Eco-Friendliness is Crucial at the SCP Hotel, Colorado Springs
Their holistic hospitality approach encourages guest feedback, freedom and plenty of fitness
Situated roadside along I-25 (the primary north-south thoroughfare that connects Fort Collins, Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado), the SCP Hotel appears delightfully worn-in, but up close it’s undoubtedly new. Set between construction sites and empty parking lots, the space fills the block with energy. Its lobby, which sits separately from a sprawling corridor of motel-style rooms, is expansive. From the front doors, the square footage seems unfathomable.
For the newly opened hotel (they welcomed their first guests late last year but much of the space remains under construction) space is an advantage they happily inherited. The 98,000-square-foot space is reminiscent of a ’60s era motel and that’s precisely what it used to be.
Focusing on the necessities and the design features they felt embodied their brand best, the independent hotel began a $6 million renovation that included mapping a layout that could house a co-working space (SCP Commons), two pools, a rock-climbing wall, yoga studio, 12,000-square-foot fitness complex (SCP Fit), 176 guest rooms, self-service food market and even more in their future plans.
Paring down means the brand’s space is true to their ethos—the inclination to reuse the pre-existing space included. The front desk is made from Beetle Kill Pine, a Colorado-specific type of once beetle-infested wood that has been reused (courtesy of government allowances) throughout the property. The lobby is wide open and inviting, especially because even the noisiest of guests get drowned out in the vastness of it all.
But, Pile admits, the minimalism doesn’t satisfy the needs of every guest. Emphasizing the founding principles of SCP (which stands for Soul Community Planet), management made the decision to offer “Fair Trade Pricing”—a sign at the front desk encourages guests to ask about the program.
“It’s a huge asset for our employees and our guests,” Pile explains. “We have taken a really old building and renovated it. That has not left us with anything easy or free from maintenance issues. It’s honestly put us in a position where sometimes you find out you have an issue when the issue occurs. We want to make sure that everyone’s leaving satisfied, everyone’s leaving here feeling like, ‘Yes, the rate for that room is exactly what was supposed to be paid.’ So that’s why we offer that to our guests—to leave the ball in their court. Because we do want your stay to be fulfilling, to be relaxing. We don’t want it to be a whirlwind or stressful.”
The SCP leaves room—both figuratively and literally—for guests to be a part of their built community. Inside, healthy eating and drinking options abound (kombucha on tap, pre-portioned smoothies with optional proteins and supplements, locally sourced snacks and much more), community members mingle and add to the experience, and the rooms (which include bedrooms with one king or two queens and six-bed hostel options on the bottom floor) promote rest first and foremost. They aren’t overly glamorous or pretentious, but they’re far superior to the city’s other offerings. That said, while it’s important to enjoy the hotel’s amenities, it’s equally encouraged to explore the natural splendor that surrounds it.
Hero image courtesy of SCP Hotel
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