5 Stars for a basic hotel that may not look like much, but wins in terms of location, price, and service. I was attending a conference in downtown Boulder, but looking for inexpensive, yet safe, accommodation. The reviews for Boulder University Inn were remarkably good for the price point, so I booked. When we arrived, I was a bit skeptical given the outside appearance. It looked like an old motel. Checking in at the front desk was easy and pleasant enough. It felt like a small, old school motel, which was different than the big hotel chains I'm used to, but it had its own kind of charm. The room was basic, but clean and comfortable. The real charm came from the service though. Samantha was at the front desk and when my sister and I asked about the safety of the area (in terms of walking to Downtown Boulder and back, possibly at night), she gave us great info and made us feel comfortable. Beyond giving us a quick lay of the land, we were extremely thirsty after a long walk and she was so kind as to offer us some extra complimentary waters. This was a small thing, but sets a small hotel apart from the big chains where no one has the autonomy to make someone's day with a little kindness. Overall, an affordable, safe, and decent hotel in Boulder that I'd definitely return to in the future! read more

Good for the money. Clean and had everything you need. In this economy it's nice a place like this exists. Took a star off because I woke up to the sounds of random loud machinery at 6am and it lasted for a while. Ruined my sleep for the day. It wasn't from outside the area it was something in the complex. read more

Except exactly what you pay for. The walls are so thin you can hear the room next to you talking. Noisy road as well. Shower had lukewarm water at best, and the room has no heating. Also, no deadbolt on the door, and given that the inn is laid out like a motel, leaves you feeling unsafe. Also, there's not enough parking in the lot for all guests. Great location, but terrible "hotel" with subpar amenities. read more

They were incredible thoughtful and helpful. Above and beyond service! They had to hold my belongings and made sure everything was safe, with amazing communication. read more

Nice staff, very clean very nice rooms, not fancy but had all I needed. The price would be very good if not during move-in week or Family weekend. It is very close to the Boulder Campus and a short walk to Pearl Street mall and the main bus station read more

Love this clean.... Get my head on the pillow ' hotel/motel It's my go to ---every time I'm in -town, which is often ! read more

Great location. Clean. Walking distance from mall and farmers market. Appreciated the microwave. They're getting scarce and I need one daily. read more

Boulder University Inn - The only picture I took in the room (of the bouquet my boyfriend got me that we put in the ice bucket.) - Hotels Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I basically paid $350 for ONE night at this place and there was no parking and the bed was so squeaky I could barely sleep. The guy at the front desk was nice but overall it was financially gutting. read more

We made reservations at this hotel because it is supposedly dog friendly. Allowing dogs does not make you dog friendly. Rooms for dogs must be accessible and dogs need a safe space to walk and do their business. This property offers neither. The upstairs room at the top of a long steep staircase could not be navigated by my 11 year old lab. The park behind the property is not easily accessible and I would not feel safe walking there at night or early in the morning. I didn't feel comfortable even in broad daylight. We had to pay for one night even though we did not stay. read more

I will stay here again next time I'm in Boulder! I am usually not a fan of hotels that have you enter your room from the outdoors, so I was concerned at first. I did not feel unsafe at any point during my two night stay. There even is a bit of a view! I had a friendly staff member when checking in. The parking is a little rough if you arrive late in the day and everyone is their room for the night, but there are more spots around the corner I learned. Bathroom is very spacious and looks to be recently updated. Clean sheets and towels, does have hair dryer in room as well. Excellently located next to Pearl Street - you do not have to worry about not being able to find a store, food, etc. read more

Boulder University Inn - Hotels Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I thought this motel was a great value. It's the traditional 1960s style motel with a U-shaped courtyard. They have nicely refurbished rooms so they are very clean and modern looking. The rooms are tight but they have some nice storage features to help with that. The bathrooms were wonderful! Large walk-in shower, nice vanity, natural lighting. Good job on that! Unless you have a lot of money to stay at the St.Julien or the Boulderado this is a great option for those on a budget. It is the only motel that I could find that's both affordable and easily walkable to downtown Boulder and Pearl Street. And yes, that includes the available AirBNBs I looked at. There is also a very convenient Alfalfa's grocery store just across the street. The staff was really aces... A+. They are ready with answers and anticipate your needs... whether it's extra pillows, directions or laundry supplies they seem to have everything ready to go. It was really convenient having a washing machine on the premises. The continental breakfast was simple but adequate. TV had a basic DIRECTV plan. Unless you are really into "Ancient Aliens" then I wouldn't count on a lot of entertaining TV watching. The beds were comfortable and the pillows were supportive and not those dang feather pillows that most hotels use. Note for light sleepers: There is a pretty busy road right out front so if you are a light sleeper and sensitive to noise like me I would ask for a room on the second floor in the back. It's reasonably quiet back there and I got a good nights sleep. The traffic noise didn't bother me much at all. They do allow pets. I am allergic to dogs but I had no problems with our 2nd floor room as most of the pets are put on the first floor--something to keep in mind if you have the same issue. There is no real privacy as when you walk around the floors you are walking by peoples' rooms just like an old fashioned motor court motel, but they do a good job with the shades --so you have two shades, one for privacy and light and the other as a complete blackout shade for night. Best value for the money, cleanliness and walkability to down town. read more

Great location, friendly and helpful staff, nice and well-kept rooms. I'm glad I chose them over a chain hotel.

Great location to tour the CU campus and to walk down to Pearl St. Parking can be tight when the Inn is full; road noise is noticeable; the heat in the rooms are tough to warm the back areas/bathrooms. Regardless, we had an enjoyable stay. Staff was very friendly and attentive. The Inn Is pet friendly too. Boulder does seem to have a lot of homeless; they drift in and out of the Inn parking lot and ask guests for money and things (saw a guy pilfer some sheets and towels from the housekeeping cart one morning). I'm not opposed to helping someone down on their luck; but, from the homeless I saw during our three day visit, they were looking for handouts to buy more cannabis. And, the trash that is left behind by these folks is deplorable. I know this isn't the Inn's issue; but, it does affect my decision where to stay next time. Not sure if I would stay here again because of this. My family didn't feel 100% safe. read more

We had an awesome time. Everything was great. Room was clean and spacious. Breakfast room was plentiful. Parking was close. Location was excellent and the main reason we chose the place because it's so very close to downtown. The only reason it's not five stars is due to our checkout experience. When we picked up our receipt the blond woman behind the counter said scoldingly and begrudgingly, "Well, you weren't supposed to have a refurbished room at that rate. You should have got a non refurbished room. But we were over booked." Really? She seemed upset that we got an upgrade. We never knew. Now we know if we ever came back we'd get a crappier room. Bad attitude. read more

Boulder University Inn - Downtown. A few blocks away. - Hotels Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Hats off to the manager, Samantha! We came from a different hotel that was a nightmare and refused to stay at. We walked in and Samantha was polite, accommodating, friendly, professional and empathetic to our experience from the hotel we came from. The rooms are updated, extremely clean, HUGE shower, and well kept. I'd absolutely stay here again. read more

What a nice stay and only a couple blocks from Pear St. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the room was immaculate! It seems like the whole place was just completely remodeled. The bed was super comfortable and the shower, wow, they sure spent some serious money because this place is top notch. I understand some rooms are larger than the others, we were in 110 and it was probably one of the bigger ones? All new furniture, you gotta try this place. read more

Finding a pet friendly place is difficult in the city - was happy to find this Inn that allows cats and dogs. They do charge you $15 a day but at least it's not for each pet! Room was clean and renovated recently- nice simple touches. The noise from the road is present for sure - so if your sensitive to white noise, I would not stay here. But our stay was good, we even added a second night! The location is great, short walk to Pearl street and a store across the street for late night snacks or groceries. The rooms also had a microwave and fridge, which I always appreciate ! read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside, but the newly renovated rooms and atmosphere were awesome! Location an easy and scenic walk everywhere you need to go. Highly recommend! read more

Exactly what I was looking for. Great location, clean hotel. I got there a little early but Samantha let me check in anyway and was very nice. It's not a luxury hotel but that's why they don't charge luxury prices. I will definitely stay here on my next swing through Boulder. read more

This is my second stay. 25 min walk to the center of CU campus. Easy walk to Pearl Street. Clean rooms at great rates. I needed some extra room to do some work and the front desk person helped me figure that out. Was so appreciative of that. Will probably be my go to place to stay while I have a student here. read more

Excelllent location to pearl street and the red rock trail head. Bed was comfortable, not too firm or plush, just right. Hot showers, nice furnishings, comfortable space for two people and two small animals to share. Road noise was never an issue as it was mentioned several times in other reviews, they must have had their windows open or were maybe staying in an end unit. We were in room 115, in the center and in the middle of the hotel layout. If you are a light sleeper I would recommend the top floor. We were on the 1st floor and could hear people walking around and maid service cleaning and vacuuming in the morning. Front desk staff was courteous and professional. It was nice to have some quick breakfast options as well. Chobani yogurt, granola bars, bagels, cereal and fruit. We will stay here next time we're in boulder. Great space for the price and allows dogs and cats, can't beat it! read more

Small and cute place with good price. Location is golden. Walking distance from Pearl street mall and Downtown Boulder. Right next to park with nice walk/bike way by the Boulder creek. read more

I stayed three nights at the Boulder University Inn in November 2014. From the outside this place is a bit tacky -- two stories with external room entry doors. It's not hideous, but it certainly looks low-budget. Fortunately, the rooms are significantly better than the outside! My room was on the small-side, but it was nicely furnished and modernized. I don't know when it was renovated, but it looked quite new. My king-sized bed was comfortable and covered with a nice comforter. The bathroom was particularly nice -- nice (large) walk in shower and a high-end toilet! The nightly rate is even on the low-side for the area. The location is also great (if you want to be near the university and the West End). read more

Location near Pearl Street very good. Room nice. Comfortable. But outdoor room entrance has feel of cheap motel. Parking sketchy. Not enough room in front and I felt unsafe parking in back. Security deposit of $150 held until they decide to refund after your gone? Don't like it. Shouldn't have it. Your account needs to be cleared up when you leave like at most other hotels. Free breakfast. Not much there. Nothing hot. I'd give it two maybe three stars. read more

Nicer room than the Warwick in downtown Denver. The pool area is pedestrian. No spa/hot tub, which is a bummer, but whatever. The parking situation was kind of annoying when we went, I guess there was a football game at the college. The main lot was full, so there was parking out back, but after a long day of hiking carrying my heavy bag back up to our room was a bummer. The breakfast was fine for a free breakfast. Donuts, bagels, cereal, fruit. Everything was clean. Easy walk to Pearl Street. read more

My parents and I have stayed at the Boulder University Inn four times and thoroughly loved it each time. I go to CU, and when we first came up to Boulder to check out the university we decided to stay at the Boulder University Inn because of it's proximity to the university and their low rates. The manager, Guiseppe, was not just always polite, but would go out of his way to ensure that we had everything we needed and to help if help was needed. My dad had booked a room with a single king-sized bed, so when Guiseppe saw that there were three of us he had an inflatable air mattress put in the room and said that if it was not to my comfort they also had a roll-out bed. In January when we came up for my move in we forgot to bring a snow scraper, so when it snowed quite heavily and I asked Guiseppe if they had a snow scraper I could use to clear the car, he came out and swept and scraped the snow off of my car himself, insisting that he do it himself and that it was no trouble. The rooms were great. Both the standard and newly renovated rooms were equally as comfortable an accommodating, and when we needed an extra chair and I went down to the front desk to ask to borrow one from the eating area, the man who took the evening shifts at the front desk brought the chair up before I had a chance to pick one up myself. The overall desire to help guests and no hesitation to go out of one's way to do so was the highlight of our experience staying there. Even now if I run into Guiseppe when I walk downtown from campus and pass the hotel, he is always happy and polite, asking how I am doing and wishing my family well. My parents have visited twice since I began school and have stayed at the Boulder University Inn both times and plan to continue using it as their go-to place to stay when they visit in the future. I would highly recommend to anyone that they look into the Boulder University Inn before deciding where to stay when visiting Boulder. You will not be disappointed! read more

Very clean place. This has been updated and they have done a nice job. I stayed here during the winter break and it was not very crowded. Nothing fancy but it met my needs. You can hear people above walking across the floor if they walk heavy. It wasn't a problem for me, but if it would have been all night with hearing noise above, I would not have liked that. Also, my room did not have a bathtub, but a stand up shower. Again, very clean and would stay here again. read more

I stayed here last weekend when I came to town for a wedding. For a basic, comfortable option, Boulder University Inn is great. And it's cheap! My flight into Denver was very delayed, and I didn't end up checking in until close to midnight. The employee who was working was probably the most welcoming receptionist I've ever encountered at a hotel that late at night. He was friendly and helpful. The room was clean and basic. We were in room 222, overlooking the pool. There was a TV (which had HBO, always a plus), plenty of lighting, a coffee maker, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer, and shower gel and shampoo. Met all of our needs. Plentiful, free parking. Free continental breakfasts, which were not amazing (but I've never had a good continental breakfast in this sort of situation). Location is great--five minute walk to the Pearl Street mall area and the farmer's market. read more

The rooms have been updated nicely although they have a HUGE space for a shower where they used to have tubs which is not good for people like me who need to take epsom salt hot water tubs due to my chronic pain. However, one of their employees, Serge, needs retraining. This motel re did their rooms but the rooms towards the front are LOUD at night from people as well as traffic. I booked our second stay over a week ago, telling them I could NOT have a room in the front like last time since Im having EXTENSIVE surgeries in Boulder the next morning after I stay there.The last time I didn't sleep well due to the loud street noises which affected my severe surgery the next day. I was told they would put a note in my account and it would pop up. I called 3 days before our arrival and this woman told me again it would flag the employee checking on the rooms the day of our arrival. I just called hours before I was to arrive and SERGE said THREE times to me ( HORRIBLE customer service to argue with a customer AND cut them off, which my family member heard on speaker) " We NEVER tell a customer we can make sure they have a room in the back". After he cut me off, obviously NOT understanding this was serious as I need rest before major surgery ( he NEVER acknowledged my concerns or mentioned my surgery despite my mentioning it to him at least 3 x) I told him I wanted a call back from the female manager next week AFTER 12 pm since I will be recovering. And I also told him he was incredibly rude, didn't listen to a customer AND that I used to work in the service industry and you do NOT ARGUE WITH CUSTOMERS. Clearly , had they TOLD me they couldn't assure I wouldn't be near the front again, I would NEVER have BOOKED again with them!!!! Beware. They will tell you they will accommodate you and they won't.Ill spend my 220.00 somewhere else the next 7 times I have to stay in Boulder for the subsequent surgeries. UPDATE****. When we arrived to the motel, SERGE apologized to my husband and gave him a 10% discount. The room was quiet and in the corner second level away from the front near the street. I will wait for the manager to call me which hopefully she will. Just be aware, according to SERGE they will NOT accommodate special requests even for medical or handicapped reasons as in my case. read more

We were skeptical based on the outside of the hotel, but the rooms were very nice. There was an outdoor pool, and rooms seemed modern, very clean, and recently renovated. Our bathroom was huge as well, with modern fixtures and good lighting. The free breakfast is incredibly limited, so I wouldn't count on getting breakfast there if you're hungry. Luckily, there is an Alfalfas grocery store across the street for all your needs. It was a little pricey around this time of year ($220) but we were pleased with our stay. Front desk staff was helpful. There was quite a bit of noise from outside our door too, since we were by the stairs, but we weren't bothered by it. Unlike other reviewers, we had no issues with billing and enjoyed our stay. read more

Great little MOtel. Not a 5 star hotel but a great little motel. Staff is pleasant and absolutely accommodating. I could see where the parking may be a little tight at times but we never had a problem. Easy walking distance to The Hill in one direction and Pearl St Mall in the other. Juice and "snacks" to start you on your walk to one of the great breakfast restaurants around. Alfalfas across the street if you would rather. Of all the restaurant/bars you want to visit, only the Dark Horse is driving distance. The room had a coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board and TV. OK, let me say, if you are watching the tv, you are in the wrong place.......Get a life. We found the weather and a local news channel and that was good enough for us. Motel is under construction. There will be no smoking rooms after the renovation is complete. We hardly noticed the construction unless leaving or returning to the room. Someone stayed in the room above us a night or two. They must have kept the same hours we did as we only heard them a couple of times. Let me say, if you are comparing this motel to the 5 star hotels in Boulder you are doing yourself and the readers of these reviews a disservice. If the University Inn charged $100 a night MORE, then I could see how people would find them lacking in some areas. But lets compare apples to apples. This is a quaint little motel in the epicenter of life in Boulder. The room is clean and the staff friendly and accommodating. If you require more, I suggest you pay more for your room. As for me, I will be back here again! read more

This place is wierd. 1st time I inquiry they had "0" availability, I called 10 min after and they suddenly had one room, but they wanted $200 dollars per one night. When I initially went into the lobby to ask about the room... The two people at the front desk seemed extremely flustered and kept me standing there with no greeting for 5 minutes... As this was such a strange encounter I'm glad there was no availability. read more

Clean renovated room. Looks dingy from the outside but the room was perfect for a night. Walking distance from pearl street and all the shops, bars and restaurants. Would definitely stay again. read more

It's easy to provide good customer service when everything is running smoothly, but what happens when something goes wrong? Unfortunately I was on the other end of something going wrong during my stay at the Boulder University Inn on Broadway in Boulder several weeks ago and found out first-hand what terrible customer service is. I was in a room for two nights over one weekend in a king-sized bedroom on the second floor. There was a large, over-sized chair that was between the bed and the bathroom and I hadn't paid attention to the fact that the chair was right in line to the bathroom door. So? In the middle of the night when I woke up to use the facilities, in the dark, I stubbed my toe on that chair which was in the way! Now, two weeks later, I am still dealing with the aftermath as it is broken. When I tried to talk to the Manager about this the morning that I was leaving he cut me off in conversation, I had gone down to get more ice to ice it down with. Later, when checking out, I tried to discuss this situation with him again, and again, he cut me off. I asked him to listen because I didn't want this situation happening to anyone else. I had to spend my Saturday night in bed, icing down that toe all night long! He was very abrupt with me and immediately jumped on the computer to charge me for the room again! He was so concerned that I was trying to get out of paying for the room he wound up attempting a double-charge which my bank stopped! He made no attempt to console me, offer some kind of compensation (which I wasn't even looking for!) nor did he acknowledge my situation, but the point is he wound up trying to put a double-charge through on my account! This was some of the WORST customer service I have EVER received! Pray, if you choose to stay here, that you don't wind up on the end of something going wrong because of their neglect. i would have given NO stars if that was at all possible. read more

Spotless room and restroom, fresh bedding, quiet and within walking distance to Pearl street; I don't think you can get a better bang for your buck than this inn. Friendly staff and pet friendly makes this place a solid 5 stars for us! read more

3.5 stars - Cheap budget option in Boulder for sure! I would probably give it 4 stars if we stayed on the second floor. Stay on the second floor if you can because the floors are very squeaky and you may wake up earlier than you would like! It is a nice location on the edge of campus and a 5 minute walk to Pearl Street and downtown Boulder. If I had to stay in Boulder again I would definitely recommend it as it appeared like the best value/location combo in the area. They have many different rates online so if you are sure you aren't going to cancel you can save a little more money. They also let my girlfriend check into the room 3 hours early because the room was ready. read more

Best deal in Boulder! Clean remodeled strip motel that services perfectly fine if you want to be walking distance to downtown and pay around $100 per night. Another great find thanks to Yelp! read more

I don't trust these guys. I called to make a reservation, first asking what their cancellation policy was and was told 24 hours. I asked for an email confirmation but they never sent one. I called a week later to be sure my res was made (it was) and asked for an email confirmation again, but still didn't get one. A month later, I called a few days before I was sch to arrive, to cancel the room. I was told their policy was "no refunds." I started to raise a stink and cite what I had been told a month earlier when I made the res, and they guy said, oh, just kidding, we have the best cancellation policy around... 4 hours. I think these guys are liars and they tried to cheat me, first by never sending the confirmation (so I didn't have the cancellation policy in writing), and then by telling me no refunds when I called to cancel. It all worked out cuz I took good notes and raised a stink, but another person could have been cheated into paying for the room. Beware! I stay in Boulder regularly but won't stay here again. It's a crappy room anyway and I only have gone there in the past because of the location. read more

Well it does exactly what it needs to do. A 5 star, three star motel. Room I am in has been recently redone: graduation time perhaps. Comfy bed,good shower, clean room. Basic but good. read more

August 2013: we were lucky and had the upstairs end unit backing into the high school play fields and Boulder Creek. Typical Motel Room environment .... nothing to do cartwheels for ... however the location was great ... within a short walk to Pearl Street and it's many restaurants, brew pubs and boutiques.... The complimentary breakfast was "lacking" read more