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It’s a tall ask for any building to compete with the staggering sight of Garden of the Gods’ serrated red-rock formations. Which is why Garden of the Gods Resort and Club leaned into the beauty of its natural surroundings during its recent $40 million renovation.
“The interiors meld into the exteriors so you’re engulfed with nature wherever you are,” says Marie Rossow, director of marketing at the resort.
Over seven months, Englewood’s Johnson David Interiors and Greenwood Village’s Marsh & Associates completely overhauled the dated guest rooms with a modern-casual aesthetic: calming hues of gray, taupe, and bronze, with blue and green accents; hand-carved wood headboards; 3D textural limestone-clad fireplaces; and curved back swivel chairs that allow guests to adjust their views from those fireplaces to Garden of the Gods (a National Natural Landmark) just beyond their patios.
Perhaps the biggest shift can be found in the bathrooms, which nearly doubled in size. Now, they’re decked out with dual vanities (plus a separate makeup one with an illuminated mirror), full-size tubs, and eucalyptus spray in the showers. “The owners wanted it to feel like you’re in your own little private spa,” says Michael Garrow, vice president of sales and marketing.
The design motif of a peaceful retreat is present through the property. Nature-focused art, including various interpretations of Garden of the Gods by area artists, fills the walls. A new cobblestone entry drive was designed to shift guests from busy city life to vacation mode. Slate tiles in the lobby lounge were removed, numbered, and put back piece-by-piece after construction required digging down to the concrete foundation.
These updates give the Colorado Springs retreat a sense of place that was lacking before. The original orange-toned wood accents and excessively large closets reflected its original 1950s design as an extended-stay, private club.
The 117-room resort began its second life as a hotel in 2013 and most of its amenities—two pools, three restaurants, a fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and a golf course—remain accessible only to members and hotel guests. (Strata Integrated Wellness’ spa and concierge medicine services are open to anyone.) But along with the aesthetic changes, the Grand View restaurant is now accessible to the public for the first time. To prepare for its debut, the steakhouse was remodeled with oak floors, a brand-new onyx bar imported from Turkey, and copper chandeliers. A glass-encased wall of wine welcomes visitors and provides a clear line of sight from the hallway, through the eatery, to the landscape beyond.
“It all goes with the sense of place,” Garrow says. “You’re enveloped in nature.”
