Hotel Palomino + Greenwood's — Pairing Western Spirit With Southern Eats In Ridgway

It’s always worth stopping in Ridgway, and now fresh accommodations and a new eatery in town make an extended stay extra enticing.

Hotel Palomino opened in August of 2023, owned and operated by siblings Zach Young and Merlyn Ellis. The boutique hotel has true western charm with dashes of modern touches. Thoughtful details in each guest room and throughout the property pay homage to the region’s rich ranching history. Quaint charm pairs comfortably with convenient amenities like digital check-in and a text-based concierge service, free parking and housekeeping offered every third day.

The motel thrives on low-maintenance hospitality. A front desk isn’t necessary, the rooms are roomy and inviting, pets are welcome and the private porches connected to the guest rooms are their own little slice of heaven. This is the kind of simple getaway spot where it’s easy to put your feet up and hang your hat — a little home-away-from-home.

Connected to Hotel Palomino is Greenwood’s, a southern-inspired restaurant that opened in January of 2024. Co-owner and executive chef Bill Greenwood has run some of the best kitchens in Aspen, Vail and Telluride, all after moving west in his early days as a chef.

“His dad had a restaurant in Roswell, Georgia called Greenwood’s, so he started working there when he was a kid,” shares Marty Frank of chef Greenwood’s culinary roots. Frank and Greenwood grew up together in Georgia, and now work as co-owners of the Ridgway restaurant.

“I’ve been eating his food pretty much my whole life,” adds Frank. “We always talked about creating a restaurant together.”

Chef Greenwood has put together a menu filled with southern comfort, from a buttermilk biscuit sandwich and pork, grits and eggs at breakfast, to lunch and dinner items like a collard green melt, trout almandine, chicken wings and dry-aged tomahawk steak. Don’t overlook Greenwood’s meats loaf — that’s a meat loaf trio of beef, lamb and pork, served with mashed potatoes, sherry caramelized onion and wild mushroom gravy.

Be sure to order cornbread and honey butter for the table, and certainly leave room for pie.

“These are all the things Bill learned working in his dad’s kitchen,” says Frank.

Whether you’re stopping for a meal or staying a few days, hospitality is the core of this revitalized corner in Ridgway. Learn more at hotelpalomino.com and greenwoodsridgway.com.

Originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.