The Broadmoor

The Broadmoor
Name	The Broadmoor
Caption	The Broadmoor resort and lakefront
Location	Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
Coordinates	38.7758°N 104.8487°W
Opened	1918
Architect	Warren H. Manning (landscape), Warren and Wetmore (early buildings)
Number of rooms	784
Floors	3–5 (varies)
Owner	The Broadmoor, LLC
Operator	The Broadmoor
Website	Official website

The Broadmoor The Broadmoor is a historic luxury resort located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, founded in 1918. Known for combining grand hotel architecture, extensive grounds, and a variety of sporting and cultural amenities, it has hosted international conferences, sporting events, and dignitaries. The resort has influenced hospitality standards in the United States and remains a landmark within El Paso County, Colorado and the Pikes Peak region.

History

The resort was conceived by industrialist Spencer Penrose, who collaborated with figures linked to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, Cripple Creek operations, and the Broadmoor Land Company to develop the property near Garden of the Gods and at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain. Early 20th-century patrons included entrepreneurs tied to the Antofagasta mining interests, and the hotel’s opening coincided with broader developments like the Panama Canal era travel boom and the post-World War I leisure expansion. The Broadmoor expanded through the Roaring Twenties while navigating the impacts of the Great Depression and later hosted wartime functions during World War II including conferences and recuperative programs for veterans. Ownership and management transitions involved families and corporations connected to the Penrose estate, and later corporate partners from Denver and national hospitality groups, reflecting trends in American resort consolidation from the mid-20th century through the late 20th-century hospitality mergers. The resort has been a venue for diplomatic visits linked to delegations from United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, and delegations related to agencies like the Smithsonian Institution and international sporting federations.

Architecture and Grounds

The Broadmoor’s main hotel complex showcases design influences associated with early 20th-century American resort architecture, with planning input from landscape architect Warren H. Manning and building firms influenced by railroad hotels such as the Hotel del Coronado and designs comparable to The Breakers (Palm Beach). The grounds include formal lakes, Spanish Colonial-Revival elements, and mountain-facing terraces framed by vistas of Pikes Peak and the Rocky Mountains. Gardens and landscape features were developed alongside private estates similar to those of William A. Clark and public works influenced by figures connected to the Olmsted Brothers tradition. Additions over decades introduced modernist wings and conference facilities resembling expansions at the Adolphus Hotel and facilities used by the Olympic Committee and international sports bodies, while historic preservation efforts reference practices used at Mount Vernon and Biltmore Estate conservation projects.

Accommodations and Facilities

Guest accommodations range from historic suites remembering patrons linked to the Penrose and Guggenheim families to contemporary rooms outfitted for visiting executives from corporations like Lockheed Martin, Hewlett-Packard, USAA, and delegations from institutions such as United Nations agencies. Conference centers and ballrooms have hosted events attended by officials from US Congress delegations, representatives from the State of Colorado, and international delegations tied to the Inter-American Development Bank. Spa and wellness facilities draw professionals trained in protocols shared with centers at Canyon Ranch and medical collaborations with regional hospitals like Penrose–St. Francis Health Services and clinics coordinated with University of Colorado Health. The resort’s boutique shops and galleries have exhibited works by artists associated with institutions like the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Denver Art Museum, and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

Dining and Hospitality Services

The Broadmoor’s restaurants and culinary program have featured executive chefs with experience in kitchens connected to establishments such as Le Bernardin, The French Laundry, Per Se, and contemporary American dining scenes in New York City, San Francisco, and Aspen, Colorado. Culinary partnerships and wine programs have sourced vintages and producers represented in lists from the James Beard Foundation award circles and wine estates linked to regions like Napa Valley, Bordeaux, and Ribera del Duero. Banquet and catering services routinely serve events tied to organizations including the American Red Cross, Rotary International, World Affairs Council, and philanthropic foundations like the Gates Foundation during fundraising galas and symposiums.

Golf and Recreational Activities

The Broadmoor is noted for multiple championship golf courses designed by architects whose work aligns with the legacies of Donald Ross, Ben Crenshaw, and Pete Dye-influenced styles, attracting tournaments sanctioned by bodies such as the PGA Tour, USGA, and LPGA circuits. The resort’s equestrian, tennis, and alpine programs have partnered with governing organizations including the United States Equestrian Federation, International Tennis Federation, and training camps associated with US Ski and Snowboard. Outdoor recreation accesses trails leading into Cheyenne Mountain State Park and routes used by Appalachian Trail-adjacent planning groups and conservation entities similar to the Colorado Trail Foundation. Facilities host youth camps with affiliations to athletic organizations like AAU and regional collegiate teams from United States Air Force Academy, University of Colorado, and Colorado College.

Cultural and Community Events

The Broadmoor stage and ballrooms have housed performances and fundraisers featuring touring companies connected to institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, and regional companies like the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Seasonal festivals and conferences convene participants from organizations including the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, National Park Service partners focused on Pikes Peak stewardship, and conferences attended by members of the American Alliance of Museums and historical societies tied to Colorado History Museum. Educational collaborations have linked the resort with campuses such as Colorado College, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, United States Air Force Academy, and regional arts programs from University of Denver.

Notable Guests and Cultural Impact

The Broadmoor has hosted heads of state and political leaders associated with meetings alongside figures linked to White House delegations, ambassadors accredited from embassies like those of the United Kingdom, Japan, France, and Germany. Cultural figures, entertainers, and athletes who have stayed or performed include artists represented by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Olympians affiliated with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and actors connected to the Academy Awards and Tony Awards. The resort’s portrayal in travel journalism and guidebooks placed it alongside institutions like Ritz Paris, The Plaza Hotel, and Claridge's, influencing luxury hospitality trends and regional tourism strategies coordinated with Visit Colorado Springs and state tourism offices.

Category:Hotels in Colorado Category:Colorado Springs, Colorado