The Elizabeth Hotel Opens This Fall

When Colorado developer McWhinney and Sage Hospitality open their newest hotel this fall, Fort Collins visitors and residents alike will have a new destination for dining and entertainment.

The 164-room Elizabeth Hotel at 111 Chestnut on the north end of Old Town is a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, meaning it has a unique identity while maintaining the benefits of the chain’s reservation system and loyalty program.

The hotel’s design is focused around music, McWhinney Chief Investment Officer for Hospitality Dave Johnstone said. The Elizabeth’s Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market will feature local wines, cheeses and entertainment. The hotel’s two bars — the Skybar on the top floor and the Magic Rat on the first floor — also will be music-oriented, and there is an extensive art collection throughout the property.

“Our thought was that Fort Collins was ready for a high-quality property with quality food and beverage that has partnered with the local community in terms of food and beverage and music and art,” Johnstone said.

This year has marked a significant increase in McWhinney’s hospitality portfolio. In addition to opening The Elizabeth, the company opened The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block, a 172-room mixed-use redevelopment of a prominent downtown block, and the AC Hotel Portland in Oregon. McWhinney also acquired the 123-room Hyatt House Denver Airport Hotel near Denver International Airport and has partnered with Stonebridge Cos. to build a new 101-room Courtyard by Marriott at Centerra.

McWhinney is in the process of finalizing plans for several new hotel projects in Boston, Denver, Omaha, San Francisco and Irvine, California.

“We have been Colorado- and West Coast-focused,” Johnstone said. “My goal is to grow our company beyond Colorado and the West Coast.”