see original article at http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/03/marijuana-hotels-colorado/25242171/
BOULDER – Colorado’s marijuana tourists quickly run into a harsh reality after stopping at one of the state’s approximately 330 marijuana stores: Most hotels and ski condos prohibit indoor smoking of any kind, never mind the “kind” kind.
Enter Sean Roby and his new website, Bud and Breakfast. Roby aims to make his site the Air BnB of marijuana-friendly lodging, connecting visitors with homeowners willing to let their guests partake of legal marijuana. The site has about 50 listings from around the globe, with many in Colorado, and is an outgrowth of Roby’s existing of “Taste of Travel” company.
Among the current Colorado offerings: a loft in the trendy Denver Highlands neighborhood, tents near Pagosa Springs, renowned for its naturally heated mineral waters, and sunny room with an attached rooftop deck overlooking Boulder’s famed Flatirons. The site also features homes in Hawaii, Alaska and Uruguay. Listings are available only in places that have legalized either recreational or medical marijuana.
“We’re providing a safe, legal place to smoke for cannabis users,” said Roby shortly after the site went live for bookings. “When people come in from other states, it’s a huge deal. You’re blown away that you can go in and buy, but then what do you next?”
The service is the latest in a string of ganjapreneurial offerings. Several Colorado companies already rent pot-friendly limos or buses so customers can smoke in the back while traveling between stores and marijuana-related tourist attractions. And the company “420 Airport Pickup” offers exactly that – drivers collect visitors at Denver International Airport, whisk them to a nearby marijuana store, and then drop them off at their hotel.
A small number of hotels and B&Bs in Colorado already offer marijuana-friendly lodging, among them First Inn of Pagosa, in the southwestern Colorado town of Pagosa Springs near Wolf Creek Ski Area. The independent hotel about 276 miles southwest of Denver added “420 Friendly” to its sign in July and has seen business boom since then, said desk clerk Dave Power.
Wolf Creek is a popular destination for visitors from Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.
“If you twist one up at the Ritz, they’ll have you arrested,” said Power. “This has been, I think … a boon for business. It attracts a different crowd.”
Power said spring-breakers from Texas packed the hotel over the past few weeks, and those staying in the designated marijuana rooms were respectful, he said: “They don’t make noise, they don’t throw Jack Daniels bottles through the walls.”
First Inn treads a fine line in advertising its marijuana-friendly policy. The hotel’s sign doesn’t mention marijuana, and instead relies on the “420” code to draw in those in the know. Its website makes no mention of marijuana, either, although online news articles highlight the connection.
Roby said his booking service is aimed at anyone who wants to use marijuana safely while traveling, in much the same way that tourists might visit vineyards or breweries. Power said tourists are often frustrated they can’t easily consume marijuana, and First Inn hopes to maintain a balance between regular visitors and those who want to use pot. The hotel asks guests when they check in if they want a smoking room.
“If you put it out there too much, you will offend some people,” he said. “If (guests) get here and they’re offended, they can leave. This isn’t some crack house. It’s a comfortable place and every person who works here can talk about the benefits …”
