The Stanley Hotel Caretaker’s Cottage

Preserving history while bringing one of Colorado's most iconic stories to life.

Saunders renovated the historic Caretaker’s Cottage on the Stanley Hotel campus, transforming the 1909 structure into an immersive tour experience that celebrates both the hotel’s rich history and its connection to Stephen King’s The Shining.

Originally constructed as the residence for the hotel’s caretaker, the cottage underwent a comprehensive interior renovation that carefully balanced historic preservation with interpretive storytelling. The building was stripped to its structural frame, allowing the team to remove unnecessary walls, install new structural supports, and create spaces that accurately reflect life at the Stanley Hotel in the early 1900s. The first floor recreates a period-correct residential suite, complete with a parlor, dining room, sitting room, and kitchen furnished with historically appropriate details. The use of reclaimed fixtures and specialty materials sourced from across the country required extensive field verification and custom coordination throughout construction.

The second floor explores the hotel’s influence on The Shining, highlighted by a meticulous recreation of the infamous Room 237 bathroom. The exhibit replicates the original set design’s mid-century modern character, including its distinctive mint-green finishes and period-specific fixtures.

Exterior restoration work included stone and brick masonry repairs, selective siding and trim replacement, installation of a new window, lead paint abatement, exterior repainting, and new gutters and downspouts. The completed project preserves an important piece of the Stanley Hotel’s history while creating a unique visitor experience that connects guests to both fact and folklore.

This project received multiple industry awards, including:

• 2023 Award of Merit for Renovation/Restoration from Engineering News-Record (ENR) Mountain States
• 2022 ACE Award for Best Building Project Under $10 Million from Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Colorado