We live in the Colorado mountains and are Nordic skate-skiiers. We think Devil's Thumb is perfection. As everyone else notes, the lodge is exquisite. Our King deluxe room with the fireplace was cozy and immaculate. Out of state guests will doubtless marvel at the scenery but the altitude might knock them for a loop.
My husband and I loved the place and will stay there again, soon. We dined at Heck's Tavern and the Ranch House Restaurant. Good food, excellent service and great atmosphere.
The trails were beautifully groomed -- we lucked out, there was fresh powder on Friday and 'hero snow' on Saturday. Like a couple of kids, we wanted to stay outside all day, playing.
Which brings me to the subject of kids --a friendly word of advice to parents contemplating a visit to this lovely destination -- everywhere we went, we saw sobbing, miserable little ones. We have children but we left ours at home. I wondered if perhaps the families would have been more comfortable in the cabins. Maybe Nordic skiing is a tough sell to the under-eight crowd. (Our kids are snowboard-addicts. Nordic skiing? No way!)
We saw lots of tantrums on the trails. Also, weeping toddlers in the theater when the hotel employee stopped Polar Express ten minutes short of its conclusion. The lodge has a game room with bowling, shuffle board and foosball which might appeal to the 7-10 year old crowd but...We live in the Colorado mountains and are Nordic skate-skiiers. We think Devil's Thumb is perfection. As everyone else notes, the lodge is exquisite. Our King deluxe room with the fireplace was cozy and immaculate. Out of state guests will doubtless marvel at the scenery but the altitude might knock them for a loop.
My husband and I loved the place and will stay there again, soon. We dined at Heck's Tavern and the Ranch House Restaurant. Good food, excellent service and great atmosphere.
The trails were beautifully groomed -- we lucked out, there was fresh powder on Friday and 'hero snow' on Saturday. Like a couple of kids, we wanted to stay outside all day, playing.
Which brings me to the subject of kids --a friendly word of advice to parents contemplating a visit to this lovely destination -- everywhere we went, we saw sobbing, miserable little ones. We have children but we left ours at home. I wondered if perhaps the families would have been more comfortable in the cabins. Maybe Nordic skiing is a tough sell to the under-eight crowd. (Our kids are snowboard-addicts. Nordic skiing? No way!)
We saw lots of tantrums on the trails. Also, weeping toddlers in the theater when the hotel employee stopped Polar Express ten minutes short of its conclusion. The lodge has a game room with bowling, shuffle board and foosball which might appeal to the 7-10 year old crowd but teens and younger kids? You'd have to decide that for yourself. The pool wasn't open when we were there, but was covered by a blue tarp. This disappointed us tremendously. If you're a family and this is your first visit, investigate the amenities carefully before making your reservation.
There are NO TELEVISIONS in the lodge. FIne for us, but others might object.
Who is Devil's Thumb really for? An incredible romantic getaway for athletic, adventurous couples of all ages who love the Colorado mountains.
Who didn't like it? I overheard a few disguntled women complaining of boredom because they didn't ski and they disliked the blustery cold weather on Friday. The mezzanine above Heck's Tavern is a great place to have a seat and soak up the atmosphere, but it closes at ten. A couple in their twenties meandered around complaining that even the decorative chess boards lacked the pieces for a game and grumped about the lack of things to do.
Service highlights? We were checked in by the self-described," IT GUY' who had a great sense of humor and handled our transaction marvelously. Our concierge, Kelly Rowland, was attentive and conscientious, the hostess and our waitress at Heck's Tavern for breakfast Saturday morning were welcoming and superb. Our waiter (Robson?) at the Ranch House Restaurant on Friday night provided perfect service with flair and entertaining insights about the resort.
Last word? As a romantic winter getaway for couples, Devil's Thumb rates five stars.More
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