Nancy

My family is attending a wedding next August and would like some suggestions on where to stay near Denver. Have two teenage kids that love to ride horses, but don't know about a dude ranch. We like deluxe accomodations, food, drink and some fun. Any suggestions?

Elizabeth

I have been there only once, on the way to a wedding in Crested Butte, and stayed right in Denver. The hotel choice was well researched (by a friend not me but she is great at it). It was Brown's Palace Hotel. Check it out on the Internet & see how you like it--it's big, historical, grand, and charming as far as I am concerned. (I live in Manhattan if that orients you to my possible frame of reference & biases!)

DenverGal

Absolutely - the Brown Palace is as nice as it gets! Plus they have a historical tour on Saturdays if you can make it. www.brownpalace.com You won't be disappointed.

gb

I don't think you'll find a dude ranch within a 45 minute drive from Denver. Brown Palace is certainly top of the line. It is in the center of the downtown area. If you want to be away from the city, you might consider the Inverness Hotel and Gold Club on the south side of the city. There's new Westin in Westminster. There's a Westin Tabor Center, also downtown.

mlh

Try the Stanley in Estes Park. Beautiful old hotel. Stately. Has had lots of remodeling in the last few years. Has horses. Handy to Rocky Mountain Natl Park and the great scenery there. It is supposedly haunted, but my parents never saw/heard anything during several stays. I've only been there once and enjoyed it. My family usually gets a cabin at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes. Not deluxe but nice and lots of fun.

bly

I second the Stanley. Its fairly close to Denver but also very close to Rocky Mountain National Park. Its where "The Shining" w/ Jack Nicholson was filmed. A friend stayed there in September to wake up with elk bugling on the front lawn.

Teresa

I love the Stanley but don't think it would have that much appeal for teenagers (at least mine). Instead, I'd suggest a night or two at the Brown Palace in Denver and a few other nights at a resort in Steamboat or Breckenridge. The kids can ride horses, go down Alpine Slides, swim, etc. etc. without the sometimes primitive atmosphere of a dude ranch.

Sandy

Actually "The Shining" was not filmed at the Stanley Hotel (there wasn't enough snow at the time to do so), but it was where Stephen King wrote the novel. You can stay in the suite where he wrote it. They give special tours of the hotel in the evenings -really neat.

Nancy

Thanks, sounds like alot of good recommendations. Looking forward to it.

Marie

Personally, I think kids would absolutely hate staying at the Brown. How near Denver do you want to be?

mms

If the wedding you are attending is in downtown Denver - The Brown Palace is the place to stay. For a night or two, you and your kids can enjoy the City of Denver. After one or two days, however, Denver gets really, really boring, crowded and in the summer - hot. I would head to the hills as soon as you can get away from the wedding. There are many places near Rocky Mountain National that are terrific. The Stanley is very nice - but with a family - I would choose a cabin or condo type of accomodation. Steamboat and Breckenridge are also great choices with lots of fun things for teenagers to do. Breckenridge is quite a bit closer to Denver so you would have less of a drive - just try to avoid Friday afternoons and especially Sunday afternoons for traveling on I-70 during the summer - It becomes a parking lot. You can travel to Steamboat by going north through FOrt Collins and over Cameron Pass (easy pass to go over) and avoid I-70 altogether. The 4 hour drive is beautiful and Steamboat is our family's favorite get-away town. Have fun!!