By Lisa T. Bergren

Looking for a secret hideaway, a place few know about or have stayed in Colorado Springs? Check out Glen Eyrie, Gaelic for “valley of the eagle,” General William Jackson Palmer’s estate, now the property of the Navigators, a Christian ministry. While the Navigators host many groups for retreats and conferences and business meetings, there is ample room for people of any faith to come and enjoy a night’s stay. We capitalized on a winter special (low season is November-April), and left our own Colorado Springs suburban home for a special night away in the castle, sans kids, in April.

The Rooms

The castle has a number of fabulous premier rooms, which can go for $250+ a night. For a special occasion, I highly recommend one of those—all have jaw-dropping views and luxurious appointments in large, fit-for-a-queen rooms. You can see 360 degree photos of most of the rooms on the Glen Eyrie web site.

But if you’re like us and you’re watching the budget, you can still feel like a prince/princess in one of the cozy, comfortable, charming deluxe rooms. We stayed in room 305, with a view of the courtyard and beyond. It was decorated in a heavy dose of French blue chintz wallpaper and brass (feels very much like a late ’80s castle remodel), but the huge, leaded glass windows, comfy bed, and big room made it lovely. My in-laws, on a separate occasion, stayed in General Palmer’s doctor’s room 206, which has a cozy feel and charming desk before a window that looks up the canyon.

The castle is meant to have an exclusive, quiet ambiance, so it really isn’t geared for families traveling with children (kids have to be eighteen and older). However, the Big Horn building, which has a budget hotel feel with big rooms that hold two queen size beds or queen/sofa bed, would be a great place to spend a night or two with kiddos. (It’d also be a great place for a family reunion.) The property is full of animals—we’ve seen the eagles, a bear, big horn sheep, wild turkeys–and there are vast lawns where they can run.

Eating Out…and In

We arrived in the late afternoon and settled in, then headed back out to Garden of the Gods road, just two minutes away, to have an early dinner at the lovely Marigold Cafe off of Centennial and Garden of the Gods, just a few minutes away (entrees from $12-22). Tim had a fantastic sea bass, and I loved my Beef Bourguignon (and if you struggle with the pronunciation like I do, click here: ). We returned to the castle, opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed our view as a spring storm rolled in, bringing lightning, thunder and in the morning, snow!

The B&B deal includes breakfast, and the staff does a nice job in offering a good spread, usually with an egg dish of some sort, fruit, breads. It’s served from 8-9:00. Get there at 8:00 if you want your food hot. And be aware that they seat at tables of eight people—so you might be meeting other travelers/retreat/conference attenders.

We asked for late checkout, then went back out of the Glen for lunch at Trinity Brewing Company, also very convenient on the north end of Garden of the Gods Road. Tim had the Black and Blue sliders, but we both thought my special—Colorado Lamb sliders were killer, with a layer of goat cheese and caramelized onions. We also tried the funky Seitan buffalo wings, made entirely of wheat, which were pretty darn amazing if you’re looking for vegan alternatives. The menu includes an eclectic mix of Mexican, salads, and beer-friendly food, as well as medal-winning beers.

The Tour

We returned to the Glen for a tour at 1:00 that lasts ninety minutes, and gives you a good review of the property’s history. General Palmer, a railroad baron and the founder of Colorado Springs, landed this property just off the famous Garden of the Gods, early on. He built a big house for his wife, Queen, and his three girls. Later, he expanded it into the full stone Tudor-inspired castle we see today. He went “antiquing” in Europe as it was being remodeled, and brought home several 15th-18th century fireplace mantles, as well as a whole shipment of copper colored roof tiles, salvaged from a church that was about to be demolished.

Hiking Trails

The property offers many hikes—I’ll cover that in an upcoming report—but we’ve taken our children up Queen’s Canyon to the waterfall at the top, and they loved it. There are many options for hikers, at a variety of intensity levels, making the Glen a lovely option for a two- or three-night stay. If you’re in town but not staying at the Glen, you can still hike the trails, Monday-Thursday, by making your reservation in advance online.

Special Offer

Would you like to stay in a Tudor castle but can’t get to Europe? Check out Glen Eyrie. Right now, they’re offering an May special—for just $99/night, you can stay in the castle and enjoy breakfast. It truly is one of the hidden gems of Colorado Springs—don’t miss it. Just call 877-488-8787. [Hurry! Must be booked AND redeemed by May 31, 2010!]

Disclosure statement: We paid for all of our expenses. But man, this deal made it SO worth it…

Have you stayed at the Glen? Or somewhere else in Colorado Springs you’ve loved? Comment below!