Gaylord Rockies Resort
During our stay in Denver, we spent two nights at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. The resort was massive, and we could see it from miles away. It was in Aurora, located only 5 minutes from the Denver Aiport and 20 mins from downtown Denver. Surrounded by Denver’s yellow plains and it has beautiful views of the Rockies.
We parked our car and headed in the beautiful large entrance that had pretty lit up trees all over.
Check-in was speedy and easy. The staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming; they even gave us a number to text at any time if we need assistance with anything.
The Room
Our room was an extensive executive suite broken into smaller rooms. To the right, there was a full-size living room with a huge TV. Next to the living room was a dining table and bar area with a sink and mini-fridge. As you entered the room, to the left was an entry/mudroom with a closet. Through that room, you entered into the bedroom. It was very spacious and divided into a desk/office area, the bathroom, and the bed.
The bathroom had a brightly lit mirror as well as double sinks. They offered plenty of fluffy towels and great bathroom amenities. The toilet and shower were separated by a door, which is a great feature when sharing the bathroom.
The bedroom was super cozy with a lounge chair at the foot of the bed, a second TV and two stylish side tables. There were USB and outlets on all the convenient spots. The room had a fantastic view of the east side. The yellow plains were so beautiful to look at, and we could see nothing but the airport in the distance, which made a serene panorama.
The room had an abundance of storage all around. The living room had a large dresser and armoire. There was another large closet in the entryway, and the bedroom had another large dresser. The decor was charming with Navajo patterns, beautiful artwork, and cozy color schemes.
The Dining
The resort had four great restaurants inside the premises. All needed reservations as they were pretty busy most of the time.
Monte Jade
Our first night, we ate at Monte Jade, which had Japanese inspired cuisine. Every item on the menu looked so good it was hard to pick. We had sushi, chicken wings, dumplings, katsu bowl, and drunken noodles and finished with some ice cream filled mochi. The food was excellent, fresh and delicious. Our server was super friendly and helpful.
Mountain Pass Sports Bar
We spent our second night at the Mountain Pass Sports Bar. The main attraction at the restaurant was a 75-foot massive screen showing all sporting events. They also have a fun area on the 2nd floor which has games and a charming bar.
We highly recommend trying the nachos and the braised short ribs. The atmosphere was energized and entertaining. It was one of the best sports bars we’ve ever been to.
Vista Montagne
For two mornings, we had breakfast as Vista Montagne. They had options to either use the buffet or choose items from a menu. We tried both and highly recommend ordering items from the menu, especially their specialty fresh-pressed juices.
The buffet had a station where a chef cooked eggs; however, we preferred. There was also fresh fruit, loaves of bread and even hot country biscuits and gravy. Menu items had smoked salmon eggs benedict and an acai banana bowl and much more.
I highly recommend their Pineapple Carrot Apple Ginger Juice!
The Grounds
The Gaylord Rockies had the best gym we have ever seen. The Relâche Fitness Center was extensive and spacious and had the best equipment. They had endless cardio machines as well as a couple of Peloton brand bikes. The staff regularly refreshed them with water bottles and face towels. There was every single type of strength training machine ever existed as well as high-quality dumbells and kettlebells. They even had a few plyoboxes, medicine balls and plenty of exercise mats. We used the gym twice and had great workouts. It was so much easier to stay on top of our fitness while travelling with a gym like that.
The resort is home to Arapahoe Springs Indoor Pool & Whirlpool. It’s a large indoor building that houses an indoor heated pool, a large hot tub, an indoor lap pool as well as two fast waterslides. The slides were enjoyable and fast enough for adults to have a great time. The lap pool was a great addition for more serious swimmers to use uninterrupted by children. Lounge chairs were abundant with fresh towels, and lockers. Next to the indoor pool also has Arapahoe Springs Bar & Grill, which is excellent for a quick bite and a cocktail.
Right outside the indoor pool was an outdoor pool as well as a full-sized lazy river. They were both heated and were open early November, although it closes for winter. Outside were tons of patio furniture and fire pits to enjoy the outdoor scenery.
The resort had other great activities like mini-putt, bike rentals, and arcade.
The Grand Lodge
The best part of the resort was the Grand Lodge, the area that’s in the middle of the resort. We felt we were in an indoor mini town. There was a massive railroad bridge as well as a full-sized red caboose on display. It looks out to the Rocky Mountains with its incredibly large windows. There were waterfalls and a pond in the middle where they were setting up the Christmas tree. Heading towards the Mountain Pass Sports Bar, we felt we were passing an indoor mountain.
There was also a great big fireplace and animal carvings through the Grand Lodge, with endless cozy couches and seating areas all over the lobby.
The Pinyons lobby bar was so beautiful at the end of the Grand Lodge.
Every evening, the resort opens a make-your-own s’ mores station outside near the fire pits. We enjoyed a few s’ mores while sitting on comfy Adirondack chairs watching the epic scenery.
We noticed they were setting up for Christmas time at the Gaylord Rockies. So many beautiful lights in the shape of presents and trees were all over the outside areas. When we had an evening stroll, we noticed so many bunnies hopping around the grounds! There were everywhere and so cute.
Our stay at the Gaylord Rockies Resort was indeed a fantastic experience. We didn’t need to step out of the resort since there were lots of activities and great food within the premises. The Grand Lodge was so beyond beautiful and unique, it was something we’d never seen! It is a great place to spend a weekend with friends and family members if you are looking for a relaxing getaway.