The Broadmoor: My Favorite Fall Getaway

The Bodacious Broadmoor at Twilight

Sometimes I feel so spoiled. Sure, the writer’s life that I’ve chosen is not an easy one, but there are many perks. And being the girlfriend of a hotel GM just doubles my luck, especially when it comes to experiencing luxury lodging, fine dining and unique travel opportunities. Take The Broadmoor, for example, the grande dame of the Rockies situated in Colorado Springs, Colorado where I’ve practically become a regular. Well, at least every October.

My love, Steve Togni, GM of Mountain Lodge Telluride, just announced to me the other day that he wants me to accompany him to this stellar resort again this year toward the end of the month. Well, I guess that takes the sting out of not making it to France as we had hoped. (A sick kitty has impeded those plans.) So this will be my fourth time accompanying him to this superlative property known throughout the world and my fifth visit in all. (I came once on my own steam before we were together.)

Broadmoor in Autumn

Front Desk at The Broadmoor

Summit Salad

The Broadmoor Spa Relaxation Room

Summit Chef

Ahhhh, zee Broadmoor. How I love your European-styled ways, from your vast, sweeping verandas to the yellow-and-white striped loungers that await me beside your tranquil pool within the pink walls of the Sun Palace. How I love to loll in the relaxation room of your spa, nibbling on fresh fruit, while contemplating the wild beauty of Cheyenne Mountain, the manicured perfection of your award-winning golf course and the ultimate feelings of good health and well-being I derive from each and every glorious spa treatment I’ve had the pleasure of sampling. How I love to sip wine at The Hotel Bar, your elegant lakeside enclave, which reminds me of the sitting rooms I’ve discovered in some of the finest châteaux in France. How I love dining within the soothing, curvilinear decor of Summit, your contemporary restaurant where handcrafted cocktails, superior wines and the world’s best beers may be paired with an innovative cuisine prepared from the freshest ingredients. Why, this style-y restaurant even boasts Christofle silver and Laguiole knives!

Indeed, I am one lucky girl. To experience such a magnificent property with such a dashing man makes the trip even more exciting. Sure, he’s there on business—for the annual Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association (CHLA) meeting—and I have my laptop in tow, however, we still manage to have fun separately, together and while schmoozing with the other folks from Colorado’s hospitality industry. Each time we have our favorite things to do such as swimming laps at The Broadmoor lap pool. Yet we also try to experience something new and different both within and outside the property. (With nine restaurants at The Broadmoor, there’s a lot to check out. Plus, there’s a plethora of activities from which to choose.)

The Broadmoor Tavern

Comfort Food, Tavern Style

Last year our most memorable moment occurred at the Tavern, a revered establishment in the main building, just off the lobby, that has been serving the best steaks and seafood in Colorado Springs since 1939. I couldn’t have felt more at home seated in the caramel-colored captain chairs, surrounded by dust-covered wine bottles in glass showcases, Toulouse-Lautrec posters and wood paneling. It was a quiet night and although we were at first disappointed that their house band was not on deck (only Thursday thru Sunday), we sat back and soaked up the classic jazz that played in the background and sank into the low-key atmosphere of this wonderful, well-worn restaurant. This retro scene put me in a fifties mood, so I ordered a Spencer’s Manhattan (named after Spencer Penrose, the founder of The Broadmoor Resort), an upscale twist on the traditional cocktail, here made with Maker’s Mark and Drambuie. The whole manner in which it was presented—served with a sidecar of the reserve in its icy wreath—was so damned classy it made me feel like I was in a movie. Steve meanwhile sipped a frosty draft beer. We feasted on onion soup gratinée (bien sur), salad, New York Strip steak with béarnaise sauce, lobster and New York-styled cheesecake. The last night of our four-night stay ended with all the panache of a carefully executed moment within an authentic space. Ta-da! No wonder people of all ages and taste continue to flock here for lunch and dinner year-round.

Fast forward to my thoughts for this year. Now I’m thinking about my wardrobe. I’ve already brought just about every piece of elegant, fall-ish attire to The Broadmoor for the past four autumns, so now what do I do for the fifth? It doesn’t matter because The Broadmoor—like my fashion sense—is one big bastion of tradition. Nothing is ever out of style as long as it’s of the finest quality and you wear it well. Voilà.

So I’ll just pack up my same old selection of clothing and accessories and consider what next to discover at this extraordinary resort. I’m sure there’s still plenty to ponder and savor at this travel writer’s dream retreat.

As I wrote in my story, Fall in Colorado:  A Beautiful Time for Sightseeing and Winter Travel Planning, this is a great season to experience an autumn stay or book a winter vacation at Colorado’s best properties. And The Broadmoor is no exception. They, in fact, offer special getaway rates for October and terrific pricing from November 1 through February 28. The holidays are known to be magical at The Broadmoor, however, I’ll have to save that for another story. There’s so much to do, so much to write about at this Colorado gem—thankfully I can spread it out over time.

For more on The Broadmoor and the surrounding area, read Back to Normal at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, The Penrose Room:  Colorado’s Pièce de Résistance, Celebrating the Holidays with the Animals, a story that features the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, one of the world’s most lovely zoos.

The Broadmoor Shops

Note that my most recent book, “A Tour of the Heart:  A Seductive Cycling Trip Through France,” is sold at The Library, a handsome book shop which figures among The Shops at The Broadmoor, an assemblage of over twenty-five boutiques and art galleries located at the entrance of the resort. Check them out—it’s the perfect place for getting a jump on your holiday shopping. And, of course, your choices of where to lunch are delightful.

My Broadmoor Work Station

Working and Sunning at The Broadmoor