Christmas in Colorado
Oct 18th, 2017, 10:18 PM
#21
Join Date: Aug 2005
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My brother lives in Colorado so I've been in both summer and winter.
If I were to spend Christmas in a hotel in Colorado, I think I'd love being a kid at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. It's a huge old hotel and they really do up the Christmas lights and decorations. A life-size sleigh even. I have seen pictures and was sorry I came after the Christmas season. This property does have reasonably priced 4-person rooms and family suites that are showing as available for Dec 23-27 (completely booked out after that). If they are cancellable, I'd book them now directly with the hotel. You can't get them back once they are gone!
From Glenwood Springs, it is about an hour-ish (the locals can tell you better) to either Vail or to Aspen. So it could be a base for the first half of your trip.
Any way you can have the dog visit a great kennel or pay a teenager next door to pet-sit? I think your dog won't be that happy every day at the slopes and someone can't tube or ski if your pup is there. You can't eat inside at restaurants and it will be cold waiting outside for everyone else.
Do you drive a lot in snow? The I-70 Tunnel and canyon are steep and can be treacherous in winter.
If you haven't bought your plane tickets yet, I'd strongly encourage you to fly into Vail. It is MUCH closer and an easier drive to Glenwood Springs. They have rental cars there too.
I'd spend the second half of my trip somewhere near Denver and fly home from there. See things around Denver and Boulder. Consider a day trip to Colorado Springs to see the Air Force Academy and the Olympic Training Center.
If I were to spend Christmas in a hotel in Colorado, I think I'd love being a kid at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. It's a huge old hotel and they really do up the Christmas lights and decorations. A life-size sleigh even. I have seen pictures and was sorry I came after the Christmas season. This property does have reasonably priced 4-person rooms and family suites that are showing as available for Dec 23-27 (completely booked out after that). If they are cancellable, I'd book them now directly with the hotel. You can't get them back once they are gone!
From Glenwood Springs, it is about an hour-ish (the locals can tell you better) to either Vail or to Aspen. So it could be a base for the first half of your trip.
Any way you can have the dog visit a great kennel or pay a teenager next door to pet-sit? I think your dog won't be that happy every day at the slopes and someone can't tube or ski if your pup is there. You can't eat inside at restaurants and it will be cold waiting outside for everyone else.
Do you drive a lot in snow? The I-70 Tunnel and canyon are steep and can be treacherous in winter.
If you haven't bought your plane tickets yet, I'd strongly encourage you to fly into Vail. It is MUCH closer and an easier drive to Glenwood Springs. They have rental cars there too.
I'd spend the second half of my trip somewhere near Denver and fly home from there. See things around Denver and Boulder. Consider a day trip to Colorado Springs to see the Air Force Academy and the Olympic Training Center.
Oct 19th, 2017, 05:02 AM
#22
I don't think it's time to throw in the towel and give up on your dream of Christmas in Colorado.
But you do need to move quickly, and consider other places than the prime ski areas. You don't need to be slopeside, so that gives you other options.
As I said, if you don't need the glitz and glamour of a ski area, try other hidden gems, like the Redstone Inn. They still have availability, and allow pets in some rooms:
https://www.nitelink.com/nitelink21/step2.asp
There are only one-bedroom cabins left at Chautauqua Park, in Boulder, which is beautiful:
https://reservations.travelclick.com...mmodation/room
But you do need to move quickly, and consider other places than the prime ski areas. You don't need to be slopeside, so that gives you other options.
As I said, if you don't need the glitz and glamour of a ski area, try other hidden gems, like the Redstone Inn. They still have availability, and allow pets in some rooms:
https://www.nitelink.com/nitelink21/step2.asp
There are only one-bedroom cabins left at Chautauqua Park, in Boulder, which is beautiful:
https://reservations.travelclick.com...mmodation/room
