1950s roadside Americana still glowing out here in the Arkansas River Valley. The Circle R Motel in Salida, Colorado feels like portal into a preserved slice of postwar Colorado travel culture -- neon buzzing at blue hour, vintage gas pumps standing like artifacts from the great American road-trip era, classic cars parked beneath the mountains, and flamingos holding court on the lawn like it's permanently summer somewhere between 1957 and next week. Family-owned, reasonably priced, clean, and unapologetically retro with a hot tub. The motel sign hums like a roadside supernova while the Sawatch Range fades into the nautical twilight behind you. Stay here. You'll be glad you did. read more

Circle R Motel - Hotels Near Me - Salida, Colorado

Circle is a motel. It ain't the Ritz. It is an easy walk down D street to the fantastic Salida downtown. It's clean, good internet, good TV. But is it worth $100/night +$20 for a dog? According to the parking lot, 50% full, yes! But I'll shop around. Lots of flop motels in Salida without hot tubs might be worthwhile. read more

Circle R Motel - Signage - Hotels Near Me - Salida, Colorado

I love to see an old motel that's renovated but doesn't hide its roots! The Circle R has all the essential updates--a/c, wifi, minifridge--but retains its vintage charm. The owners didn't do a trendy reboot that'll look stale in a few years; they just updated and cleaned up. I visit Salida often and have tried most of the retro motels; Circle R is the best value for the dollar and my favorite by far. The bed's comfortable, the towels are soft and fluffy, and everything's clean and pleasant. The folks in the office are helpful. We parked right at our own door and felt safe and secure. (Don't miss Mountain Phoenix Coffee, just a short walk away!) read more

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Stayed at the Circle R Motel this past weekend for a night with my husband and while the price for this accommodation is extremely reasonable, I would describe it as a place to sleep and that's about it. It's conveniently located close to trails, the lovely historic downtown and plenty of restaurant options. Check in was quick and easy and parking is no issue in the main lot. All the doors have keypad entry with the door code and WiFi password written down on a card that you return once you've finished your stay. When we first entered our room, it had a strong chemical smell of bleach or chlorine that wouldn't go away unless the windows were opened, but would come back just as strong once the windows were closed again. The room itself looked clean on the surface level, but the shower was a bit scary with some parts of the grout appearing black and the toilet seat had chips in the enamel. The in room Keurig coffee machine was dirty like it had never been cleaned. The hand soap and shower products were good. There was no screen on the bathroom window. The bed was comfortable with very non supportive pillows. My husband and I carry travel sheets as a personal preference when traveling, so I can't speak to how the bedsheets were but they seemed average. All in all, Circle R is a place to sleep with a beautiful mountain view and located in a great spot to explore all that Salida has to offer. Not sure if we would book here again, but it worked for a short one night stay. read more

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I absolutely adore this little retro gem in the middle of salida. Not only is it very affordable, it also is in a pretty central location, making it pretty easy to go anywhere in town with just a simple walk. Bikes are provided as well, HUGE perk! I travel occasionally with an elderly mom, so ground floor levels is also a huge key factor for me. You can park right in front of your room, and no awful stairs for my mom. The staff is very friendly and personable too, and for such an old motel, its in great shape. The hot tub is amazing, right under the stars. If you're not too picky and want to save a lot of money staying here, I recommend this motel. read more

Circle R Motel - They have an old school tandem bike! I love this decor - Hotels Near Me - Salida, Colorado

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It's a good motel for the money, rooms are clean and affordable. I have enjoyed staying there in the past. Not sure if it's under new ownership but it attracts the people who are inconsiderate and just plain rude. The walls are very thin you can hear everything. Plus, I'm here during the winter and no heat. I asked for a space heater and none are available. Not acceptable. Plus they said to have a space heater it blows the breaker next door. What is the problem. Fix it. Not coming back. read more

Salida and surrounding area has so much to offer, and this hotel is an iconic road side gem. Short bike ride to the historic downtown and picturesque riverwalk. Love love love that there are pet friendly options. Can't beat the price either. read more

Have stayed here several times, always a great experience. Most recently I had the pleasure of running into the motel owner and wow! She really takes pride in her guests having a positive experience at the Circle R. Always my go to spot when I'm just passing through or having an extended stay to enjoy everything Salida has to offer. read more

We really loved it here, I am sure some snooty folks could find reasons to say one thing or another but the room and grounds were clean, everyone was super friendly, close to food and the mountains, and I'll definitely be back! read more

The customer service was fantastic. The room was clean and quiet.. overall my experience was very enjoyable and comfortable. I will definitely stay at the Circle R again the next time I'm in town read more

This Motel exceeded our expectations! Needed somewhere to stay the night to avoid driving through icy mountains .. We were warm and cozy all night.. truly felt like a luxurious stay! Very highly recommended! read more

Great and affordable motel. The bed was comfy. I love the hot tub!! Best value! I am definitely staying again when I return.

Circle R Motel Remodeled and spruced on up AC in bathroom The bed was comfy The coffee was good enough I parked right out front The room it was clean Smell like bleach and ever'thing Still ... hair on table read more

Older motel, but with refurbished rooms, clean and comfortable. Friendly and helpful folks behind the very cool "retro auto front desk". Even had a "leave one, take one" mini library in the laundry room. read more

A good inexpensive retro motel. Clean and friendly. Walk to restaurants. Comfy mattress. Hot tub. What else could you want?

Have stayed here many times in the past, but it is definitely a no go any more. DO NOT STAY HERE. The health hazards - mold in the shower, mold in the heater, no functioning heater on a 5 degree night. The fire hazard - space heater plugged into a power strip with a coffee pot, refrigerator and microwave, the frayed wiring The security hazard - coded door locks that are not changed with each guest. So anyone who has used your room can come in anytime. The hot tub which could not be unlocked by the staff, the TV that had white lines through it at all times. The list is huge. The new owners don't seem to care, and no one was interested in helping solve the issues. read more

Circle R Motel - Hotels Near Me - Salida, Colorado

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First visit do this cute little motel. Had a reservation and was checked in quickly. Room was updated and in good condition. However, I think the beds could definitely use an upgrade. Felt like sleeping on a sheet of plywood.Our room was on the end so it wasn't noisy at all. Price was good for the budget. read more

Great "vintage" style motel. Friendly staff. All the ammenities of those much higher priced hotels at a reasonable price. The towels were the fluffiest I'd ever seen, even beat those in my bathroom back home. Appreciated the WiFi, frig, microwave. Loved the soap and shampoo dispensers; much better than those little bottles/packest everyone else offers. Two antique-looking gas pumps were actually charging units for electric vehicles. The room and bathroom were clean, larger than some others we've stayed in. We had no problem with noise although we could faintly hear a baby crying in the early evening. Would definately stay at the Circle R again the next time we roll through on Route 50. read more

It's wasn't fancy but excellent for 1 night stopover from Keystone to Crested Butte. The room was clean and comfortable. They had full-size shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Check in was easy and we parked right outside the door. The only detractor was not having a clear picture on the TV, and the front desk wasn't able to help. They didn't answer the phone nor was I able to get anyone at the front desk to help...guess u can't expect much for the price of $54+ read more

After finding out my usual Airbnb wasn't renting out rooms this year I went on the hunt to find something comfy and affordable in my favorite ski/mountain biking town! After checking around I settled on what looked like a new, recently revamped motel. Really great find! Circle R is like if Old Route 66 and Elon Musk had a baby. Tons of vintage touches mixed with cool technology. Retro gas pumps that are electric charging stations. Mini fridge that looks like it was in my grandma's kitchen. The rooms are small but that doesn't bother me. There's bikes to use, a grill that's available and a hot tub that's on 24/7. The check in was easy and Covid safe. Conveniently located and priced well. My only criticism is the staff said breakfast (grab and go) would be available in the morning and at 7:30am when several guests, along with ourselves were leaving , the office was still closed. Overall, great experience. I think I found my new go-to overnight place in Salida! read more

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We are staying at the Circle R on the way home from a road trip to Yellowstone National Park. The rooms are very spacious and the bed is very comfortable. It is a family owned motel and they were very helpful getting us situated, recommending dinner options and allowed us complimentary charging of our Chevy Volt, a first for us in our many travels with the Volt. We would gladly return to the Circle R, and Salida, Colorado is a great place to visit. read more

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The Circle R Motel does have a great, retro neon sign and a 50's era Studebaker car parked out front. Visitors can rent/borrow vintage bikes to cruise around Salida...but... DO NOT BE DECEIVED! This is a transient shithole motel that has been "remodeled" with a coat of ugly paint. The remodel consists of shoddy work and horrific paint colors. The web site is not an accurate representation of what the rooms look like in person. From the ill-fitting, hard to open door with a 1/2 inch gap at the bottom to the missing light switch covers, no detail is NOT poorly done. There is a plywood wall in the closet concealing a water heater with large gaps, a crawl space entry panel left ajar, this place exudes creepiness.... but that's not all. The "artwork" on the walls can best be described as nuevo American psych ward. Add a relentlessly noisy "retro" fridge and incessant traffic noise on highway 50 and well...you get the idea.... but that's not all. There are lots of rules like check out by 10:30 and check in at 4:00, the office is closed from 11:00-3:30 and there is a 72-hour cancellation policy. If you make the mistake of booking multiple days in advance and show up and not like it, sorry! There is no escape, because they will charge you anyway. Basically, this place would be tolerable if it was in the $49-$69 price range on a night where nothing else was available. They are charging way too much, $115-$215. It is a tourist trap...they don't care if you return, they don't have to, it's Salida! Avoid this motel at all costs! Bonus complaints: The beds are small, on metal rolling frames and uncomfortable. There were food crumbs, dog hair and dust under the bed...so not that clean. Please refer to photos if available. read more

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Circle R is the perfect spot for a couple night drop in. Rooms are all renovated and cozy. Staff is great! We'll definitely be back read more

I had an unrealistic expectation that this was a renovated 50s era motel. But the room, while having amenities as stated on their website, was kind of basic. It had an uncomfortable, striped wood floor. No place to hang anything. Sink drained very slowly. A little bit dingy feeling. (Photos on the website a lot brighter than the room.) Person 'welcoming' me at the desk at 9 pm after a long drive was a little surly (I had called to find out when they were there until: 9:30 pm). Just not a very warm and inviting place. read more

I love this quaint relic of a motel! It still has the old neon sign out front. It has old gas pumps with a classic car that the manager tells me is still drivable. For that matter, I had a fun chat with the manager about my travels and my home state of NJ as well as her local home here in Salida. She took it over in February 2020, so any review predating that mentioning the management is no longer valid. She was very friendly and accommodating, offering free breakfast in front (granola, yogurt, even candy baskets from Halloween). The rooms are old-school, sorta cabin-style, but they have new floors and other nice touches like bed lamps and modern bathroom furnishings. I'm not sure how the thermostat worked, but the room was heated by an old wall mounted unit that clicked incessantly every time it was on, and for a long time after it turned off. That was my one-star deduction, as no matter how high I had the white noise, the clicking drove me crazy at 4AM. If you can sleep through that, definitely sleep here! read more

We chose this place to sleep and decompress after checking out the St. Elmo ghost town. It was cute and boasts of redone rooms. I love the old melded with the new, the colors of the pictures on the website pulled me in. We arrived to a brightly motel. There were antique gas pumps that had been made into electric car chargers, an old Studebaker President outside and it was neatly kept outside. Walking into the office there were a lot of bike decorations and the counter was the front end of an old car which was super cool. The MOD was very nice, he was quick to get me checked in. We were bummed that the hot tub was not operating as it was being cleaned. We went to our room and found it to be clean and cute. Lots of bright colors and cool touches. We jumped at the chance to take a quick nap but were woke up to the strong smell of marijuana and the walls were extremely thin because the tv next door and voices were as loud as if the people were in the same room with us. A quick visit to the office got the smell taken care of but there wasn't a lot they could do with the noise. A whisper would have been overheard. The biggest thing, outside of the thinness of the walls was just the attention to details-the lightbulbs, which were globe lights, had labels on them that were visible, the screens were missing from the windows, the AC didn't work, there was grout missing and the edge of the tub needed new caulking. But all in all, this place was a decent value for the money. The staff was responsive. Not sure I would visit again but maybe if it wasn't as busy, where I could have a room where nobody was next door, it would have been okay. read more

We had a great time staying at Circle R. It was clean, easy to find, and had all we needed for a comfortable get away. The bed was extremely comfortable and the room was private and perfect for a couple with dogs. Thank you Circle R!! read more

Insanely charming classic Motel - the sign looked so awesome I did an egregious u-turn to check it out. I got the room next to the '50s Studebaker missing it's front end. Everything was great though there was a noticeable gap between the bathroom floor and the edge of the shower that looked like I could slide a magazine into. Other than that A+ all the way just don't expect some froo froo super updated new spot. If the sign speaks to you head on in with confidence as it will fulfill the promise of a classic Motor Inn. Thanks! read more

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Fun place Great rates Weird front desk hours Will return read more

Clean and convenient motel with friendly staff and VERY unique and "nice touch" decor for a motel within the rooms. Fridge and microwave arent listed on Expedia but are included. I'd definitely stay here again for a reasonable rate. read more

I called prior to arrival and spoke to Brenda to confirm my room request. She was very helpful. Somehow my my 4 night stay came through as me checking in & checking out then back in. Brenda corrected it so I didn't have to change rooms.Amanda checked me in & out and was super nice and welcoming. The motel is old, but has been renovated. It was very clean and everything worked along with plenty of hot water. Has cute themed fridge and Kurieg coffee maker along with a microwave. It also has a window air conditioner in the bathroom that cools the entire room. They have a nice deck with a grill & chairs along with a hot tub that felt great after my long flight and a fall in the airport. I would stay there again read more

This is a cute little motel. If yore into blasts from the past, you should enjoy it. Simple basic accommodations.

A couple of the things that we always look for in a hotel or motel room is cleanliness, absorbent towels, and excellent water pressure. This one had all three. We very seldom give out four stars and even more rare is a five star review. The only issue we had here was that the bed closest to the window was too soft and felt like it had a hole in the center of it. The one on the right which was closer to the little kitchenette, was excellent because of the firmness. The Keurig coffee maker was a treat however we both drink decaffeinated coffee and there wasn't any available. Before we left we gathered a couple scoops of ice and in the office there were granola bars and yogurts. We took two of each. We would stay here again. read more

Great value. Clean, old school drive in lodge with a personality with very reasonable rates.

Awesome hotel! The rooms are pretty nice and there's a spa I'd come back again. You get a fridge and microwave and your own coffee machine. read more

Circle R Motel - The room - Hotels Near Me - Salida, Colorado

How can you NOT love a motel with a free library? Great retro feel: I also loved the restored Studebaker and flamingoes!

Some plusses and minuses for this place. They had a lot of original ideas, like bikes you could borrow, and fun nostalgia but it was almost two hundred dollars for one weekend night in July (with dog). For that amount I'd expect a little more focus on the handywork, like having matching and functioning lightbulbs in the bathroom as well as removing the pet spider in there. Cute and heartfelt but randomly sloppy and expensive. They also charged me a hundred dollar fee to ensure there weren't damages and I have yet to be reimbursed for that. I'll have to watch my bank to make sure they re-deposit it as they said they would. I probably won't stay there again. I booked this place on Expedia and it said it was in Buena Vista but it isn't. It's in Salida. So, a bit of false advertising in my opinion. Only hotel I've ever been that had such original design features. Interesting, once. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this charming motel than exceeded our expectations for its low cost. The new management has done an excellent job maintaining the original integrity of this old style Motel built in 1948, while providing creature comforts of comfortable room temperature, fridge, micro, Kurig coffee maker and HD TV with cable and multiple subscription networks like Hulu & Netflix. Beds were very comfortable and the grey noise amplifier option on the bedside table was a unique and fun experience. And it was a nice touch at checkout to be offered yogurt and breakfast bars for the road by the very friendly and helpful office clerk. Will definitely stay here again if passing through Salida! read more

This is an OLD Motel. Dog friendly and clean. No breakfast service but granola bars, yogurt in the fridge and coffee/tea service after 0800. WiFi doesn't work, says your connecting or connected but never able to log on. So if you need to get work done while you stay, call and see if they got better service. Fix of turning your electronic off and on ,putting aluminum foil on your head doesn't help. Either way I would stay again. Wasn't a 5 star but quiet, comfortable and clean. read more

The lady at the front desk was very friendly. We felt a very strong odor upon entering the room, almost as gas. The room was a little dirty and there were hairs in the shower. Ugh! I ended up booking a difference place, although I couldn't get a refund for the Circle R Motel. I do not recommend at all! read more