Inn at 500 Capitol Review: This Downtown Boise Hotel Had Us at “Sit” and “Stay”
At the Inn at 500 Capitol, a regal silver dog and a few well-chosen comforts made a persuasive case for checking in.
The clues were outside the doors: a film clapperboard, a cowboy boot, a pharaoh's head, a dog. Walking down the corridor at Inn at 500 Capitol, a boutique hotel in downtown Boise, we noticed the little symbols without quite understanding what they were telling us, until we opened our room and met the dog.
Silver, oversized, and seated rather regally behind the bed, it was the first thing to catch our attention. Pillows instructed us to “sit” and “stay,” while dog-themed pictures carried the idea around the room. Suddenly, those hallway symbols made sense, and we were curious about what was behind the other doors.
We had chosen this hotel at 500 South Capitol Boulevard for a short getaway that would let us explore restaurants, the Basque Block, and Julia Davis Park on foot, but the dog room was a considerably more entertaining introduction than a map of downtown!
The room delivered the fun we loved finding in a boutique hotel, along with plush bedding, a generous collection of pillows, and a soft black throw that looked especially inviting after a day out.
Even the glass bottles in the room deserved a second look; their shape was so beautiful that I found myself wishing I could take them home. It was the sort of small detail I had never thought to put on a hotel wish list, but appreciated once it was there.
A room worth coming back to
For all the attention the silver dog commanded, the less photogenic conveniences earned their place, too. Our room had a microwave, mini fridge, and coffee maker, and a nearby convenience store supplied milk we could keep upstairs. Two robes were waiting in the bathroom, which had space to put our belongings and settle in properly.
The private butler’s pantry was another thoughtful touch. Room-service deliveries could be placed in a cabinet accessible from the corridor and collected from inside the room, without answering a knock at the main door.
Water, soda, and snacks were available downstairs throughout our stay, alongside the welcome offer of beer or wine on arrival. These were easy things to appreciate when heading out for a walk or coming back between plans, and the valet team was so sweet that even handing over the car felt like a welcome.
Downstairs, Hemlock’s restaurant and bar looked decidedly dressed for dinner. The name caught our attention, too: the restaurant described one of its inspirations as the hemlock tree native to northern Idaho. The boutique steakhouse offered dinner and cocktails and also provided the hotel’s in-room dining.
Dinner, a movie, or the river—all on foot
Once outside, choosing where to eat became an enjoyable part of exploring Boise. At Fork and at Red Feather, both of which we visited, the emphasis on farm-to-table cooking gave us a taste of the city’s food scene, while cocktails at several stops proved equally memorable. Nearby, The Wylder’s pizza was a particular highlight, the kind worth making room for even on a short trip.
There was a music festival in town during our stay, and between the music, restaurants, and people out walking, downtown felt lively. Boise State University and Micron’s global headquarters were part of the larger picture, with the company’s investment in additional manufacturing bringing another dimension to the city’s growth. For us, an evening on foot was a much more immediate introduction to Boise than any account of its economy.
The hotel was also well placed for a different sort of afternoon. Boise Art Museum and the rose garden in Julia Davis Park were nearby, while The Flicks, on Fulton Street, offered independent, international, and mainstream films within an easy walk. A movie before dinner or a stroll through the park could fit into the day without turning it into a driving itinerary.
We walked to the Basque Museum and the historic boarding house next door, where a short visit opened up a much larger story about immigration, work, and keeping a culture alive. Our run along the Boise River Greenbelt showed us another side of the city, beneath autumn trees and among cyclists, walkers, and people out with their dogs.
We had rented a car for excursions, but exploring downtown rarely gave us a reason to retrieve it. That freedom suited the trip: we could go out for dinner, keep walking if something caught our interest, and head back when we were ready, with a comfortable room waiting upstairs.
Planning a stay
Arrange the complimentary airport shuttle ahead of arrival, subject to availability; local shuttle service also covers a four-mile radius. Ask about complimentary bicycles for exploring farther afield, budget separately for valet parking and breakfast, and confirm the theme, balcony, view, and amenities of your chosen room category.
Consult the hotel’s room descriptions and FAQ for current details.
