If you’ve been here, you know, and it’s not surprising that Colorado Springs is home to the luxurious and historic Broadmoor, the longest standing Five-Star Five-Diamond hotel in the United States. With its impeccable personalized service, the moment you step onto its property, you are treated like A VIP — and encouraged to unwind and unplug.
Enter The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and you enter a world of Five Star Service and pampering.
Located just 90 minutes south of Denver, The Broadmoor’s Mediterranean-style resort is Old World elegance meets modern elegance. Pure luxury is at every turn, from the expansive cottage to the Cheyenne Lake-side South Tower rooms. And don’t get me started on the divine cuisine at the Broadmoor restaurants – my favs are still the Summit and the Golden Bee. Other pampering activities include innovative spa treatments, renowned tennis center and world-class golf courses. You’ll find it all here at The Broadmoor.
Arrival
After exiting I-25, I head toward The Broadmoor, through high end neighborhoods, driving straight to the main entrance of the sprawling property The resort earns its accolades from the beginning with your greeting by the security guard at the welcome gate, kick-starting the epitome of personalized hospitality. ,The guard handed me a parking pass and set the hospitality wheels in motion with a “Welcome to The Broadmoor. Enjoy your day, Miss Rowe.”
What’s In A Name?
The Broadmoor portico stood welcoming in the near distance, and an army of hospitality giants awaited my arrival. I barely slipped my SUV into park before two young men scurried to open my door, again greeting me by name, “Good evening, Miss Rowe. How was your drive?”
From there, my bags were unloaded, my SUV placed in capable hands, and I was escorted to the front reception with a “Welcome back to The Broadmoor, Miss Rowe. Let’s get you checked in.” Tag team to the bellboy with another personalized greeting and pleasant chatter along the way.
My favorite room at the Broadmoor is a suite overlooking Cheyenne Lake
Do the historic walls of the Broadmoor have ears? How do they do it? How does everyone at The Broadmoor, from the valet to the bartender, remember your name?
With a little detective work and asking Standards Supervisor Jack Forrest, a nearly 30-year Broadmoor employee, the answer lies in the attitude. “If an employee makes it through our intensive screening and training, I know they’ve got talent. The competition is more intense and our customers have higher expectations. My job is to teach the employees how to use their personality and skills to up the level of the service. There’s no substitute for the human touch, and with 60 percent repeat guests, I think we’re doing something right.”
Five Star Pampering
In an environment with as many employees as a small town, the world-famous Broadmoor hospitality starts with empowerment. Stephen Bartolin, Jr. President and CEO is often quoted by his employees as saying, “The sound of a customer’s name is music to their ears.” In fact, staff is encouraged to go above and beyond guest expectations, because “service is in the hands of employees,” at this customer-focused property.
How Do They Do It?
Backtracking to the moment I entered the property, my parking pass had my name on it. Before opening my door, the valet read the pass. Valet then introduced me to the receptionist. The bellboy escorted me to my room and read my bag tags. It goes on and on. Employees are trained to do everything from ask for a guest’s name, repeat the name to remember, and read and repeat the name on the credit card, golf bags, or other personalized items.
You can teach employees the memory game, but you can’t teach them the genuine desire to incorporate a frequently forgotten ingredient of the hospitality industry: sincere service. That’s why I’m one of those repeat guests and always look forward to my rewarding escape to The Broadmoor.
Broadmoor Cottages are a perfect luxury family vacation offering 1-8 bedrooms and up to 6,300 square feet.
Check prices online at Hotels.com
Article and Photos by Diana Rowe, accommodations courtesy of The Broadmoor.
