in the restaurant. In addition to a wide assortment of fruits, meats and cheeses, there was a chef (Chef Mitch) preparing made-to-order omelets.  We made small talk as he cooked up a delicious

Silverton to Telluride

blend of ham, tomatoes, cheese, green chilies and a few jalapeños. Mitch was a motorcyclist and wanted to hear about our trip. He was a reflection of the entire staff… genuinely friendly and interested in the happiness and comfort of their guests. Maybe I’m just accustomed, due to how often I stay with Hilton, but this is the signature of the Hilton brand.

That day, our plan was to loop north through Silverton, Ouray, Telluride and finally back through Delores and back to Durango. We covered around 350 miles that day and happily returned to the Doubletree.  Most of the day was spent above 7000 ft. in elevation and the motorcyclists were freezing. We decided to use the indoor spa before heading out to dinner. The hotel has a great pool and spa situated on the ground level next to the river creating a super-relaxing environment.

The greenway at the DoubleTree Hotel in Durango, Colorado

The Durango town greenway runs directly by the hotel and extends along the river and into the surrounding countryside. The next morning I was able to take a quick run and enjoy another trip to the buffet prior to our departure to Moab, Utah. Thanks to the Durango Doubletree staff for a great experience, I will definitely visit again.

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