The Surf Hotel & Chateau is easily one of my favorite hotels in Colorado, and I will always jump on the opportunity to spend a night or two there when I have elopements in Buena Vista or find myself driving through on my way to Crested Butte or the San Juans. And if you’re reading this, chances are you’re either considering it as your wedding venue or planning a trip out to BV and wondering if it’s worth the hype.
So what makes “the Surf” so good? As a photographer, I’d be hard pressed not to mention the aesthetics—this hotel is beautiful. From the clean, modern hotel rooms to the European-inspired exteriors, everything about this place makes me want to take my cameras out and get to work. And that’s a big part of why it’s become such a popular wedding venue over the years!
The Surf Hotel & Chateau have two main lodging offerings: the hotel rooms in the main building, and the cottages in the Chateau, directly behind the hotel.
The rooms are simple, but with comfortable beds (and the softest bed linens), large walk-in showers, and the perfect little sitting area if you need to get some work done while traveling. And (most importantly for us photographers)—great lighting! I will always recommend splurging on a room with balcony access when you’re staying at the Surf, but even the rooms facing the mountains and courtyard are well-lit and beautiful.
Another reason why I love staying at The Surf is their in-house restaurant: Wesley & Rose. Their seasonal menu always leaves me ordering more food than I need because everything sounds so darn good, and their bartenders make the best cocktails around. (Pro-tip: bring your drink up to your balcony to watch the sunset after dinner.)
Wesley & Rose also has a small private dining room that can seat up to 30 people for events like micro-weddings, and is perfect for hosting a small dinner reception with your closest friends and family after eloping in the mountains.
For bigger weddings, you can rent out the Ivy Ballroom which can seat up to 130 people for receptions, or get creative with a combination of ballroom and courtyard seating to host up to 180 people. The Ivy Courtyard, directly outside the ballroom, is perfect for ceremonies, but you can also have your ceremony in the aspen-lined Surf Chateau courtyard, or in The Meadows if you prefer a more natural backdrop where you can see the mountains. You can also rent the patio that faces the Arkansas river for cocktail hour, as it’s directly connected to the ballroom.
The price of hosting your wedding at The Surf is a wide range depending on the season and size of your event, but they have transparent pricing outlined in on their website. (Always a green flag imo, when you don’t have to get on a phone call to find out if you can afford a place or not!)
Practical info about The Surf Hotel
Location: 1012 Front Loop #1, Buena Vista, CO 81211
Reservations: Hotel website
Pet-friendly: No, only service animals are allowed in the rooms
Wedding capacity: from micro-weddings in the private dining room up to 180 guests
