General Information
LODGING
DINING
ACTIVITIES
ATTRACTIONS
TRAVEL PACKAGES
RESOURCESHow To Get Here:
Colorado Springs Regional Airport
Blue SkiesA Bed & Breakfast Inn
402 Manitou Avenue
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
719-685-3899
800-398-7949
fax 719-685-3099
www.blueskiesbb.comTake I-25 to Colorado Springs, Colorado
Exit Hwy. 24 west
Continue 4 miles, then exit on Manitou Avenue turning right
1.5 blocks watch for Blue Skies sign on your right
Innkeepers: Sally and Mike
Nestled near the base of Pikes peak, historic Manitou Springs, Colorado has never seen the likes of Blue Skies until Sally Thurston began to realize her dream. She has combined her own developed artistry with general contracting to build a new Bed & Breakfast in the style of the city’s founder, Dr. William Bell, near his carriage house. Three buildings were designed and constructed by Sally inspired by the style of the carriage house, complete with color, size and layout consistency, a true representation of the first buildings constructed in Manitou Springs in 1873. The details of Blue Skies all new construction match the Gothic Revival architecture of Dr. Bell’s 1873 carriage house so well that it is hard to distinguish the original from the respectful reproduction.
The 2.5 acre grounds are uniquely secluded yet within walking distance of downtown Manitou Springs and near a host of area attractions including the cog railway which transports you (literally) up to the top of Pikes Peak. Towering willow and cottonwoods grow along Fountain Creek which runs through the south side of the site. There are lawns, hidden gardens and a hillside covered with hundred year-old scrub oak. Wildlife abounds.
Within the board-and-batten siding and Gothic windows, guests find beautiful new 3-room suites all designed and painted by an artist. Each room is individually designed, color coordinated from the ceramic tile to the carpets, drapes, bed linens, comforters, pillows and flowers. Each room is named according to its design or position with respect to the sun. Each room is unique. The emphasis at Blue Skies is seclusion. Double-wall construction was used with sound insulation to assure a quiet stay. Breakfast is not only delicious, plentiful and fresh, but it is delivered to your room at your appointed time. A picnic in your private sitting room with views of the mountains and scents of the morning air is a wonderful way to greet the day. A garden court is also available in which to dine.
Rooms also come with individual climate control, TV/VCR, cable, phones, modem jacks, refrigerators, giant showers and/or luxurious private bathrooms. Many rooms have gas fire places, bed canopies and whirlpool tubs for two. A lending library of videos is available.
Room names include:
Indian Rock Art (one and two, a very popular room) – like visiting a sandstone canyon wall with ancient Indian art images and pictographs on the walls.
Deep Blue – a playful interpretation of the ocean. Waves are stenciled in silver. The rooms has seashell chairs and ancestors’ ocean-going trunks complete the undersea fantasy.
Midnight Woods – stenciled with hundreds of varied ferns imparting the feel of a cool woodland.
Dot Matrix – an elegant composition in black and white. The walls are painted as textured pale yellow parchment. African masks add bold colors.
Ferdinand’s Garden – planted orchards and flowers with handpainted bouquets. This suite was decorated in honor of Dr. Bell’s first gardener.
Starlight – is a vision of the universe with stars, galaxies and comets complete with mirrored "time windows" in the decoratively tiles giant bathroom.
Blue Skies – with handpainted clouds adrift on the walls. The bath is tiled in hues of blue with a rainbow border.
Morning Glory – has handpainted morning glory vines climbing over the walls with boughs of lavender silk flowers intertwining with tiny lights to edge the backlit canopy floating over a big brass bed.
Sunset – glows with the evening sky with sun-streaked clouds. Very romantic.
Sally and Mike have completed most of the work themselves, from the design to the decoration. Each room was handpainted, and the owners laid each of the tiles in the oversized bathrooms. Not only has talent and creativity gone into the Blue Skies design, but also the loving care (and hard work) of the owners. The creativity has not stopped. As an activity building is finished, special theme activities and weekend events are offered with the Inn. Blue Skies offers amenities for a romantic retreat, family vacation or high-tech business stay. Blue Skies offers conference and banquet rooms meeting a real need in the Pikes Peak area.
Manitou Springs and Colorado as a whole are privileged to have Blue Skies Inn to offer its residents and visitors. Blue Skies is one of Colorado’s premier inns. It meets a wonderful array of traveler needs with an indoor and outdoor setting unmatched in its ambiance.
Western Museum of Mining and Industry - I-25 Exit 156A
Royal Gorge Route - Take the Train, under the Bridge
Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association - Souther Colorado Play Land