LUXURY VACATION RENTALS

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOME HOST CONCIERGE A luxurious vacation doesn’t always look the same.

Sometimes, it looks like a Forbes four-star hotel with an

award-winning spa (like Boulder’s St Julien).

Other times, it’s a charming, remodeled Victorian house

in a historic neighborhood. Or maybe a 6,300-square-foot

mansion with a private pool located in Boulder’s foothills.

All of these are real lodging options here in Boulder.

Luxurious

Airbnbs & Home Rentals in Boulder

By Aimee Heckel

Vacation rental properties, like those found on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo, may have a reputation for inexpensive lodging that’s cheaper than hotels. And sure, you can find some killer deals on these home rental websites.

But there’s another side to vacation rentals, one that elevates the travel experience to the highest heights: luxurious houses where you can live like a king.

Browse Airbnb for Boulder and you’ll find a mansion on 38 acres; an estate with its own private beach on Boulder Creek; a colorful house with a hot tub on its deck overlooking the Front Range from up high. You can find houses that average $2,800 a night (but also a lot less).

And that’s just the start.

Beyond Airbnb, Vrbo and other popular websites, Boulder is home to its own short-term home rental business, Home Host Concierge. This seven-year-old company, run by Boulder native Kate George, not only rents out some of Boulder’s most impressive properties, but it also offers five-star concierge services.

“We transform family residences into something closer to a vacation rental: We bring all our own linens, we empty refrigerators and clean out bathroom drawers. Our team transforms the property into something that doesn’t feel like you’re staying at your aunt’s house,” George says.

Home Host Concierge offers restaurant and activity recommendations (it helps being run by a Boulder native), but really, it’s about customizing the experience to the guest’s needs. One wealthy heiress who stays in Boulder over the summers requested a full-time house manager to handle laundry, food prep, walking the dog and other daily tasks — but the Covid-conscious guest was worried about being exposed to the virus, so Home Host Concierge found her an assistant who agreed to isolate herself from anyone else throughout the duration of the stay.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOME HOST CONCIERGE

Another extended-stay guest thought the mattress in the master bedroom was too firm, so Home Host Concierge worked with her personal assistant to determine the exact same mattress style she had at home. Home Host stores her mattress in their unit when she is gone, and when she comes to town, they swap it out so she never misses a night’s sleep, wherever she stays.

George says they have organized private tours of the University of Colorado campus for future students; set up a private art session with a famous artist living in Boulder; and organized training with renowned Olympians in Boulder to help guests train and prep for competitions.

“It’s not one size fits all. We cater our experiences and offerings, based on what the guest wants and needs and why they’re in town,” George says.

Home Host Concierge actually blossomed out of George’s own experience with Airbnb. Years ago, she rented out her own Boulder home and it was so successful that her friends and family asked her to help them rent out their homes, too. This service continued to grow through today; in addition to Home Host Concierge, George also runs an ultra-highend, international vacation rental/concierge service called Omnifique (starting at $25,000 a night; the average stay is half a million).

Even if that’s not your budget, you can still find a long list of other incredibly high-end lodging options in Boulder. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. See this story online at TravelBoulder.com for the direct links to these properties, or search them by name or price, although listings and their details are subject to change.

CHIC HOME WITH EXPANSIVE GARDEN & LUSH MOUNTAIN VIEWS

$2,800/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/47782906

This is a dream home in Boulder, with three bedrooms and four baths located in a quiet neighborhood less than 10 minutes from downtown. The mountain views and interior design make this house stand out, with stunning lighting and modern-chic decor. This house comes with access to a fully equipped kitchen and a great outdoor lounge area to have your meals al fresco. It is hosted by Home Host Concierge.

TRAILHEAD MODERN HOME AT BASE OF MT. SANITAS

$2,000/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/38596714

Book an entire five-bedroom, six-bathroom house right at the base of the Mount Sanitas trailhead and a short walk

to the Pearl Street Mall. This spacious house features tons of windows, a deep soaking tub and a full kitchen with everything you could need to feel at home.

Entertain yourself with a billiard table and theater in the basement, a stunning mountain view, a game console, children’s books and toys (even a bunk bed and large dollhouse), a backyard and more. Relax by the indoor or outdoor fireplace, and then grill outside. After eating, stretch out on the well-designed, comfy patio. Breakfast is included in this stay.

POOL IS OPEN - HUGE MOUNTAIN HOME WITH SPA

$914/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/38359051

Stay in a mountain mansion in the valley just 10 minutes from downtown Boulder. This luxurious home has a pool and spa, expansive decks and three different fire pits you can sit at while you take in the canyon views. The home sleeps 12 people in six bedrooms. Other high-end features include a grand piano, spacious outdoor BBQ and indoor fireplace.

The outdoor pool, open seasonally June to September, has a slide and can be heated upon request. The spa is heated and open year-round. You can also watch films in the movie room with surround sound.

MOUNTAIN MEADOW MAGNIFICENCE

$1,450/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/16767729

Live like royalty in this incredible Boulder mansion, situated on an impressive 38 acres just 15 minutes from Boulder. The entire 6,300-square-foot villa hosts 12 guests in six bedrooms with just as many baths. Enjoy a serene escape with panoramas of the foothills. Go hiking on the trails outside your front door before taking a dip in the home’s pool. This is the ultimate in luxury, with architectural details, a spiral staircase and so much privacy.

BEST HOUSE IN BOULDER: LOCATION, STUNNING IN/OUT

$1,050/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/1613904

Inside and out, this home has charm. Eleven guests can stay in this totally remodeled 1905 Victorian house in Boulder’s historic Whittier neighborhood. It’s just four blocks from Pearl Street. The house has a beautiful yard and patio, a secluded master bedroom, private decks and a high-end kitchen.

Luxurious amenities that you won’t find just anywhere include an electronic shower and steam room, two ovens, two

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOME HOST CONCIERGE

dishwashers, multiple fridges and freezers and smart-controlled entertainment, lights and temperature.

GORGEOUS FIVE-BEDROOM HOME - FIRE PIT AND HOT TUB

$1,000/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/49109736

Stay in a newly redone, 5,000-square-foot house located near Crestview Park and Wonderland Lake. This home has many luxury amenities and special features, like a chef’s kitchen, hot tub, fire pit, built-in grill, oversized dining tables, pool table, dartboard, a Sonos speaker system, smart lighting and heating and a fenced backyard with a spacious lawn. Pop open the trifold doors and windows for an indoor-outdoor space that has access to the grill and bar. The primary bedroom features a steam shower and soaking tub.

HIGH-END FOUR-BEDROOM BOULDER HOME, SLEEPS 10

$1,000/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/1560968

This luxurious Boulder property in the Whittier neighborhood can sleep 10 with its four bedrooms with 3.5 baths. It’s a relatively new build, finished in 2007, and within walking distance to the Pearl Street Mall, trails and restaurants. Feel like you’re tucked away in the mountains, while still remaining close to all the action.

Highlights include a spacious master suite with a balcony with Flatirons views and a jetted tub; a beautiful kitchen with a large dining table; and a wood-burning fireplace in the living room. In warmer weather, grill on the oversized deck. This home is even pet-friendly.

STUNNING HISTORIC HOME CLOSE TO PEARL STREET

$445/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/plus/19430832

Here’s an elegant space to stay for a lower price point than other comparable properties. This four-bedroom, remodeled, historic home is located just a block from St Julien Hotel and Spa in downtown Boulder. It sleeps 13 people. Rooms feature air conditioning, blackout shades, free parking (in downtown, that’s a plus), cable TV with a sound system, a private balcony, a fruit and flower orchard, an oversized dining table and a full kitchen. Luxurious amenities include crystal glasses, plush bathrobes and a soaking tub.

But beyond that, it has a great story. This house, built

in 1906, used to be the home of the first president of the University of Colorado, according to the homeowner, Hillary Camilla.

Find other historical nods throughout, such as a 1920s French antique vanity, original Art Deco lamps, an antique bed, antique dinnerware and original wood floors.

COUNTRY LIVING JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN

$1,129/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/44281468

If you want to stay in Boulder with plenty of outdoor space, you can rent this entire four-bedroom house. It’s located on two acres, complete with yard games and a barn for outdoor dining for up to 25 people, making this home great for special, small events. (It sleeps 10.)

The house has a fireplace inside and a fire pit outside. It also has on-site exercise equipment, a grill, and an outdoor eating area adorned by party lights and hanging lanterns. Bonus: The neighbors have farm animals.

LUXE BOULDER: ‘BARRETT HOUSE’ ON MOUNTAIN PEAK WITH HOT TUB

$830/night Where to book: evolve.com/vacation-rentals/us/co/ boulder/263720

Here’s a vacation rental like no other. Stay in an architecturally significant, historic residence, the Barrett House, designed by famed Colorado architect Charles Haertling

How to Find the Perfect Rental for Your Next Trip

Liz DeBold Fusco, a spokesperson for Airbnb, recommends the following when looking for a vacation rental:

• Search “I’m flexible” for the location if you aren’t set on a specific location. This will help you pull up unique places to stay in a variety of locations. With so many quirky and interesting lodging options, increasingly more travelers are centering their trips around their lodging, not necessarily the location, DeBold Fusco says.

• Search for flexible dates using the “I’m flexible” tool. If your schedule is open, you can discover more stays via a wider window of time.

• Check the amenities. Last year, Airbnb began allowing hosts to “verify” their WiFi speed and services for people who work remotely. Airbnb also recently introduced electric vehicle charging stations as a feature, and nearly 1 million hosts have added that in the past year. You can also check the amenity list for features like pools, BBQ grills and full kitchens. Between fall to winter in 2021, searches for listings with pools jumped by 50 percent in the United States and Canada.

• Read the reviews to make sure the experience of other guests aligns with the experience you want to have.

• Talk to your host in advance. Ask them for tips and advice and get to know them personally to make sure their home is a good fit.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOME HOST CONCIERGE

for a famous artist. This quirky, mid-century modern home is perched on a three-acre mountain peak near Boulder.

In addition to a one-of-a-kind design, this property offers a fireplace, theater room, hot tub, outdoor dining on a private balcony, a hammock, skylights, a Bose sound system and a “Mad Men”-inspired dining room and bar. It sleeps six in 3,000 square feet.

The Barrett House is also environmentally friendly, with cork flooring and rugs made from recycled plastic bottles.

MODERN DOWNTOWN BOULDER HOME, ROOFTOP DESK AND FLATIRON VIEWS

$725/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/plus/39129793

No matter the interior of a vacation rental, the most incredible part of staying in Boulder are the views. And this downtown home serves them up big, complete with not one, but three private decks. Rent the entire, minimalist-style home with two bedrooms and you can walk three blocks to Pearl Street.

High-end details include an Aboriginal painting and an espresso machine in a full kitchen. Guests can also enjoy an indoor fireplace, high-resolution computer monitor, walkin shower and outdoor furniture. But the highlight here is the large, private rooftop deck. Sit out there under the Colorado sunshine and enjoy the blue skies.

COUNTRY HOUSE 10 MINUTES TO BOULDER

$890/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/19175464

Just outside of Boulder, you’ll find a jaw-dropping house with oversized windows that sleeps 10. This home, in Longmont, is located a short ride to some of Boulder County’s favorite trails. Live the luxurious country life with fresh eggs from the on-site chicken coop and plenty of space inside and out — and views for days (also inside and out, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows). This house has a massive balcony, an indoor fireplace, four bedrooms and all five-star reviews from previous guests.

EXPANSIVE LUXURY IN CENTRAL HOME WITH DOWNTOWN VIEWS

$930/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/plus/12408426

This colorful and artistically-decorated home in Boulder sleeps 12 in five bedrooms. Inside, guests can sit beside the fire under exposed-beam ceilings, surrounded by original art on the walls. Outside, guests can enjoy a BBQ, sit in the hot tub, wander through the gardens and sit on the multiple decks, appointed with sun loungers and an Amazon Echo. Mountain views and a view of downtown Boulder are included.

Some highlights: a convection oven in the full kitchen, a rain shower, and a piano. Bedrooms feature the likes of a pillow-top mattress, room-darkening shades, and more mountain views from bed. Relax in the hot tub on one of the decks and enjoy sweeping views of the Front Range from up high.

LUXURY CREEKSIDE ESTATE NEAR CU AND DOWNTOWN

$1,100/night Where to book: airbnb.com/rooms/51485993

Ten guests can stay in this incredible estate located in downtown Boulder, right on Boulder Creek. This home is secluded, yet a short walk to downtown/Pearl Street and the University of Colorado stadium. Sit outside in the multiple seating areas and watch the creek by a fire pit.

The house is located on 1.2 acres. Guests can enjoy the chef’s kitchen, three indoor fireplaces, a multi-person steam shower and large soaker tub, a basketball hoop, shuffleboard and chess table.

Best of all: This house has its own private beach on the creek.

Read More: 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Longmont ravelboulder.com/9-things-you-didnt-know-about-longmont