Dipping, Dining and Viewing at The Peaks Resort & Spa

Summer Fun at The Peaks Pool

The Lineup of Loungers

Yikes! The summer is just blowing by here in Telluride, Colorado. Even though we enjoyed a good stretch of hot, dry weather followed by a most welcome monsoonal flow, it seems like summer is speeding along way too fast. Good news:  The best part about summer winding down means that the golden season of autumn is upon us and ski season is just a good snowstorm or two away. As the saying goes, “In Telluride, most come for the winter and stay for the summer.”

Colorful Fresh Fruit Blender Drinks Poolside at The Peaks

The Peaks Resort & Spa ranks as one of my favorite places to hang year-round, especially in summer. Here from a lounger on the pool deck or a couch on the Great Room Deck, I can relax and enjoy some of the best views in Colorado. I love to swim laps in the Spa’s indoor pool and then as a reward, I’ll loll and catch a few rays out by the outdoor pool. So far, I’ve indulged a half day with a daiquiri and lunch while spending a delicious moment with Mary Ann, a dear friend. It’s hard to work in the time for anything more than an energetic swim with the busy schedule I have, yet I’m confident I’ll be able to steal another long, leisurely moment poolside before summer comes to a close. The menu at the The Peaks Pool Bar & Grill has been upgraded considerably and they now serve freshly made sandwiches and salads of superior quality.

My Handsome Dinner Date on the Great Room Deck

Thankfully from a vantage point ensconced within one of the oversized armchairs in the Great Room, one can take in these same sweeping panoramic views. Whether sipping a micro brew or a hot chocolate, this is where you want to be when the foul weather swings through. And what a show these intermittent storms do provide. Here you can visibly see the changing weather patterns and emerging rainbows across the expansive vista before you.

Take it all in here or from the Great Room Deck because if you move into Palmyra, The Peaks signature restaurant, you can still admire awe-inspiring views, although you’ll likely be just as dazzled as what is presented on your plates. Chef Patrick Funk, a Colorado native, has created a menu that showcases many of Colorado’s finest purveyors of everything from lamb, sausage and other meats to cheese, yogurt and ice cream to coffee and tea. “We try to keep it pure in its form,” says Chef Funk. “It’s about bringing out the natural flavors in all the foods we prepare.” Here, I enjoyed a buttery halibut early in the season, while my boyfriend, Steve, regaled in the succulent lamb chops served with Merguez sausage risotto, spring vegetables and radish salsa. There’s nothing like a touch of exotisme and I savored it immensely as I stole a couple of forkfuls of Steve’s dish. We topped it off with a luscious, seven-layer chocolate cake from Vollmer’s Bakery in Denver. Had we wanted to extend the evening longer, we would have sipped a nightcap out on the deck, but we felt more than satiated with all, including the changing twilight views we embraced throughout the evening from Palmyra’s floor to ceiling windows.

Sophisticated Setting at Palmyra Restaurant at The Peaks

Une Pièce de Résistance: Salmon

For more casual dinners, diners may choose off of the “social menu” at the Great Room Bar and not surprisingly, this spot comes highly recommended for après ski in the winter.

The Peaks Deck: A Great Place to be in March

Winter Fun

But as much as we’re a town and state of skiers, we’re not in winter mode yet. I still have more rainbow viewing and poolside sipping on my agenda. And then, of course, there’s the leaf peeping come mid September. There’s no end to the beauty that one can behold in Telluride and particularly from The Peaks Resort & Spa—it’s just a shame that no matter the season, the days whizz by so fast.

Make the best of all while you can!

Please note if you are not a guest of The Peaks Resort & Spa, you can use the pool and spa—and access The Peaks Pool Bar & Grill—by paying a minimal fee for a daily spa pass.

For other terrific spots for dining and viewing in Colorado, read Great Rocky Mountain Decks:  Spectacular Views Year-Round.

Mike Pale: One of Many Musicians to Perform at the Peaks Great Room and Deck