Category Archives: Colorado Hotels

Regular Rooms At The Isle Of Capri

While visiting Colorado in October my husband, Neal, and I, ventured away from Winter Park for an evening to visit Black Hawk. Black Hawk is like a mini Las Vegas. The town is completely made up of casinos.

I have written about the Isle of Capri before, but in my previous post we were staying in one of their suites; this time around we stayed in a regular room with a King size bed.  This stay was not nearly as pleasant as the previous experience.

As far as I can tell the temperature is only controllable by opening a window to the outdoors, unlike some hotels where you cannot open a window, you can in these particular rooms. The thermostat did nothing to cool things down. Despite having the window open all night, and despite it being cold outside, we felt like we were being roasted. I wanted to go back to Winter Park just to get away from the uncomfortable temperature of that room.

Our prior stay at the Isle of Capri was in the middle of July, and we were completely comfortable. The temperature was great and we both slept well. I have no idea what the actual difference was between these rooms. Perhaps the upgraded rooms have some sort of special cooling system. Next time we visit, I will be sure to look into this situation further.

Beyond the temperature issues, we greatly enjoyed our visit. The food at the buffet was tasty as always. They had updated their dining room since our previous visit; it is now more secluded from the rest of the casino, which I greatly appreciated.

For more information on the Isle of Capri, please visit: https://www.isleblackhawk.com/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=isle%20casino%20hotel%20black%20hawk

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A Stay At Silverado II in Winter Park

Throughout my travels, I have stayed at some pretty nice places. I really can’t complain too much, because usually I have a room with a view, comfy bedding, plush common areas for lounging, and a whirlpool tub or hot tub. Now with that said, I also have been known to go on camping trips and I do stay in tents and commune more closely with nature. These two experiences are completely different and have different expectations.

When I travel to places such as Colorado, I want to enjoy the outdoors, but then have a place to relax and recuperate after a long hike or day of exploration. This last trip was to Winter Park and my family stayed at a condo called Silverado II.

Now upon first sight, it is a lovely place to be. The views are nice and the exterior looks well kept, but there are pluses and minuses to this particular accommodation. I am going to tell you about the negatives first, and then try to end this review with a more positive look at this option.

The room we received was on the third floor of building five. Every single day, we walked up and down the stairs to get to the condo, and for someone from outside of Colorado, this made the altitude a little more agonizing. The odd thing about this was that we seemed to be one of only two families in the building, so I don’t know why we were on the third floor.

The inside of our condo had a beautiful kitchen with stainless steel appliances. It definitely looked to be updated, but the rest of the place, not so much. The bathrooms were outright nasty, in my opinion. There were orange spots all over the ceiling and the tubs were discolored. There is no way that I would have opted to take a bath in one of those, I barely wanted to use the shower due to how icky it looked.

The bedrooms looked nice, the linens were fine, but the pillows, in all of the rooms, left something to be desired. The majority of our group commented that they were very uncomfortable and had caused neck pain. Also, the temperature was very hard to control. Despite having the heat off, the bedrooms were very hot unless you opened the door to the balcony to cool things down, but then it was snowing so things became a little too cold.

The only time I saw anyone at the front desk in this place was in the morning. No one ever seemed to be present at night. I honestly have no idea what we would have done if we had encountered any form of emergency with the room. Perhaps there was some book explaining this, but I personally like to know someone is on the property and readily available for any problems encountered.

It should be noted that we did stay during the fall mud season. This being said, the building didn’t appear to have heat outside of our room, or it was not turned on. It was very cold walking from the room down to the hot tubs, which were located on the first floor near the front desk.

Despite the dinginess of certain parts of the condo, and the lack of people working, I did appreciate the layout of the rooms. The full kitchen and updated appliances were very nice. We had multiple balconies which were fun for shooting photographs. I enjoyed the hot tub every night that we were there. I liked the aesthetically pleasing look of the exterior of the condo, and the view of the mountains. I enjoyed the fact that we were close to town and could easily get to grocery stores and restaurants.

Silverado II is an okay accommodation, but I won’t be going back. I like things to look clean and well maintained. I feel that this place needs further updating. If further updates were to be made, maybe I would go back. If you are interested in further information on Silverado II, please visit: https://www.silverado2.com/

 

Number 3 On TripAdvisor List

Just today I received an email informing me of the top ten, high end rentals, in the world, listed by TripAdvisor. Recently I have taken a greater interest in such things. It is nice to know where your travel territory stands on the list. My particular travel territory only includes one of the nominated destinations, though at some point in the near future I hope to expand to overseas.

I’m only going to give away the details of one specific location; I will list the origin for the others, but not the title of the accommodations. If you want to know the rest of the specifics, you will have to go to TripAdvisor and check it out. I will include the TripAdvisor link at the bottom.

The third location on the list is The Miner’s Clubhouse in Breckenridge, Colorado. I had no idea this place existed, but the photos are enough to make me want to grab the family and go. The views are stunning and the accommodations are quite exceptional. For those who love the mountains and snow, I can see how this place received a top spot on the list.

This particular domain will run you around $5.8k for a week. It has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, and it sleeps fourteen people. You have all the amenities of home, plus a hot tub that gives you an unimpeded view of the mountains and ski slopes. It even comes with a pool table for endless hours of entertainment. Check out the pics on TripAdvisor, they are totally worth it.

There were no other locations listed within the United States. The other locations were as follows: Italy, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, Ionian Islands, Spain, and Indonesia, if that gives you any indicator of what the type of place people are looking for when it comes to luxury. I feel that the Miner’s Clubhouse stands completely alone as far as the type of location and experience it provides.

While none of these locations will be on the budget based side, they will definitely provide some memories and experiences of a lifetime. For more information, please visit: https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-VacationRentals-a_Mode.expanded

 

 

An Unexpected Visit To The Isle Of Capri

Last July, while traveling throughout Colorado, my husband and I took a short side trip to the gambling town of Black Hawk. Originally we were not supposed to stay in Black Hawk, we had reservations in another town, two hours away, but those reservations turned out to be fairly inadequate in regard to the hotel’s description. We quickly got on the phone and were able to book a room at the Isle of Capri Casino and Hotel.

The room we stayed in was fairly spacious. It had a generic white comforter with some yellow and red accent pillows and runner (or whatever that thing on the end of the bed is called). There was also a couch with a decent sized flat screen television across from it. The closet doors were made up of large mirrors, which made the room look bigger. Overall the room was quite comfortable. The best part of our room was definitely the bathroom. There was a shower as well as a large, beautiful, jetted tub.

We stayed three nights and I used the tub every single night. The experience was very tranquil and relaxing. I did not notice any noise from the neighboring rooms. We slept very well and felt refreshed and ready for a new adventure, each day. I would definitely come back and stay in this hotel again, and I would recommend it to others.

If you like to gamble, and you love the mountains, this is a great location to stay since there is a ton to do nearby. You can easily visit other casinos by foot. You can find plenty of great food options, though the Isle does have a great buffet. If you feel like heading down the road a half an hour, you can easily get to the Georgetown Loop Railroad as well as Canopy Zip in Idaho Springs, which is only twenty minutes away.

For further information on the Isle of Capri Casino and Hotel, please visit: http://black-hawk.isleofcapricasinos.com/index.html?utm_uptracs=brand:pc&u=81560588-416e-4fec-b5e2-51c7f7c51108&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Blackhawk+-+Brand&utm_term=isle%20casino&utm_content=scwr2JliP|pcrid|103088697192|pkw|isle%20casino|pmt|p|pdv|c|

The Black Bear Manor In Ouray

My husband and I have visited Ouray twice; once before we got married, in 2012, and once this past year in 2016. I would like to say that I have been completely won over by the Black Bear Manor. We stayed at the Black Bear both times we visited, and in the same room.

Since our first visit, the inn did change management. Our stay was not at all impacted by this change. We still received the great service that we knew and loved, and we will definitely come back again.

What’s to love? First, the inn is clean and well kept. It has a beautiful big deck with tables and a bench swing, where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, or your breakfast in the morning. There is this beautiful room at the top of the house, with huge windows, where you can sit and look out at the mountains. During our last visit there was a thunderstorm and my husband and I just sat in the dark with a glass of wine and watched the lightening. It was a neat experience.

The whole house is surrounded by decks and balconies. You can take time to rejuvenate your body after a long hike, with a soak in the hot tub. If you are looking for a more private and luxurious experience, the inn does have a room called the Royal Suite, which has a steam shower and private in room hot tub. I have not stayed in this room, but if it’s as nice as the rest of Black Bear, I am sure it is wonderful.

Breakfast is at two different times, one of which is buffet style. The food is amazing and I have no complaints. There were so many great options. The chef is willing to take into consideration any food allergies, or intolerance, etc.

Black Bear is romantic, and relaxing. It’s located in a beautiful city with tons of activities. The owners are great people who take wonderful care of all their occupants. I would highly recommend this experience if you are looking to get away from the craziness of your everyday life.

For more information or to book your stay at the Black Bear Manor, please visit: http://www.blackbearmanor.com/

 

 

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park

In the past year I have visited the Stanley Hotel twice. As some of you may already know, The Stanley is known for being one of the most haunted hotels in the US. There is much more to The Stanley, however, than its ghost lore.

The Stanley has long been admired for its beauty, as well as its rich cultural history. The hotel was featured in both the movie and miniseries versions of The Shining, as well as in the movie, Dumb and Dumber. Many famous guests have visited and stayed at The Stanley.

The Stanley features ornately kept grounds with beautiful gardens. There is a very unique looking, sculptured water fountain, on the front lawn. Due to its location at the beginning of Rocky Mountain National Park, the views from The Stanley are absolutely breath-taking; you can see the mountains in all directions.

During my visits to the Stanley I did not spend the night. You can most definitely check-in and experience one of the many haunted rooms. Guests often speak of visits from the ghosts that still live within the hotel’s walls. I chose to do more of a photographic tour on my first visit; perhaps in the near future I will book a stay and experience the mysteries of The Stanley on a more personal level.

The second time I visited the Stanley, I did take the Night Ghost Tour. If you want to get in on this tour, you must book well in advance. The first time my husband and I visited, the tours were completely booked out days ahead.

The ghost tour did provide some history of the multiple hauntings at The Stanley. While I did enjoy myself, you definitely have to be into the idea of spirits existing. If you are a skeptic, or a complete non-believer, you may want to avoid this tour. I would have liked to have seen more rooms than what we visited, but I believe that may be a completely different tour, or require a stay in one of the rooms in order to satisfy that desire.

If you do not wish to stay, or wish to take a tour, you can wander the grounds on your own, as I did with my husband, on my first visit. I took tons of outdoor photos, and some indoor. You cannot go upstairs during your self-guided tour, but you can get a feel for the intricacy of the hotel and see some of the history, without venturing too far.

The Stanley hotel is full of beauty and wonder. I would highly recommend a trip to see this beautiful piece of history. I definitely fell in love with its elegance in the moments I spent exploring the grounds, with my husband.

If you would like to book a tour or find out more about The Stanley Hotel, please visit: http://www.stanleyhotel.com/?utm_source=GooglePlus&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=GooglePlus

 

The Wyndham Resort at Avon

This past May, Neal and I, took a trip to Colorado. We wanted to get out of town for a few days for our anniversary. After much contemplation we decided to look into our timeshare and see if anything sparked our interest. We were happy to find the Wyndham Resort at Avon.

This resort is beautiful and has many great amenities. Upon check-in guests are given s’more packages to roast s’mores out on the patio. Even if you are the only person wanting to sit on the patio, they will still light a fire for you.

This resort has an owner’s lounge that hosts happy hour each day. On weekends you can sit and listen to live music. There is a game room with a pool table, and there are several retail stores and restaurants within walking distance.

The room had a large beautiful kitchen for cooking in. There was a fireplace, and a personal balcony. The bathroom came equipped with a luxury shower. The overall feel of the room was modern and very comfortable.

The room we stayed in did not have a whirlpool, but, the hotel did have an amazing hot tub. When I say amazing, I mean it was gorgeous. The hot tub was large and it had a waterfall that separated it into two sections. We were lucky enough to have the back section completely to ourselves. It was a wonderful experience.

If you are looking for further activities, the area around the Wyndham is beautiful. You can wander along the river or check out the many sculptures around town. The concierge is also more than willing to set you up with an activity plan. We chose to visit Hanging Lake, which is a fun little hike, but must be done early in the day or you may not find parking anywhere near the trail.

To check out more photos of the Wyndham, or to look for availability, please visit: https://www.extraholidays.com/beaver-creek-co/wyndham-resort-at-avon-accomodation.aspx