The Hill in Boulder, Reimagined
Limelight Hotel
Boulder has been the backdrop of nearly every milestone in my daughter Betty Anne’s life. She was born at Boulder Community Hospital and raised on Pearl Street Mall; her dad pushed her up and down its brick paths while I juggled deadlines at the Daily Camera. As she grew, I taught her she was beautiful like the Flatirons — wild, magical, enduring. Now a high school sophomore, Betty dreams of going to CU Boulder, ready to trade her first steps as a toddler downtown for her first steps into adulthood on The Hill.
And as fate would have it, The Hill seems to be growing up alongside her. Two new hotels — the spirited Moxy and the freshly opened Limelight — are reimagining the neighborhood, not just as a late-night student hub, but as a destination for families, visitors and locals alike.
The Moxy Boulder, which opened May 2024 at 1247 Pleasant St., greets guests with cocktails at check-in and offers social spaces alive with music, trivia and the buzz of CU energy. It’s as bold and welcoming as Boulder itself, with cozy rooms that encourage guests to drop their bags and leave to explore the city and nature. Michael DiMaria, operating partner, said the Moxy was designed to be “the living room” of The Hill neighborhood.
Moxy Boulder
The Limelight Hotel and Conference Center, which opened its doors at 1295 University Ave. this August, brings one of the state’s largest ballrooms, flexible gathering spaces and unobstructed views of the Flatirons. Even more fitting for its location: CU professor Wil Srubar’s company, Prometheus Materials, provided sustainable cement for its construction.
Together, the Moxy and Limelight are helping revitalize The Hill year-round, giving surrounding businesses a boost even in the summer months when students scatter.
“This really helps reshape The Hill as a destination and a launching point, a focal point in addition to Pearl Street,” said Joe Steiskel, property general manager.
For alumni returning after decades, these hotels offer something new: a welcoming home base just steps from campus.
For me, they offer the possibility that my sweet Betty’s next milestones — move-in day, graduation, maybe even a wedding — might continue to be celebrated right here with the wild and magical Flatirons.
Growth can feel strange, but as Boulder teaches, strange can be beautiful, too.
Photo courtesy Aspen Hospitality (Limelight photos) Courtsey of Moxy Boulder (Moxy)