The Ranch at Emerald Valley Lodge, the newest spot for Colorado weddings
The Broadmoor has been Colorado’s most swellegant resort for over 100 years; the first owners modeled its architecture on palaces and hotels they’d admired on their European travels. Carmen Miranda played in its rooftop nightclub, an elephant took guests on rides around the grounds, and two sea lions were plopped into the lake to keep it tidy (it wasn’t long before it was discovered that sea lions prefer salt water, and tons of the stuff was piped into the lake daily). If you were a Coloroado Springs bride craving a princess-style wedding, this was the place.
But times and tastes change, and the newest addition to the Broadmoor—opened August 1st—is much truer to the rugged spirit of its home. The Ranch at Emerald Valley, eight miles from the mother ship, consists of a log-cabin lodge with a wraparound deck, two lakeside hot tubs, a fire pit, and 10 cabins that can sleep 32 guests. (If you’ve got a really tight group, take over the Hill Cabin, which accommodates 10, and comes with a chef’s kitchen and enormous deck.) The all-inclusive resort sits in Pike National Forest, and though there’s not an elephant to be found, you’ve got a long roster of guest activities: canoeing, fly-fishing, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, and sipping a local microbrew while gazing at the Colorado stars. Broadmoor chefs prepare meals served around the lodge’s large stone hearth; twice a week there’s a gourmet cookout. For a couple who love the outdoors, this is Rocky Mountain heaven.
But here’s the kicker: If you’ve got a guest or two (or a mom or grandparents) who prefer their mountain vacations with room service, you’re only eight miles from The Broadmoor itself, which offers such goodies as swimming pools (there’s a zero-entry infinity number), a fitness center, 54 holes of championship golf, six tennis courts, a massive spa, shopping, and several dining options.
So go ahead and plan the intimate cowgirl wedding of your dreams, knowing that for once in life, you can truly make everyone happy. — Sally Kilbridge
The Ranch at Emerald Valley Copper Cabin
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Want to know more about planning destination wedding travel to The Ranch at Emerald Valley? Our travel partners at Coastline Travel Advisors, a Virtuoso agency, are ready to help.
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