Gunnison CO Motels

It all started in 1975 when Bill Heath began the construction of three single story buildings and an office. By 1976 the construction was completed and The Water Wheel Inn was open for business. The property was complete with a full sized tennis court that was located on the east side of the property. The Water Wheel condos (located west of the existing property) were pre-fabricated. These condos were completed with landscape by the summer of 1976 and made available to the guests. In '76 Perry Browder bought the Water Wheel Inn and Sandy Rider (head of housekeeping) came to work here. She has worked here since then and she says she's been here since before the dirt!

Over the next decade there were several other condo complex's that came into hand of the Water Wheel Inn that were later sold off individually when it was decided that those properties were no longer beneficial to the hotel. In 1987, what was the South building caught on fire due to an electrical problem. That building and the West building were torn down and replaced by the larger two story building that stands now as the South building. Since it is double the size there was no need for a replacement West building. The East building, that was bowing from the stress of heavy winter snow, was torn down and rebuilt in 1992 and that is the building that stands now. Due to the larger size it over took the tennis court which is now covered by a garage.

The office was originally much smaller and had a driveway that went under an awning. Today the property is still under the watchful eye of Sandy. The current owner Jim Valenzuela bought the property and business in December of 2005 and is continuing to update the property with new landscaping, newer appliances and a new website. He plans to update the lobby, build a two room suite in the South building and add two bedrooms in the executive suite along with much more. And, for those of you wondering about the Water wheel, it's planned to have a new sign with a new water wheel in the near future.