ESTES PARK, Colo. (CBS4) — The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park had a guest this week that definitely did not have a reservation.
A black bear was caught on camera wandering through the lobby. In the video, you can see the bear standing on a coffee table. Then it casually strolls past the front desk.
The general manager, Reed Rowley, confirmed the bear made it inside the hotel late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning.
Rowley said the bear was only inside “very briefly” and there were no guests around. He said the bear seemed afraid of humans and they were able to shoo it away.
“It’s part of being in the Rocky Mountains, we do have a hotel next to a National Park… wildlife is part of the gig,” Rowley told CBS4. “The bears up here are super clever and once in a while they do figure out a way to poke their heads in,” Rowley said.
He emphasized that no guests or employees were ever in any danger from the bear. Rowley said hotel officials are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to “make sure wildlife and people stay apart and everyone remains safe.”
“We want to be really respectful of the wildlife up here… the last thing we want is for any guest to have an encounter with a bear,” Rowley said.