Broadmoor plans $55 million in improvements

On the eve of its 90th birthday, The Broadmoor hotel and resort is launching nearly $55 million in improvements that will include construction of guest cottages, renovation of its 150-room west building and a makeover of its west golf course.

The latest projects, which follow $250 million in improvements completed in 2006, are designed to maintain The Broadmoor as one of the world's elite properties.

Spanning 3,000 acres in southwest Colorado Springs, The Broadmoor is one of only a handful of properties in the nation rated five diamonds by AAA and five stars by the Mobil Travel Guide.

"You don't take that for granted," said hotel President Steve Bartolin. "When we make decisions like this, we don't weigh it on five stars; that's not in our methodology or our planning. What we do is, we look at quality and constant improvement, we look at what matters to our guests, we look at what our competitors are doing. We just always want to stay ahead of the curve."

Luxury resorts at the four- and five-diamond level are highly competitive, said Eric Escudero, a AAA Colorado spokesman. The Broadmoor has maintained five diamonds for the 32-year life of AAA's rating program.

"There are some amazing four-diamond properties, but to get that fifth diamond, you have to go above and beyond all expectations," Escudero said. "So it's no surprise to hear The Broadmoor is continuing to step up the bar."

Tuesday, the Colorado Springs City Council approved construction of six guest cottages that will be built southeast of The Broadmoor's Lake Avenue entrance, along Pourtales Road and overlooking the 18th fairway of the hotel's east golf course.

The $22 million project represents a new accommodation at the hotel, famous for its luxury rooms and suites, fine dining, foothills location and old-world ambiance. The cottages will be stand-alone buildings that will house large families, corporate outings or golf groups who want to stay together. Smaller combinations of guests also could rent portions of a cottage.

Guest rates haven't been set for the cottages, but "they will be premium-priced accommodations," Bartolin said.

Broadmoor rates can range from more than $300 a night for a standard guest room to upward of $1,000 for a suite, although they vary depending on the type of room and time of year.

Opened June 29, 1918, by copper magnate Spencer Penrose, The Broadmoor is owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Co. of Oklahoma City, publisher of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper and owner of the Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tenn., among other holdings.

The company's board signed off on the latest round of improvements last week, Bartolin said. The original hotel cost $2 million to build.

"I think it's a great testament to the ownership of this hotel that they continue to invest the earnings of the hotel right back in the property, and therefore in our community," Bartolin said.

"That is very unique in today's world."

The Broadmoor is the home of this year's U.S. Senior Open, beginning July 31.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0228 or rich.laden@gazette.com