The Most Romantic Getaways in Colorado

Colorado is blanketed in river canyons and hot springs, with the Rocky Mountains forming a dramatic backdrop for wildflower-covered hikes in the summer and spectacular skiing in the winter. For a couples getaway, Colorado has the ideal mix of nature and culture, with everything from cozy log cabins and authentic dude ranches to lavish mountain resorts and sleek spots in larger cities like Denver and Boulder. There are affordable couples getaways in nearly every corner of Colorado—and plenty of options for a low-key stay not far from a major airport, so no need to spend too long trying to reach your romantic destination.

We've pulled together some postcard-perfect spots that make the most of the natural beauty the Centennial State has to offer. Whether you're looking for a weekend getaway or plan to spend a longer stretch of time exploring the terrain, here are the best places to visit in Colorado for couples, and where to stay and what to do once you get there.

Romantic Getaways in Colorado in this Article:

• Best Resorts in Colorado for a Couples Getaway
• The Best Spa Resorts in Colorado for Couples
• Luxury Dude Ranches in Colorado
• Romantic Cabins in Colorado
• Unique Vacation Rentals in Colorado

Best Resorts in Colorado for a Couples Getaway

Photo: Tyler Stableford / Getty Images

The Little Nell, Aspen

One of the most luxurious properties in Colorado, The Little Nell juts up right against Aspen Mountain, so you can ski out right from the resort in winter or go off-roading in the summer. Couples can leave the planning (and work) to the hotel's talented team, which includes a ski concierge to ensure your boots are always warm and top-notch sommeliers who can prepare private dinners and wine tastings.

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Things to Do: Après-ski at Ajax Tavern, chef-paired wine dinners, fly fishing, skiing, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Jazz Aspen Snowmass.

675 E Durant Ave., Aspen, CO 81611

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection, Aspen

Dating back to the days of Aspen's silver boom, the historic Hotel Jerome was a mainstay in town long before Aspen emerged as a ritzy ski resort. These days, the city is as much a summer retreat as a winter one, and you'll be surrounded by backcountry adventures (plus superb dining and shopping). Swanky Bad Harriet is one of the best cocktail bars in town—let alone Colorado—with whimsical, handcrafted drinks designed to awaken the senses. If you want to snag a deal in winter during ski season, you can save with a "Midweek Mountain Escape" and sleep just steps from the slopes.

Things to Do: Alpine Coaster, ski Aspen Snowmass, kayak through Roaring Fork Valley, Western rodeo, hike Smuggler Mountain and Aspen Art Museum.

330 E Main St., Aspen, CO 81611

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs

The Broadmoor is a destination in itself that has everything a couple needs for a long weekend getaway without ever having to leave the property. The Colorado Springs resort is outfitted with 20 restaurants, cafes and lounges, plus two golf courses, a full spa with Himalayan pink salt-infused saunas and oxygen rooms, and tons of ways to adventure around the American West. Plus, you're guaranteed 300 days of sunshine a year, so weather will be the least of your concerns when planning a romantic getaway here. For an all-inclusive resort experience, head up the mountain to one of the 13 cabins (complete with gas fireplaces) at The Ranch at Emerald Valley, surrounded by 100,000 acres of forest.

Things to Do: Seven Falls, zip lining, Cog Railway, rock climbing, hiking and biking.

1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail, Vail

Situated near Vail Mountain and Vail Village's shops and restaurants, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail places couples in the center of the Rockies' best attractions. Take a dip in the al fresco heated pool all year round and indulge in a mix of sumptuous spa treatments like the S'mores Facial (a hydrating, marshmallow whip mask) or the couples' Mountain Recovery Treatment, a mix of warm marine mud and cooling gel that soothes your body after a day of climbing or skiing. End your evenings at The Remedy Bar, where you'll have floor-to-ceiling mountain views and an outdoor patio with a fire pit that's prime for sipping après-ski cocktails and toasting to your time together.

Things to Do: Golf, whitewater rafting, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Piney River Ranch, snow-shoeing, dog sledding, paragliding, ice skating and Glenwood Hot Springs.

1 Vail Road, Vail, CO 81657

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

The Best Spa Resorts in Colorado for Couples

Photo: Jordan Siemens / Getty Images

With its many hot springs, Colorado is a natural spa destination. But if you're looking for a relaxing stay in a resort where the pampering starts as soon as you enter the doors, these are the spots for you.

St. Julien Hotel and Spa, Boulder

This Downtown Boulder hotel shows off sweeping views of the rust-colored Flatirons—one of the town's defining landmark features. Boulder's buzzy main drag, brick-paved Pearl Street, is just outside St. Julien Hotel and Spa, giving couples plenty of options for live music, shops, restaurants and bars. Arrange a hike or a guided experience to soak up the rich nature Boulder has to offer or take part in another cultural attraction: chai tea imported from Tajikistan at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. Unwind with your other half during a "Day of Decadence" at the hotel spa, a five-hour package that includes everything from a scrub and facial to a charcuterie board and Champagne.

Things to Do: Bands on the Bricks live music, Boulder Theater, historic walking tours, Boulder Farmers Market, Pearl Street galleries and outdoor artwork, and Lights of December Parade.

900 Walnut St., Boulder, CO 80302

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, Avon

Modeled after the West's luxe lodges, The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch feels more like a mountainside chalet than a resort, but it has myriad amenities to ensure you're constantly pampered. Bringing elements of the surrounding national forest inside, rooms are accented with wood and stone fireplaces and show off views of Beaver Creek Mountain. Have lunch at laid-back Buffalos, a gastropub with regional microbrews and barrel-aged cocktails, or book a table at the more elevated WYLD, where dishes display the best local and seasonal ingredients. Of course the 21,000-square-foot spa is the highlight here, with hot and cold plunge pools, a heated outdoor pool and locally inspired treatments like the Miner's Mineral Mud Wrap with activated charcoal from Colorado mines.

0130 Daybreak Ridge Rd., Avon, CO 81620

Things to Do: Scenic train rides, bowling in Vail Village, Jeep tours through the Rockies, hot air ballooning, concerts at Vilar Performing Arts Center and Vail Village.

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Sonnenalp Hotel, Vail

What started as a family-owned lodge 40 years ago has blossomed into a luxe alpine retreat with a European-style spa, a championship 18-hole golf course, and multiple restaurants and bars, including the saloon-inspired Bully Ranch and Swiss Chalet (the name gives away the style of cuisine here). Spend your days at Sonnenalp soaking in the indoor/outdoor tranquility pools or at the spa cafe and oxygen bar in between treatments like a Thai massage.

Things to Do: Snowshoe picnics, winter nature walks, stargazing hikes, skiing and snowboarding, wildflower summer hikes and scenic train rides through the Eagle and Roaring Fork Valleys.

20 Vail Road, Vail, CO 81657

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Madeline Hotel and Residences, Telluride

Encased by 14,000-foot-high peaks, Madeline Hotel and Residences in Telluride's Mountain Village bills itself as a "base camp for adventure," since guides with more than 60 years of combined Telluride residency can help couples plan a romantic or adrenaline-fueled experience. Take a private trail ride through Colorado backcountry with your other half or go fishing and picnic on a private island. For serious adventure seekers, heli-ski to some of the continent's highest skiable elevations or try guided ice climbing. Since the hotel is part of Auberge Resorts Collection, a spectacular spa experience is guaranteed. Offering restorative, nature-inspired therapies like the Spirit of the Mountains massage with a warm herbal poultice and custom oil blend, you'll feel relaxed and renewed after a day of adventuring.

Things to Do: Black Iron Kitchen and Bar, sundowners on the Sky Terrace, mushroom foraging, movies under the stars and art classes.

568 Mountain Village Blvd., Telluride, CO 81435

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Luxury Dude Ranches in Colorado

Photo: C Lazy U

Log cabins, horseback and wagon rides, roasted marshmallows—Colorado's upscale dude ranches give couples a taste of life out West without having to rough it too much. And since some are only an hour away from major metropolises like Denver, it's easy to set off on a weekend getaway and disconnect from city life.

C Lazy U, Granby

The all-inclusive, year-round C Lazy U shifts with the seasons, so in summer, you'll be horseback riding through wildflowers, mountain biking and whitewater rafting, while winter is all about skiing and tubing the surrounding slopes. Just because the ranch is blanketed in snow doesn't mean you can't practice your riding skills—the heated indoor riding arena gives couples the chance to practice one-on-one with some of the best instructors in the country. When you're ready to soak your weary body after all that adventuring, indulge in the moonlit Cowboy Soak in a copper tub in a massage tent on the banks of Willow Creek.

Things to Do: Cattle pushing clinics, archery, horseback riding, trap shooting, tennis, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, ice skating, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

3640 Colorado Highway 125, Granby, CO 80446, United States

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa, Tabernash

Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa sits only 75 miles west of Denver, but you'll feel like you're worlds away from the capital city. The 6,500-acre ranch in the Rockies dates back to the 1930s, and its log cabins and lodges nod to the original homesteads. These days, though, you'll have modern luxuries like heated floors and plush robes. When you're ready to leave your cozy quarters, snuggle beside the floor-to-ceiling fireplace at Heck's Tavern before sampling ranch-fresh fare like white bean cassoulet and cedar plank-roasted steelhead trout. End the evening with s'mores at the outdoor fire pit.

Things to Do: Yoga, pool and hot tub, hiking, zip lining, winter horseback riding, downhill and cross-country skiing and horse-drawn sleigh rides.

3530 County Road 83, Tabernash, CO 80478

4.5 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Romantic Cabins in Colorado

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The Wild West can be as rugged or refined as you'd like thanks to Colorado's many off-the-beaten-path cabins tucked away in the mountains. While some are on the remote side, you can find rustic accommodations that are within a quick drive of a larger city, so you'll have plenty of attractions nearby if you're looking for more to see than just the great outdoors.

Eleven Taylor River Lodge, Almont

Couples who want curated adventure can get off the grid at Eleven Taylor River Lodge—just outside Crested Butte—while still sleeping in a sumptuous setting (think rustic-chic cabins with fire pits and antique lanterns). Steps away from the eight-cabin retreat is a partially private river and bathhouse with a saltwater pool and steam room, so you can relax after an afternoon of adventuring before indulging in a homemade meal of locally sourced ingredients from the Rocky Mountains and cocktails prepped by your own personal bartender.

Things to Do: Mountain biking in Gunnison Valley, fishing on Taylor River, whitewater rafting and kayaking, horseback riding, rock climbing on Mount Crested Butte and picnics on the trails.

10931 County Road 742, Almont, CO 81210

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Dunton Hot Springs, Dolores

Step back in time to 1800s Colorado in this restored ghost town in the Rockies. Once a mining hub, Dunton Hot Springs is full of Western charm, from the hand-hewn log cabins to the saloon that serves as the main restaurant with local ingredients right from the resort's farm and vineyard. A great place to reconnect with your other half in nature, you can spend your days here doing as much or as little as you'd like. With the "Mountain Romance" add-on package, you'll be spoiled with Champagne and sweets from the chef, plus custom massages and a private guided activity like heli-skiing or dogsledding.

Things to Do: Hiking, rafting the Upper and Lower San Miguel, trail rides, archaeological day tours, mountaineering, fly fishing on the West Fork of the Dolores and hot springs.

8532 County Road 38, Dolores, CO 81323

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Unique Vacation Rentals in Colorado

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Colorado has plenty of alternatives to hotels and resorts in the form of design-forward mountainside homes and cozy ski lodges near the slopes. You can browse listings on Airbnb, Vrbo or another rental home company in Colorado—like Onefinestay—for a dreamy spot that suits your style.

Rocky Mountain Tree House, Carbondale

Cross two footbridges over Cattle Creek and you'll reach your home-away-from-home: the Rocky Mountain Treehouse, a cabin perched 25 feet high surrounded by spruce trees. This Airbnb from the 1970s offers a more elevated version of camping—picture a wood-burning stove, a private garden with a picnic table and campfire, and a sleeping loft with skylights. This is where you'll truly get away from it all and connect over stargazing on the balcony while listening to the sound of the babbling brook below.

Things to Do: Carbondale Mountain Fair in July, Potato Day Parade and Festival in October, Thompson House Museum, Powers Art Center, Carbondale historical walking tour and Penny Hot Springs.

4.8 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Gold Mine Lodge, Steamboat Springs

Gather a group for a couples ski trip in Steamboat Springs, where you can sleep steps from the slopes in Gold Mine Lodge, a six-bedroom home in the Rockies crafted from timber sourced from an old Oregon mine (thus the name). Located near the Thunderhead ski lift, you'll be a short stroll (or drive, which can be arranged through Onefinestay) from Steamboat Springs' infamous "Champagne powder." The guest services team can handle everything during your stay, whether that be a ski concierge to help with boot fittings or a shuttle to the thermal pools at Strawberry Park Hot Springs.

Things to Do: Skiing, dips in hot springs, dinner at Primrose, après-ski at Slopeside, hot air balloon rides, private chef dinner at the lodge, snowmobile tours and scenic gondola rides.

3055 Temple Knoll, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews

Barrett House on a Mountain Peak, Boulder

If you really want to soak up Colorado's stunning scenery, sleep 7,000 feet high on a three-acre mountain peak in the foothills near Roosevelt National Forest. This Airbnb in Boulder is a design dream. The mid-century modern home designed for artist Clotilde Barrett has major Mad Men vibes, but with contemporary touches like a Bose sound system and theater room. Skylights bathe the home in natural light, but the view is better from the private balcony, where you'll have panoramic shots of both the mountains and the forest.

Things to Do: Pearl Street Mall, The Fox Theatre, Avery Brewing Company, Boulder Reservoir, Lost Gulch Overview and a day trip to Denver.

5.0 Star Rating | Read Reviews