A family-owned enterprise since 1979, Brynwood on the River is a small motel with a collection of outlying private cabins connected by a broken asphalt road and winding dirt paths. The main building, like several others on the property, is a simple brown wood structure with red-painted trim. There are no common spaces aside from a small office, with a check-in desk and two bookshelves, one of which sits empty.

Located on the south end of Estes Park right off Highway 36, Brynwood on the River is within walking distance of a few restaurants and shops, but it's a bit removed from the center of town. Estes Park is a tourist haven in the heart of the Rockies, with quaint small-town shops and restaurants lining its main street. It's a great base for exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, and for outdoor activities. Denver is about an hour-and-a-half drive southeast through the mountains.

The motel rooms are all carpeted and have a country decor with old wooden furniture and framed wildlife artwork. Lanterns hung as light fixtures are a nice touch, and the rooms are not without appeal, but there's also a smattering of more contemporary, mismatched furniture in the mix. The largest room can sleep up to six, and all have kitchenettes with microwaves and small stove-tops,  flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. The bathrooms have standard shower/tub combos with a separate sink and vanity area. The cabins are more varied but all have a similar decor that blends the same furnishings as the motel rooms in Adirondack style (think wood paneling festooned with old oars and various taxidermy). Most have small living rooms and cozy dining areas. The most desirable cabins are directly on the river, but all of them have private decks, and full kitchens, and some have gas fireplaces and hot tubs -- views of the Rocky Mountains included.

Brynwood on the River is for the most part, a self-serve kind of place, with few conveniences on the grounds other than the small outdoor pool, which is open in the summer months. Picnic tables and barbecues are available near many of the cabins, and walks along the river are free -- as is the trout fishing. Free parking and Wi-Fi are also included.