The historic Boulder Dam Hotel has been located in Boulder City since 1932, when Jim Webb executed his vision for a grand inn with then-unheard of air conditioning, baths, and a wood-paneled lobby. The extravagant construction welcomed dignitaries from around the world who were visiting the Boulder Dam--today known as the Hoover Dam. On the first floor of the lobby, the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum, free to hotel guests, illuminates the stories of the men and women behind the Boulder Canyon Project, as they blazed into the desolated Nevada desert to build the dam and the city from the ground up.
Webb's vision quickly became a reality, as the hotel became a draw for those visiting the dam as well as Hollywood stars looking to establish Nevada residency in order to get a quick divorce. Famous guests over the years include Bette Davis, who stayed at the hotel in 1934 while filming Of Human Bondage; Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, guests during their 1935 honeymoon; and Cardinal Pacelli--later becoming Pope Pius XII. Shirley Temple, Senator Robert Taft, and Boris Karloff are other well-known names to have slept in the Boulder Dam Hotel's luxurious beds.
Occupancy plummeted during World War II, and the hotel was closed. Struggling to recoup, many owners tried to restore the inn to its former glory over the decades, until the Friends of the Hotel bolstered an array of renovations in the early 1990s. Just 10 years later, the Boulder City Museum and Historical Association acquired the hotel and brought it back to its rightful state, which today is the number-one accommodation in the city.
Although they are outfitted with all of the modern amenities, rooms boast an antique charm that harkens back to the hotel?s early years. All of the guest rooms and common areas are equipped with high-speed wireless internet. Guests can also take advantage of coffee and tea in the guest center, and a cooked-to-order breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 each morning, all complimentary for hotel guests. A total of 17 rooms are complete with either a California King or XL Queen bed. Four suites boast a California King Bed, kitchenette, and living room.
In warmer months, hotel guests can enjoy the outdoor sun deck or take a self-guided audio walking tour through downtown Boulder City, taking in the history that built this unique town. Families can take advantage of kids? meals offered at the restaurant and snack bar, as well as children's TV channels and books, DVDs, and music for little ones.
Free public parking is available on site, and guests can also take advantage of the resident Hoover Dam Museum, free of charge. The museum uses interactive exhibits and historical footage to detail the challenges overcome by the men and women who built the Hoover Dam and settled Boulder City.
Of course, the Dam itself is only just six miles from the property as well. Visitors can also take advantage of downtown Boulder?s local food scene, spanning a local craft brewery to a boutique coffee shop and cozy wine bars.