Surf Hotel & Chateau
1012 Front Loop, Buena Vista, CO
About This Vendor
Where luxury and adventure cross paths
Inspired by the understated elegance of European hotels and the spectacular natural beauty of our home in the Rocky Mountains, Surf Hotel's unique perspective and location offer guests a sense of luxury without pretension. Constructed in 2018, the elegant, timeless, and beautifully decorated Surf Hotel & Chateau offers endless stunning backdrops for your wedding day photography. No matter the style or format of your wedding, our hospitality begins in the planning process, as we help you curate your unique vision for a day (or several days) of mountain town elegance. Facilities and Capacity Beyond breathtaking views, stylish guest rooms and the vibrant community just steps from our door, the brand new Surf Hotel’s amenities and services provide a number of unique options for your special celebration. From a charming ground floor lobby bar to the Ivy Ballroom's spectacular outdoor courtyard and riverfront patio, our spaces were designed to adapt to a wide range of events. In addition to a wedding venue - the Surf Hotel is also a concert venue, hosting top-name talent regularly. We know how to have fun here - and our specialty is non traditional weddings. Weddings of all sizes are welcome. For intimate weddings of less than 35, we have our beautiful private dining room at Wesley & Rose. The Ivy Ballroom can accommodate up to 150 guests for a seated dinner reception, or 200 guests by utilizing the tented outdoor courtyard. Services & Location Surf Hotel & Chateau's inclusive wedding packages make it easy for any couple to plan a destination wedding. Conveniently located in the quaint mountain town of Buena Vista, Colorado; a beautiful 2-hour drive from the Front Range, at the base of the Collegiate Peaks, on the banks of the Arkansas River—just far enough away from it all. Endless outdoor activities, natural hot springs, and 300 days of sunshine await you and your guests in one of Colorado's best hidden mountain towns. Ivy Ballroom Wedding Packages Include: Outdoor ceremony in one of three outdoor locations (includes ceremony chairs, sound system, setup, and breakdown) 5 hours of staffed event time with exclusive use of the Ivy Ballroom, private courtyard, and riverfront patio Venue Coordinator dedicated to assisting with day-of logistics, scheduling and menu planning Tables, chairs, place settings Linens - choice of black, white, or Ivory Napkins & Overlays - in a variety of colors All necessary wait & bar staff Event setup and take-down. A Menu Tasting for two A discounted room block for your out of town guests Subject to availability, the Hotel room of Guest’s choice for two nights (to be used as bridal preparation room) Groom's Quarters (spa wing) Custom Uplighting Sound System for a DJ or live band Cuisine Surf Hotel & Chateau features farm to table focused catering from Wesley & Rose. Couples and their guests can dine on freshly baked bread, grass-fed Colorado beef, and locally sourced produce, all of which is handcrafted by a team of cu
Amenities + Details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding , Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
Up to 200
Settings
Ballroom, Beach, Waterfront, Hotel
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks, Cakes & Desserts, Other Desserts, Destination Weddings, Destination Wedding Packages, Food & Catering, Rentals & Equipment, Tents, Service Staff
Surf Hotel & Chateau Reviews
Share your thoughts with other couples
The venue is of course gorgeous, but the team at the Surf really makes this a special place to have a wedding. We worked closely with Rachael who was accommodating, responsive, and extremely helpful. Whatever we came up with, she tried to fin...
d a way to make it work - even if the request wasn't something she'd seen before (which is rare). She gave great input on things that typically worked well there based on her experience, and was incredibly helpful as we developed our seating chart and coordinated with our vendors. The venue itself is so well designed that you don't need to have a lot of extra decor, and they provide much of what you'll need.
The most magical place to ever get married. Seamless planning, absolutely breathtaking venue and great communication. Just make sure to get itemized quotes on everything to not get sticker shock along the way. It is easy to overdo it but this v...
enue truly doesn't need much extra to make it as beautiful as it already is.
Getting married at the Surf was everything we could have hoped for! The scenery surrounding the hotel is gorgeous, as is the hotel itself. The Ivy Ballroom and Courtyard are absolutely gorgeous regardless of what individualized decor is added. ...
The size of the ballroom is large enough to accommodate many guests, but also manages to feel small and intimate so that no moment (first dance, etc.) is missed which I’ve seen with other venues. The sound system is also excellent, as is the food. All of our guests were so impressed. On our wedding day, it unexpectedly dumped snow. When the forecast first came out I was devastated, but Rebecca and the rest of the team helped us modify our plans last minute based on the weather and helped ease our worries. In the end, everything turned out gorgeous and we would get married there ten times over.
Where to even start? The Surf was everything my now-husband and I could have asked for - Rebecca and the team were amazing to work with, the venue is one of the most beautiful and unique spaces in Colorado and the scenery is top tier. We had a ...
smaller wedding of 50 guests and it felt intimate which was what we had wanted - just our immediate family and close friends but the venue could easily host a larger wedding. The day of the ceremony the whole hotel staff was so helpful - our whole stay the hotel staff went above and beyond to make sure our guests were taken care of and enjoyed their stay. We could not have asked for a more perfect day at this incredible venue!
We worked with the Surf Hotel for two years planning our wedding and they were nothing short of accommodating, flexible and helpful in executing a fantastic wedding. We initially met with Rachael, who spent multiple times walking the grounds w...
ith us and ensuring all of our questions were answered. She completely understood when we needed to reschedule due to the pandemic exploding and 90 percent of our guests were flying in from out of town. When we picked up our planning in 2021, Rebecca began working with us and she did an amazing job. She constantly ensured that any follow up items from our calls were answered and when we had multiple people cancel last minute due to Covid she assisted us in getting things shifted around. We had a welcome party the night previous, which the entire staff was extremely pleasant. The bartender, I believe her name was Kristen, did a wonderful job both nights. Overall, the Surf was the perfect place to have our wedding and we’d recommend it 5 out of 5 stars.
The Surf was the perfect mix of modern, romantic, chic, and indie, all thrown together. Leading up to the event we did have our contact change a few times due to COVID and various maternity leaves, but when the day came everything we wanted was...
still properly relayed.
The Surf has multiple ceremony sites, we chose the beach. The reception site in the ballroom is absolutely darling. We used the Ivy courtyard for a cocktail hour.
All of their staff were kind accommodating.
My only gripe is that they have an odd photo clause in their contract that I did not see before hiring my photographer. They were not accommodating to her as a vendor once I brought the clause to everyone’s a attention.
Overall - our day was perfect with little hassles leading up, but no harm done.
We had 120 guests for a friday wedding. The venue holds 150, but I honestly would not recommend more than 120.
If you want a venue who has it all: decorations, food, dessert, charm, and endless photo opportunities, this is the place for you. Huge shout out to Rebecca for assuring everything came together.
We had the most incredible wedding at the surf hotel!!! We can't recommend this venue enough! We got married on a Friday (which costs slightly less than a Saturday), in the Chateau courtyard surrounded by beautiful yellow aspen trees. The court...
yard is so stunning on its own that ZERO ceremony decor was needed. Our reception was carried into the ballroom inside the hotel. This is NOT your standard hotel ballroom.
The food (we went for the taco bar) is provided by the hotel is it was truly incredible! $45/person for all the delicious tacos they could eat! Great lighting, great sound system, GREAT staff! We legit had some of the staff come up and hug us as the end of the night saying "this is the funnest event I have ever worked!"
The ONLY issue we had was blocking enough rooms. We did have a very large guest list for a rather small venue. We had 136 guests, and the ballroom holds 150 max. In saying that the town had plenty of nearby/walkable airBNBs. We wish EVERYONE could have stayed at the hotel, but there was another wedding booked on the Saturday, so they also had a room block of their own. It really worried us at first, but like I said, there were plenty of places nearby for our guests to stay.
In addition, because we booked our wedding there, the hotel comped 2 nights of our honeymoon suite. INCREDIBLE SERVICE!!! We highly recommend getting married in this adorable little town, and this stunning hotel on the river!
We hosted a small, 30 person rehearsal dinner in the private dining space at the Surf Hotel and had a wonderful experience! The setting was perfect for an intimate event and the patio was the perfect place to see the amazing views of the Arkans...
as River! Rebecca was wonderful to work with and their team worked hard to make sure we had the best possible service. Highly recommend!
The Surf Hotel helped give us the wedding we had always hoped for without breaking the bank. The staff was so great to work with. The food was exceptional, views and event spaces are just perfect. Could not have asked for a better day!
We got married at the Surf Hotel and Chateau in June of 2021. The venue is absolutely beautiful overlooking the Arkansas River. We had our ceremony in the Chateau Courtyard and reception in the Ivy Ballroom. The staff was incredible the day of ...
and made the event seamless. We received so many positive compliments on the beauty of the venue, the food, and the charm. We were connected with the event coordinators for over a year to iron our every detail of the wedding. This helped us to feel comfortable and prepared going into the big weekend! If you are looking for a wedding that combines stunning mountain backdrops with European charm, this is the perfect venue.
While we knew that it was going to be a special day, Buena Vista Surf Hotel and its amazing staff made it more than we could have ever imagined. Serious shout out to Rachel Gardner and their entire event staff who worked with us through the gri...
tty parts of the pandemic. My husband and I both felt greeted, pampered and so special the entire weekend; and our guests still -- almost a year later -- are STILL talking about the setting and the service. The food from Wesley & Rose was so delicious; cocktails were New York-cocktail bar level; and the sound system in the ballroom is incredible. Buena Vista Surf Hotel have forever captured our hearts -- we will be spending anniversary after anniversary in their company!
We had a wonderful experience working with Amanda, Rachael, Stacy and all the amazing staff at the Surf Hotel who helped make our wedding day so seamless, beautiful, and memorable. I was very impressed with how organized our coordinators were. ...
It felt so good to be 2 weeks out from the wedding and not have to stress over last minute details! This allowed us to truly enjoy spending time with our friends and family the days leading up to the wedding.
The venue is absolutely stunning. It has “elegance” written all over it. My bridesmaids and I got ready in the Riverside suite. It was a beautiful location for photos. We held our ceremony in the courtyard. The tall river stone walls created an intimate setting that was just perfect.
My husband and I loved having the option to have a stage for the band in the Ivy ballroom and have all the sound equipment, projector etc there and ready to roll.
The Surf Hotel & Chateau holds a very special place in our hearts. We got engaged across the river from the hotel, had many amazing meals and date nights at Wesley & Rose, experienced live music and concerts on the lawn, and most recently got to share our love with our friends and family there. There’s so much more I can say about this venue, but to sum it up all I can say is I would be very surprised if you were disappointed. Everyone at the Surf really goes above and beyond to make your wedding day seamless. Thank you!
I can not speak highly enough of the Surf Hotel! From start to finish, planning our wedding reception there was a breeze. Rachael, Amanda and all the Surf staff are highly professional, friendly and prompt in answering the millions of questions...
you have during the process. We had our reception dinner in the courtyard which is one of the most beautiful spaces I have ever seen! I was so impressed with the servers/staff that made sure to keep dirty plates and drink glasses cleared all through out the night--they were so on top of it! Our guests raved about the hotel (the rooms are WOW!) and still talk about how good the mexican buffet and drinks were. Thank you, Surf Hotel, for hosting our dream wedding reception that no one will soon forget!
Beautiful setting, beautiful hotel that draws one in because of its simplicity but elegance too- our daughter who got married there just two weeks ago said the hotel has a southern charm to it- one could see Joanna Gaines ( Magnolia magazine ‘s...
editor) enjoying its peacefulness and charm.
The venue sales people Rachael and Amanda are excellent and very approachable, the venue managers , Tana and Stacey, awesome so detailed, so creative in table settings , the table placement allowing ample flow and views for guests , timing done to perfection, and they cared -it was not just a job but a love for them. The food from Thursday night where we hosted about 50 people was easily handled and we were all spoiled as each of our dinner selections were excellent. This level was carried through for the wedding dinner and the Sunday brunch we would definitely give those three days a 5 star.
The weather looked like it was going to bring a downpour about an hour before the wedding but the venue managers had no problem they quickly gathered all flowers that were outside for the ceremony and then when the sun miraculously came out just in time -they put them back for the ceremony- made it seem easy.
The hotel staff were very welcoming , looked after the needs of all wedding guests with ease and grace, our numerous wedding bag favors were no problem to them in distributing.
We love how all the rocking chairs are outside on the balconies where one can enjoy a quiet time or mingle with friends as it is all connected. The hum of Arkansas river in the background is very relaxing.
It was a photographers dream come true with so many beautiful backgrounds, settings to choose from.
The hotel has a lovely flow to it starting with comfy couches, a fireplace , a long bar which is fun, and then it wraps around to more dining seating. The ballroom is lovely more square in shape which brought people together especially with a tented adjoining courtyard with doors that open right in and on the other side doors leading to an outdoor porch.
The hotel can handle a large number of guests not only in the hotel itself but some nearby private homes that they own for rent.
The lawn out the front was lovely as it was big enough for a large gathering for the ceremony. We were altogether which was the best we did not have to travel to one place then another.
Thank you Surf Hotel for making our daughter’s wedding so special we could not have been happier and you gave our daughter and husband memories they will always treasure .
I had my wedding at the Surf Hotel. We had some tough moments but the staff were extremely accommodating to those problems and wanted to make things right. It's also completely stunning.
The Surf team was incredible from start to finish. From quick responses, to great attitudes, they exceeded my expectations tremendously. Seriously, I can’t say enough about their team. To the venue itself, it was perfect. We had a micro wedding...
reception in their private dining and it was so warm and romantic. If you’re looking for a Colorado wedding, this is the spot.
I also had trouble communicating with the Surf hotel about our elopement there (which turned out beautifully). We were served prime rib instead of NY Strip, which was annoying. Also, our contract included a tasting that wasn't honored since it ...
wasn't a large enough F&B minimum (didn't feel like fighting these things given all the trouble we'd had changing plans due to COVID). All in all, I'd highly recommend it but stay on top of them.
My fiance and I went up to Buena Vista for a tour of the Surf Hotel and the event planning service we experienced both before arriving and when we were onsite turned us away. The individual we were trying to coordinate with was pretty unrespons...
ive and hard to get a hold of. Once we did get a tour scheduled they recommended that we have brunch prior to the tour. We showed up at the hotel and the service immediately turned us off. It seemed as though we were a nuisance to the waiters just being there to eat. The food, however, was delicious. After eating, we took our tour. It was very short, 10 minutes, and not at all personal. they didn't even walk us to the different reception sites. It's now been two weeks since the tour and we haven't even received a follow up inquiry! We even had a hold on the date we wanted! The Surf Hotel is a stunning property, but the service we received turned us away to choose another venue. Don't get me wrong, The Surf Hotel is stunning and would make for a beautiful venue, just beware of the event planning service you will receive.
The Surf Hotel is stunning and the restaurant is delicious. However the event planning turned us away entirely and we ultimately chose another venue. MAKE SURE YOU TRIPLE CHECK THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY ROOMS AND EVENT SPACES AVAILABLE BEFORE SIG...
NING. Just because your day of is available, it doesn’t mean there are guest rooms or even event spaces for other events on your weekend. The event planner did not disclose to me that the weekend leading up to my wedding was entirely booked - no guest rooms or event spaces for a rehearsal dinner available. She knew we wanted to host the rehearsal dinner at the Surf and failed to mention that every room was already booked - another couple bought out the entire hotel for their wedding, effectively barring anyone else from hosting an event that weekend or staying at the Surf. Keep in mind, Surf Hotel packages also include a two night stay, assumedly the night before and night of the wedding. The planner did not show any empathy or sympathy for my frustration that she effectively double booked my wedding date and ignored my emails trying to reschedule. She tried to use the pandemic as an excuse for double booking and not disclosing to me that the entire hotel was already full, a year prior to our wedding. Furthermore, when I tried to schedule a time to tour the space the planner informed me that she was working from home and told me to take a self tour. It would have been nice for her to arrange for someone else to show us around, but unfortunately no such effort was made. The whole experience was incredibly disappointing for such a beautiful space.
Response from the Vendor on 07/30/2020
Hi Mallory,
I am so sorry that having your wedding here at the Surf Hotel didn't work out. We would have loved to host, and I'm truly apologetic if you feel that you have been misled in any way. As explained in our literature, use of the priv...
ate dining room for rehearsal dinners/additional events is always subject to availability. Room blocks are also subject to availability. We often host multiple events in a single weekend, and the space was tentatively held for you for Sunday evening only. This was explained in the emails and phone calls I sent to you which went unanswered. I offered you numerous alternatives - a one night room block, additional dates, hotel stay for the day of and day after your wedding.. Nothing was ever "blamed on the pandemic," but rather I explained that the hotel is required to follow certain rules for reopening, and that includes being as contactless with guests as possible. We are doing our best to navigate the pandemic situation and keep our guests and employees safe. Again, I am truly sorry that things didn't work out and we wish you all the best with wedding planning and all of your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Rachael G
Contact Info for Surf Hotel & Chateau
1012 Front Loop, Buena Vista, CO
Surf Hotel & Chateau