Colorado Vacations
Vacation Planning Guide for Visiting Colorado with the Kids
Vacation Planning Guide for Visiting Colorado with the Kids
LA CRÈME DE LA CRÈME:
Colorado's Five Star Hotels
Photo: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs
Colorado's Five Star Hotels
Photo: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs
Historic Colorado Lodges
The Little Nell, Aspen
Photo: The Little Nell, Aspen, Colorado
Near the base of the Silver Queen Gondola, The Little Nell Hotel carries on a lively conversation with bustling downtown Aspen. Its timber and stucco façade has comfortable mountain lodge written all over it. Inside, the lobby invites guests in like a cozy living room – a place where you can relax and not worry about sitting up straight. The staff delivers on those first impressions.
It started when I was first chatting with the fellow in charge of the parking valets. I mentioned that I was nervous about how my sons (ages 4 and 7 at the time) would fare at a wedding reception at The Little Nell that weekend. They were the only children invited, and I was wondering how they would get along with all those stuffy adults.
The valet manager immediately grasped the situation and suggested that since the reception was to take place around the pool, the boys might want to bring their suits and swim while the big people socialized. He said their dad could take them to the locker room to change back into dinner clothes when it was time to sit down. Then he turned to my sons with a twinkle in his eye and told them that splashing the grown ups in their fancy clothes would be against the rules.
His understanding manner immediately helped my boys (and me) relax. When the evening of the reception arrived, the wait staff was so attentive that the children completely forgot about going for a swim.
My four-year-old has milk allergies, and the hors d’ oeuvres servers happily pointed out the morsels that were safe for him to eat. He loved it when they squatted down so he could choose “yummy snacks” from their trays.
At dinner, they served they boys first, knowing it would be hard for kids to sit through the long conversations that the big people were enjoying. While the adults were sampling the first courses of the meal, my boys were finishing up dessert (one prepared especially without milk) and were ready when the baby sitter arrived to take them up to bed.
My overall impression was that the Little Nell gets it when it comes to traveling families. Without pretension, they understand the needs of real kids who get restless and cranky and hungry, and they meet their needs so that everyone, big and little, can have a good time.
That said, The Little Nell is shy on amenities specifically for families. There is only one restaurant, although cotton candy is available through room service, and the Little Nell’s chef has created his own extra-rich recipe for hot chocolate. The hotel has an outdoor pool that is heated to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, making a fun, steamy place to soak after skiing.
The ski concierge can arrange ski lessons, and will help with the logistics of getting the munchkins on the slopes. They provide warmers for boots, and will help get the kids fitted into their equipment at the beginning of the day. Hot chocolate provides warmth and energy to get the day off to a good start. In the warmer seasons and for those not skiing, the hotel’s concierge can recommend and arrange a wide range of family-friendly activities in and around Aspen.
Small guests will find a nightly treat waiting for them in their rooms: A different five-inch by five-inch bedtime story book appears for settling them down each night of their stay.
At The Little Nell, all members of the family are welcome. Bring your dog or cat, and receive a personalized brass name tag with The Little Nell’s address printed on it. The hotel provides a special menu for pets, as well as pet sitting and dog walking services. Be sure to read their booklet on Petiquette if you do decide to bring your best friend.
The Little Nell is recipient of both the Mobil Five Star Award and the AAA Five Diamond Award, which is merited not only by its location and physical features, but especially by its customer service.
Peruse the website of The Little Nell or contact them by e-mail at reservations@thelittlenell.com. The phone number for information is (888) 843-6355 or (970) 920-4600.
Photo: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs
As a tiny little girl, my parents took me to see Olympic figure skating gold medalist Peggy Fleming at the Broadmoor World Arena. My heart rose to my throat as I watched the beautiful athlete gliding around the ice, her hair and filmy skirt flowing behind her.
The ice rink is gone now, replaced by the West Tower Building. But the hotel and resort complex, snuggled against the foot of Cheyenne Mountain on the western edge of Colorado Springs, still glides gracefully around its lake. And in spite of several additions and over half a billion dollars worth of renovations, it seems not to have changed at all. Its Italian Renaissance architecture, marble floors, ceiling murals, and reputation for excellent service all remain. It is the only hotel to have earned the Mobil Travel Guide Five Star Award and the AAA Five-Diamond Award each and every year since they began granting the honors.
Families staying at he Broadmoor Hotel will find plenty to keep them entertained. In the warmer months, parents and their little ones in paddle boats bob around on Cheyenne Lake. Meanwhile, kids laugh and scream their way down water slides into the 11,000 square foot swimming pool. A children’s wading pool with a squirty fountain provides a fun, safe place for little fishes to play. Kids can find age appropriate horseback rides plus petting zoo sheep and goats at the nearby Broadmoor stables, while junior tennis buffs can pick up pointers at the “PeeWee” drills on the courts. The hotel rents bicycles and provides maps for trips around the lake or up into Cheyenne Canyon, just west of the complex. The Bee Bunch Program, held during the summer, includes camp counselors, fun activities, and half-day, full-day, and evening camps for kids.
In the winter, kids and their parents can cozy up to huge outdoor fire rings and enjoy spectacular holiday decorations on the grounds and in the lobbies. During the White Lights Ceremony, held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Santa and Mrs. Claus, throw the switch, lighting 143,000 strands of lights. Guests can enjoy cookie decorating, stories with Mrs. Claus, performances, and a huge gingerbread village created by chefs and culinary students at the hotel. Also, each year the hotel hosts several performances of a Christmas show, held in the brand new Broadmoor Hall, a 60,000 square foot ballroom, just across the street to the east of the hotel.
While the restaurants at the Broadmoor range from the elegant Penrose Room (jacket required) to the dark paneled Hotel Bar, families will most enjoy dining near the big windows or on the patio in the Golf Club Dining Room, and making s’mores just outside at its open air fire pit.
The key, for me, however, was a scene I witnessed while dining at the Tavern Restaurant. A little girl, about 6 years old, was getting restless at her table. While her parents ate and talked, she slipped from her seat and began to wander about the dining room. A bus boy noticed that she was in danger of tripping food servers and engaged her in conversation about the lush plants growing nearby. He led her to a low brick wall near her table, and seated himself upon it, eye-level with the girl, his lanky knees bent even with his chest. She joined him on the wall, and as casual and comfortable as any dad with his daughter, the bus person and girl laughed and chatted for about 10 minutes. By then the busy rush passed, the parents finished their conversation, and the girl returned to her table for a soda that the bus boy delivered. The interaction was seamless and comfortable.
I felt that the parents were negligent in allowing their daughter to walk about the restaurant unsupervised. But given that was the case, the hotel staff person recognized a need in one of his young customers, and filled that need with grace and what appeared to be genuine affection. It was an example of customer service at its finest.
Learn more about the Broadmoor Hotel on their website, or by calling (800) 634-7711. Request information by e-mail at info@broadmoor.com.
Related Links:
Historic Colorado Lodges
Photo: The Little Nell, Aspen, Colorado
Near the base of the Silver Queen Gondola, The Little Nell Hotel carries on a lively conversation with bustling downtown Aspen. Its timber and stucco façade has comfortable mountain lodge written all over it. Inside, the lobby invites guests in like a cozy living room – a place where you can relax and not worry about sitting up straight. The staff delivers on those first impressions.
It started when I was first chatting with the fellow in charge of the parking valets. I mentioned that I was nervous about how my sons (ages 4 and 7 at the time) would fare at a wedding reception at The Little Nell that weekend. They were the only children invited, and I was wondering how they would get along with all those stuffy adults.
The valet manager immediately grasped the situation and suggested that since the reception was to take place around the pool, the boys might want to bring their suits and swim while the big people socialized. He said their dad could take them to the locker room to change back into dinner clothes when it was time to sit down. Then he turned to my sons with a twinkle in his eye and told them that splashing the grown ups in their fancy clothes would be against the rules.
His understanding manner immediately helped my boys (and me) relax. When the evening of the reception arrived, the wait staff was so attentive that the children completely forgot about going for a swim.
My four-year-old has milk allergies, and the hors d’ oeuvres servers happily pointed out the morsels that were safe for him to eat. He loved it when they squatted down so he could choose “yummy snacks” from their trays.
At dinner, they served they boys first, knowing it would be hard for kids to sit through the long conversations that the big people were enjoying. While the adults were sampling the first courses of the meal, my boys were finishing up dessert (one prepared especially without milk) and were ready when the baby sitter arrived to take them up to bed.
My overall impression was that the Little Nell gets it when it comes to traveling families. Without pretension, they understand the needs of real kids who get restless and cranky and hungry, and they meet their needs so that everyone, big and little, can have a good time.
That said, The Little Nell is shy on amenities specifically for families. There is only one restaurant, although cotton candy is available through room service, and the Little Nell’s chef has created his own extra-rich recipe for hot chocolate. The hotel has an outdoor pool that is heated to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, making a fun, steamy place to soak after skiing.
The ski concierge can arrange ski lessons, and will help with the logistics of getting the munchkins on the slopes. They provide warmers for boots, and will help get the kids fitted into their equipment at the beginning of the day. Hot chocolate provides warmth and energy to get the day off to a good start. In the warmer seasons and for those not skiing, the hotel’s concierge can recommend and arrange a wide range of family-friendly activities in and around Aspen.
Small guests will find a nightly treat waiting for them in their rooms: A different five-inch by five-inch bedtime story book appears for settling them down each night of their stay.
At The Little Nell, all members of the family are welcome. Bring your dog or cat, and receive a personalized brass name tag with The Little Nell’s address printed on it. The hotel provides a special menu for pets, as well as pet sitting and dog walking services. Be sure to read their booklet on Petiquette if you do decide to bring your best friend.
The Little Nell is recipient of both the Mobil Five Star Award and the AAA Five Diamond Award, which is merited not only by its location and physical features, but especially by its customer service.
Peruse the website of The Little Nell or contact them by e-mail at reservations@thelittlenell.com. The phone number for information is (888) 843-6355 or (970) 920-4600.
The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs
Photo: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs
As a tiny little girl, my parents took me to see Olympic figure skating gold medalist Peggy Fleming at the Broadmoor World Arena. My heart rose to my throat as I watched the beautiful athlete gliding around the ice, her hair and filmy skirt flowing behind her.
The ice rink is gone now, replaced by the West Tower Building. But the hotel and resort complex, snuggled against the foot of Cheyenne Mountain on the western edge of Colorado Springs, still glides gracefully around its lake. And in spite of several additions and over half a billion dollars worth of renovations, it seems not to have changed at all. Its Italian Renaissance architecture, marble floors, ceiling murals, and reputation for excellent service all remain. It is the only hotel to have earned the Mobil Travel Guide Five Star Award and the AAA Five-Diamond Award each and every year since they began granting the honors.
Families staying at he Broadmoor Hotel will find plenty to keep them entertained. In the warmer months, parents and their little ones in paddle boats bob around on Cheyenne Lake. Meanwhile, kids laugh and scream their way down water slides into the 11,000 square foot swimming pool. A children’s wading pool with a squirty fountain provides a fun, safe place for little fishes to play. Kids can find age appropriate horseback rides plus petting zoo sheep and goats at the nearby Broadmoor stables, while junior tennis buffs can pick up pointers at the “PeeWee” drills on the courts. The hotel rents bicycles and provides maps for trips around the lake or up into Cheyenne Canyon, just west of the complex. The Bee Bunch Program, held during the summer, includes camp counselors, fun activities, and half-day, full-day, and evening camps for kids.
In the winter, kids and their parents can cozy up to huge outdoor fire rings and enjoy spectacular holiday decorations on the grounds and in the lobbies. During the White Lights Ceremony, held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Santa and Mrs. Claus, throw the switch, lighting 143,000 strands of lights. Guests can enjoy cookie decorating, stories with Mrs. Claus, performances, and a huge gingerbread village created by chefs and culinary students at the hotel. Also, each year the hotel hosts several performances of a Christmas show, held in the brand new Broadmoor Hall, a 60,000 square foot ballroom, just across the street to the east of the hotel.
While the restaurants at the Broadmoor range from the elegant Penrose Room (jacket required) to the dark paneled Hotel Bar, families will most enjoy dining near the big windows or on the patio in the Golf Club Dining Room, and making s’mores just outside at its open air fire pit.
The key, for me, however, was a scene I witnessed while dining at the Tavern Restaurant. A little girl, about 6 years old, was getting restless at her table. While her parents ate and talked, she slipped from her seat and began to wander about the dining room. A bus boy noticed that she was in danger of tripping food servers and engaged her in conversation about the lush plants growing nearby. He led her to a low brick wall near her table, and seated himself upon it, eye-level with the girl, his lanky knees bent even with his chest. She joined him on the wall, and as casual and comfortable as any dad with his daughter, the bus person and girl laughed and chatted for about 10 minutes. By then the busy rush passed, the parents finished their conversation, and the girl returned to her table for a soda that the bus boy delivered. The interaction was seamless and comfortable.
I felt that the parents were negligent in allowing their daughter to walk about the restaurant unsupervised. But given that was the case, the hotel staff person recognized a need in one of his young customers, and filled that need with grace and what appeared to be genuine affection. It was an example of customer service at its finest.
Learn more about the Broadmoor Hotel on their website, or by calling (800) 634-7711. Request information by e-mail at info@broadmoor.com.
Related Links:
Historic Colorado Lodges