Top 5 Reasons the Broadmoor is a Perfect Holiday Getaway for Families

Spending a weekend at The Broadmoor is blissful anytime of year, but around the holidays it is straight-up magical. TJ, Everett and I drove to this five-star resort about an hour south of Denver in Colorado Springs for a pre-Christmas mini-break that was packed with holiday cheer. This was TJ’s first visit to the resort, which is truly one of the best in Colorado and is filled with old-world charm. He couldn’t stop talking about how he felt like he’d been transported to Europe, which is the same feeling I have every-time I step onto their grounds.

Festive Season Highlights

I have been to the property before, but haven’t visited during the holidays, which they are known for going all out for. So when I heard about the White Lights Ceremony, I couldn’t wait to attend and see how the resort decks the halls for the festive season. It lived up to my imagination. This event took place the first weekend in December and involved a countdown to the turning on of over one million lights decorating the property. It was a beautiful moment that our whole family loved. Afterward, we had some family photos snapped with beautifully decorated trees as the backdrop.

Another cool event the Broadmoor runs on select dates in December is the old fashioned Classic Broadmoor Holiday Show featuring Grammy award-winning artist Debby Boone. A long-running annual tradition for families, the event features a dinner paired with a show full of seasonal songs.

Super Kid-Friendly

Holiday events aside, the Broadmoor is also a super kid-friendly destination, which is another reason we loved the property so much. First up, I have to mention the indoor swimming pool, which is larger than most hotel swimming pools and has a fabulous Art Deco vibe. Everett could have stayed in the pool all day had we let him, although if this trip had just been TJ and myself we would have opted for the outdoor heated swimming pool to check out the gorgeous mountain and lake views surrounding (again, feels like a small village in Switzerland). There is also a Jacuzzi if you like your water hot and pressurized.

Another family-friendly activity at The Broadmoor is the Play Bowling Alley. Located on the main level of Broadmoor West, where our room is, the activity even has the potential to be free. During the day there are some complimentary 30-minute time-slots on the bowling lanes that the concierge can reserve for you. While TJ and I would have happily paid for a longer session if it was just us with a toddler, bowling for the first time, this was actually the perfect amount of time for us.

Everett had a great time putting on his bowling shoes for the first time and then learning the fundamentals of rolling the ball down the lane — okay he pretty much threw straight gutter balls, but it was still a good time and the kind of family memory that will stick around in my head for years to come.

Another kid-friendly activity we didn’t have time for but were able to pop in and check out is the onsite movie theatre which was playing Christmas movies like the Polar Express during the season. At other times of the year it plays different genre films, but they are age-appropriate. Other kid-friendly activities the Broadmoor will arrange include visits to Seven Falls and a trip up Pikes Peak on the Cog Railway among others.

Delicious Dining Scene

With 10 restaurants and another 10 cafes and lounges, The Broadmoor has its own dining scene and there is no need to leave the property to eat well. Our favorite restaurant was Ristorante Del Lago for dinner. Designed to feel like you’ve been transported to a luxe villa on Italy’s Lake Como, it features homey chic decor like custom walnut millwork and leather banquettes plus an indoor/outdoor fireplace that Everett loved.

The restaurant serves up Old World Italian favorites and TJ and I both went with pasta dishes — it would be hard to order anything else when we watched the chefs hand-making our noodles in the open concept kitchen We also both started with the chef’s selection of antipasti and the Tuscan Kale Salad. Everett went for the kids’ pepperoni pizza, which he wolfed down.

Exceptional Service and Swanky Rooms

After dinner, it was time to relax. We headed back to our room in Broadmoor’s West Tower. Our room had awesome views of the lake and the Rocky Mountains behind as well as Old World charm meets modern decor. The service at The Broadmoor is what makes this resort truly standout though. From the time you check in to when you leave, the staff is among the friendliest and most helpful of any hotel we have stayed at. It’s also the little things that stand out — for instance, there were a toddler and baby toiletry bag already set up in a pack ’n’ play with lotion, wash and powder when we checked in.

Even the class teaching the fitness classes are standout. I was able to check out a Functional Movement class one day with Luke and was impressed with his teaching style. The class is all about form, which was a great reminder to go back to the basics. I could feel myself standing taller after the class (not to mention I was in a great mood) and the next day could feel soreness from simple bodyweight movements like lunges and basic core work. In the class, it wasn’t about quantity but quality. His teaching style is such that it sticks with you, I keep finding myself centering and recentering before a workout to incorporate his techniques.

More Family-Friendly Entertainment Nearby

There is more family-friendly entertainment within a 5-minute drive of The Broadmoor, which makes this hotel even more convenient when you are traveling with kids. After breakfast, TJ and I took Everett to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, which was hands down our best zoo experience to date. We started with the Giraffe Feeding Experience. We bought two bundles for $5 and soon had four of the 16 giraffe residents sticking out their long tongues reaching for lettuce. Hearing Everett’s giggle brings out so much joy in TJ and me.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is actually home to the largest giraffe herd of any zoo. Besides giraffes, Everett was stoked to get up close and personal with the animals in the Encounter Africa exhibit, which was home to everyone from meerkats to black rhinos and African lions. The zoo is home to more than 800 animals overall including more than 200 species and 30 that are endangered.

Another nearby experience that is great especially in the evening is Edelweiss Restaurant. On weekend nights, the restaurant hosts strolling musicians that are incredibly engaging in the different dining rooms — we ran back and forth between a few. Everett loved singing along to everything from polka to Christmas songs at this authentic German restaurant that’s walls are filled with artifacts from all over Europe. The menu features authentic staples like bratwurst and sauerbraten.