“A Classic Awarding Winning International Resort!”
Seeking a resort where European elegance meets Western hospitality? For more than nine decades, The Broadmoor has combined this perfect blend of style and service excellence. As the gateway to the Colorado Rocky Mountains on the outskirts of Colorado Springs this 3,000-acre acre elite Resort with its lush grounds and magnificent buildings continues to be the “Grande Dame of the Rockies.” Consistently at the forefront of world-class facilities, amenities and service, the Broadmoor is the longest-running winner of both the AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star awards. Under the shadow of the Cheyenne Mountain the Broadmoor offers championship golf, an award-winning day spa, tennis courts and camps, elegant swimming pools, extensive children’s programs, specialty retail shops and is even a pet friendly resort. The Broadmoor has expandedd guest offers that now include Guest’s expectations are met and exceeded with state-of-the-art comfort and convenience all in the elegance and luxurious charm of this classic international destination resort.
A circular driveway around a graceful fountain and brilliant flowering shrubs welcome us as we arrive at The Broadmoor. Checking in at the Main Complex, formerly the original hotel, we experience the grandeur and opulence of the resort. Hospitality and impeccable service are definitely Number One, as the valet, bellman and reception staff have us quickly, yet graciously, settled into our Southlake one bedroom suite.
Now to get acclimated to all this fabulous and expansive resort offers. As we stroll to the north end of the lake, we see several families peddling along in paddleboats. The lavish 11,000-square-foot outdoor infinity pool has a children’s wading pool and two large outdoor whirlpools. At the Broadmoor Main complex we gain insight into the resort’s history through murals, photographs and original letters of the founder, Spencer Penrose. A shopping area has numerous retail shops including specialty shops just for children and pets. Stopping by the well stocked Pro Shop in BROADMOOR South, we get a glimpse of the recently introduced Broadmoor Cottages. Situated on the eighteenth green of the East Course the cottages range from single room suites to an eight bedroom cottage all with expansive verandas and sweeping vistas of the Cheyenne Mountains.
With many restaurants, cafes and lounges, dining choices are plentiful and it would take us several days to experience each of them. Tonight our reservations are for Charles Court just across the lake from our suite. A AAA Four-Diamond restaurant Charles Court has a contemporary country-manor décor and offers dining on its expansive flagstone patio. Seated adjacent to open French doors, our table overlooks the patio plus has a spectacular view of Cheyenne Lake. With a seasonally driven menu that specializes in the celebration of American food and wine, Charles Court still captures the spirit of Colorado ingredients. Selecting the entrée of the After leisurely dinner we relax and review our upcoming activities. After dinner we continue to acclimate ourselves roaming along Broadmoor West with its Wall of Fame and then stop by The Hotel Bar. Comfy overstuffed chairs create an inviting atmosphere as we sip our wine and beer. Soon we are in an indepth conversation with another couple about golfing the Broadmoor courses.
Breakfast at the beautiful Lake Terrace Dining Room starts our morning. The extensive breakfast buffet features a broad variety of a hot and cold breakfast items, plenty of home made breads, muffins and pastries as well as an omelet station. The fresh fruits of blue berries, raspberries and strawberries are plump, juicy and fresh. The service and attention to detail is excellent.
With 56 holes of golf and the courses are in pristine championship condition. Today we are prepped to take on the Broadmoor’s West Course that melds traditional yet exciting designs of Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones. Despite a busy schedule we play as a twosome on this demanding course with its many doglegs and steeply angled greens. Immediately we are aware of the thick rough along the fairways and around the green that snags balls making them hard to find and difficult to execute a clean swing. Golfing at the higher elevation of 6,800 feet brings extra challenges of altitude and adjusting to the impact of the mountains on all putts. Greens are big, sloping and undulating making it easy to roll a putt past the hole or to leave a putt embarrassingly short. An absolutely excellent course in both condition and challenge with heavily tree-lined and rolling fairways and huge sand bunkers strategically placed both around the greens and along the fairways. As the course ascends to higher elevations we take time to enjoy the fantastic views of the Cheyenne Mountains, Colorado Springs and the Resort. Demanding, fun, dramatic and exciting it is a great round of golf on the well manicured West Course.
Now to indulge ourselves in the blissful services of The Spa at the Broadmoor. A Forbes/Mobil Travel Guide Five Star Spa, Salon and Fitness facility the Colorado Spa features luxurious, exotic and essential experiences for the body, mind and spirit. Following our separate tours of the locker areas and changing into our luxurious robes we meet in the Mountain View room with extraordinary vistas of the Cheyenne Mountains and the Broadmoor golf courses. Sipping our cucumber water, we wait to be called us for our treatments. Richard and I are being pampered today with with the Signature Massage which is a wonderful combination of a Swedish and Deep Tissue technique. Ahh, totally relaxed!
The Penrose RoomThe Penrose Room’s stylish décor and cuisine befit its Five-Diamond rating. Contemporary European cuisine is inspired by the seasons and displays the delectable creations of our Executive Chef. It has a prix fixe menu with choices of three, four or seven courses and also features wine pairings. Carefully reviewing the menu we elect the three course dinner which includes choices of an appetizer/salad, entrée and dessert. I have the Appetizer Sampler which included tuna tartare, lobster ravioli, a delicious sweet foie gras, and white asparagus soup. It is excellent and a good way to taste the varied appetizers. Richard’s Caesar Salad is expertly prepared tables-side. My Halibut with fingerling potatoes and mustard greens is exquisite and savory while Richard’s Snapper with couscous is superb. Each is elegantly presented and, of course, served simultaneously. Sweets for tonight are the rich strawberry chocolate ball with vanilla yogurt and a special rhubarb dessert. Both are delectable and tantalizing. Service is first class as well as most attentive. Live music gives that extra touch of romance to our evening of an epicurean fine dining experience.
What’s all the buzz? Celebrating 60 years at the Broadmoor, the Golden Bee is a true 19th-century Irish Pub – loud, noisy and fun. The energy, warmth, friendliness and excitement hits us as we enter. Sitting at the bar in the original section of the Golden Bee we enjoy drinks and the excitement of this fun bar. Get Stung! The waitress “stings” us tossing a bumble bee sticker, when we aren’t looking, that “sticks” to us. Guests save their bees for years! Its fun singing along to many good ol’ familiar songs as the ragtime piano player tickles the keys to a repertoire of sing-a-long songs. A must do and fun finish for our evening.
An 8 o’clock tee time and we are up early to golf the renowned East Course. Originally designed by Donald Ross it is now a combination of designs by both Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Home to many major tournaments, it’s hosted the 1959 U.S. Amateur, which was Jack Nicklaus’ first major win, the 2008 U.S. Senior Open and most recently, The U. S. Women’s Open Championship. Plus, the East Course is one of only 12 North American and Caribbean golf courses to receive a five-star rating by Golf Digest.
We learn the East Course brings its own nuances where fairways may be wide but large trees quickly alter shots and approaches. Distances are confusing as many holes have deceptive uphill or downhill fairways. At higher elevations balls fly further but the gently sloping fairways quickly take away any advantage. Huge and demanding greens! Reading the greens continues to be a challenge. Thinking we learned from our round of golf on the West Course, we find the East Course requires even more touch and care in reading each putt. Where’s the mountain? Putts break away from the mountain! Putts that look downhill actually roll uphill. In pristine condition it is an exciting day of golf on this fabulous course with panoramic views of the mountains and countryside. The East Course offers a superb upscale golf experience on a tough course that challenges the Pros but does not punish the average golfer. Golfers of all levels will have a fulfilling round.
Our primary activity at the Broadmoor is golf, however guests will find a wide variety of activities offered at the Broadmoor. Acquaring several other attractions nearby, guests can pick and choose their level of activity. Adventures now include Seven Falls, a Soaring Adventure, Pikes Peaks Cog Railway, Fly Fishing, Falconry, Hiking, Rock Climbing, Biking Adventures, and the Wild West Experience. So guests can relax, chill by the pool or tackle an exciting activity.
The Broadmoor is a vibrant world class destination with a string of five star awards. An elite resort elegantly set at the foot of the Cheyenne Mountains. Our visit is fantastic! The service is unparalleled as the personable staff is always ready with a warm welcoming smile, a friendly greeting, and a simple solution to any concern. A resort that lives up to and consistently exceeds the expectations of its multiple of awards. The golf courses are demanding and in terrific championship condition. Serenity and bliss are readily found at the Colorado spa with its gracious staff. Dining options are endless with each restaurant offering its own unique personality, cuisine and setting. With an array of activities we only touched on the primary ones during our visit. The Broadmoor is a premier destination resort for a family vacation, a romantic getaway or an extra special place to stay or visit while in the Colorado Springs or Denver areas.
If you go: The Broadmoor, 1 Lake Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80906; (719) 623-5112; www.Broadmoor.com