Rockyview Hotel - Cochrane

As we approached Cochrane, Andrew got out his phone and started searching for a place for us to stay. We always try to look for "something different" in choosing hotels and have had good luck with historic renovations. 

The Rockyview Hotel had a couple positive and recent reviews but Andrew couldn't see how to book online or to check availability. We decided to go have a look in person. 

As we approached the front door, a young woman came out and asked if we wanted to see how the renovations were coming along. She explained that the hotel was built in 1904, she'd purchased the building in October and is in the middle of renovation, working on one room, one floor at a time. Each of the rooms will have a "Pioneer" theme. She talked pretty much non-stop and gave us a tour of the entire building, showing us the look of the rooms before and after renovation.

The small front entrance has an old fashioned "bank teller" type of window. A door on the left hides the unfinished stairwell leading up to the next levels. The hallways have sawdust and tools on the carpet and wooden boards leaning up against the walls. 

But the rooms on the first floor are mostly finished and provide a great overall impression of what the entire place will look like when finished. We got the "trapper's room" and, while the one small animal hide hanging over the lamp and the horns on the dresser were not really our thing, the collection of antiques (some of which she's refinishing herself) and the effort being made to save and re-use the old woodwork that had been covered up by drywall is impressive. 

The ground level houses the Texas Gate Saloon, a busy restaurant and bar. Humorously, the owner assured us that, with our room being at the front of the hotel, we shouldn't be too bothered by the ladies night crowd who come out for the male strippers. (We weren't. And no, I didn't go!) 

This is a fun and unique place that I would highly recommend. I hope the new owner is successful in her venture.