A snow storm almost cancelled this short weekender. A predicted 12-24 inches of snow had us unsure if this backyard getaway would be possible, but we bundled up and made the trek an hour south! There was no better place to spend a blustery but beautiful weekend – than surrounded by the cozy luxury of the The St. Julien – Luxury Boutique Hotel Boulder Colorado.
There is such value in simply taking the time to take a short break from the weight of everyday life. We forget sometimes that life is to be enjoyed as much as it is to be managed. This weekender adventure required some planning and thoughtfulness ahead of time, but the nourishment of taking a 24-36 hours to slow down, getaway and focus on the senses – was absolutely worth it.
The St. Julien – Luxury Boutique Hotel is located in the heart of Boulder, a little town in the foothills of the massive Rocky Mountains. Boulder is known for embracing a healthy and progressive lifestyle, an accredited University – CU and a plethora of high end shops and trendy restaurants. The St. Julien is a staple boutique hotel in Boulder. We were lucky enough to be hosted by the hotel and their restaurant – Jill’s. There were so many intimate details to cover with the St. Julien Hotel and Spa, that we plan do a followup in the summer! We want to cover the beautifully colorful grounds and outdoor spaces of the St. Julien as well as all the quaint nooks and crannies Boulder has to offer.
The St. Julien – Luxury Boutique Hotel and Spa has 201 rooms, with a 10,000 square foot spa, beautiful terraces and an unpretentious fine dining restaurant – Jill’s. We were treated to a phenomenal dinner and lucky to catch the world class Sunday brunch as well!
We arrived to a snowy welcome but were greeted with smiles and warm attentiveness. Not sure if it was the snow or the ambiance, but we left the St. Julien – Luxury Boutique Hotel only once to grab a craft cocktail down the street. The hotel is located in the heart of downtown so it was an easy (but very snowy) walk! We were perfectly content staying in! With a fantastic cozy bar, live music, a bustling great room full of activity and our incredible dinner at Jill’s, we were perfectly set!
The Details
The lobby at The St. Julien, is a masterpiece! A grand two-sided fireplace, overlooking the fountain and (snowy) terrace is the focus of the great room. Sprinkled with a mix of modern elegance and antique pieces, this lobby serves as a multi-purpose space and epicenter of the hotel.
The Room
Our room faced the incredible Flatiron Mountains, unfortunately the view was disrupted by the continuous heavy blanket of snow! We will include those pictures for the summer followup! The room included everything you expect from a hotel of this level. Luxury lines, an interesting cork glazed wall and local art sprinkled the room with the same quaint elegant personality found throughout the hotel. The washroom was perfectly appointed and all the amenities were spot on. We were treated to a welcome tray of fruit and a personalized note just for us. To me those details make all the difference and truly shows the standard of service the St. Julien has created!
Jill’s
Jill’s is the restaurant connected to the hotel. The atmosphere is a mixture of New York style modern fine and the quaint approachability of a little bistro you may find in Sonoma.
The Service
The staff at Jill’s really surpassed our expectation. Not for the obvious reasons of catering to our needs and impeccable service, but because they all exuded an enthusiasm and pride for the cuisine. We had the pleasure of being taken care of my the eccentric and knowledgable General Manager Philippe Antoine and the imaginative Executive Chef Laurent Mechin. Both were humble, talented and had a depth that really came through in the food and the experience.
Philippe started the night by assuring us he would indeed make us the BEST caesar salad we would ever have. We were skeptical – BUT he managed to impress all three palettes at the table and absolutely set a new precedent. The salad and shrimp scampi were prepared 100% table side and invited the lost art of the social dinner to our evening. It was wonderful.
We started with table side Caesar Salad and Shrimp Scampi, wine and beer to pair and then moved on to the main course.The Main Course consisted of:
Steak Au Poivre Natural Angus New York beef, hand-cut Kennebec french fries with peppercorn sauce, Spice Rubbed Scottish Salmon Organic​ quinoa, seasonal vegetables, citrus pesto Hand Made Gnocchi with Sage Cream Hazel Dell mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, ricotta salata, sage cream
The SPA
We weren’t able to get into the spa, it was an extremely busy weekend, but we were able to tour the facilities and like everything else at the St. Julien it was impeccable!
We were not planning on experiencing the famous Jill’s Sunday Brunch – it was a last minute decision before we left. I can say with confidence it is the BEST brunch in Boulder. An array of fare from crab legs and jumbo shrimp to the classics of scrambled eggs and Belgium waffles. The offerings were elegant and refined and the options were endless. I will definitely be making special Sunday trips to Boulder for the brunch at Jill’s.
Our overall experience was perfect, and if you are traveling to Boulder, this is THE Boutique Hotel to experience. The hotel was kind enough to host us for our stay and our dinner. Brunch was an impromptu decision (and a great one)!
Signing off …. for now, can’t wait to capture another Weekender! Look for the next in the series, DENVER’s Hotel Teatro! In the meantime – catch me with questions or suggestions for the CO area my Twitter & Instagram Handle is @deb_schlichting or @Ncarvaleiro and @nelsoncarvalheiro as well!
Travel Happy, Eat Well, and Love Joyfully! Till next time!
