One of my favorite family photos captures my wife rocking our firstborn daughter in our guest room at The Broadmoor. As new parents, we made this our first family vacation—a tradition we repeated after our second daughter was born. We now return at least twice a year, always capturing a family photo in front of Rocky Mountain Waterfall by Albert Bierstadt in the West Lobby. Those pictures have become milestones, marking our family’s growth at a place that’s set the standard for all our travels.
The Broadmoor’s art collection is just one of the ways owner Phil Anschutz imparts a sense of historic Western spirit into the resort’s timeless European elegance. The collection features more than 300 works, mostly ultra-high-quality reproductions pulled from Anschutz’s personal collection. As proud New Mexico natives, we’re drawn to pieces by the Taos Society of Artists. These works are prominently displayed along the corridors of the resort’s West Building.
The art collection is just one of many draws for the world’s longest-running Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond resort, which also boasts stately, refined accommodations; two world-class golf courses; a range of award-winning restaurants and lounges; impeccable service; and enough activities to keep a family more than satisfied for a week or longer. On our most recent visit last month, The Broadmoor was bustling with activity as the 5,000-acre property’s pristine landscapes—complete with gardens, fountains, and its centerpiece lake—began to spring to life just before peak season. We checked in, snapped our customary family photo with the help of a friendly bellman, then dove into a two-day itinerary that included some of our favorite activities, as well as some new adventures.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Broadmoor offers accommodations for groups of every size, from traditional guest rooms to its Estate House—a 12,000-square-foot residence ideal for private events. The Cottages, located along the eighteenth fairway of the East Course, are ideal for large or multiple families, featuring communal gathering spaces, spacious outdoor patios, and separate, lock-off suites. The Everest Cottage served as home base for our latest visit. Spacious beyond our needs, it made the trip feel extra special. On previous visits, we’ve also enjoyed staying in Broadmoor Main, the resort’s original building and heart of the property, thanks to its location halfway between the indoor and outdoor pools and its easy access to Café Julie’s, La Taverne, and The Little Theater on the lower level.
GOLF
The Broadmoor’s East Course rightly earns its place on Golf’s list of the “Top 100 Courses You Can Play,” and it will be in especially excellent condition this year as it hosts the U.S. Senior Open. Even in mid-April, the course was already in great shape, offering a preview of the daunting test awaiting the pros from June 26 to 29. The West Course, like the East, is a blend of designs by legendary architects Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones Sr., and it offers the same spectacular views and nearly as much challenge as its more celebrated (and more expensive) neighbor. A particularly exhilarating stretch from holes nine through fourteen climbs into the foothills before racing back down toward the resort. From late November through early April, The Broadmoor offers complimentary play for resort guests on a nine-hole winter loop on the West Course—arguably the best golf deal around on those sunny winter days.
DINING
With twenty restaurants, cafés, and lounges, The Broadmoor offers dining options for every taste and occasion, from multi-course feasts at the award-winning Penrose Room (which will reopen after an extensive renovation this fall) to classic American fare at The Grille. The quality and creativity of the cocktails stand out, from the steakhouse Dirty Martini, an umami-packed blend of vodka, house-made Worcestershire sauce, and smoked sherry marinade, at La Taverne to the Fumo Il Giorno, made with smoky mezcal, Disaronno, and fresh juices, at Ristorante del Lago. We always stop by Café Julie’s twice a day—for flaky croissants in the morning and artful desserts at night.
SPA
The Spa at The Broadmoor exudes warmth—figuratively, with its welcoming staff and calming, serene atmosphere, and literally, with fireplaces in the relaxation lounges, a selection of fine teas, and heated spa sandals and massage tables. Treatments are everything you’d expect from a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star facility, including a wide range of massage services, skincare therapies, and other beauty treatments. But it’s the amenities guests can enjoy between treatments—a eucalyptus-scented steam room, a Himalayan salt dry sauna, a rejuvenating oxygen room, and the Mountain View Room overlooking the East Course and the Rocky Mountains beyond— that set the Spa at The Broadmoor apart.
ACTIVITIES
An extravagant outdoor pool complex on the north side of the resort’s campus features a massive, heated infinity pool overlooking Cheyenne Lake, multiple waterslides, and an expansive pool deck where attentive staff deliver food and refreshments all day long. Off-season, an indoor pool within the spa complex channels the golden age of grande dame resorts. Play at The Broadmoor offers six of the most glamorous bowling lanes you’ve ever seen—but be sure to make reservations early.
ADVENTURES
The Broadmoor channels the spirit of the American West through a variety of outdoor excursions tailored for its more adventurous guests. There’s a soaring adventure featuring two zipline courses; a falconry experience that brings you up close to trained owls, falcons, and hawks; fly-fishing at the Broadmoor Fish House—an Adirondackstyle cabin on the sixth hole of the East Course—or guided trips to nearby Spinney Mountain State Wildlife Area and Cheesman Canyon. Guests can also enjoy the Wild West Experience—a chance to practice archery, shooting, and axe-throwing. These and many other adventures are thoughtfully curated by the friendly, knowledgeable staff at Broadmoor Outfitters.
