Pura Vida Club (Denver, CO) - A

First - I know I owe a part 2 for the Broadmoor - it will come soon! In the middle of traveling and interviewing and packing and I want to do it well...

In the meantime, I was able to check out a spa/healthclub in Denver's Cherry Creek area this week, so I'll give it a quick write-up.

Short version:
If this place were part of my regular workout routine, I think I'd feel pretty zen.

Branding - the name has some borrowed equity. Pura Vida is the name of a premier yoga/spa destination in Costa Rica, which I haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting. Also a Costa Rican colloquialism for living well, etc. The club's web site even mentions that. So it's not necessarily a bad thing - right away it conjures up blue skies and relaxation and living well. The question is, does it deliver on that promise?

Atmosphere - From the moment you walk in, you're immediately transported from the mildly annoying, shoppy world of Cherry Creek below, and into a true spa environment. I'm a sucker for a water feature, especially in old waterless Denver. There's also a cool little lounge area with a gas fireplace. Ordinarily awesome, but it was a bit hot for that yesterday. Anyway, very soothing, simple, breezy vibe. Well done.

Staff - Very friendly and helpful. Especially because I managed to show up in a rush and without half my workout clothes/accessories. They helped me find a decent tank top in their shop for $7. Not bad. Also, I had to figure out using a free guest pass - technically I wasn't eligible because I am not a local resident. But they were really great about it, and it didn't take much prodding to get them to approve 20% off a spa treatment, either. Sadly, I couldn't find an appt that fit with my schedule, so I can't review the spa aspect of Pura Vida. But I can tell you the spa receptionist was very helpful and really tried to find something to accommodate me - I'm just crazy busy this week. Even the locker room attendant was on top of her game - politely getting a chatty kathy off her cell phone (prohibited -- which is a huge plus in my book.) Excellent job, Pura Vida Staff!

Fitness Center - There are a bunch of studios for classes, pilates, etc. Didn't use them, but they looked bright and airy. The main fitness center with all the cardio and weights machines is nice. Surrounded by floor to ceiling windows, but shielded from the rocky mountain sun with UV window shades. Not a huge space, but a decent amount of machines and not too crowded (although I'm betting it gets a bit cozy in there at peak times). Also, a huge plus - not every cardio machine had a TV screen. I'm glad those are an option, but I hate having them right in my face when I'm working out, and many of the newer health clubs kind of force them on you with every machine. So I was glad to nab a really awesome treadmill with a high tech screen featuring a trainer/nature course/racetrack, but not a big old TV screen 4 inches from my eyeballs. Also, the machine had iPod and USB ports, and allowed you to download your workouts to a USB for any sort of personal trainer software you're using. Very nice feature for regular members. Disappointed not to find a water dispenser with cups (having also forgotten my water bottle), but I get that from an environmental perspective, a water fountain is just fine. Also would have liked fruit-infused water to be available - maybe with cucumbers or melons or whatever. I've been spoiled by places like the Broadmoor and the Trump when it comes to that stuff; it's certainly not a major shortcoming to lack it. But a huge plus - the SOFTEST towels I've ever found at any spa/healthclub. Unbelievable. And the locker room facilities are top notch - perfectly clean, plenty of huge lockers, spacious seated vanity areas for getting ready, and really nice, if somewhat limited, amenities (body lotion smelled great, hairspray, deodorant, and mouthwash also available). Both the workout facilities and locker room fit very well with the vibe set in the lobby. All in all, a solid facility.

Other perks - Another fantastic feature is the free parking, which is worth a lot in the heart of cherry creek. Also love the fruit bowls in the lobby - it's great grabbing a healthy snack when you skip lunch for a workout. (Or, in my sad world, had a hot dog covered in cheese and bacon before working out, so feel like an apple after the treadmill might help break you even for the day...). As for the spa, 20% discount on treatments for members Monday to Friday. And I checked them out on Twitter - if you follow them you can discover great deals - today they are listing 30% off spa treatments for anyone today only. That's good use of inventory and social media - both pluses in my book.

So to give this place a full review, I'd have to use it at peak times and get a chance to use the spa. Also, I have no idea what it costs (another quasi-annoying feature of many higher end clubs like this - you can't find anything without going through practically a timeshare presentation...), so I can't say if it's delivering value for the price. But I do recommend checking it out if you are in the market for a fancy schmancy health club (and I mean fancy schmancy in the best possible way...).

The Broadmoor Colorado Springs (Pt I) - A, My Gold Standard

Dear Broadmoor,

They say you never get over your first. Well, you weren't my first spa. But truth be told, I can't remember anything before you.

"I feel like Annie!" - Those words from my friend Sue, on her first visit with me to the Broadmoor, really capture the essence of the Broadmoor experience. While there are plenty of tangible features that earn it a place in my heart, it's the people that make it magical. From the moment you check in, everyone from the parking valet to the bell hop to the front desk make you feel like a celebrity. Even as you hand them a bag of Doritos and girl scout cookies to be delivered to your room. (True story.) Or as you drop a bottle of red wine on the beautiful oriental rug in the lobby, sending pinot noir and shards of glass across the room. (Also a true story.) Or when, after the spa is closed, you ask Security to recover the boots you left behind in the spa locker room, and they return with your boots, and also your leopard print knickers. (Yes, sadly, also true. I'm a class act.) Nobody on that staff would mistake me for a big shot or a big spender or anything noteworthy, but they are so gracious and warm and welcoming, that the spa healing process starts the moment I set foot on the property.


The property - If I were to try to describe each feature of the resort we'd be here forever - it's a 5 star sprawling destination spa outside Colorado Springs. To quote its website -
"located on 3,000 lush acres under the shadow of Cheyenne Mountain and offers an award-winning spa, fitness center, two swimming pools, three outdoor hot tubs, one lap pool; 54 holes of championship golf, six tennis courts with tennis camps; children's programs; 24-hour room service, valet parking, 24 specialty retail shops." Okay, I haven't used the golf course, the tennis courts, or the children's programs - but every other square inch of the Broadmoor is sheer perfection. So I'll move on to the highlights.


The rooms - I've been lucky enough to stay in some of its finest suites, and also some of the smaller rooms. And I'd take the Broadmoor's smallest room over a major suite from pretty much any property I've ever stayed at. Each one has been plush and comfortable - some of the best beds I've ever slept in, luxurious soaking tubs, and bathroom amenities that always get tucked away in the return luggage (not something I usually bother with - but their lemongrass body lotion smells like heaven.) The larger suites feature formal dining rooms, separate bedrooms and bathrooms, fireplaces in comfortable sitting rooms, and outdoor spaces (balconies or lakeside terraces). You'd never want to leave the room. Except that the rest of the resort is pretty amazing, too.

The Golden Bee - A 19th century English pub (fixtures shipped over from the UK in 1961) featuring pub food, yards of beer, and sing-a-long ragtime piano entertainment every night. The waitresses serve up old school attitude as they flick sticky bees at you (I find myself peeling them off sweaters months after a trip to the Broadmoor), and it's impossible to resist singing along to Roll Out the Barrel, K-K-Katie, Sweet Caroline, and dozens of other classics. Thank god for this place, because Colorado Springs leaves much to be desired in terms of going out. Seriously, don't bother.

Other Broadmoor Bars & Lounges - The other bars around the resort are also pretty cozy, if a little subdued compared to the Bee. You've got the Hotel Bar - which features lakeside seating and a great outdoor stone fireplace for enjoying a crisp night and indoor seating that feels like a big old library/drawing room right out of an Agatha Christie novel; the Tavern - with a quasi-outdoor garden seating area that feels pretty magical in the evening; and a selection of fancy restaurants (which I usually skip because I've filled up on the aforementioned Doritos and girl scout cookies).

So yeah, Broadmoor, you are a little slice of heaven. And stay tuned for my write up on your spa - we can show the rest of the world how it's done.

Love,
Kate