I was so excited about the possiblity of staying in a castle with my family. That is, until I was told that we weren't welcome. This "Christian" establishment will not allow children to stay on the castle premises. So much for all the Christian hospitality that they proclaim all over their website.

The conference grounds has a variety of lodges, a dry stream bed, lots of woods and towering rock formations and a genuine castle with excellent rooms and food. Every time I visit Colorado Springs I make it a point to stay overnight in the castle. The attention to detail, orderliness and cleanliness all add to the atmosphere. For about $120 a night it's a real deal!

Be sure to walk around the conference grounds and enjoy the scenery, beautiful and solitude. There's a good bookstore and cafe in the old carriage house adjacent to the castle. Also, if you sign the waiver, the hiking trails up and above the conference center are available.

This place is a hidden gem in Colorado Springs and a definite must for an overnight stay away from the hustle and traffic that most of us have to endure back home. Make it a point to visit!

My dad and I went up for spring break for a litte "daddy-daughter" time. It was wonderful!

~The Room~ We stayed in room #206. Great views, and beauitful antiques. The original radiator was still there. We had a ceiling fan and the windows open, which made it very cool at night (no A.C.). The beds were very confortable, but it was a queen, a little to small for us. I could tell others have slept in it, I kinda felt like it molded a little to well to me. The also have cabins and dorm style rooms.

~The Grounds~ BEAUITFUL! They have thier own hiking trails, that range from easy to difficult. We went to the top of Echo Mountain and it was wonderful! Also, a little closer to the castle they had a guided religious walk. You would walk around the castle and they would connect parts of the castle to a bible verse. It was quite nice.

~Food~ We only had breakfast there. I can't really say much here. We are not morning people, so getting up for breakfast at 8AM was hard for us. However, breakfast was included with our stay, who can't give up free food?! The food was actually better then I thought. They gave us eggs, a slice of ham and a biscuit with gravy. Surprisingly, I wasn't hungry until 2o'clock!

~Overall~ I'd love to come again! It was beauitful with all the trees deas, just thinking about in the summer gets me excited. We were thinking about staying in one of thier cabins next time. Can't wait for our next trip!

My husband and I are from Denver, and went to the Christmas Madrigal Banquet with another couple. We had booked a room, and our friends drove home that night.

First, let me talk about the Madrigal Banquet:
"Cocktail" hour (they don't serve any alcohol) was from 5-6pm. During this time, they served yummy Wassail punch in the Music Room, singers roamed throughout the rooms, and the gift store was open for business. Get there on time! They start promptly at 6pm, with the introduction of Lord and Lady of the House, and then the ceremonial calling of the guests. How awkward if you aren't there. Plus, DRESS UP. This is definitely a time for you to get out your best gown. Guys are wearing suits, kilts, etc and ladies are in gowns or their best holiday attire. The few people (out of 150) that did not dress up looked very much out of place. Plus, dressing up adds to the fun. I would think you could dress in costume if you had a great one.
Dinner/banquet takes a full 4 hours. (There are 2 designated intermissions, so you may retire to the "comfort room" for a potty break.) What fun the entire evening was! The music, entertainment, the calling of the courses, etc. Its hard to describe, but very fun. The staff was AWESOME. Hard working, and full of personality, they definitely contributed to the evening.

After the banquet, we were very glad we could just walk upstairs and go to bed, rather than drive 1 1/2 hours home.

Our stay:
Our room was in the castle proper. We booked the premier package, and thus had the honeymoon suite at the very top of the tower. The room is huge, with a king bed. Since it's the middle of December - and very cold outside - do not worry about being warm. The original radiator is still in the room, and still working. If you turn it up to high, you will roast alive! The furnishings were a bit tired. I think they should update the furnishings in the room. Private bathroom with shower - and the radiator in the bathroom doesn't shut off. It's stuck on high, and is hot. The open window helped. Very comfy room, pretty non-working fireplace, and a gorgeous view. The windows are huge and go almost around the room. It was nice having such a private room - it's the only room that high in the castle. Definitely not handicapped accessible, if that's a concern for you.

Breakfast the next morning was in the King James dining room. They served grits, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns plus cold items such as yogurt, pastries, fruit, etc. Plus coffee of course. We got there about 8:30 and there was plenty of food, and had a very enjoyable breakfast talking to other guests and volunteers who where at our table.

The grounds/property:
The property is beautiful! So close to the Garden of the Gods, it has some of the same red sandstone spires. We hiked around and very much enjoyed the views. I wished we could have done more hiking, but didn't have time for it. We saw deer, wild turkeys, and tons of other bunnies, squirrels, etc. I imagine that is very common because of the location.

All in all it was a wonderful getaway. The weather was perfect - crystal clear blue sky and a light dusting of snow. We loved our stay and can't wait to come back again.