When I envision Colorado Springs, one of the first things that comes to my mind is the Broadmoor Resort. It had been years since I visited, but I recently had the opportunity to visit twice. The Broadmoor has made some changes with the addition of some of their newer experiences like Cloud Camp, The Race at Emerald Valley, and their Fly Fishing Camp. Please see my post on Cloud Camp: A View from the Top for more details on one of their other properties. Here I want to focus on everything the Broadmoor has to offer.
You will find that the resort has two towers each juxtaposed on either side of their lake on property. A bridge allows for easy access to both. I have stayed in both the west tower and the main tower. The rooms in the west versus main tower had a similar appearance in terms of décor and finishings. The vibe is very traditional as evidenced by the floral wallpaper in the halls, plenty of comfy seating areas with roaring fireplaces, and a grand chandelier adorning each guestroom. Some, but not all of the rooms, have lovely balconies. If this is something that interests you, I recommend making the inquiry upon check in.
If you are searching for a weekend getaway, the Broadmoor affords a one stop shop of things to do. Some of the activities available on the property are golf, tennis, pickleball, bowling, pools (indoor and outdoor), fitness center, and spa. They do charge a fee for court rental if you are interested in pickleball or tennis. Bowling is located in the west tower at Play. This is a bar/restaurant/bowling alley all wrapped into one. It is a fun place to spend an afternoon, and they have about 6 lanes available for an hour at a time. Their fitness center is located in the same building as their indoor pool. The indoor pool is a great place to relax with a good book. I found this area to be pretty quiet early in the morning. Their workout facility has plenty of cardio equipment in addition to weight machines. It is sizable and never too crowded.
On my most recent visit, I spent an afternoon at their spa. The spa is something offered exclusively to hotel guests. While it isn’t the best spa I have ever experienced, I was definitely impressed, and I would return on a future visit. Upon check in, I was offered a glass of champagne prior to being escorted to my locker. I thought this was a lovely touch, and I am always partial to an offering like this. Next, I was handed a warm robe and slippers. Subtle, yet I loved that they were warm. It did not go unnoticed. Finally, I was offered a tour of the amenities available. As silly as it may sound, the toilets were pretty incredible. They are all Toto and featured a remote and heated seat. Sometimes you don’t know what you are missing until you try something new. Beyond this, there are a number of seating areas. One is for females only and featured cozy seating and a lovely fireplace. They had tea available in this room, and it would be the perfect place to enjoy a good book. Their next relaxation area was for male and female guests. It had a gorgeous mountain view with chaise lounges (both indoor and outdoor) facing the scenery. This room had refreshments and beverages. I don’t often see snacks to this extent offered in a spa, so it was yet another nice touch. Other amenities included the traditional steam room and sauna. They also had an oxygen room that you can sit in for 15-20 minutes at a time. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this spa experience. It was definitely an enjoyable use of my time. Don’t forget to bring a book as a great way to enjoy some of the lovely relaxation areas.
Of course, I have to talk about the food at the Broadmoor. There are a number of restaurants on property, so you have plenty of choices at your disposal. I have tried nearly all of them. I want to give an overview and impart some final thoughts. Start your morning out at Café Julie’s in their main building. I enjoyed their iced white chocolate mocha and iced chai on multiple occasions. They also have an assortment of pastries, quiche, and plenty of desserts. For lunch and dinner, there are very casual options and more formal choices. The Golden Bee is a tavern outside of both towers and down the street a short distance. The décor inside is fantastic. Their drinks were good, and the pub food was more than adequate. Not too far from the Golden Bee is Summit. Summit is a more formal restaurant with a tasting menu. This five course tasting menu was very good, and I felt that the price was reasonable at $95 per person. There is an option to add wine pairings. In their main tower, there is Taverne. I loved the garden area in the back of the restaurant, but this food was probably my least favorite. In the west tower, they have an Italian restaurant called Ristorante Del Lago. I very much appreciated their wine list, which included a bottle from Franciacorta, Italy. The food was good, but it wasn’t anything memorable. Overall, I feel that the food at the Broadmoor is more than adequate. It is certainly convenient being able to walk to everything. That being said, it isn’t one of the highlights of the resort.
The Broadmoor is an iconic resort in Colorado Springs. It serves as a fantastic weekend getaway or addition to a longer trip around Colorado. I loved their spa and all of the activities they offer guests. Their food is good, but it may be better to try other restaurants in Colorado Springs. The west tower was my favorite place to stay.
