SUMMER TIME.

• Position: Colorado hotels, resorts, etc. - Brief Article

Taking It Easy At Colorado's Finest Hotels, Resorts And Conference Centers

Summertime and the business is easy. Or at least it should be. Is this the year to plan a corporate retreat at one of Colorado's premier hotels, resorts or conference centers? Or send a client on a special getaway and lock-in your business? Perhaps the sales staff needs a fresh outlook...just the ticket to increased productivity. Whatever the motivation, the selection of conference and lodging facilities in Colorado rivals that of many locations worldwide. Plus, most are just a quick drive or short plane ride away.

While this is the age of cyber travel, a retreat rich in history and tradition may better stir the company soul. Three of Colorado's grand dames of hospitality -- the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver, the Broadmoor Hotel and Resort in Colorado Springs and the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park -- are just what the celebrities and powerbrokers of times past and present have preferred.

The Brown Palace recently completed a $10 million restoration, creating high -- tech capabilities in its guest rooms. Still, the Brown's historical ambience attracts famous guests, including Presidents dating back to Teddy Roosevelt. Luxury is the standard and guests enjoy amenities like Taylor of London toiletries and plush terry cloth robes. The atrium lobby plays host to afternoon tea, and later the martini bar swings around to serve guests.

The acclaimed Broadmoor continues to draw corporate guests and visitors from around the world. A dramatic increase in family visits has prompted new construction, including a new swimming pool three times larger than its predecessor.

"We've added two water slides, a wading pool, playground and picnic area, a poolside restaurant and nine cabanas," said spokesperson Dennis Lesko.

A unique architectural jewel characterizes the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park with its stark white neoclassical Georgian styling, designed to reflect the grace of the Eastern seaboard at the turn-of-the century. Built by a Massachusetts couple who fell in love with the Rockies, the resort -- with its paladin windows, columns and pillars -- is a favorite venue for trade and professional groups.

If Old World opulence fits the bill, check out the Lodge at Vail, Sonnenalp in Vail, Vail Cascade Resort & Spa, the Pines Lodge and the Inn at Beaver Creek. The Lodge at Vail reflects a refined European ambience with its rich palette of colors and intimate atmosphere. Located in...