Last weekend, my family and I decided to take a vacation…a staycation rather, considering we were only going about 25 minutes away from home. The newest and most talked about addition to the ever expanding area surrounding DIA (Denver International Airport) is the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center. Sure, we live just a couple hours from the beautiful, snow covered Rocky Mountains, but we decided to forgo the dreaded I-70 West traffic and head East to the new oasis off Tower Road.

This massive hotel captured our interest when it seemed to pop up overnight… (over 2 years in reality) and offered discounts for locals. Of course we weren’t going to pass up an opportunity to scope out the new place. We didn’t need a better reason than 7 brand new restaurants and bars, 5 indoor and outdoor (year-round) pools and relaxing spa?

The Gaylord Rockies Resort

To give you an idea of how massive the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center, the 486,000 square feet of hotel has 1510 room including 114 suites. It stays true to authentic Colorado style and feels like a rustic mountain lodge but with a modern twist. As you walk in the main entrance, the first thing you will notice is the floor to ceiling wall of windows that frames the gorgeous western view like a John Fielder photo.

The lobby has several perfect little seating areas that definitely looked like a great place to curl up and read a book, fireplace included. As you make your way down the grand staircase, the lodge opens up into what feels like a hike though the Colorado Rockies. The space is rustic and elegant with waterfalls, pine trees and an old railcar.

Rooms

There are many options for rooms ranging from a basic guest room to 750 square foot suites. We choose to stay in the standard guest room with a king size bed. The room was spacious and inviting with dark wood furniture, buffalo plaid pillows and rustic hardware accents. It had a sofa that can pull out into a bed, making it perfect for any small family.

The bathroom was large and bright with plenty of those fluffy white towels that are everyones favorite. Shampoo, conditioner and body wash are all provided in the walk-in shower. My favorite part was the southwestern etching detail on the mirror that was illuminated from behind the mirror.

Dining and Drinks

Mountain Pass Sports Bar

Like the start of any good vacation, we checked in and headed straight to find food. Our first stop was at the Mountain Pass Sports Bar. Watching the big game in this two- level sports bar is quite the experience with at least 25 TVs and the 75-foot LED flat panel front and center. The front of the bar is lined with comfy recliners. Really there isn’t a bad seat in in house but these are the best! Enjoy some classic but delicious American bar food like burgers and wings and wash it down with one of the signature beers from Dry Dock Brewing (one of Colorado’s many microbrews) made just for the Gaylord Rockies.

Pinyons Bar

This bar is at the prime location for viewing out the large glass window at Mount Evans as well as one of our favorite hobbies, people watching. We found a large booth at the base of what looked to represent Red Rocks Amphitheater and enjoyed a couple cocktails. Their cocktails were delicious and a shoutout to our waitress, Erika, who was awesome!

Vista Montange

Of the 3 other restaurants, we decided on Vista Montange for a little Italian cuisine and we’re so glad we did! Our meals were delicious! They have a great wine list and the menu offers something for everyone. They do take reservations and I would definitely recommend making one if you don’t want to wait long.

Rockies Marketplace

For a quick bite or small snack to go, the Rockies Marketplace is a easy option. Whether you need a pastry and coffee for breakfast or grab-and-go lunch, they offer a variety of entrees, snacks and beverages.

Other Restaurants we didn’t try:

Old Hickory Steakhouse

If you’re looking for something a little more romantic, the Old Hickory Steakhouse is a great option. They specialize in steaks, seafood, crafted cheeses and also have a fine wine list.

Monte Jade

This Asian inspired restaurant offers a variety of sushi roll, small plates, sake and a selection of Japanese whiskey.

The Cocoa Bean

Fuel your coffee addiction with your go-to latte or macchiato. They also serve a selection of snacks and pastries. This coffee shop is open for breakfast, lunch or dinner and located near the convention center wing.

Arapaho Springs Bar and Grille

Located poolside, you will never have to worry about the “no shirt, no shoes, no service” nonsense. Grab a burger or salad right there and head right back to the water!

Activities

Pools

One of the main attractions are the pools. Yes, I said pool-s. with an “s”. The 5 pools there mean this resort isn’t for business only, it’s a great family destination. The inside pool is a child’s paradise with 2 water slides and a giant water fountain, perfect for hours of fun.

Outside there is a year-round heated pool (85º), another water slide and a lazy river open May through September. The outdoor pool deck has many chairs, couches and even a fire-pit for those colder days. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to test the waters in the outdoor pool since it was closed due to a blizzard that day, we hope to go back and relax in one of the many beach loungers once the weather is a little warmer.

Realache Spa and Salon

I would have loved to make an appointment at the spa but there just wasn’t enough time for our short getaway. I did look through their brochure and saw that they offer a wide variety of services, anything from a mani-pedi to relaxing massages. This will for sure be a stop on our next trip! You can check out their full list of services here and even book your appointment.

Fitness Center

I love to check out the gyms at hotels so I was excited to see what the Gaylord Rockies had to offer. It did not disappoint. The fitness center is large and full of pretty much any piece of workout equipment you want from cardio equipment to free weights and kettlebells to boss balls. Each treadmill, elliptical and stair-stepper provides you with bottled water and a clean towel. It’s truly a resort fitness center.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• The resort is definitely not your usual hotel and a simply wandering around the massive lodge is a treat in itself. It’s a perfect place for families with many activities for kids. There are many room choices and even the basic rooms are spacious and comfortable.
• Everything is in one place. No need to leave to go get food, watch the big game or relax a little in the whirlpool. This place really has everything you need!
• Close(ish) to downtown. If you are only in Denver for a short time and want to see the downtown area, an Uber ride is about $25 and 25-30 minute drive to Union Station downtown.

Cons:

• It’s expensive! The price you see is not what you will pay. They seem to hit you will a lot of fees not to mention the parking. Self park will cost you $29/ day and valet is $39! And it really doesn’t get any cheaper if you are coming from the airport without a car since they do not provide a shuttle. Your best bet, use an Uber or Lyft for around $15 each way.
• Plan on a resort fee of around $23/ night plus a slew of other fees. At the end of it, our one night stay had an extra $46.72 added on.
• Check your bill. We were a little frustrated when we were slapped with a parking charge when we didn’t even drive a car there.
• Very busy! This might be because of the locals promotion they had going, but everything was very crowded. We were glad we made a reservation for dinner because we heard there was over an hour wait to get into the restaurants. The pool was incredibly busy and since we do not have kids, the pool wasn’t going to be part of the nice relaxing vacation we had hoped for.

I hope you enjoyed this review of our stay at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center. If you have been, please leave a comment about what you thought! Also, let me know if you would like more posts about Denver and some of our favorite things to do!

xoxo,

This post was not sponsored in any way. All statements and opinions are my own.