Colorado's 'The Shining' Hotel Is Finally Getting That Hedge Maze
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado knows how to appeal to its fan base.
The property, which overlooks Rocky Mountain National Park, served as the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining, and ever since the movie debuted in 1980, tourists have flocked to the historic inn looking for a thrill.
The Stanley has happily gone along with the its spooky reputation, touting the hotel’s haunted history, hosting late night paranormal investigations, and offering ghost adventure packages lead by experts in the supernatural.
However, one thing that guests couldn’t do at the hotel was recreate the heart-pounding chase through the hedge maze, à la the film’s jaw-clenching edge-of-your-seat climax. It’s not because the maze was off-limits to guests; the hotel never had one at all—until now.
For the film, the hedge maze was filmed far from Colorado, on a sound stage in England, but guests still wanted the experience. So to celebrate 20 years of hotel ownership, John W. Cullen, the Stanley’s current owner, decided to act on the old “the customer is always right” adage and build visitors a labyrinth.
According to the New York Times, the hotel hosted a competition and chose a layout designed by New York architect Mairim Dallaryan Standing. Planted in June, the juniper maze is now three feet tall, so children can play without getting irretrievably lost. It sits outside the enormous hotel just begging for a good old-fashioned game of hide-and-seek. (No axes or Jack Nicholson allowed).
Reported by: Smithsonianmag.com
The property, which overlooks Rocky Mountain National Park, served as the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining, and ever since the movie debuted in 1980, tourists have flocked to the historic inn looking for a thrill.
The Stanley has happily gone along with the its spooky reputation, touting the hotel’s haunted history, hosting late night paranormal investigations, and offering ghost adventure packages lead by experts in the supernatural.
However, one thing that guests couldn’t do at the hotel was recreate the heart-pounding chase through the hedge maze, à la the film’s jaw-clenching edge-of-your-seat climax. It’s not because the maze was off-limits to guests; the hotel never had one at all—until now.
For the film, the hedge maze was filmed far from Colorado, on a sound stage in England, but guests still wanted the experience. So to celebrate 20 years of hotel ownership, John W. Cullen, the Stanley’s current owner, decided to act on the old “the customer is always right” adage and build visitors a labyrinth.
According to the New York Times, the hotel hosted a competition and chose a layout designed by New York architect Mairim Dallaryan Standing. Planted in June, the juniper maze is now three feet tall, so children can play without getting irretrievably lost. It sits outside the enormous hotel just begging for a good old-fashioned game of hide-and-seek. (No axes or Jack Nicholson allowed).
Reported by: Smithsonianmag.com
