This installation of Travel Westword is presented by The PAD Silverthorne. Prefer a video experience? Watch our Instagram Reel about The PAD Silverthorne.
Just an hour and a half from Denver, Silverthorne is a mountain town frequented by both Colorado residents and visitors to the state for its charm and variety of outdoor activities and excursions.
The drive west on I-70 transports you from the noise and stress of Denver to the calm, green quiet of the mountains. Whether it's for a day trip, a vacation or a week of remote work, Silverthorne has become a destination town.
A perfect getaway to Silverthorne should include great lodging, and The PAD Silverthorne makes it easy, whether it's just you or the whole gang coming to stay.
The PAD was built by travelers for travelers. Lynne and Rob Baer conceived the idea while traveling and living abroad and experiencing a variety of lodging options. After travels to different countries and continents, they created a lodging option that works for everyone, whether you're a solo traveler looking for a luxury escape, or a group of skiers looking to save money and still have a great place to stay and work.
“Inspiration for The PAD stemmed from our passion for travel and noticing that the modern hotel/hostel concept, widely embraced in Europe and other parts of the world, had not yet gained traction in the United States,” Lynne Baer says. “With no preconceived notions of what a hotel should be, we set out to design a lodging experience that captures the vibrant and community-centric atmosphere we always seek when traveling.”
Keep reading to discover what a stay at The PAD in Silverthorne has to offer.
Community and Co-Working
Immediately upon arrival, it's clear that The PAD is a place to build community and make connections. For a digital nomad needing a place to stay and work while adventuring in Silverthorne, there's no better place.
The lobby area consists of a bar and lounge, a co-working space that resembles a living room, and a community kitchen, all supplemented by an outdoor patio with plenty of seating. Guests can use the kitchen as they please to make or store food. At every turn and at all hours, someone is utilizing the community space, making it feel very cozy and home-like.
The upstairs level offers an array of desks, seating and quiet places to get work done. We utilized The PAD's office space to work after we checked in, then headed downstairs to find live music on the back lawn. There's always something going on in the evenings here.
“Our motto, ‘Building community through travel,’ is reflected in many aspects of our operation,” Lynne notes. “The design of our building encourages guest interaction, and we have ingrained ourselves into the local community by hosting live music, trivia nights and yoga classes that attract both travelers and locals. This creates a unique opportunity for our guests to not only connect with fellow travelers, but also to engage with the local community, making new friends and planning new adventures along the way.”
Not Your Typical Hostel
The PAD has over 100 rooms in eight different styles. For a couples getaway, book a private room with standard lodging amenities and get a full hotel experience. Taking a trip with the whole family? Book a family room, which comes with a queen bed, a twin XL bunk bed and plenty of space for relaxing at the end of the day.
Perhaps you're planning a ski trip with a group of friends and don't want to pay for private hotel rooms. At The Pad, you can book a shared dorm, which comes with six beds and lockers, each with an individual shelf, reading light and charging station.
We stayed in a shared dorm, and the beds had all the comforts of a typical hotel bed. Those staying in the dorms use community bathrooms, which come with separate rooms for each shower. If you're hesitant about the community-style bathrooms and lodging, fear not: It still feels like luxury and offers many of the same comforts as a regular hotel.
The variety of room options makes The PAD affordable for everyone, whether you're looking for a typical hotel experience or just a bed to crash in at the end of a long day on the mountain.
Experiencing Silverthorne
After checking in, we headed down the road to Bistro North for an incredible upscale dining experience. After choosing from an intriguing selection of cocktails, we perused the restaurant's roster of Modern American dishes, ultimately going with the bison short ribs — slow-roasted and served with smoked-Gouda polenta, braised baby carrot, duck demi-glace and confit shallot — and the Sakura Farms pork chop, which included confit fingerling potatoes, charred Brussels sprouts, Dijon demi-glace, and tomato-pancetta chutney.
The PAD is in close proximity to restaurants, coffee shops and activities in Silverthorne.
Courtesy of The PAD
Starting our trip with this fine-dining experience was an indulgent treat during an otherwise low-key, relaxed weekend in Silverthorne.
The PAD's proximity to so many things to do in town makes it the perfect place to stay. Before our first activity of the morning, we walked just five minutes up the road to House of Vibes Coffee, where we enjoyed breakfast sandwiches made on flaky biscuits and some excellent coffee. The locally owned spot not only has great coffee, but there's plenty of fun decor, plants and space in which to work or relax before starting your day.
After coffee, we headed to The PAD's back lawn, which is nestled up against the Blue River, known for its gold-medal fishing. We spent a quiet morning fly-fishing on the river, without having to drive or haul our fishing gear anywhere.
In the afternoon, we rented e-bikes from Blue Valley Rentals and rode over to Angry James Brewery for beers and some of the best grilled cheeses in town, courtesy of Mountain Melt Sandwiches. Just outside The PAD is a gorgeous bike path, and we went for a long bike ride before heading back to relax on the lawn.
As evening approached, we headed to Dillon Amphitheater, a ten-minute drive down the road. The amphitheater has great food trucks and vendors, and we picked up Opa Greek Eats and sat on the grass to enjoy a concert. The venue is stunning, with a gorgeous view of Lake Dillon and the mountains in the background. Catching a sunset view and a concert here is the perfect way to end any day.
Arapahoe Basin
No trip to Silverthorne would be complete without an excursion to Arapahoe Basin. We had to take advantage of one of the ski area's many opportunities for adventure before coming back to Denver. But before heading to A-Basin for the day, we had Rite of Passage Overnight Oats for breakfast. These oats come in pre-prepared containers for an effortless meal on the go. We tried flavors like Carrot Cake, Matcha & Pistachio and Blueberry & Lemon. The containers were easy to take with us, and we packed the leftovers in our bags to have later.
A-Basin is just a 25-minute drive from The PAD; it offers some of Colorado's best skiing in the winter, as well as a guided climb on a via ferrata (iron route) and free hiking and biking trails.
The Arapahoe Basin via ferrata is the highest in North America, but don’t be intimidated by it. Anyone can take on this climb, no matter their experience level. Expert guides lead you on the route, taking it at your pace and walking you through the journey. The full-day climb takes you up 1,200 feet, but climbers can choose their own experience and go as far as they choose.
The guides first help you gear up, with a harness, ropes and helmets provided by Arapahoe Basin. You take the gondola up to the base of the climb and begin your ascent. The full-day climb comes with a lunch, also provided by A-Basin, and the photo opportunities are unbeatable.
With no previous climbing experience, we were able to take this on and enjoy a great last day in Silverthorne.
The PAD offers everything you need for an incredible weekend in Silverthorne so you can focus on your adventures without breaking the bank on lodging or spending all day driving to different activities.
