You might be a Republican who wants to put more distance between you and the Democratic National Convention than a candidate does from a mouthy minister. Or maybe you’re a Democrat who’s feeling just a tad claustrophobic about 50,000 houseguests.
In either case, there’s still time to make plans to get out of town.
Hotels beyond the foothills — the ones that aren’t already so booked they’re renting space on the lobby couches — know that Denverites might want to make tracks when the convention hits Aug. 25-28. Some are even ready to make a deal.
Here are a few smart, nonpartisan options.
THE BROADMOOR
1 Lake Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-634-7711, 866-837-9520,
The appeal: More than $200 million in renovations later, The Broadmoor is such a world-class spot, the only thing that could be better is if it were closer,so we wouldn’t have to make that Interstate 25 drive. But then it wouldn’t feel like such a nice getaway — and it truly does, with its cozy Lakeside rooms (our favorite; get a balcony), lush golf course and fun kids programs. Lounge by the infinity pool gazing at Cheyenne Lake, let the expert staff pamper you, and get a massage in that divine spa.
The deal: The “Colorado Retreat” package, good Aug. 21-28 for $226 per person per night, based on double occupancy. Includes a $100 spa credit and a welcome amenity in a standard guest room. You can upgrade to a suite at a 30 percent discount.
The meal: The 17 dining places make it tough to choose, but the Summit is tops, slickly modern yet timeless, and serving bistro classics. The “Angry Trout” makes us happy, a unique and delicious dish with the fish’s tail folded into its mouth. The bar evokes the Emerald City, and the service and wine list — with dozens by the glass — befit a restaurant of this caliber.
Get there: Take I-25 south to Colorado Springs. Continue on I-25 through Colorado Springs to Exit 138, Circle Drive. Turn right off the exit onto Circle Drive and follow it until it becomes Lake Avenue, approximately 2.6 miles.
Get out and about: If you don’t find enough to keep you occupied at the Broadmoor — there’s also tennis and a fully loaded fitness center — be sure to stop by the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (30 W. Dale St., 719-634-5581, ) to check out the Dale Chihuly collection, the modern art and the 40 rare Picasso etchings on display Friday through Sept. 14. Long to be outdoors? Echo Canyon River Expeditions and the Royal Gorge Route Railroad offer Raft-n-Rail through mid-September, with a morning on the Arkansas River and a train ride through the Royal Gorge in the afternoon (coach class $94 adults, $79 children). Call 800-755-3246 or visit .
MOUNT PRINCETON HOT SPRINGS RESORT
15870 County Road 162, Nathrop, 719-395-2447, 888-395-7799, .
The appeal: It’s so rare these days, a place where you can pull up and then not move for a couple of days. Mount Princeton is just that, especially now that much of a big renovation is complete. It has multiple, varying temperature pools, a water slide, a full-service spa, spiffy new cabins and an on-site restaurant. The cabins sleep six to eight comfortably, feature cable TV and big enough kitchens to make three squares daily, and the setting — snug against the Collegiates, with Chalk Creek rushing through — is simply dreamy.
The deal: What makes staying at Mount Princeton such a steal anytime is that admission to the hot springs pools — $10 adults/$7 children weekdays and $15/$10 weekends — is included the day you check in, each day you stay and the day you check out. So bring the family and pay the weekday rate of $275 per night for a cabin or $119-$129 per night for two people in a lodge room.
The meal: With its view of the Chalk Cliffs from the deck and a well-stocked bar, the on-site Princeton Club is often well-stocked with diners too. The dinner menu has straightforward steaks and fresh salads that satisfy a wide range of tastes, but the real draw is breakfast, with its Mexican-inspired egg dishes and house-baked pastries. For more choices, head into Buena Vista for upscale comfort food at Mother’s: A Neighborhood Bistro (414 E. Main St., Buena Vista; 719-395-4443), a post- millennium fern bar where meatloaf’s made with all-natural beef and pork, and clotted cream is available with the English biscuits.
Get there: Two options — Interstate 70 or U.S. 285. Take I-70 west to the Copper Mountain/Leadville exit (U.S. 24), then U.S. 24 through Leadville and Buena Vista going south toward Salida (U.S. 285). Past Johnson Village, it’s 8 miles to Nathrop. Look for a sign that says Mount Princeton/St. Elmo (County Road 162), turn right. Resort is 4.5 miles on left. Or take U.S. 285 out of Denver through Fairplay. After Fairplay, go 34 miles to Johnson Village.
Get out and about: Mount Princeton Hot Springs will hook you up, literally, with all the gear you need and the license to fish the creek for all manner of trout, and they also can get you out on a mountain bike (rentals $25 a day). Horseback riding is just down the road at Mount Princeton Hot Springs Stables (719-395-3630, 719-207-0930 or visit colorado .). Several river- rafting outfitters are located a few miles away to take you through Browns Canyon (visit . or . for more info), and you can play basketball and tennis on-site, as well.
ST. REGIS RESORT, ASPEN
315 E. Dean St., Aspen, 888-454-9005, .
The appeal: In a town known for its accommodations, it’s hard to deny that the St. Regis is remarkable, a building in which the woods, granite, plush fabrics and furniture were put together in such an ahhh-inspiring way that one wonders why all hotels aren’t so smartly assembled. Remède Spa makes the treatments worth every penny — stop in for a breath of fresh air in the oxygen bar — and the pool and its view make it hard to go back inside.
The deal: Aug. 22-28 the St. Regis is offering a nightly rate of $275 (parking included!) — a substantial savings from its usual rate of more than $700. Mention or type in “FALL” to get the rate.
The meal: I have eaten at five Todd English-owned, Mediterranean-inspired restaurants called Olives in this country, and I have long thought that this one is the best, even better than the original in Boston. It’s certainly one of the tightest-run, with an impeccable service staff, a menu nudged artfully toward Asian and a dining room with a formal feel softened by antiques and warm earth tones.
Get there: 220 miles from Denver via Interstate 70 and Colorado 82.
Get out and about: Not familiar with the area or its flora and fauna? Check out the nonprofit Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (100 Puppy Smith St., 970-925-5756, .), which day and night through September offers nature walks at places such as the Maroon Bells, Independence Ghost Town and throughout the valley, sometimes for a nominal fee or for free, with naturalists and other experts explaining what you see and providing great photo ops. For something more adventurous, call Aspen Expeditions (0115 Boomerang Road No. 5201A, Aspen Highlands, 877-790-2777, aspen .) which can take you on your first paragliding trip — tandem, with a pro — for $225 per person, which takes about two hours round- trip.
RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH
0130 Daybreak Ridge, Avon, 970-748-6200, .
The appeal: The views alone make a stay here rewarding, but add in the gracious service typical of a Ritz-Carlton property, as well as exceptional treatments in the relaxing spa — be sure to take time in the rock-lined Grotto before or after — and truly comfortable rooms with great beds, and this is a special spot. In addition, the property offers Bachelor, a charming Labrador retriever, who will hang out with you as part of the Loan-a-Lab program.
The deal: To celebrate Bachelor’s third birthday — he was found as a puppy on Denver streets running from fireworks in 2006 — guests can bring their own dogs through Labor Day and the $125-per- dog stay fee will be waived.
The meal: Wolfgang Puck’s Spago at the Ritz has been the hot ticket since it opened last year, and the famous chef’s nods to Colorado — local lamb in the ricotta gnocchi, pan-roasted bison filet — have endeared him even further. The space, with its cowhide upholstery juxtaposing modern details, is a whimsical mix of California and Colorado.
Get there: Take I-70 west to Exit 167. Follow roundabout left onto Avon Road. Go through four roundabouts. Take the first right onto Prater Road. Follow roundabout left onto Bachelor Gulch Trail. Turn left onto Daybreak Ridge.
Get out and about: Staying at the Ritz gets you privileges at Red Sky Golf Club (376 Red Sky Road, Wolcott, 970-477-8400, redskygolfclub .), and that’s a nice break. The 700-acre, Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary features two courses — one designed by Tom Fazio that hits brush-covered hills and a lush alpine setting, the other a Greg Norman-conceived, bunker-studded toughie across a gorgeous valley. Golf not your thing? Stop by the Beaver Creek Hiking Center (Beaver Creek Village, at the bottom of the escalators in the Beaver Creek ticket office, 970-754-5373). They set up guided hikes, point you toward unguided ones, rent gear and generally know where everything is.
Kyle Wagner: 303-954-1599 or travel@denverpost.com
Denver Post staff writers Claire Martin and Tucker Shaw contributed to this report.
