When it comes to great places to stay, university campuses aren’t at the top of most travelers’ lists. But hospitality is big business for schools. Whether it’s for hosting students’ families during move-ins and graduations or just having spots for folks traveling in for conferences, concerts, and big games, many universities and colleges are partnering with brands to bring their properties to campus land. Taking it one step further is Hotel Maverick in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Located on the campus of Colorado Mesa University, Hotel Maverick is a unique blend of upscale boutique accommodations, world-class dining, and a college classroom. Owned by CMU, it serves as a training ground for future hotel managers, chefs, and other hospitality employees. Students in the school’s hospitality management and culinary programs staff the property, shadowing full-time staffers and getting first-hand experience in the industry. They spend up to six months interning at the hotel.
Hotel Maverick: A unique hospitality experience
CMU’s campus is situated in the heart of Grand Junction, about 1.5 miles from the city’s historic Downtown district. The Maverick is tucked away behind a science museum on the western edge of campus. Easily accessible by car, it also offers free parking for registered guests.
The hotel, which opened during the pandemic, offers a sleek, contemporary approach that stands out from other university buildings. At four stories tall, with sloping angles and a sharply pointed fourth-floor restaurant balcony, its dramatic facade echoes the surrounding mountain scenery while hinting at the modern elegance inside.
The experience begins when you enter the hotel. A spacious lobby sits opposite the check-in counter. Filled with plush seating arrangements, leather wingback chairs, and a long communal table for working, a fireplace, and a wall of books, the space reminded me more of a cozy living room in a mountain lodge than a modern hotel. There’s even a vintage-style popcorn cart where guests can get fresh-popped popcorn throughout the day. The smell of fresh popcorn creates a delicious welcome.
Rooms at Hotel Maverick
Hotel Maverick offers 60 pet-friendly rooms. Sizes range from 305-square-foot double queen and king rooms to the 468-square-foot veranda suites. Patio and balcony rooms are available, as are accessible rooms. For something a little unique, try the Maverick King Bunk Bed room, which features a fun bunk bed that fits two king mattresses.
I stayed in a fourth-floor Mesa Balcony King with a sunny balcony that overlooks the northwest corner of campus, including a lively skate park. The room contains all the modern amenities one comes to expect from a top hotel: luxurious linen bedding, a comfy chair for relaxing, and a desk/workspace. The tall rustic headboard, which looks like it is crafted from reclaimed timber, is a focal point of the room, which is otherwise minimally decorated in shades of white, sage green, and blue.
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Each room is outfitted with a wall-mounted TV, a mini fridge, a Keurig coffee maker, and a bathrobe and slippers.
The spacious bathroom continues the calming aesthetic with grasscloth wallpaper and decorative tile floors. The large shower is tiled in white subway tiles, and the vanity offers plenty of space to spread out your beauty products. All toiletries are cruelty-free Beekman 1802.
One of the most interesting things about rooming on the fourth floor is the fact that the elevator opens to the entrance of Devil’s Kitchen. I initially thought I had gotten off on the wrong floor. But rooms are around the corner and past a closed door.
Dining at Hotel Maverick
The hotel offers two dining options. Directly across from the elevators on the ground floor is Betty’s Gourmet Coffee. This small cafe is open for breakfast and lunch and serves pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, snacks, and, of course, coffee.
But the main attraction is Devil’s Kitchen. Named after a geological formation of the same name within the Colorado National Monument, the restaurant is one of Grand Junction’s most popular dining destinations for both hotel guests and local residents. Like the hotel, it is staffed by CMU students.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily, as well as weekend brunch. Its seasonal menu includes a collection of regional-inspired dishes and indulgent bites, from Hatch green chile cheese dip, Fiery Mesa Verde Chili, and street corn scallops to venison paella, apple butter seared salmon, and a selection of steaks.
I enjoyed the Devil’s Burger. The juicy beef burger is topped with roasted Hatch chilies, bacon onion jam, cheddar cheese, and herb aioli. It comes with a side of potato dippers, thick scooped slices of potatoes fried in duck fat.
In warmer weather, savor your meal and a craft cocktail while sitting outside on the rooftop patio, which overlooks the eponymous mountain formation. It’s the perfect spot for an after-work happy hour, a fun gathering with friends, or a romantic evening for two.
Things To Do
Most people who visit Grand Junction spend their days hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and exploring the region’s many beautiful landscapes, including Colorado National Monument, Grand Mesa, and Rattlesnake Arches. Wine tasting is also a popular pastime in the greater Grand Junction area.
For guests who want to head downtown for some shopping or dining, the hotel offers complimentary cruiser bikes. And after a day of outdoor activities, you can relax in the hotel’s outdoor hot tub, which is situated on a patio on the lawn in front of the building, adjacent to the parking lot. While the location seems odd at first, the hotel backs up to the college campus, so it really is the most private spot available.
Hotel Maverick does not have a pool, but guests have free access to CMU’s Hamilton Recreation Center, which includes a gym, rock climbing wall, and 10-lane competitive pool with four diving boards. The facility is located on the northeast corner of campus, about a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
If You Go
Rooms at Hotel Maverick start at about $199 per night and can run upwards of $450 per night, depending on peak seasons and university demand. In addition, an amenity fee of $10 per room per night includes the use of cruiser bikes and the recreation center. The hotel welcomes two dogs per guest room. There is a one-time nonrefundable fee of $75 per dog.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
