Things to do / Travel Guide
Among all the awesome views of and from high-altitude purple mountains, the luxury shines in the eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies like gold in a Colorado mine shaft. You've got the mile-high city of Denver, the rich mountain beauty of Boulder, the clean air of Colorado Springs, and more. The money from the many gold rushes in Colorado's past helped build the region up in the late 19th century, so the cities boast a number of grand old Victorian hotels - at your disposal, of course.
Luxury Accommodations around Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
Luxury in the eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies starts with Denver, which funneled money to the East Coast during the gold rushes of yesteryear. The acclaimed greatest of the Victorian hotels is the Brown Palace Hotel, in Denver's most trendy downtown neighborhood LoDo. The Brown hearkens back to an earlier time, when opulence was expressed not in oversized flat-screened televisions and universal remotes, but in gilt staircases, crystal chandeliers, and ivory and marble fireplaces. Experience all this in the hotel's lobby and lounge; in the hotel's rooms you'll find the flat-screened televisions and luxurious modern bathrooms.
Moving on to Boulder, the quintessential Colorado city that blurs the differences between urban city and the great outdoors, your best bet for healthy luxury is St. Julien Hotel and Spa. The grounds are modern and tasteful, classy but not gaudy; the suites are filled with modern amenities plus mini-bar and plush bedding. Windows look out at the Flatirons, huge prominent rocks set against a green mountain. At the spa, relax and be pampered with world-class treatments as well as treatments specially created to mirror the unique mountain-air environment of Colorado.
One other hotel to tempt you: the Broadmoor of Colorado Springs is probably the region's best offering, and arguably one of the best hotels in the country. It's wholly unique, situated at the foot of America's mighty mountain range, the Rockies, built over 100 years ago in an ornate Italianate style. Among all the old Victorian mountain resorts still in existence, the Broadmoor has probably aged the best, and its suites are equipped with the most expensive and lavish furnishings. Couches and beds are made of finely-crafted wood, while the marble vanities emanate affluence.
The spa at the Broadmoor represents a revolution in the art of spa design. Its overall vision is a marriage between European technique and Western hospitality, in the belief that what's good for the body must also be pleasurable and welcomed. Among other treatments, such as massages and hydrotherapies, the spa specializes in haute couture facial therapies such as deep-pore cleansing and a calming chamomile facial. True pampering gains new meaning with the Plaisir des Sens hot stone facial, which comes straight from the best Paris facilitator.
Luxury Dining around Denver, Colorado and the Wyoming Rockies
The eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies is a landlocked region, so there isn't really a great selection of fish and seafood; nevertheless, you'll find some great culinary hotspots in the major cities.
Denver's trendiest neighborhood is LoDo, with blocks and blocks of shopping opportunities, artwork boutiques, and restaurants. You'll be able to spend hours in this area, maybe taking a tour of the opulent State Capitol, a few blocks south. Nearby is Denver's best restaurant, a Midwest landmark, the Buckhorn Exchange. This is one of America's greatest steakhouses, serving up succulent cuts of traditional and not so traditional meats. Of course you'll find beef, and lots of it, but here's your chance to try red chili and lime-marinated rattlesnake, fried alligator tail, and buffalo tenderloin steak. The Buckhorn Exchange is an authentic specimen of history, and the walls are a taxidermist's dream.
Boulder, a college town whose tastes have matured with a little age, is filled with excellent restaurants in a variety of cuisines, like international, health, and vegetarian, and so on. Not to be missed among these establishments is Flagstaff House Restaurant, featuring a mélange of cuisines as far afield as Asian and French. It's a Boulder mainstay, and the head chef himself grew up in the restaurant, which was founded by his father. For the first course, there's Caspian Sea osetra caviar for over $200 a pop, while Colorado rack of lamb, lamb loin, and braised lamb shank, a bit less expensive, makes for a fantastic entrée. The European cheeses are phenomenal, a gastronomic experience in themselves.
Colorado Springs' best is the Blue Star, a cosmopolitan establishment with a fancy sit-down dining room, a fully-stocked wine cellar, plus a more informal cocktail lounge. The dining room features ambient lighting, and service is top-notch. The cuisine is American with Latin influence, while the tapas menu adds a nice ethnic touch. How does this sound as an entrée? Corvina sea bass with fava bean succotash, potato curls, and Italian parsley. Or Spanish-style camarone shrimp, dusted with smoked paprika, with chorizo sweet potato hash and sweet pea cream. Of course, the wine list is extravagant, with a large Californian selection and many from all of Europe's most famous wine regions.
So there you have it, luxury offerings of the eastern Colorado and Wyoming Rockies. The gold rushes of the late 19th century have had a lasting influence, having built up the cities of Denver and Colorado Springs to an impressive level of affluence and opulence; Boulder is a fine city in which to relax and rejuvenate in the country air. The entire region gets its lifeblood from the Rockies - and it's apparent there are plenty of ways to share the wealth.
Luxury Vacation Ideas in Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Cheyenne Wyoming and the Eastern Rockies
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