The Broadmoor

Spencer Penrose arrived in Colorado Springs at the turn of the 20th century with wealth from mining interests and a grand ambition: to build what he called "the finest hotel in the United States." Penrose studied celebrated European hotels and, in 1916, purchased land on the southwestern edge of Colorado Springs near a feature called Cheyenne Lake. He partnered with Albert E. Carlton and C.M. MacNeill and commissioned Warren and Wetmore, the renowned architects who had already designed the Ritz-Carlton and Biltmore Hotels, to create his vision. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the son of Central Park's legendary designer, oversaw the landscape architecture for the 3,000-acre property. The Broadmoor opened in 1918 after a $3 million investment, equivalent to roughly $42.8 million in 2025 dollars, making it one of the most expensive hotels built to that point.

The architectural language chosen was Mediterranean Revival, a style that drew on Italian Renaissance precedent but adapted it to the Colorado landscape. The resort's distinctive pink stucco exterior harmonized with the surrounding terrain, and the buildings radiated outward from Cheyenne Lake, a manmade water feature created from creek feeding and fed by groundwater. The lake itself became a central element of the resort's design: its shoreline, ringed by a 0.75-mile walking trail, provided both recreational opportunity and aesthetic focus. The main complex sits at 6,230 feet elevation, approximately five miles southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, positioning the resort as a retreat from the city while remaining accessible to it.

What makes the Broadmoor's founding story historically significant is not merely that it was built but that it was built at that scale and cost precisely when the American economy was about to enter uncertain territory. Penrose had completed his vision in 1918, just as the post-war economy began to contract. The Great Depression hit within a decade, and the Broadmoor, like many luxury properties of its era, entered financial difficulty. The resort passed into receivership, only to be rescued by Penrose's own El Pomar Investment Company, which purchased it and maintained its operations. After Penrose died in 1939, the property transferred to the El Pomar Foundation, a charitable organization that continues to oversee the resort today. This ownership structure means the Broadmoor has remained a unified property under a single vision for over a century, unlike many historic hotels that fragmented or changed hands repeatedly.

The physical scale and amenities expanded over the decades. The resort grew to include 784 rooms, eighteen restaurants, a full-service spa with 43 treatment rooms, three championship golf courses, 185,000 square feet of meeting space, and extensive recreational facilities. The hotel hosted prestigious tournaments, attracted celebrities and political figures, and became a destination for weddings, conferences, and celebrations. Yet despite this growth, the Broadmoor maintained continuity with its original design aesthetic: the pink stucco, the Mediterranean proportions, the relationship to the lake and the surrounding mountains. Each new addition seemed to extend rather than contradict the founding vision.

The Broadmoor's achievement in securing and maintaining both Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond ratings across more than a century is virtually without parallel. Forbes and AAA do not bestow these ratings as historical honors; a property must earn them annually through inspection and evaluation of current service standards, amenities, and guest satisfaction. The Broadmoor's continuous recognition across such a long period means the property has not merely survived but has successfully adapted to changing guest expectations while preserving what made it distinguished. This is notably different from a historic hotel that rests on its reputation and architectural prestige alone.

The Broadmoor's position in relation to Colorado Springs has evolved with the city. When Penrose built the resort, it was a destination unto itself, a grand hotel you traveled to. As Colorado Springs grew, the Broadmoor became one major attraction within a larger region that includes Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and other natural and cultural destinations. The resort has integrated itself into this landscape rather than defending itself against the city's growth. Visitors to Colorado Springs often center their trip around the Broadmoor, but the hotel also serves as a base for exploring the wider region.

Accommodations at the Broadmoor range from standard rooms to lavish suites, with rates reflecting its positioning as a five-star property. Expect to pay in the range of $300 to $600 per night for most rooms, with premium suites and specialized accommodations commanding significantly more. The resort offers considerable variety in dining, from casual restaurants to fine dining establishments, and the three golf courses attract serious golfers as well as casual players. The spa provides treatments ranging from basic massage to elaborate multi-day wellness programs. The resort's scale means there is legitimately something for nearly every interest and budget level within the luxury category.

The golf courses at the Broadmoor deserve particular mention because they reflect Penrose's vision and the property's evolution across decades. The three courses were designed to integrate into the landscape rather than dominate it, and the routing takes advantage of the terrain while maintaining the visual coherence of the overall resort. Golf tournaments held at the Broadmoor have become part of American golf history, and the courses have hosted major professional and amateur competitions. For golfers, staying at the Broadmoor means staying at a property where significant golf history was made, and the championship-caliber courses provide a competitive challenge while the Cheyenne Lake setting remains beautiful.

The relationship between the Broadmoor and Colorado Springs has continued to evolve. The city has grown around the resort, and what was once a remote destination has become integrated into the metropolitan landscape. Yet the Broadmoor's 3,000 acres and the management's careful attention to the property's boundaries have maintained some sense of separation from the surrounding city. Guests at the Broadmoor can venture into Colorado Springs proper for attractions like Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, or the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, but they return to a property that maintains its own distinct environment and identity.

The Broadmoor represents a particular kind of American achievement: a privately funded vision of Gilded Age ambition that survived economic catastrophe through the stewardship of an owner who had the means and will to preserve it. Unlike hotels that passed through many hands or corporate structures, the Broadmoor remained coherent under consistent stewardship through the El Pomar Foundation. Unlike historic hotels that have become museum-like, it has reinvented itself repeatedly while maintaining visual and operational continuity with its founding. For travelers seeking a grand historic resort that functions as a complete destination rather than a single building, with championship golf, multiple dining options, world-class spa facilities, and a clear sense of architectural and historical identity, the Broadmoor remains distinctive among American resort hotels.