Old Colorado City, CO
Short-Term Rental Management in Old Colorado City, Colorado Springs
Old Colorado City is the west side's historic heart: a walkable stretch of Colorado Avenue lined with galleries, restaurants, and shops, minutes from Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, and downtown. That walkability and character make it one of the strongest short-term rental pockets in the Colorado Springs metro, with steady weekend and festival demand year-round. Because Old Colorado City sits inside Colorado Springs city limits, the city's short-term rental permit rules apply. Sun Mountain Stays is the founder-led local operator that runs west-side rentals to a hotel standard, handles the permit and the guests, and keeps the reviews high in a neighborhood where competition is real.
See common questionsWhat's included
Full-service management for a high-demand walkable district.
Old Colorado City guests come for the walkability and the character, and they review on the details. We run the guest experience, the property, the revenue strategy, and the owner relationship so your west-side rental earns its place.
Guest
- Guest screening
- 24/7 guest communication
- Review management
- Local recommendations & concierge touches
Property
- In-house cleaning & turnovers
- Vendor coordination
- Restocking oversight
- Quality control inspections
Revenue
- Dynamic pricing (market data-driven)
- Listing optimization
- Weekend & festival demand strategy
- Channel strategy
Owner
- Permit & lodging-tax handling
- Owner communication & reporting
- Strategic guidance
- Full transparency
Where we operate
Old Colorado City and the greater west side.
Walkability to Colorado Avenue is the demand driver here. We manage short-term rentals across the historic district and the surrounding west-side neighborhoods.
- Old Colorado City Historic DistrictSteps from Colorado Avenue shops, dining, and galleries
- Bancroft Park areaHeart of the district, festivals and farmers market
- Gold Hill MesaNewer west-side community with Pikes Peak views
- MidlandQuiet historic west-side pocket close to the avenue
- Pleasant ValleyBetween Old Colorado City and Garden of the Gods
- West Colorado SpringsThe broader west side, minutes from Manitou and the foothills
Own just outside the district, toward Manitou or Garden of the Gods? We serve the full west side. Reach out and we will read your specific location honestly.
Why Old Colorado City performs
Walkability is the amenity guests pay for.
The best short-term rental markets are the ones where a guest can park once and walk to everything. Old Colorado City is exactly that: a historic avenue of restaurants, galleries, and shops, wrapped in a residential district, with Garden of the Gods and Manitou minutes away. That combination produces strong weekend and festival demand and the kind of five-star reviews that compound. It also means the market is competitive, so execution, listing quality, pricing, and turnover consistency, is what separates a good west-side rental from a great one.
- Walkable to Colorado Avenue dining, galleries, and shops, a real booking driver
- Minutes from Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, and downtown
- Year-round festival and event demand along the historic avenue
- A competitive pocket where operating quality decides the winners
STR permits & regulations
Old Colorado City STR permits: Colorado Springs city rules apply.
Old Colorado City is inside Colorado Springs, so the City of Colorado Springs short-term rental permit system governs your rental, not a separate town ordinance. Here is the summary; always confirm current requirements at the official city portal.
Colorado Springs requires a city-issued Short-Term Rental permit before listing on any platform, administered through the city's Accela portal. Annual permit fees have been approximately $124.95 (verify the current fee before applying). The city distinguishes owner-occupied from non-owner-occupied permits, and availability depends on the property's zone: non-owner-occupied permits are restricted in single-family zones and subject to spacing rules between STRs. Much of the older west side carries mixed and two-family zoning, so eligibility varies parcel by parcel. Platforms collect and remit lodgers' tax, and the permit number must appear on your listing.
- City Short-Term Rental permit required, applied and renewed through the Accela portal
- Permit fee: approximately $124.95/year (verify current fee at coloradosprings.gov/str)
- Owner-occupied and, in eligible zones, non-owner-occupied permits available
- Non-owner-occupied permits are restricted in single-family zones and subject to spacing rules
- West-side zoning varies by parcel; confirm your address's eligibility before buying or listing
- City lodgers' tax applies; major platforms typically collect and remit automatically
- Permit number must be displayed on all listing platforms
This is a general summary based on publicly available information and is not legal advice. Permit requirements, fees, zoning, and spacing rules can change. Always verify current rules at coloradosprings.gov or with a local attorney before listing or buying with STR intent.
Local market
What can an Old Colorado City STR earn?
Old Colorado City's walkability is a genuine premium: guests pay for being able to leave the car and walk to dinner, shops, and the festivals on Colorado Avenue. That, plus proximity to Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs, drives steady weekend and event demand. AirDNA and Rabbu publish west-side Colorado Springs benchmarks, but a walkable, well-run listing performs very differently from a car-dependent one, and revenue varies by property, exact block, and management quality. Book a walkthrough and we will pull current data for your specific address.
Common questions
Old Colorado City short-term rentals, answered.
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Old Colorado City?
Yes. Old Colorado City is inside Colorado Springs, so you need a city Short-Term Rental permit through the Accela portal. The annual fee has been approximately $124.95 (verify the current figure at coloradosprings.gov). The permit number must appear on your listing, and we can walk you through the process during onboarding.
Can I run a non-owner-occupied STR in Old Colorado City?
It depends on the exact parcel's zoning. Colorado Springs restricts non-owner-occupied permits in single-family zones and applies spacing rules between rentals, but much of the older west side carries mixed or two-family zoning where non-owner-occupied use may be eligible. We help you confirm your specific address's status before you count on it.
Why is Old Colorado City a strong short-term rental location?
Walkability. Guests can park once and walk to dining, galleries, and shops on Colorado Avenue, and they are minutes from Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs. That drives steady weekend and festival demand and strong reviews. It is also a competitive pocket, so how well the property is run makes a real difference.
How is Old Colorado City different from Manitou Springs for STRs?
Old Colorado City follows Colorado Springs city permit rules, which allow both owner-occupied and, in eligible zones, non-owner-occupied rentals. Manitou Springs is a separate city with a hard 2% cap and an owner-occupancy requirement for new permits. If your property is on the Colorado Springs side of the line, the city rules apply, not Manitou's.
I live out of state. Can you manage my west-side rental remotely?
Yes. Many of our owners are out of state. We handle everything on the ground, guests, in-house turnovers, maintenance coordination, and owner reporting, so your Old Colorado City property performs while you are anywhere.
Book your walkthrough
Let's see if we're the right fit.
Tell us about your property, even if you already have a manager. If we're a match, we'll reach out to book your free, on-site walkthrough.
237 STRs operated73 clientsNo long lock-in
“One of the best decisions I made for my property.” – Daniel, Colorado Springs
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