The Broadmoor blends timeless luxury with unforgettable Colorado adventure. 

With thunder-like jets above, a soft rain fell on Cheyenne Lake. The mirrored centerpiece reflected shadows of the surrounding Broadmoor campus, rippling as swans dove in, their fluffy bottoms pointing up toward a dimly lit sky. All the while, hotel guests and visitors ambled throughout the iconic setting, each with spirits unsullied by the rain. There was just too much to enjoy. That was the effect of The Broadmoor’s century-old legacy, a hotel so unmistakably tethered to history and nature that any weather condition only heightens the experience.

Very few hotels have established themselves like The Broadmoor. For over 100 years, the hotel has continued a tradition of unmatched service and hospitality while redefining the travel experience. It’s a hotel founded on the long-lived tradition of classic European architecture and artistry that still reflects a proud American spirit of craftsmanship, pioneering ingenuity, and rebellious nature.

Timeless Accommodations and Amenities

With a sprawling campus featuring luxury villas and two towers radiating traditional European architectural charm, The Broadmoor offers a bit of old-time opulence bespoke to whatever accommodation the traveler requires. In Broadmoor South, our room greeted us with extravagant flair. In the bathroom was a large soaking tub and double vanity. Ahead in the room was a classic marble fireplace, perfect for cozy nights and mornings. Morning moments are best shared with a carafe of coffee brought to the room, warming the palms of your hands as the windows are drawn and the magnificence of the Rockies seeps in.

The on-again, off-again rain kept us from enjoying a peaceful day at the luxurious pool, but each building on campus provided refuge for all ages, from an active bowling alley to no shortage of taverns or bars filled with chatter. Inside Broadmoor West, we counted the famous faces on the Wall of Fame, which included political giants like Bush and Cheney and athletic legends like John Elway and Peggy Fleming. From there, we followed the clash of pinfalls and bellowing laughter toward PLAY Bowling Alley, where we shared nachos and drank a boozy horchata.

Our private patio in Broadmoor West overlooked Cheyenne Lake, a perfect opportunity to breathe in the scenic escape. Inside, the spacious room was more than just a quaint retreat. It was a reminder of a decadent bygone era, flowing with antiqued furnishings, refined accents, and hardwood details softened by the natural light. In the bedroom, a window framed Cheyenne Lake in a still, painterly view, with trees and towers shadowing across the glassy waters. From the patio, the mountains peeked through the canopy, reminding us of the Colorado Springs charm that has drawn travelers to The Broadmoor for generations.

Golden Bee

Founded in 1961, this British pub charms guests with live piano music and no-judgment frills, creating a lively social hotspot that has remained for half a century as a place to see and be seen, to hear and be heard.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain played softly as I entered, greeting me with a fulfilling sense of good feelings and vibes. Hand-carved accents made from African mahogany wood adorn the walls with regality. These pieces, originally from an 1890 British pub, were found collecting dust in an old New York storage unit before finding their home in the Golden Bee and enriching the environment with ornate British craftsmanship.

I started with the French onion soup, a rich and velvety bowl of venison broth topped with a healthy dollop of torched Gruyère cheese that’ll warm hearts and spirits. A must-have classic is the fish and chips, a beer-battered cod perfectly fried to a golden brown that finishes with a lovely crunch with every bite. Have a pint or indulge in a classy cocktail inspired by the humble bee, whose garden ingredients blend well with The Broadmoor’s private selection of spirits from the likes of Breckenridge Distillery, Buffalo Trace, and Código.

The Spa at The Broadmoor

The Spa, a notable refuge that has garnered awards like the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Spa, leaves nothing unfulfilled. Amenities include a sauna, steam room, and even an oxygen room for those still acclimating to high altitude. In the waiting room, a quiet and roomy coed, colonial-era-like space, guests can wait peacefully while staring out into a vivid spread of golfing green at the foot of the mountains.

Treatments like bamboo massage are something special. It’s an athlete’s indulgence, a combination of deep tissue and Swedish massage with heated bamboo sticks angled and leveraged throughout the back, thighs, shoulders, arms, and calves. It’s a specialized technique not found on every spa menu, but one that creates a signature experience at The Broadmoor. Also, as cool and refreshing as those dry mountain breezes are, they take a toll on the face and skin. Luckily, the Spa’s Super Flower Facial, a treatment made with sustainable practices and ingredients, enriches the skin using flower and plant oils, leaving your face nourished, hydrated, and glowing.

The Penrose Room

The Penrose Room is an ode to Julie and Spencer Penrose’s love, one whose union in matrimony scaled across a lifetime of food and travel. To this end, The Penrose Room indulges us romantics. From the rolling Rockies framed in each window to the timeless table setting of white linen, gold accents, and seductively plush seating, each feature reflects the prolific class and elegance of the Roaring ’20s. These details are only matched by the decadent gastronomy of food and beverages, each a modern take on traditional classics.

Many of the ingredients used in The Penrose Room and throughout The Broadmoor, including Cloud Camp sitting high above, are sourced from a combination of Broadmoor Farms, a 5,500-square-foot garden on-site, and local purveyors and growers. The roasted ruby red beet and brie appetizer was a delightful starter made with locally produced brie, tossed with arugula, drizzled with Olivewood Balsamico, and topped with toasted pistachio for a nice nutty finish. For entrées, the glazed salmon was hearty with a rich and zingy savoriness. I enjoyed the Colorado lamb loin, crusted with crunchy pistachio and za’atar seasoning, a wondrous medley of local and global inspiration.

Libations are carefully crafted and beautifully presented, ready for that perfect photo. Echoing the excitement of Prohibition-era style while adding a sense of place, Speck’s Sazerac makes an ideal dinner companion. Made with Sazerac rye, Boulard VSOP Calvados, and Luxardo, the cocktail arrived beneath a fragrant citrus-anise aroma cloud. It felt especially fitting as low clouds drifted just outside the windows, casting a cool white-and-gray glow on the evening.

We finished with the Baked Alaska: an Italian meringue shell filled with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and mango sorbet, then set ablaze tableside for a dramatic visual spectacle and a warm, toasty aroma. Scorched to a perfect caramelized finish and topped with mango-passion fruit coulis, it offered a bright, cooling finale for the palate.

The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway

First built in 1891, the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, or Cog, has ascended for over a century, carrying generations of families up the steep mountainside, climbing 14,115 feet into the air to simply awe at the majesty of America’s Mountain, Pikes Peak.

The journey starts at the old-timey train station at the foot of the mountain in Manitou Springs. Through the Colorado thicket, our car silently crept, passing pink stone boulders and a gentle river cascading down and through a forest of arrow-like pines. When we were finally above the piney woods, snow-capped mountain ranges towered above a mirrored lake, leaving shadows of their grand scale looming over the thicket. Photos and videos really don’t measure up to the sight. Instead, this magnificence has only been successfully captured by Katharine Lee Bates, who drew inspiration from this view and penned America the Beautiful.

The modern traveler owes a great deal of gratitude to Spencer Penrose, who bought the Cog in 1925 and made it more accessible to the general public. It ran for decades, scaling the mountainside with visitors and locals alike before closing in 2017. In 2021, The Cog reopened, still bearing the name of Broadmoor ownership and management, and still reflecting that Broadmoor legacy of service and experience.

During our ascent, the conductor charmed with witty banter that was filled with puns and educational anecdotes. He pointed out natural features and dove into historical relevance. As we made our way higher, the landscape was overtaken with hills of rolling alpine tundra and in the rocks scurried little marmots. There was even a bear sighting or two.

At the top, with the clouds within reach and the landscape extending out beyond what eyes and mind can fathom, over the jagged mountain line and woods flattened like grass when viewed from above, I stood there witnessing a snapshot of America stuck somewhere between past and present, where the West is still wild. Yet against it lay Colorado Springs, an evergreen and ever-growing identity. And in staring at it, a small speck among other specks dotting the peak, I was overcome with gratitude for being an American.

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 Cover Photo courtesy The Broadmoor.

 Martin Ramirez is a brisket-eating, Shiner-loving, road-tripping enthusiast of all things Texas. This Dallas-born writer / adventurer is ready to take his ‘78 El Camino to find the best in food, fun, and fitness throughout the Lone Star State.