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The Broadmoor Hotel Holiday Magic

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While summer is a magical time in Colorado, winter brings out spectacular programs where the crisp mountain air sings with possibilities. None grander than the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. Consistently voted on of the top 10 hotels in the world, the winter season is a great time to visit for a day or two on your way skiing or even on a stopover from D.I.A. in Denver.

From lights to galas, here are the best five reasons to stop at the Broadmoor Hotel this holiday season for a couple of nights of luxurious magic.

Lights and More Lights at The Broadmoor Hotel

The Broadmoor Hotel nestles up against the Pike National forest, and the property and golf courses have thousands of trees. For the winter, the resort lights all the trees on the property making a magical wonderland out of an evening stroll. The count is more than one million lights.

More than 1 Million Lights!
Let Them Entertain You

Every year, the Broadmoor rolls out the Holiday Spectacular. Experience a top-notch dining experience paired with a show that features a wide variety of musical talent and styles. Get top-notch favorites like chargrilled filet mignon and the special Christmas ornament dessert. And, most of the acts are Grammy winners like Debby Boone and Nelson Rangel. And a special New Year’s Eve Celebration to close out the year.

The Broadmoor Hotels rolls out exceptional entertainment with stellar dining!
De-Stress Broadmoor Style

The Broadmoor features an extensive spa where a visit is sure to put joy in the muscles and bones. Both the mens and womens areas feature multiple water treatment options as well as an oxygen room. The Wine Down starts with a Chardonnay Sugar Scrub, then apply Olavie Wine Therapy Oil topped off with a signature pedicure and manicure treatments.

Now that is a spa shower!
HollidayZilla

What takes 958 pounds of powder sugar, 475 lbs., of flour and 650 eggs? The giant gingerbread chapel at the Broadmoor is one of the most extensive edible works of art in the world, and likely the best decorated. If looking at something scrumptious isn’t enough, the Broadmoor offers the 12 Days of Christmas Cooking classes where each day from December 21-January 1 the focus is everything from making fresh cheeses at home to winter cocktails.

The Gingerbread Chapel is endless calories, just ask Santa
Broadmoor Hotel Dining Diversions

The Broadmoor is one hotel where every restaurant is 5-star. The Natural Epicurean features a health-minded menu that encompasses fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients. Hearty dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are crafted with elements from the Broadmoor garden and partnerships with numerous Colorado growers and ranchers. The ultimate dining experience at the Broadmoor is the Penrose Room, Colorado’s only Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond eatery. Elegant with mountain views, entertainment, and stunning cuisine. Expert sommeliers guide the experience from welcome to desert.

Five Star Dining, Five Star View at The Penrose Room

El Cid Resorts: Golden Gem in Mazatlan

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Mazatlan gets a mix of tourists and locals who enjoy the resorts and attractions. No wonder that the El Cid Group offers a little something for every guests’ preferences. From couples to multi-generational groups, you can pick the level of a package and specific property that makes sense. And, yes, with the beachside views and crashing waves, the “I Do!” experience has options as well.

View of El Moro and El Cid Beach

The operative term here for the four hotels/resorts are “casually comfortable.” Unlike other parts of Mexico, where the day is spent entirely at the resort, and the room takes on more importance, here the room is your daily springboard and resting place. Mazatlan may have more to do for visitors than just about any other city in Mexico, and the rooms reflect that reality. The rooms in all four resorts are quite comfortable and have great amenities. Even on the resort property, there is so much to do with the pools, bars, and beaches you just won’t be in your room that much. Yet when you are, they are plenty comfortable and inviting.

El Cid Suite with clean comfort and that ocean view!

This is not one resort, but actually, four hotels/properties that share amenities and attractions. So, when you need a visual change of pace, just walk or board the shuttle to one of the other hotels. Between the hotels, there are eight specialty restaurants, so while you might be tempted to step off property, you can get it all here. And you can go from an individual dining plan all the way to total all-inclusive. That is actually nice to dial up the level of inclusion you desire for your travel style. And, you can start your trip on the all-inclusive, then have a few days to go EP and then dine off property for a little exploring.

Burn off those kcal in sun-drenched comfort.

The amenities are extensive with golf, tennis, children’s activities and shows. And with Pronatours on site, any tour is a phone call away. Sport fishing is one of the top choices for outside activities on their own marina.

Pronatours has a variety of off-property diversions for any taste.

The golf courses are just across the street from the Castilla and El Moro properties, and feature three distinct nines.

Golf at El Cid features three distinct nines.

Within the Country Club complex are an extensive fitness center, spa, and two restaurants. For the serious lap swimmer, the pool lets you burn off those calories from those potent meals. At the Marina hotel, the new El Cocay Spa & Fitness Center gives you access to those services without having to transport to the Country Club.

The El Cocay is a modern spa with the necessary amenities and offerings.

If water lounging is the preferred activity, then the El Cid Castilla  offers a festive atmosphere with pool and beach literally next to each other. With the extensive pool options and entertainment, this is the perfect family-oriented option. With 27 floors and a stunning view, the El Moro Beach Hotel is an excellent combination of European fun with water and numerous activities. This is the preferred option if you focus is on adult relaxation and serenity. If seaside is essential, then the Marina Beach Hotel keeps you close to the water on all fronts, a great spot if boating or sport fishing is in the plans. And, this hotel has it’s own private beach just a short water ferry ride away from the main lobby. The Granada Hotel & Country Club is the access point for the spa, golf, and tennis. Dashing into downtown and then coming back to secluded rooms seems like the perfect nighttime cocoon.

From La Concha, you get the view of the ocean and Deer Island during breakfast.

The restaurants and bars are both quality and big fun. If you want to stay on property for the whole visit, plenty to keep your palette satisfied. La Marina is the pinnacle restaurant on the property and features a bevy of international and seafood dishes. Surf and Turf is the best menu choice, and Italian and specialty nights round out the offerings. If you want beachside dining for any meal, then La Concha gives you the option to sit inside or outside by the water. A real treat to have breakfast with the sunrise! If you want both authentic Mexican and Spanish dishes, the La Cascada with a colorful tile motif serves up creations with that unique Mazatlan twist.

While the entrees are stunning, El Cid has great salads as your starter!

Something unique in the hospitality industry is the length of stay of the employees at the El Cid. Many of the employees have been with the resort for over 15 years. Nice to see a familiar face that remembers you when you come back. In fact, many guests cite this phenomenon as the reason they return year after year. This is also the first property in Mazatlan to have Tesla charging stations.

That view with a beverage is the perfect Aaaahhhh moment!

The El Cid properties in Mazatlan do offer something for every traveling taste. And, with the ideal location in the “golden zone,” getting to shopping or off-property activities is relatively easy. If you can’t find it at the El Cid, then you probably can’t find it in Mazatlan. And, with direct air service by Sun Country, United and others, Mazatlan is much easier to get to than in the past.

 

Golf Where the Dinos Roamed: Fossil Trace

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Fossil Trace is a golf enigma. It’s a city course, but with country club conditions. It has a restaurant, but it’s really a gourmet restaurant with an incredible menu and view. Not what you would expect at a municipal facility. And, it’s only 19 minutes from downtown Denver.

Start with the fact that Fossil Trace is precisely that, a golf course laid out amid dinosaur and fossil beds. In fact, the main hallway has fossils from the property, many of which are better than many museums. The second factor is the land meanders up, down, around and all over the hogback hills so that no two holes are alike. You need all the shots in the bag while you get visually exciting and pleasing views. Many of the holes have a natural backdrop of the mesas or the hogback hills. You might even hear a T-Rex on that birdie put. Well, almost.

The first hole is typical of Fossil Trace. A par five, where the first shot is a placement shot. The reason: they kept an old incinerator chimney in the middle of the fairway. So you have to meander and calculate your next chance. The par four holes really get Einstein thinking as the elevation changes and direction changes require a little strategy. Then you get to the famous par-five 12th, which runs through the hogback formations. Right at the green is a short walkway where you can see the fossils, which can also be seen from the 13th tee box. And the last hole, the par five, 18th is a classic with risk and reward and of course, a lake.

The on-site restaurant is just as exemplary as Schnepf’s is not typical of a food outlet at a public golf course. The restaurant has always been a separate operation, and this last operator may be the best one yet. This is best described as after-golf sports bar meets creative gourmet cuisine.

You can get something simple, but elegant for the course like the pork belly Rueben with red cabbage. Cocktails after golf really get a creative jolt. Take the Art of the Storm – a potent combination of dark rum, molasses, ginger beer, and lime. Something a little sweeter is the Fresca Forte with tequila, strawberry, lime and smoked salt. Yes, you can get a beer, but why when you have these exotic choices?

For a seated lunch or dinner, the food choices are more significant than you would expect at a golf course, both in number and culinary inspiration. When was the last time you got Black Mussels in a curry/coconut cream sauce with scallion slaw and cashews? Probably not. Handmade ravioli with almonds and peas? You bet. Most of the time the restaurants at golf courses are not a separate draw in the community, but Schnepf’s is that different.

 

 

Las Vegas Off the Strip

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Years ago, walking the Las Vegas Strip was much easier, and cabs and shuttles were convenient forms of transportation. What appears to have changed is all the strip properties have maxed out shopping, dining, and attractions in their respective areas in the hunt for revenue. Walking somewhere is much harder than before. Straight lines appear to have been targeted for elimination. And, as I found out, taking a cab or Uber might take an hour to go just four blocks. The change in transportation logistics calls for a new approach.

Read the full article here at Everett Potters’ Travel Report…

Great Golf Products of 2017

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With The Open and other major golf tournaments just concluding, golfers are naturally interested in increasing their performance. This year was one of those years where a good number of new and refined products hit the market, which could make a difference in your game.

Tour Edge Woods/Hybrids

Not advertised on tour, but many professional players use Tour Edge woods and hybrids. The reason is simple – every couple of years they push the envelope on new metals to increase performance and distance. The redesigned EX-10 Fairway Woods and Hybrids combine a combo-brazed titanium face to the hyper-steel body. That particular steel/titanium face structure results in these clubs delivering maximum distance in a fairway wood or hybrid.

 

Antigua Revive Golf Shirts

A consideration with golf clothing is that many times it is important to go right from the course to the pub or to dinner. The trend on tour is shirts and jackets that have this dual role, and in Antiqua line, nobody does it better than the “style Revive.” This re-invention of the classic polo shirt features a proprietary pique construction fabric of high-count filament yarns in a designated denier. Antiqua added a bit of spandex, so the shirts move and prevent wrinkling when worn all day.

 

Miura Forged Genesis Irons

When it comes to forging metal, the swords of the Samurai were legendary. And master craftsman Katsuhiro Miura in Japan has taken that same skill and attention to every detail in their new Genesis irons. The Miura proprietary forging process has always generated high initial ball speeds as well as beautiful clubs, but maybe not the forgiveness needed for the average golfer. Mirua simply took the forged, soft steel, then added a 455 Carpenter special steel clubface to gain performance. The combination yields remarkable speed off the clubface and a touch of forgiveness. And all in an iron that has a high degree of élan.

 

Swing Oil Nutritional Supplements

After the age of 40, golf is hard on the body, so enter Swing Oil, a coupling of natural ingredients that increase performance, focus and reduce muscular soreness. Due to the anti-inflammatory compounds, you don’t get as sore, and your flexibility improves. And for energy, there is a little bit of Taurine, a compound that boosts energy and alertness, with the effects milder than with caffeine. The small packs in tasty flavors are easy to consume before or during a round of golf.

 

Volvik Vivid XT Golf Balls

There are a lot of golfers who swing fast with their driver, and they need an optimum combination of compression and feel to take advantage of the modern driver. Volvik answered that need with the first colored golf ball for longer drivers, the Vivid XT. So, now you can get more distance, but be able to see where it lands. Does it deliver? Well, it’s the official ball of the Long Drive Championships. So, golfers get some zing from the driver, can see it land, and get some extra feel around the green.

Bionic PerformanceGrip Golf Gloves

You have to grip it to rip it, and best new glove on the market is the Bionic PerformanceGrip. They took their shock-absorbing glove and listened to the serious golfer to keep the shock absorbing levels yet increase the feel for better performance. The glove is constructed of breathable leather, dotted with 15 mini terrycloth towels to absorb perspiration. A Bionic trademark is the 3-D flex zone, which helps your grip by allowing the glove to move and flex like your hand.