Colorado Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies: Beaver Creek Breckenridge Colorado Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Ski In/Ski Out to Great Snow in Colorado
Ski In/Ski Out to Great Snow in Colorado
Camel’s Garden Hotel at the Base of the Gondola in Telluride
Great Ski In/Ski Out Access at Mountain Lodge in Telluride
Woo-hoo! It’s been snowing in Colorado—big time. Anyone that’s been following this winter’s weather patterns knows that Colorado has been shortchanged in snowfall this season. Yes, it has been a little tough going but that’s all changed after one humongous storm. And then another biggie.
Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Beaver Creek
Just in the nick of time, over forty inches were dumped on parts of the San Juans, the mighty range of the Rockies that dominates most of southwestern Colorado. Avalanche control work is still being carried out in much of the region but since Saturday, folks have been able to enjoy epic skiing and riding.
It’s no surprise that Wolf Creek racked up the highest number of inches with Silverton and Durango Mountain Resort following closely behind. Here in Telluride, we were extremely happy with almost three feet—yes, people have been hooting and hollering on and off the slopes for the past five days. (I was thrilled to enjoy two stellar days of skiing early in the week and then gladly welcomed a day at my desk after feeling totally whopped and sore after so much fun. Plus, I’m still tired from having succumbed to the flu—yuk.)
Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge report almost two feet of fresh this past week while Aspen has measured a bit less. The latest weather system just blew out of the state and now everyone in Colorado seems to be grinning ear-to-ear. With blue skies all around us, it doesn’t get much better for enjoying all this lovely Colorado champagne powder.
Colorado Girl Talk Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel: Colorado Girl Talk Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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World Cup Adventures: from Yoga to Yowza
Birds of Prey World Cup at Beaver Creek
I love travel. Yes, it can be terribly tiresome but it usually brings about some of the most unexpected and exciting happenings. Case in point: Last week I stayed at The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain, one of my favorite properties in Colorado. It was to be a stopover with my friend, Mary Dawn, on our way back from combined promotions (for my new book and her delightful alpine goods) in Denver and Breckenridge as we made our way toward Telluride, Colorado, home base for us both. I was planning to just chill and recover from almost five weeks away, soaking up all the amenities of this first-class resort. But what an adventure it turned out to be!
The stay started out quietly enough. We had both settled into our luxurious digs replete with full kitchen and glorious beds piled high with comfy pillows in a variety of sizes, half of which we wanted to take home. I padded down to The Westin’s newly renovated fitness center the first morning to see how I could begin to restore myself after way too much time at my desk followed by extensive travel. This beehive of fitness fiefdom was still buzzing with activity at 11 a.m.—no wonder since it’s one of the preferred athletic clubs of the Vail Valley. I peeked into their fully-equipped pilates and spinning rooms before opting for the solitude of their yoga studio where I was thankfully in time for a much-needed class. Susan, the yoga director, took special care to address my needs, those of a weary travel writer that hadn’t devoted much time to being fit since last ski season ended. Thanks to her and the calming surroundings of this specially-designated yoga oasis, I felt one step closer to being whole again.
The Westin Riverfront’s Yoga Studio
After chitchatting with the staff about all the doings at the hotel, I learned that the resort was in a flurry of activity largely due to the Audi FIS Birds of Prey World Cup Men’s Race that was taking place at Beaver Creek during that period. “Yes, I saw the gates and skis piled up in the lobby when I checked in last night,” I said. “I had totally overlooked the fact that that was going on. Then someone told me the Austrian team was staying here,” I added.
Skis & Gates in The Westin’s Lobby: Sure Sign of World Cup Doings
“Come back later in the afternoon to see the athletes working out,” a couple of the staffers exclaimed practically in unison. “It’s quite the show—with all those good looking guys lifting weights and swirling in their hula hoops,” one chuckled.
Sadly, my afternoon passed all too quickly up in my room at my laptop and by the time I sauntered down to the fitness area at 5:45p.m., all the studly dudes had left. Darn, I thought. There’s nothing like checking out world-class athletes in action and I missed it.
That evening, however, on the tail end of a most enjoyable dinner at Cima, the Westin’s signature restaurant and a Richard Sandoval creation, Mary Dawn wasted no time getting in on the World Cup fun. “Would you please tell those guys over there Grüß Gott?” she kindly asked the waiter. Already it was clear they were part of the Austrian ski team, so why not send the classic Austrian/Bavarian greeting from the Alps over to them? Why miss out on some Euro schmoozing? Three guys bopped over to our table and sidled into the curvilinear booth faster than you can say hooray. We enjoyed trading cross cultural stories and experiences until the wee hours of the morning. Since MD lived in Germany six years and is fluent in German, she particularly enjoyed the exchange. My French experience (eleven years in Paris) brought less to the table yet we were all in a bon vivant mood nonetheless. Fortunately our Austrian ski team companions were comprised of the director, a coach and a technician or else I can’t see how they would have been able to race the next day.
Cima’s Curvaceous Decor
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Telluride The Rockies Travel: Colorado Hotels & Lodging Telluride The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Great Fall Travel in the Rockies
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa
Wow! What a week it has turned out to be! The colors are really going off here in Telluride and from what I hear, most of Colorado—especially at the higher elevations—is exploding with a spectacular show of gold, orange and even a bit of red (more unusual for the West). This autumnal festival of colors came upon us fast and furiously this year. Less than a week ago it was still very green and summer-like—come to think of it, it was summer.
I’d say we’re pretty much at peak now and all over you see people oohing and aahing about this extraordinary riot of colors which has arrived almost ten days early this year. I might go so far to say it’s the most beautiful fall foliage season I’ve seen yet in Colorado although in truth, I think we all tend to forget how drop-dead gorgeous it is here in the Rockies this time of year.
And I’m optimistic it’s going to be great way beyond peak. It hasn’t started snowing much yet. Aspen, Vail, Telluride and Beaver Creek—all the stunning high-mountain resorts—have been blessed with a few dustings, however, our autumn vistas are not yet backdropped by snow-capped peaks (another unusual occurrence for this time of year). This is when the fall foliage viewing really takes your breath away; sure, the snow knocks some of the leaves off the trees but it’s worth it to see the striking contrast of golden aspens flanking the mountainsides of bright-white peaks.
Hotels & Lodging Spas The Rockies: Hotels & Lodging Spas The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on A Pristine Pool Experience in Avon/Beaver Creek
A Pristine Pool Experience in Avon/Beaver Creek
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Pool
Perfect pool days can be few and far between here in the Rockies since July and August bring monsoonal rains and impressive thunder and lightening storms that can force the heartiest souls indoors. Thankfully this happens mostly in the afternoon and not typically every day. (The past couple of weeks in southwestern Colorado, however, have been particularly dreary.)
So when you plan a day to lounge poolside (and who doesn’t love to do that in the summer?), I suggest you choose a most promising place. This means a drop-dead gorgeous pool with a grand pool deck, great scenery, ultra comfy lounge chairs, expansive umbrellas for when the sun becomes too strong (or even to hide beneath in case of a passing shower) and excellent poolside food and drinks. Friendly service from the pool and wait staff goes a long way, too. Relaxation is your number one priority, so you don’t want to be left hanging looking for more ice for your beverage or a rubbery plastic noodle upon which to float. You’ll find all this and more at The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain.
I discovered this repository of recreation last spring and yearned to come back and enjoy it with my hunny on a sultry summer’s day. That’s exactly what we did on a picture-perfect day a few weeks ago. Together we knocked out our laps in this property’s glorious, saline-filled pool and then enjoyed a delicious lunch served poolside from Avondale, the hotel’s signature restaurant. I was bold enough to order one of their special cocktails, a fresh-squeezed lemonade made with house-infused berry Vodka while my boyfriend savored a perfectly chilled Margarita. Needless-to-say the rest of the afternoon passed seamlessly. We were glad to have gotten our workout in early on.
Perhaps the only regret we shared was that it was too hot to venture into one of the resort’s infinity hot tubs (although some people were clearly enjoying these stunning lobster pots). I guess those amenities in and of themselves give you good reason to come here on a cloudy day.
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek offers day pool passes to non-hotel guests at a cost of $40 per day per person. This entitles you to one group fitness class at The Riverfront Club. You may procure a week-long pass for $125. which entitles you to attend three fitness classes. Or you may indulge in a spa treatment and benefit from the use of the pool and gym facilities gratis.
Read more about The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Sleek and Sustainable: Two Stellar Colorado Properties.
Being Green Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Podcasts Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel: Being Green Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Podcasts Restaurants Spas The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Sleek and Sustainable: Two Stellar Colorado Properties
Style-y Dining at Eight K at the Viceroy Snowmass
What does it mean to stay in a green hotel? In the case of The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain and the Viceroy Snowmass, it means stepping into a swanky world where sustainable luxury reigns supreme. I stayed at these two stunning resorts this past off-season and was highly impressed by their look and commitment to preserving the environment.
While on the premises I observed a certain amount of sustainable practices on my own, but I yearned to find out more. I posed the question “What makes a hotel green?” to Jeffery Burrel, Director of Operations of The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, and to Jeff David, General Manager of the Viceroy Snowmass, in a recent Travel Fun interview and was interested to hear about what goes into the development and operations of a sustainable property. And I bet you will, too. Here’s a short list of the environmentally-conscious building strategies and operational practices implemented in these and most other LEED-certified properties:
-Many of the building materials are sourced locally. Expect lots of rich stonework and other natural elements.
-Some of the building materials come from post consumer/industrial recycled content. The roof of The Westin Riverfront, for example, is made of recycled automobile tires.
-Lots of glass, made up of high-performance windows, assure sweeping views.
-Low and non-emitting paints, adhesives and carpets are utilized throughout to ensure healthy indoor air quality.
-Much of the resort’s electricity comes from renewable sources.
-Low-flow fixtures help to conserve water.
-High efficiency appliances are used in the kitchens.
-Housekeeping products tend to be non-toxic and non-allergenic.
In addition to the above, each resort implements a variety of other green-oriented practices. At The Westin Riverfront I particularly appreciated the recycling bins in the kitchen and their huge emphasis on fitness. “We have more health and wellness space than banquet space,” says Jeffery Burrell. Indeed I was totally won over by their outdoor saline lap pool which to me, is better than swimming in the ocean. (There’s no black line in the ocean. And if you’re a serious swimmer, you want the black line.) You can bet, too, that their saline natatorium is far better for your health and wellness than swimming in most chlorine-saturated pools.
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa
At the Viceroy Snowmass, I noticed that the kitchen appliances were unplugged on a daily basis, a smart practice that I’ve since adopted at home. This was also the first hotel where I found 16-ounce bottles of amenities in the bathroom. What a great idea! (See below for more of my thoughts on hotel amenities.)
Don’t for a moment think that cutting-edge and down-to-earth are mutually exclusive in either of these resorts. At both The Westin Riverfront and the Viceroy Snowmass, I was especially impressed by their friendly and efficient service. I also liked their many little touches such as the aluminum water bottle presented to you upon arrival at the Viceroy and the employee name tags stating each person’s passion at The Westin. Both of these features—especially the name tags—provide nice opportunities to engage warmly with the hotel staff.
And best of all, each of these resorts boast outstanding spas and restaurants that you can enjoy even if you’re not a guest of the hotel. In fact both the Restaurant Avondale at The Westin Riverfront and Eight K Restaurant at the Viceroy Snowmass are immensely popular with the locals. As for their spas, zen and nature have never come together in such a sensuous manner in both of these healing spaces.
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