The Best Hotels to Book Near Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado

Kinship Landing is a great base camp for an adventurous trip with your buddies. Bunk with your crew in a private room for eight, and meet up at Homa over coffee each morning. Balance a day in nature with a night on the town, sampling Colorado’s awesome beer scene and stumbling into fascinating attractions like the US Olympic & Paralympic Museum and Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum.

The Broadmoor is overwhelming in the best of ways. Its 17 restaurants, 19 boutique shops, five-star spa and two golf courses are reason enough to book a stay. But, to truly elevate your experience, check out Cloud Camp. Spend the night 3,000ft (915m) in the sky as you call the Cheyenne Mountain your home. Fewer than 20 rooms keep this mountainous marvel intimate, and, yet, you still have access to amazing cuisine, miles of hiking trails and a 360-degree view that will take your breath away.

A former stock exchange for local mining companies, the Mining Exchange is now a gem of a stay in Colorado Springs. Give yourself the gold treatment, and release all of your muscle tension with a Colorado River Stone Massage at the spa. You’ll feel the minerals enrich and rejuvenate your body, convincing you to retreat back to your grand suite. Let room service send up a fluffy plate of beignets and a hurricane that’ll put you on cloud nine.

With so many scent trails to sniff out, it’s a good thing the Antlers is a pet-friendly hotel. Morning walks through Monument Valley Park will get the blood flowing, while off-leash fun is around the corner at Bear Creek Dog Park. Back at the hotel, you’ll love the rooftop pool and hot tub, and Sparky won’t mind passing the time by people-watching from the window of your suite. When the dinner bell gets you both salivating, Pub Dog has some grub for both of you.

It’s nearly impossible to rival the magnificence of the Garden of the Gods, but this resort and wellness club sure makes a valiant attempt. From the outdoor fireplaces at the casitas, overlooking the Rockies, to the 27-hole golf course distracting you with stunning views around every corner, it’s difficult not to get wrapped up in the natural beauty integrated into the hotel’s every space. With the entrance to Garden of the Gods right across the street, we’ll leave you to be the judge.

Trust us, you can still have a rough and rugged adventure in Manitou Springs while sleeping in elegance at the Cliff House at Pikes Peak. We have a feeling that you’ll appreciate the terry-lined microfiber bathrobes and heated toilet seats after a long day hiking the Paul Intemann Trail. After unwinding in the two-person soaking tub, your feet might never want to see a pair of hiking boots ever again.

Loosen up on the reins, and give yourself the laid-back luxury you deserve at the Lodge at Flying Horse. Your unbridled vacation can include 18-holes of Audubon-certified golf, a long back massage that unravels every knot, and a world-class culinary experience that’ll have you waddling back to your villa. The best way to digest such a day? Watching the sun go down from your private terrace and, then, falling asleep beside the warmth of a cozy fire.

If you’ve come to see your loved one graduate from the Air Force Academy, then the Academy Hotel will make sure you never miss a moment of the ceremonies. Standing at attention by the South Gate, this hotel caters to families of all ages and sizes. The kids will be busy gaming on the complimentary Wii or doing barrel rolls into the indoor pool, leaving the adults to sit and read in the fireside lounge or find a wide smile at Falcon’s Bar’s happy hour.

Old Town Guesthouse is for the young at heart but kindly asks you to keep the kid at home. We don’t think you’ll mind, especially after you cozy into the two-person sauna and steam shower in your room. Prefer to sit and soak? Opt for a room with a fireplace, balcony and private outdoor hot tub for a night of warmth that’ll leave the two of you wishing you could sneak this level of alone time at home.