Beautiful Accommodations & Rich History at The Chamberlin Inn
By Beeb:
While visiting Cody, Wyoming last week, I stayed downtown at the Chamberlin Inn. This hotel has an extremely convenient location – nestled between a variety of local stores and restaurants, local attractions such as the Buffalo Bill Center of The West are within walking distance.
All you have to do is cross the street and you can have breakfast at the Irma, which was built by none other than Buffalo Bill in 1902!
Caption: The Chamberlin’s Lobby
And the Chamberlin has its own fascinating history. The hotel began when Aggie Chamberlin moved to Cody in 1900 to work for Buffalo Bill’s newspaper office and bought a vacant lot across the street. This gorgeous hotel became a hotspot for notable guests, including none other than Ernest Hemingway, who was writing "Death in The Afternoon" at the time. I found it pretty amusing to be writing tweets in the same building where Hemingway once finished one of his classics!
Caption: Table & chairs in my room at the Chamberlin Inn
The hotel has been beautifully restored and decorated, creating a gorgeous and evocative atmosphere; every room is a unique experience with its own layout and decor. The hotel has also included modern conveniences to make the hotel an ideal spot for today’s writers, with free Wi-Fi throughout the building. Flat screen TVs have also been incorporated to the classic decor in each room, so I was able to turn to a local station and listen to music while I got dressed in the morning.
Each room at the Chamberlin Inn comes with a number of amenities. When you walk in, you are greeted by fresh flowers and a box of chocolates on your pillow. I ate so much food while I was in Cody that I actually packed my box of chocolates to take home and savor later, and let me tell you, both my fiancé and I really enjoyed them!
There was also a tray coffee (Both regular & decaf), sweetener & powdered creamer, and tea. The room comes with a single-serve coffee maker, so I was able to brew a quick cup in the mornings before heading out for the day.
One of the most useful inclusions was a basket full of toiletries including soap & bath salts, makeup remover, shampoo & conditioner, lotion, and even a shoe shine cloth. It was great to have a few less items to pack, since I knew they were waiting for me in my room – I don’t know about you, but my quart-sized bag always ends up crammed with makeup when I fly!
After a long day of traveling, it was so lovely to collapse into the big, comfy bed in my room! These beds are so cozy and loaded with big, soft pillows – which was good for me, since I’ve been sleeping with pillows propped under my knees ever since I injured them. Everyone raved about these beds – in fact, they even sell the sheets in the hotel lobby, so I have a feeling they must get asked about them a lot!
Caption: Dresser
I stayed in room 24, which had one room for the bed & chairs and one bathroom. There was one window over the sink and two windows in the bedroom. One window overlooked a number of buildings and the other window was adjacent to the back of a business next door – I think it was a restaurant, but I never got a chance to look. There were two large dumpsters outside this business and when I first arrived there was a group of staff congregated around them laughing. I thought the view was a pretty funny counterpart to the luxurious room, but it was just amusing to me – I was so busy during my trip that I barely even had a chance to look outside. For business travelers like myself, this room is perfect, but there are other rooms with more scenic views if that is important to you or you plan on having a more leisurely trip.
The bathroom was fitted with a clawfoot bathtub and shower with lots of fluffy towels. There was a sign in the bathroom stating that since they are committed to conserving natural resources, they ask guests to indicate which towels they would like washed by placing them on the floor. I thought this was great, since I hate the idea of clean towels being washed for no good reason. I even saved the sugar packets in my room so they wouldn’t get thrown away, so I’m all about reducing waste!
I found my room to be overall very clean and inviting. I did notice a few areas of dust, a little staining on the showerhead and spotted half a gelatin capsule underneath the bed when I plugged in my phone charger, which I hate to mention because it makes me sound like an extremely high-maintenance guest! But I didn’t mention it to the staff because it didn’t bother me at all – these were tiny nitpicks on areas like wall trim that I wasn’t even going to touch. Having eagle-eye vision makes cleaning my own house a nightmare because I never feel like it’s ever perfect; is it weird that I find it to be a relief when I go elsewhere and see tiny amounts of dust? I feel like it takes the pressure off me, ha ha! If a guest were to have a problem with their stay, I’m sure the staff would remedy it – the maid was friendly and greeted me while I walked past her cleaning another room, and owner Ev Diehl helped me figure out the locks the first night I was there. I couldn’t figure out how to lock the door to my room, so he walked up with me to check it out. He was pretty sure it locked from the outside, so when I stepped into my room and shut the door he tried the knob from the outside to make sure it was secure. He also assisted me when I left my keys inside the room by mistake – doh!
Caption: Flowers in the Spirits Lounge Conservatory
The Chamberlin also has a lovely Spirits Lounge Conservatory that overlooks their scenic courtyard. We gathered here on the first night and it was really nice – they served me a large glass of red wine with crackers, cheese, and fruits for appetizers. Yum! I can absolutely see why this hotel has been a popular destination for over 100 years. With the easy access to local attractions and gorgeous accommodations, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The hotel is very romantic and is often the site for weddings – this would be a fun spot for Jai and I to stay at during our honeymoon! The room I stayed in, #24 Standard King, is available for around $235/night during the summer season. If you’re bringing the whole family, a group of 4 could stay in the #25 Double Queen for $285/night.
For More Information:
ChamberlinInn.com Phone: 1-888-587-0202
About Beeb Ashcroft: Beeb is a British journalist living on the north Oregon coast. Blogging since 2008, she covers everything from coupons to contests in addition to running a network connecting UK bloggers with brands. In her free time, she loves to drink coffee, watch reality TV, and spend time with her fiancé, Jai.