Our short but sweet 12 hour stay in alpine luxury.

Only 12 hours? You read that right. After from our family’s 1st Breckenridge ski trip, we stayed at Gaylord Rockies for only 12 hours before departing to Denver Airport at an extremely early 3am. Wonder all the fun things you can do at the Gaylord Rockies? We packed in the fun during our short stay and are sharing details on the rooms, pool, dining and the resort!

We’ve experienced Gaylord Palms few times and know how beautiful the Florida resorts is. While Gaylord Rockies doesn’t compare in size and things to do, it’s still a great stay and a fun getaway for families.

Our review of Gaylord Rockies Resort contains affiliate links, where I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!

Table of Contents

Getting There

The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is located in Aurora, CO. It’s just a 8.5 mile drive from the Denver Airport and about 25 minutes from downtown Denver.

There’s not a whole lot around the resort which makes for great Denver skyline and the Front Range Mountain views in the distance. The sun sets behind the mountain range which lights them up at dusk. While driving in, keep your eyes out for prairie dogs and tumbleweeds!

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center Address
6700 North Gaylord Rockies Boulevard
Aurora, Colorado 80019

The Property

The resort was built in 2018 and is just as you’d imagine, new and beautiful! Gaylord Rockies architecture and style are inspired by the Rocky Mountains, with a rustic and natural aesthetic that reflects the area’s natural beauty.

The Grand Lodge lobby is at the heart of the resort and has multiple massive stone fireplaces and a soaring ceiling with wooden beams. There’s a lake and river lined with pine trees inside the main atrium in front of floor to ceiling windows.

Waterfalls flow into the river running through large boulders. An iron bridge sit above the lake and connects you to a large red train caboose and tracks.

This area is great to sit down, order a drink or quick bite and take in views of the mountains and inside beauty. We grabbed a cocktail before dinner at the rock shaped bar, Pinyons while our kids checked out the Animal AR Scavenger Hunt throughout the lobby.

The resort is large with over 1,500 rooms and has a Conference Center with 486,000 square feet of meeting and event space great for work events and weddings.

Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Throughout the property you’ll find stickers on the floor with a wildlife animal name. With only a phone and through the magic of Augmented Reality, find and bring endangered animals to life!

The app allows you to take photos next to the wild animals. Our kids love this Gaylord Properties feature, they’ve enjoyed it at Gaylord Palms too.

Where to Eat

Gaylord Rockies offers many food options from fine dining to fast casual. In our short stay we ate at 2 of the 11 dining spot.

We enjoyed a late lunch at the Mountain Pass Sports Bar. Catch a game on the 75-foot flat-panel TV – it’s IMPRESSIVE and takes up an entire wall. The upper deck bar has recliners and more seating if you really want to camp out for a game.

Grab a craft cocktail at Pinyons in the Grand Lodge. Try the Purple Mesa – tequila, pear, jalapeno and lime! They offer small bar bites too. Friday and Saturday enjoy live music.

Old Hickory Steakhouse dinner was fantastic. Our table had views of a large indoor fireplace. My husband and I split the cowboy ribeye, salmon, and wedge salad.

They got the kids menu just right – kids size(and priced) filet option and for the picky eaters, Kraft Mac and Cheese with side options like Doritos and Jell-O.

More Gaylord Rockies dining options:

• Mile High Pizza Station (Quick & casual)
• Ski Village Cantina (Quick & casual)
• Rockies BBQ (Quick & casual)
• Vista Montagne – Italian (Breakfast, lunch & dinner)
• Monte Jade – Asian (Dinner only)
• Arapahoe Springs Bar & Grill – located next to the pool indoor/outdoor (Lunch & dinner)
• Rockies Marketplace (Grab & go)
• Cocoa Bean – Coffee shop
• See all Gaylord Restaurant menus

Water Park & Pools

The waterpark named Arapahoe Springs offers indoor and outdoor pools open year-round! The indoor pool has 2 waterslides, a splash pad, water feature, hot tub and indoor lap pool. Pool hours are 9am-9pm. The indoor slides have a height requirement of 48″, our daughter Wynn didn’t make the cut by a half an inch.

Is the pool busy? Yes, almost every chair inside was taken. However we came on a holiday weekend and also arrived to the pool late, around 4pm.

Outdoors you’ll find a large heated pool with a waterslide that’s open during the winter. There’s a large hot tub and an adults only section – bummer the outside hot tub was closed for cleaning.

The lazy river is 720 feet long open seasonally, it was also closed during our stay. You’ll find plenty of lounge chairs to sunbathe and private cabanas to rent.

My husband and daughter braved the cold and took a dip when it was only 45 degrees out. I couldn’t believe how many people were swimming in the outside pool. I stuck to the warmth indoors!

During the winter nights, you can purchase a S’more pack to roast outside by the large fire pits. This area also has great sunset views.

Poolside Drinks & Food

Order drinks and sweet treats at the indoor bar, Arapahoe Springs Bar & Grill. There’s a Kona Ice truck inside the pool area which is nice for the kids.

Tip: Denver in general is strict about checking IDs. Even if your pushing 40, they want proof. Make sure to have it handy at the pool if you want a cocktail.

Amenities

Gaylord properties have perfected the balance of adult amenities and fun things for kids. One of the reasons we love staying at Gaylord Resorts is there’s so much to do, you never have to leave.

Beyond the waterpark, pool, and dining, there’s always seasonal activities going on like shows, crafts, fun with food, and a newly opened escape room.

During the warmer months enjoy:

• Adult Pickleball Tournament 
• Family Trivia 
• Poolside Bingo 
• Adult Cornhole Tournament 
• Adult Yoga 
• Adult Ping Pong Tournament 
• Water Volleyball 
• Family Mini Golf Tournament 
• Free Throw Shooting Contest 

See all Gaylord Rockies Resort amenities here.

The Room

The rooms carry the Colorado vibes but modern and lush. They didn’t shy away from the detail, the wallpaper in closets were a surprise and delight. The rooms were clean, spacious and new. The white linen beds were comfy and we had more beautiful views of the Front Range mountains. Every room has a mini fridge.

Check out Gaylord Denver rates & room prices here.

Do you have to stay at Gaylord Rockies to use the pool? Yes, the pool & water park is an exclusive amenity for overnight resort guests only. Upon check-in you’ll get a wristband that gets you into Arapahoe Springs.

What is Christmas at Gaylord Rockies? Christmas time at Gaylord properties is magical and a must see. This past year’s Christmas 2022, Gaylord Rockies Ice! theme was Charlie Brown Christmas. You can purchase tickets to ice skate, snow tube, and even drive bumper cars on ice. This past year they had Cirque: Spirit of Christmas show featuring acrobatics.

Check out our time at Gaylord Palms Ice! in Orlando, FL.

Our 12 hour stay at Gaylord Rockies Resort was short and sweet. If you’re looking for a hotel near the Denver Airport or a family-friendly Colorado getaway, we recommend this resort! Book here.

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