Cute little spot that serves as a restaurant, gift shop, and sandboard rental all in one! We…read morestopped by for breakfast and ordered the 2 egg breakfast and the breakfast burrito. The food and service were both perfect--really hit the spot! There were a few pesky flies around, but considering it's a multifunctional space, I think they're doing the best they can. Overall, a charming and convenient place to fuel up before or after hitting the dunes! We did rent a sand board and that was totally worth it!

I went camping here with my family over the weekend and really enjoyed it. We had our choice of…read morecampsites, as it was not very busy. It's only 40 minutes from Alamosa, and tent camping is affordable at $30/night. There are a lot of little campsites scattered among the piñon pines. Most have a fire ring built up with stones and a picnic table. There's also an insulated boxcar that has been converted into restrooms with flushing toilets and sinks with running water. You get spectacular views of the San Luis Valley, the Great Sand Dunes, and the Milky Way. GSD is a dark sky park, so this is a great destination if you love stargazing. I have a feeling we'll be back, because all the little campsites make it a perfect place for camping with friends.

Not sure why all the low ratings, but we found this to be the highlight of our Colorado road trip…read more Watching the sunset over the dunes while enjoying some Palisades red wine was incredible. All residents were extremely quiet. Are the beds a little stiff? Sure.. hey, it's basically a cabin, but I slept great. So quiet and clean! The breakfast was basic and a perfect base before climbing the dunes. Would stay here again in a heartbeat. Bonus points for the resident cat Peppermint.

Don't let the name fool you. This place feels more like a rural motel than anything else. My room…read moreappeared to have been recently remodeled, but the work was clearly rushed with poor craftsmanship everywhere. It's an odd mix of new and worn, with a muggy atmosphere and questionable beds. I even found insects on the bed, and the window was difficult to open. To make matters worse, the balcony is open, meaning anyone, including an unruly child, could easily access your window. The only positives are the location, the view and the friendliness of the staff. Unfortunately, that's not enough to justify a higher rating,I wouldn't give it more than one star. Breakfast is advertised, however, gas station breakfast seems to be superior. Overall, this place has a great potential, but why anyone should invest in making this place better? Their rooms are overpriced and the return is only the near location to the National Park. A hotel in Alamorosa is 30 min away, and perhaps a better choice.

Along the 'Cosmic Highway' is the UFO Watchtower. It is in the middle of nowhere but close to hot…read moresprings and Great Sand Dunes Park, don't miss it. The UFO Watchtower is an observation platform and campground where tales of UFO sightings have been reported. Located below the platform is a "healing garden" where visitors leave objects to hopefully receive some sort of healing. The garden has "three vortexes that several psychics say are in her front yard. The vortexes are guarded by two invisible beings. You can feel the power when you move close. Larry the supper nice owner and his informative trusty ex military assistant Lee and his rescued Lab Rats regale us with UFO stories. There have been many sightings here and when you climb the watchtower you can see why. The tiny indoor museum houses the remains and story of the mutilation and death of 'Snippy' the horse in 1967 which gained headlines due to unusual circumstances. The head was stripped bare to the bone. The precision cuts on the flank could not have come from a coyote or even a pack of them. A strong chemical smell akin to acetone lingered in the air. Indications of an aircraft landing on the terrain featured "circular exhaust marks", "squashed bushes", and circular indentations in the dirt. A geiger counter alleged reported high radiation counts around the exhaust marks and flattened bushes. Beginning in the 1970s, the US experienced waves of cattle mutilations which were likened to Snippy's death.Mutilation investigator Linda Moulton Howe revisited the Snippy case, interviewing witnesses for her 1989 book An Alien Harvest. A must for UFO fans and roadside attractions and the small entrance fee is worth it. Ask lots of questions and you will get lots of interesting answers.

This place is absolutely absurd in all the right ways, if you enjoy quirky roadside attractions as…read moreI do. It's got a little history about mutilated livestock and strange sitings by campers through the years but, otherwise, it's just a great place to stretch your legs and enjoy a little fun. It's minutes from the highway, a little bit of a drive from the Great Sand Dunes. At a $5 cover and easy parking, with a menagerie of handcrafted oddities representing aliens and saucerships and other such things out of this world, why would ya pass it up?

Had a very good stay here while passing thru the area. Nice clean rooms with good parking,…read morefriendly staff, and a very good selection of breakfast items.

Just bought yourself a negative review for **lack of follow through - do read the entire entry…read more *Very* deserving of a gazillion zeros. I called the hotel directly to make reservations. Very difficult to understand the person. With those challenges, I had to ask a few times about any discounts they offer. AAA is the most popular, you can guess. I was given one choice of bed size, a king, but certainly would have accepted a queen for less money. There was no indication of full capacity or not. The person had no sense of being pleasant or human, but only robotic. An average room at best. The movie was ignored. Upon seeing the bill, I was aghast at the lack of anticipated discounts. I called the hotel to inquire. Expecting apologies, I received a lengthy, unintelligible diatribe that sounded rather defensive, which I couldn't fathom since I only posed a question. I requested a return call from the manager/owner. To verify any information provided from the hotel staff, I called their reservation line with the same questions. At least I could understand the agent. The regular rate I was told was definitely not 179.00, plenty of discounts were available, bedding choices - but the kicker was that the 'reward' rate was much lower. No, I was not asked whether I was a member or offered that same price at the time of reservation. (The rate could have easily been $20 less. Not significant normally, but when false information is dispensed carelessly, it becomes an issue.) Furious over the new-found ammunition, I phoned the hotel asking for the manager/owner again. Not in, didn't know when he/she was expected on site. Asking for the email address (fully doubting the validity) I thought a paper trail might bring about a resolution. I dashed off a query, and honestly did not expect a response. Too much time passed. Phoning the hotel again (I've lost count of the number of times) I asked when the manager/owner was due in. I could not decipher what was said, mumbled thank you and hung up. Oddly enough my phone rang moments later. Really, I thought, not on the property? We had a long conversation, and you guessed - some of which I could not interpret. I endured many excuses, which a guest should not be exposed to. Terminating employees. Mistakes were made. Staffing issues mentioned ad nauseum, further impacting cleaning. I told her the hotel couldn't have been fully booked. She sounded sincere, so I was hopeful. The only concern of mine was the deception at the time of reservation, and her making right. The best solution she could offer was a 7% refund. Seriously? Even after acknowledging the errors. You read that correctly, a whopping seven percent, simply less than $10. ** To date, weeks after the incident, still no refund. My husband - nor I - will ever return. We most assuredly do not recommend staying here.

We were doing a long weekend with our daughter and our two small pups. Del Norte was a nice…read morestopping point for our first night, so we booked at Mellow Moon. Lauren was very responsive via text answering all my questions. She texted me access info so when we arrived, which ended up later than we planned, we were able to go right into our room. The beds and pillows were quite comfortable. Enough that I was asking where she got the pillows. We all slept well. The pups got me up in the night and I took them for a short walk. The temp outside was cool, so I opened the window to let in some of the night air. The shower was interesting with the slanted floor. I liked the sliding barn door for the bathroom. The retro decor is inviting. I wish we could have stayed longer. They have a coffee shop in the Rodeo Mercantile. I discovered this after my husband and daughter had popped out to a local bakery to get us breakfast sandwiches. If we stay again, I'll for sure get a latte. This suited our needs. Simple, cozy and restful

Had a wonderful short weekend getaway here. Lauren was very responsive. Loved the amenities on…read moresite. Thanks Mellow Moon Lodge!

Very friendly and accessible owner, pristinely clean rooms, very quiet even near the highway. Firm,…read morecomfortable beds. The location is unbeatable, with a short walk to food downtown Saguache. We were really pleased with our time at Big Valley Motel and would stay here again in the future. It's the real deal.

I called to see if there were vacancies and left an pessimistic message, so was surprised when the…read moreproprietor returned my call minutes later and confirmed rooms were available at $65/n+ tax. Having spent the afternoon trying to find lodging at any reasonable price in the middle of hunting season in Colorado's backcountry, I gave in knowing the price was inflated beyond reason. The room had no less than SEVEN (7) notes stuck to lamps, curtains, bathroom walls, kitchen walls, bedroom walls, and tv explaining aside variety' quirks. I almost found the amusement value worth the 100% seasonal up charge! Gaining an extra star was the simply wonderful addition of two extension cords it the room. I've stayed in many a fancier hotel that did not have the brains to use these in rooms to make plugs accessible!

Don't let the outside scare you away. Like an oyster the real treasure is on the inside. Nice…read morelooking dining room with a cozy feel. Wait staff was exceedingly friendly. They kept thinking things were taking too long to come up but it wasn't really. I'm willing to wait a little bit for good food. Had the Texas Double and man you needed to be a cowboy to finish that one. Onion rings were fresh and everything tasted great. If you're hungry and passing though give this place a consideration.

Lovely meal on Saturday night. Staff was able to accommodate us, everyone was so nice. Table…read moresettings and decor were beautiful, food was great; had the fried oysters. So glad to have a nice place to go in Walsenburg.

OK, first of all this is the only show in town…read more The pros... 1. The hotel is family owned which is nice. 2. The views of the dunes and sunsets from your back patio are astounding 3. The people at the front desk are friendly 4. Location!!! The hotels proximity to the park is perfect! You can see the park sign from the hotel. 5. Watching the hummingbirds at the many feeders outside the rooms was fun after a long day at the park. The cons... 1. The rooms are dated and small and could use some updating. 2. The beds have been well used and don't have much life left in them. 3. We stayed for 2 nights and the room wasn't freshened after the first night - no one made the bed or tidied the room. Maybe that's not what they do in rural Colorado but that's the first ever hotel where I've experienced this.

We recently stayed two nights Labor Day weekend. Way overpriced. The front desk staff were friendly…read moreand helpful. The breakfast was adequate. Two comfortable queen beds, refrigerator, microwave, bathroom, two folding chairs, rooms were clean. Outside your room are piles of debris attracting rodents. Garbage all over the GSD lodge. Such an eyesore.

This ranch is absolutely amazing. From the accommodations, to staff, to the view and location this…read moreplace is 5 stars! I hope to be able to go back soon. Highly recommended!

From the owner: Zapata Ranch is a 103,000-acre ranch owned by The Nature Conservancy of Colorado where guests can…read moreride through and learn about our conservation herd of 2,500 bison, integrate themselves into daily life on the ranch and participate in extensive nature programs. Managed by Ranchlands, Zapata Ranch in nestled at the base of Southern Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Mountains and shares a border with the United States' tallest sand dunes: The Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.

I have stayed at this hotel before and my previous visit was much better. This time, the room…read morewasn't very clean -- especially the shower -- and there was zero hot water in the evening or in the morning. The room I had was also much noisier than an average room. I could hear every conversation in the room next door and since this room was near an exit and a stairwell, all I heard all night was door slamming. This was probably in some part due to the fact that the door wasn't flush to the door jamb. I could actually see out into the hallway the crack was so large. In the past, I would have highly recommended this hotel, but after this experience, I am hesitant to ever return from a cleanliness, noise or safety standpoint.

Good service, clean and modern room. Decent buffet breakfast. Nothing amazing but quite…read morecomfortable.