OK, this is your basic casino hotel but unless you're going to hit a bed & breakfast this is really one of the better places to stay in this town. It's clean, modern, and you get the breakfast buffet with the price of the room. And if you are the gambling sort, it's right in the heart of town where you won't need to do anything but walk.

Our experience at the Adobe Inn was mixed. There were nine of us and we got four rooms. Two beds per room so one person had a hide-a-bed. Unfortunately for the three in one room, the air conditioning did not work. There was also no linen for the hide-a-bed. The guy at the desk said he would take care of it but never did. For the rest of us it was a fine place. A bit noisy because it's on the main drag, but so are most all of Durango's motels.

Good places to stay in Durango include the Quality Inn and the Super 8 on South El Camino Del Rio near both the Harley and the Honda dealerships.

More expensive and maybe worth the $ would be the Strater Hotel or the other fancy historic place I can't recall the name of, maybe the Palace or is that the good restaurant attached?? ( The historic hotels in Durango would also require reservations as might most motels.)

Several of our group are big on gambling so the Sky Ute is a favorite stop of ours. We've stayed there several times. One reservation at this time, however. They are just about to open a much bigger casino and hotel and have let maintenance on the old facility slide. The new one is just up the road and it looks like it's nearly complete. We'll definitely be back.

Art Bartlett posted this recommendation: Bruno, the owner/operator of this quaint old-style motel, is a world class French cook, and cooks regularly in the attached restaurant. Excellent food, decent lodgings, and a wonderful view. A must see when traveling through Lake City!

This is an older motel, AAA-certified, and while it is not in the luxury category, it is decent. Our one complaint would be the bed. On her side of the bed, my wife sank way down and if I got too close I would almost be dumped on top of her. If you just want a place to sleep this motel will do. If you want something fancier and newer go to the north end of town.

A bit pricier than the older motels on the south end of town, the Days Inn is pretty much what you would expect. It is newer, has all the expected amenities, and costs more. No complaints.

The Mid-Town Motel bills themselves as "The Quiet One" because they are two blocks off the highway, while all the other motels in town are right on US 50. Of course, they're right on the main east-west street through town so there is traffic, but it's still quieter. More importantly, the place is clean and well-kept. Our room even had two recliners. It cost us $46 for one night in May 2007.

Incidentally, for breakfast we recommend the Copper Kitchen, just a few blocks away in downtown, 116 Colorado Avenue. Juevos Rancheros are good.

The brand new B&B opened in June 2007 and we stayed there in July 2007. It's still a work in progress but don't worry about that. Jane and Bob have a nice place here and made us feel very welcome. And it's just a two-block walk to the heart of downtown.

In addition to the very pleasant rooms, it has a great upstairs front porch where you can look out at the Leadville Colorado & Southern train station (Innd of the Line — get it?) and watch the train and passsengers. If you're into B&Bs, this is a good one.

Leadville is a great destination and has a good selection of accommodations. There are about a half dozen modest, older motels in town, one newer and bigger one, one very new and even bigger (more expensive) one, and hee historic old Delaware Hotel. In addition, there must be about seven bed and breakfasts in this small town. Reservations are necessary whenever there is an event going on in town because they all fill up quickly.

The Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs is one of your first lefts coming into town off Red Mountain Pass. It's a comfortable, reasonably priced place to stay and has the advantage of having hot springs on the property.

The Big Valley Motel is definitely not a luxury stop, but if you need a place to spend the night, and/or you like staying in beautiful little towns, you might like it here. Make no mistake, it's clean and well kept. It's just very basic. They do have a larger room with three beds, though, so that can be a good thing — it was for us. There's no air conditioning but it gets cool enough at night that you don't really need it.

This is your basic Day's Inn, and there are a lot of other motels on this strip, so take your pick. This one does happen to be right across the street from a Kawasaki/Polaris shop, if that matters. Anyway, the place is clean and has all the amenities, including free computer access in the lobby. We did have a bit of a run-in with the proprietress, so be sure to nail down the particulars of your reservation in advance.

San Isabel is a tiny town along CO 165, in the mountains southwest of Pueblo. It's also just about 15 south of Bishop Castle, one of the more fascinating tourist attractions in the area. The road itself is well worth riding, and if you're looking for a place to spend the night you could do a lot worse than the Lodge. Rates range from $65 to $130 per night and the higher priced rooms hold more people. Meals are available from a connected restaurant.

South Fork is a wide spot in the road before you go up over Wolf Creek Pass and down to Pagosa Springs. This is one of several motels. It is clean and modern and the lady at the desk suggested we park our bikes directly out front under the canopy. It definitely met our description of motorcycle-friendly.

This is my own recommendation. My wife and I have stayed here and had a great time. This place has a varied collections of cabins, of all sizes, and it is as close to being in the wilderness as you can get on a paved road. In fact, the paved road ends here. To get to Columbine, take the turn at the west end of Steamboat Springs, toward the airport, and keep going.