Broadmoor Cloud Camp

Cloud Camp is beautiful, the food was good, and the staff were friendly and trying their best. But for what it costs, I can't recommend it. I expected stronger management, especially compared with other all-inclusive hotels in the same price range, and several problems came up during our stay. The biggest was the policy on children. I assumed from how The Broadmoor presents its other Wilderness property, the Camp at Emerald Valley, as the family-friendly choice, that Cloud Camp would be adults-only or at least limited to older kids, around 14 and up. That was my mistake. Cloud Camp does allow children, and those under 7 stay free. The issue is that the property isn't set up for young children: there are no activities for them, while the atmosphere is geared toward adults looking for quiet walks, good food and drinks, and views. There were bored, unhappy kids running around, and the peaceful break we wanted became a lot of listening to children crying in the morning that they wanted to go home and seeing them disrupt activities and meals without supervision. At archery, an activity unsuitable for little kids, a family brought very young children. They couldn't take part, became upset, cried and threw tantrums, then ran onto the range. It was unsafe, and other guests were left effectively babysitting while trying to enjoy their vacation. At dinner another night, small children dumped board games on the floor, mixed the pieces up, and left them unusable for everyone else. Some of this is about parental supervision, but the camp clearly isn't prepared or equipped for young kids. As a college student, like many of the staff, would you feel comfortable telling a family paying a lot for a hotel that permits young children to watch them better? The policy left kids unhappy and disrupted other guests. Cloud Camp should change it or offer child-friendly activities. The camp also seemed understaffed and disorganized. The staff were pleasant, but activities weren't coordinated well. At other resorts, activities have clear schedules, meeting places, and assigned staff. Here, we had to track someone down to find out whether an activity was happening and where to go. It felt like we were pulling people away from check-ins or meal setup, and I felt like a nuisance whenever I asked about an activity. Even reserved outings such as mule rides were handled in a similarly disorganized way.

It's a relaxing all-inclusive escape on Cheyenne Mountain, run by the Broadmoor. At 9,000 feet you'll need a little time to adjust, but the slow pace helps. Bring layers since the weather can shift, though it generally feels like Colorado weather, five or ten degrees cooler. There are no TVs in the rooms and the locks aren't electronic, so this is a place to unplug. The internet is solid, and 10 Mbps handles most things. Small events happen every few hours, but you won't be busy all day. Guided hikes lead to great overlooks and photo spots, either over the city or into the mountains. The hot tubs take a bit of a walk to reach, but the stars are better on the mountain's west side. The food is excellent and plentiful, with multi-course dinners. The chef easily worked around dietary restrictions, and drinks came a little too easily. Staff were cheerful and helpful, and everyone we met seemed happy to work somewhere so unique. As advertised, there's no tipping, and all we needed to carry was our cabin key, if we even wanted to lock the door. A real pleasure, with everything taken care of.

The attention to detail was amazing from the minute we arrived. It was raining, and the staff stood ready with umbrellas, then walked us to our cabins. They keep things tightly coordinated. I overheard a manager call a time check over the radios, and Kurt once came to tell me lunch was ready. When I said I was waiting for my group to return from a mule ride, he checked his watch and estimated they were nine minutes away based on the last check-in. My wife said Gordon, a young staffer, was waiting with water and a cold towel before she even got down from the ride. Aaron also took charge when someone in our party lost a contact lens and arranged for the replacement being overnighted to the Broadmoor below to reach them after they arrived. Even Moose, the lovable three-year-old big bear of a dog, seems to have a good life here. The Broadmoor's five-star standard carries over to Cloud Camp completely. Service, rooms, food, and drinks all exceeded expectations, and there are plenty of staff for the number of guests. They really do run a tight ship.

A storm knocked out power for a few hours and brought snow that disrupted our outdoor plans. Kurt came by our cabins with flashlights and made sure everyone was okay. We ended up having a great time playing cards and board games, relaxing by the fireplaces, and talking with staff and other guests. Since there were only a few of us, all the attention made us feel like royalty. The meals were wonderful, with impressive menus and lots of choices, and the spacious, well-appointed cabin had an exceptionally comfortable bed. Cloud Camp exceeded my expectations. It's a unique place to disconnect from the outside world while taking in the beautiful mountains and literally being in the clouds. Kurt and the amazing staff made this a memorable experience I'll never forget. We had terrific interactions with Kris, Kaila, Jess, Sadie, Jackson & Nicole.