Special vacation spot in Colorado or Utah
 

It is a milestone birthday for my wife and I would like to find a "special" hotel, resort
etc for about 3 days in Utah or Colorado. Does anyone have any suggestions?
We are going in May or June. Thanks so much.

You might want to check out this hotel in Monument Valley, which is very remote and beautiful if you like the desert.

http://www.monumentvalleyview.com/

And if your wife likes jewelry, you'll be able to buy some beautiful handmade Navajo jewelry in the area.

Can you be a bit more specific - are you driving or flying? What is your budget? What kind of things will you want to see or do while on your stay?

Both Utah and Colorado are big states, with great areas to visit and a diverse experience.

Do you want a city adventure or rustic, do you want a B&B or a resort? Do you want a place with solitude or a place with lots to see and do? Do you want high end or more modest accomodations?

A bit more info will help gather suggestions.

Smith Fork Ranch in Colorado would be lovely.www.smithforkranch.com

DebitNM- we are driving in and around various spots in Utah and Colorado. Our budget is moderate and and we like the city and /or a rustic adventure. We do not favor B&B's and would prefer a resort type place or large inn or hotel. For this special occasion we would consider spending a bit more if the place and experience are special. We will be signtseeing for 2 weeks and could use a place for some some R&R.

cmcfong- Smith Fork Ranch looks great. Have you ever been there? We are not into horseback riding, will we still enjoy the ranch?

The Hotel Telluride - http://www.thehoteltelluride.com/

New Sheridan in Telluride - http://newsheridan.com/

Beaumont Hotel in Ouray - http://beaumonthotel.com/

General Palmer in Durango - http://generalpalmer.com/

Strater Hotel in Durango - http://www.strater.com/

Blue Lake Ranch - http://www.bluelakeranch.com/

All really nice.

Deb

mavip, I haven't stayed there. It is a property I am considering (as is Blue Lake which Deb mentions). I am not a horseback rider either but that shouldn't interfere with having a great experience there. Call Ciara at Smith Fork and talk to her about your expectations, budget, etc and she can make some suggestions for you.

I can tell you one of the best vacations of my life was at Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch near Stanley. Don't let that aspect of the resort put you off.

this place really intrigues me but it is outside our budget
http://www.duntonhotsprings.com/about-dunton.html

What about the lodges at Zion or Bryce. Not exactly a resort, but their cabins are nice and there is plenty to see there.

We stayed at The Strater(debitnm mentions it above) and enjoyed it. You could do the train ride and you might take a day to see Mesa Verde.

If you just wanted a place to relax, about any of the ski resorts would do. Perhaps even Valley of the Gods, but nothing to eat there at night.

Red Mountain Spa Resort in St George Utah: http://www.redmountainspa.com/

Our house is in the same town as Dunton, we have driven by but they don't let you in if you don't have reservation! It is really isolated and Dolores is a really small town. It is uber expensive.

Funny, back in the early 70's, my DH's colleague lived in a cabin at Dunton and it was so run down and icky. They paid something like $300 rent for the whole winter.

Desert Pearl in Springdale, at the entrance to Zion, is worthy of a major celebration.

Thank you all! Checking out all of your suggestions.

Stein Erikson's at Deer Valley, Utah is pretty special.

We like outdoor adventure, so we like places like Red Cliffs Lodge outside of Moab. I think the fancier version is called something like Sorrel Ranch and it is just up the road from Red Cliffs. Both resorts are right on the Colorado River and every cottage or room has a private terrace and an amazing view of the river and the red cliffs. And there is so much to do around Moab, especially with Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Red Cliffs also had an excellent restaurant on the premises. www.redcliffslodge.com

We have stayed at Blue Lake Ranch twice and are heading back again this summer. It is one of my all time favorite places! A wonderful place to just relax, or you can visit Mesa Verde and Durango from here.

Digbydog, would you mind giving a few details about Blue Lake? How was the food? Which accomodations did you book? Do you hike? Was there good hiking nearby? Did you have easy access to cell and internet service? Did you go to Durango for meals?

Thanks.

DigbyDog, one other question, please. Would you call Blue Lake a couples resort or is it more families?

We have stayed in the Oak Grove Casita and the Cedar Casita. Both are beautifully decorated with southwest decor and roomy with lovely views to the mountains. I'm not sure that the rooms in the inn are much different than a typical B & B.

The breakfasts were delicious, served buffet style, but didn't have a huge selection. It's been a few years so I can't remember exactly what they served, but there was a southwest bent. I remember delicious tamales, fresh fruit, and a sweet bread. In the summer, you eat outside on a terrace overlooking their gardens. They used to serve afternoon cookies/appetizers, but I'm not sure they still do that.

We went into Durango for dinner a couple of nights and bought steaks one night that we cooked on a small hibachi grill the resort loaned us. My brother and sister-in-law stayed at Blue Lake last spring, and they said there was a fantastic restaurant at the turnoff to the road to Blue Lake. They couldn't remember the name. So you might not have to go all the way into Durango. On another post, DebitNM recommends the Kennebec Cafe in Hesperus. I am wondering whether that is the place.

Both times we went, we were the only family visiting, maybe because when you add on the extra person charges, it is not inexpensive. However, the accommodations are spread out, and even if there were families visiting, I'm not sure you would notice other than at breakfast.

We are hikers, but had a small child on both visits so we didn't hike. However, I believe there are some nice hikes nearby. We are hoping to do some hikes this trip. I can't remember what the cell phone or internet coverage were like.

An acquaintance recommended Blue Lake to us, and we fell in love. We have since recommended it to several others, all of whom loved it.

Hope this helps!