A large, upscale resort bar lounge with extensive seating, a backbar fully stocked with spirits, custom overhead lighting installation, and massive rustic stone walls under a vaulted wooden ceiling framing a clear blue twilight sky.

The Grand Lodge is a comprehensive renovation of the hotel’s primary public space, encompassing 50,000 square feet of front-of-house area supported by 22,000 square feet of back-of-house infrastructure. The project re-imagined existing dining venues and introduced three new high-end bars. Central to the design was the transformation of the main atrium's scale: existing columns were stripped of legacy stonework, extended 15 feet in height, and reclad in hand-selected anchored rustic stone. A new colonnade of heavy timber with custom knife-plate connections was introduced to provide a structured transition to the perimeter restaurants.

The volume is anchored by two 45-foot-tall flanking fireplaces, each powered by 1,000,000 BTU burners and topped with custom-designed elk and bison lintels. At the heart of the space, the central bar features a cantilevered canopy of solid steel profiles. Premium finishes continue into the Old Hickory lounge, which showcases a 30-foot 'bison in the landscape' hair-on-hide rug by Kyle Bunting. From the custom millwork of the English Pub to the tessellated block water feature at the grand staircase, the renovation utilizes clean geometries and rustic materiality to create a cohesive, upscale mountain retreat."

GAYLORD ROCKIES GRAND LODGE

Aurora, Colorado

Covered resort entrance walkway featuring metallic arched awnings, geometric gold chandeliers, rustic stone pillars, and desert landscaping.

23,800 GSD Interior Expansion
10,880 NSF Grand Pavilion
Prefunction Expansion
4,800 SF Event Terrace

PROJECT statistics

Scott Sickeler
Liz Neiswander
Foreman Rogers
Jared Davis
Matt Forsell
Jacob Savage
Olivia Bryant
Matt Singleton
Anthony Padilla

PROJECT TEAM

client

Ryman Hospitality Properties

A grand mountain lodge lobby features a massive stone fireplace adorned with a bison sculpture, surrounded by upscale conversational seating arrangements under a towering wood-paneled ceiling.
A side perspective of the upscale bar reveals a long white countertop with gold-accented cabinetry and leather bar stools, set over geometric tile flooring beneath the structural steel canopy framing.
Long high-top seating areas flank the central atrium bar, framed by massive stone columns and exposed structural trusses beneath a wood-paneled ceiling glowing at twilight.
The main atrium bar stretches alongside an expansive lounge area featuring leather armchairs, pattern rugs, and a massive rustic stone fireplace under a towering, wood-trimmed ceiling.
A high-angle detail shot of the bar corner showcases a backlit quartz or marble countertop, gold-inlaid cabinetry, leather upholstery bar stools, and a textured geometric carpet.
An intimate seating arrangement features a live-edge wooden coffee table centered among plush leather armchairs, vibrant orange seats, and bright blue ottomans over a Southwestern-patterned rug.
An upscale bar features a sleek white countertop lined with modern bar stools, positioned beneath a dramatic, undulating architectural canopy of dark steel profiles.
A stone fire pit with a roaring fire is encircled by Adirondack chairs and an illuminated curved bench, all situated within a landscaped garden area surrounded by evergreen trees.
An outdoor patio featuring roaring rock fire pits and seating areas looks through a massive, multi-story glass wall into the brightly illuminated Grand Lodge atrium at night.