Boulder---a cheap hotel room with steamed-up windows

Hotel #3 of 2014 was the Boulder Outlook, a former two-story motor court on the south edge of town, along the frontage road of 28th street as you come off the Boulder turnpike. It has been remodeled with a roof over the central courtyard and heated swimming area to create a "winter oasis" in the style of the larger motels of Montana.

It also has a restaurant and a nightclub with live acts, as thus bills itself as a hip independent "all-inclusive" lodging, but with a Boulder touch. For example, there is a massage therapist and reflexologist with an office right across from the reception desk.

That being said, the remodel into the current version is definitely from earlier era of "hip independent hotels" and it appears a bit dated at this point (lack of neon is the surest sign of this). The bar was convenient, given that I simply had to cross the heated indoor area, but inside it was rather nondescript. Thankfully it served a decent late-evening meal of beef stroganoff.

Then I stumped the waitress by ordering a drink off the cocktail menu that she hadn't heard of, a "Pama-tini," basically a pomegranate martini.  I had to show it to her on the menu. I busted her chops for it in a friendly way, but from watching Bar Rescue, this is a classic sign of an underperforming watering hole.

The room was decent, albeit fairly dated in decor as well. I had pre-booked a king room with a "pool view," which is one that opens onto the central indoor area. The heat was enough to keep my room sweltering the entire evening. I had to go outside into the fresh cold a couple times, just for some air.

But really that's a mild complaint at most. On the big plus side, the Outlook has my favorite movie channel, the first place I've seen in this area in a while to carry TCM (today is Elvis's birthday!). So given the moderate price of the rooms, the Outlook will probably become my go-to lodging in Boulder for the time being, when I'm not crashing on Okki's sofa.

But given my history of "closing down" Boulder lodging establishments, that's not so good for the Outlook. Or perhaps someone in the school of Jon Taffer will swoop in and change the whole place top to bottom, along with the bar. It could be the Boulder version of the Hotel Jupiter. But then they would charge more for the rooms, and probably get some kind of streamlined satellite entertainment system that doesn't include TCM.

Alas, I barely got to know you, dear Outlook.