Mountains for two?

January 15, 2009 11:11 AM

Please recommend a romantic destination and hotel for me and the wife in the mountains (Colorado? Utah?) in February.

We are non-skiers. We just want to see snow, mountains and dine within walking distance of hotel. Direct flights from DFW please. Bonus for spa facilities.

posted by punkfloyd to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

One of the most beautiful places in Colorado in my opinion is Telluride, and you can apparently get there from DFW. You don't need to ski or board, either. There are some nice places to walk. Check out the ice waterfalls and maybe the climbers on them, go sit in the lodges, go for a drive in the hills. Super awesome.
posted by barnacles at 11:33 AM on January 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

Don't know about direct flights, but Vail is pretty and, in addition to skiing, has hiking/snowshoeing trails. The hotels are right up against the base of the mountain.
posted by zippy at 11:44 AM on January 15

Don't know how far you want to go, but I'd recommend the Timberline Lodge. There is a direct flight from DFW to Portland, and it's just an hour drive from Portland.

My partner and I do not ski or snowboard, but have happily spent a weekend on Mt Hood. They have several restaurants in the lodge (and in the day lodge), a beautiful heated outdoor swimming pool with an incredible view of the mountain, games like pool and shuffleboard and such, and we still haven't run out of things to do when we've gone (especially ogle and photograph the incredible view).

The expensive restaurant is really fabulous, and it's one of the most romantic times I've had with my partner in the last five years or so.
posted by ugf at 12:11 PM on January 15

You can take DFW to Durango. If you like historic hotels there's the Strater downtown. Their downtown is cute - you can walk to shops, cafes and a movie theater. You can take a historic winter steam train ride to Silverton and back. Beautiful and romantic - through the mountains which are really amazing. Durango has a winter festival, the Snowdown, that looks like some seriously goofy fun. There's also a natural hot springs (I haven't been to this one so I can't vouch for it - but it looks nice on their webpage). The train ride is really something else.
posted by dog food sugar at 12:42 PM on January 15

ooooh, Steamboat is great! They have direct flights from DFW and the first week of February sports the Winter Carnival. They close off downtown and have races where they pull skiers behind horses down main street. Town also has hot springs which are lovely - and clothes optional - after dark.

The nicest hotel I would say is the Steamboat Grand, which has some nice restaurants in it. Downtown has many more restaurants you might enjoy, or you can take the gondola to the top of the mountain and a sleigh ride for delicious dinners.

I would vote Steamboat, Telluride (so beautiful!) or the trip to Durango sounds divine. That train ride to Silverton would be amazing.
posted by boulder20something at 1:13 PM on January 15

Thanks everybody!!!! Excellent ideas! I am a mountain n00b.
posted by punkfloyd at 1:45 PM on January 15

The Stein Eriksen Lodge treated Mrs. Beese and I very well on our honeymoon. Great weekend brunch too.
posted by Joe Beese at 2:00 PM on January 15

For romance, very little beats Mont Tremblant which is about a 90 minute drive North of Montreal.

Direct flights from Dallas are available to Montreal. There is a great dining scene and excellent spas. Bonus = French! What could be more romantic than that?
posted by elkerette at 2:18 PM on January 15

The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs is really worth visiting. It's easier to get to in the winter than most of the other Colorado mountain destinations, has amazing food, and the best spa I've ever been to. Have fun!
posted by LittleMissCranky at 2:45 PM on January 15

In the South, everyone finds Gatlinburg, TN to be the most romantic mountain hideaway. My brother and his wife always go there for their anniversary. My other brother and his wife always fly to Jackson Hole, WY to be different, though.
posted by jefficator at 6:26 PM on January 15