Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado

Stanley Hotel

Those of you that have been to Estes Park will recognize this as the famous Stanley Hotel. This hotel was supposedly the inspiration for the Stephen King book the “Shining”. Many people, including myself, thought this is where the original movie starring Jack Nicholson was filmed. It was not. Thanks to Sharon for pointing out my mistake. I discovered this site.  http://www.answers.com/topic/the-shining-film  that provides additional information. Some of that information is directly from their web site and is posted below.

Although the story is set in Colorado, the only scenes filmed there are an exterior of the Flatirons above Boulder, and an interior at the now defunct Stapleton International Airport, where Hallorann is calling to make arrangements to get a vehicle to get him to the hotel. Scenes of the Torrance family watching the news on television included several actual Denver newscasters and weathermen of the time. Negotiations with the Stanley Hotel (the main inspiration for King’s book) in Estes Park, Colorado, broke down over Kubrick’s proposed uses of the facility. It would be used for the filming of the 1997 miniseries. Estes Park was also used as a location for the 1994 movie Dumb and Dumber.

The set for the Overlook Hotel was the largest ever built at the time of shooting. Because it included a full recreation of the exterior of the hotel, as well as all of the interiors it is very often mistaken for being a real location. A few exterior shots at the very beginning of the film were done at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon. They are easy to notice because the hedge maze is missing. The Timberline Lodge requested Kubrick change the sinister Room 217 of King’s novel to 237, so customers would stay in their own room 217 fearlessly. The interiors are based on those of the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. The massive set would be the site of Kubrick’s first use of the steadicam.

I must THANKS to Sharon for writing in and pointing out my mistake.   

 THANKS Sharon.