Meet Nancy Richards | Hostel Owner and Operator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nancy Richards and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nancy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My husband (at the time) and I are extremely hard workers. We were always spitballing business ideas, and were inspired to try to go into business for ourselves. A hostel for the Vail Valley was about the fifth business idea we had considered, and was the first project that we actually completed a business plan for. We saw a niche in the market that had not been meet. Affordable lodging in an expensive ski town was the challenge we would try to overcome. We also saw where other resort towns had accomplished this task, and felt “If they could do it, so could we!”

What should our readers know about your business?
The Bunkhouse LLC, is the Vail Valley’s one and only boutique hostel. We cater primarily to solo travelers from around the world, and our niche is providing an affordable lodging option in an extremely expensive resort market. I am most proud of a review that stated we provide “Hospitality with heart.” I believe this review reflects our desire to run a profitable business, while at the same time taking great care of our costumers, employees, and the environment. A great part of our success has come from creative solutions to everyday problems. Employee housing is one of the Valley’s greatest challenges to businesses. The Bunkhouse provides housing for all of our staff, and partners with other local businesses to provide beds for their seasonal employees at an affordable rate. Having a heart for others as well as a lodging facility has also allowed us to partner with local churches, and non-profits to provide temporary shelter to stranded travelers, and community members in need.
It is also of great importance to our leadership team that we minimize our negative impact on the environment. We continue to focus on making improvements to our sustainability plans, and now work in conjunction with an amazing local organization, The Land and Rivers Fund, which focuses on land and river conservation in our community. We fully believe that profitably and consciousness can coexist.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Bunkhouse is located in the tiny town of Minturn which is nestled between Vail and Beaver Creek Mountains. With a population of a smidge over 1000, Minturn maintains small mountain town vibes with a big personality. The surrounding Rocky Mountains offer access to every sport imaginable to the outdoor enthusiast. After charging the mountain, a visit to some of our favorite restaurants will be well earned. For phenomenal burgers and tacos, a meal with Rocky Mountain Taco is a must! If you prefer a plate of wings while watching your favorite game at the bar, Kyle at The Crazy Chicken will be glad to have you. At the end of the day, you can rest your head in one of our cozy pods and know that all is well!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Bunkhouse would not have come into fruition without the support and wisdom of our business mentor and friend Patrick Baldasare. He openly shared with us his knowledge and experience of the business world. We also must give credit in our success to our business partners Gerald Lippes and Micheal Joseph who believed and invested in our vision when most people said, “it can’t be done.” Finally, a big shout out to my business partner Ryan Richards for being willing to take the risk!

Website: www.vailbunkhouse.com

Instagram: @the_bunkhouse

Image Credits
Facility photos: John Mayer Photography Portraits: Charles Townsend Bessent Photography