Cliff House History - The Lodge + Surrounding Cottages

In 1873, town founder & stone mason, George Morrison, built his family home using material from his local quarry. Upon Morrison’s death in 1895, John Swanson purchased and officially named it the Cliff House Lodge, after the Morrison Cliffs, the rock formations that overlook the estate. He made the lodge a boarding house renowned for its fine food, great rooms, and charming garden, complete with a bandstand that hosted popular Sunday concerts. Charles Ostreen acquired the lodge in 1932, and further developed the room and board. By the 1940s, all of the surrounding cottages were built, extending accommodations to frequent travelers. Peggy Hahn became proprietor in 1976, she turned the cottages into shops & by the 1980s revised them into hot tub themed rooms. In 2006 Odell Frasier Bullington purchased and continues to grow the legacy of this special bed & breakfast. Cliff House Lodge is a prime destination during summer concert season at Red Rocks Amphitheater and a beloved winter haven for relaxing hot tub soaking & homemade breakfast.

Guests enjoy an undiscovered off-the-beaten-path hideaway with none of the usual dictates associated with a conventional hotel. The units are clustered around the main lodge and each is themed to create an individualized and unique environment. The guest lifestyle includes a lazy, relaxed and unpretentious experience. The location, in the heart of Morrison’s business district, is within minutes of Red Rocks and at the start of Bear Creek Canyon leading to the historic town of Evergreen, Mount Evans, and the Arapahoe National Forest. Guests are offered the opportunity to enjoy the laidback pace of a historic Colorado mountain town; explore the internationally acclaimed Red Rocks and its equally famous concert amphitheater; schedule a beautiful drive through the canyon for lunch or dinner in Evergreen; or enjoy an incomparable day of hiking. In short, a stay at Cliff House Lodge represents a very eclectic encounter in a unique setting and an incomparable location.