Opening of luxury spa in Western Hotel marks final piece of renovation

By Bob Kretschman/Special to the Plaindealer

A new luxury spa in the basement of the historic Western Hotel at 210 Seventh Ave. in Ouray provides a place where visitors and locals alike can relax and pamper themselves with a wide variety of options.

Reached by descending a metal spiral staircase from the hotel lobby, the Grotto Spa features a hot soaking pool, a cold plunge, a dry sauna and several quiet, comfortable rooms where trained professionals provide massages and facials.

“Our focus here is healing,” said Michelle Van Alsburg, the Western’s general manager who also created much of the interior design for the spa. “It’s a healing and wellness environment.”

Spa visitors find themselves surrounded by the basement’s original walls made of stones and red bricks. A historical highlight is a sealed tunnel that is believed to have provided access to and from Ouray’s red-light district. Spa décor focuses on natural elements that complement the 133-year-old building, with wood, metal and artistic highlights throughout.

“Everyone loves it. The space is very unique – they’re in awe when they come down here,” Van Alsburg said.

Colors and materials are inspired by natural elements of the area, such as the striking hues of Red Mountain, the various types of quartz found in the San Juans, and the piñon-juniper forests of the region, she said. In addition, spa treatments include natural products and botanicals that are sourced regionally or inspired by the local environment.

“Any space I’m designing, I’m trying to bring outside elements in,” Van Alsburg said.

The Grotto Spa adds to the amenities offered by the Western Hotel, which reopened in May 2023 after a more than two-year, $15 million renovation project. The hotel has 16 rooms, a restaurant featuring a wood-fired kitchen, a restored bar area, and the new spa, which opened Memorial Day weekend.

“The spa was really the last big piece of the project,” said Adam Larkey, chief operating officer for Zeppelin Development, which bought the Western in December 2020 for $1.35 million and undertook the extensive restoration. “I’m really proud of the way that project turned out.”

Including a spa in the Western Hotel became a possibility because the building had a basement, Larkey said. The original basement floor was dirt, and the space had been used primarily for storage.

“The basement had in some ways been forgotten, but it was still an important part of (the Western’s) story,” Larkey says. Basement ceilings were low, and construction crews excavated two to three feet of dirt from the floor to create usable space for the spa. They were careful to leave the stone and brick walls in place, and the spa was designed around the existing structure.

“It was almost like listening to the building,” Larkey said.

The Grotto Spa, like the Western’s restaurant and bar, is open to locals as well as hotel guests. That community connection is important to the Western’s success, according to Larkey and Van Alsburg.

“It’s just 16 rooms, so if it was just catering to the guests, it wouldn’t make financial sense,” Larkey said.

With the growing popularity of Ouray County as an outdoor recreation attraction for visitors and residents, as well as a population in the area that is interested in healing and relaxation, the demand for spa services is significant, Van Alsburg said.

“We’re going to have locals and people from out of town who will be wanting spa treatments,” she said.

As the Grotto Spa neared completion, Van Alsburg began hearing from therapists in the area who were interested in providing services. As a result, the spa has a staff of experienced therapists skilled in a variety of techniques, including deep tissue massage, hot jade stone massage, and several types of facials. A complete list of services can be found on the Western’s website – thewesternouray.com/spa.

The Western’s history and unique new services give the hotel a firm foothold in the local hospitality industry, which relies on the total visitor experience, Larkey said.

“There are other historic hotels in town, but I don’t see them as competitors,” he said. “I see it as a rising tide. If we can help bring people to Ouray to enjoy that great experience, then we’ve done our job.”