Day 86: Front Desk Fun (National Receptionist Day)

Today is National Receptionist Day, and while The Baldpate Inn doesn’t have a receptionist in the traditional sense, our Front Desk Associates serve as the warm welcome for the Inn. Working in the hospitality industry, it’s a surefire bet that every day is going to be different and interesting!

Family friend Harold was our first front desk man, and could patiently visit with guests, keep our books flawless and still always have time to give a hug or take a homesick staff member out to dinner!

Front desk is definitely one for juggling multi-taskers. Moving between three computer reservation systems, maitre’d for the restaurant, ringing phones, guests and staff constantly coming and going, and keeping the lobby fire going, just counting back change from a check can be challenging, not to mention finally balancing the books at the end of a busy day.

Folks love our front desk signs, especially this extra charge warning. Keeping that positive attitude when someone arrives grouchy, does take a special amount of good nature and understanding.

Giving the “tour” to our B&B guests, explaining the shared bath option and finding solutions (be it moving guest rooms or passing out earplugs) for our historically non-soundproof walls, all add to the adventures at Front Desk.

During snack time in the evening however, when the pace is slower, Front Desk staff often enjoys the best quality time visiting with guests around the fireplace. Stories are shared and connections made, from favorite hikes or even discovering that guests are from a town just next to their hometown. Do you have a Baldpate front desk story to share? 

There have been many surprises along the way, from shall-we-say older perceptions that ladies can’t serve as a bellhop hauling luggage, to folks showing up at the “wrong” hotel, but opting to stay at The Baldpate, due to its rustic charm and warm cornbread.

One Front Desk staffer was quite surprised at a dining guest’s request, but unhesitatingly rushed back to the kitchen to request “MORE MEATLOAF!” She thought she had been missing the meatloaf all summer, but as it turns out, the request was for our homemade honey “wheat loaf!”

Rain or sun, our Front Desk Staff shine with a willingness to serve. So today, we salute the Front Desk staff of The Baldpate Inn, always happy to greet and assist the travel-worn passengers of life as they reach the oasis of The Baldpate Inn. 

Written by Liz Rodgers & Lois Smith

Day 78: Baldpate Inn Weddings & Honeymoons, Part Two (Just could not finish this topic in one post!)

Remembering weddings at Baldpate just has to include the staff members who actually met in the kitchen (Brad & Renee, Adam & Amanda, Jen & Doug among others).  One just became suspicious when all the sudden, guys not scheduled on shift stopped by during closing to help some pretty girl with dishes! 

And you gotta recall those who celebrated their weddings at the end of the season or years later. (Josh & Lindsey, Noel, Tate & Courtney, and more!) 

Especially fun memories were the 2002 gals & guys escapes to Denver for the “stag" parties, hm, maybe best no photos here.

Would be remiss not to mention our treasured guests who have returned to Baldpate for many years to especially celebrate their anniversaries. Tony & Nancy, on June 24^th  for more than 20 years!  Whitney & Elizabeth and so many more.  Thank you! 

Written by Lois Smith

Day 77: Baldpate Inn Weddings & Honeymoons, Part One

The Baldpate Inn has been a proud charter member of the Estes Park Wedding Association since its beginning, but brides are clearly nothing new to our spectacular location.

After finding this June 1921 news clipping from the Estes Park Trail, one has to wonder just how many couples have been married or honeymooned at Baldpate Inn in the past 100 years!

Unfortunately, I have been remiss by not keeping a list of our brides and grooms for the past 30 years, but yes we do certainly have quite a few favorite wedding stories... some we can tell, some not so much.

Of course we've had lots of crazy times at weddings -- the mother of the bride dancing on the tables, the bride who forgot to eat and missed the reception because she fainted (not to worry, we served their cake at breakfast the next day), the newlywed photos in front of the main fireplace when it appeared there were antlers coming from the groom’s head. There were snowy moments, late-arriving grandparents and DJs, and the groom who was embarrassed to mention they had broken their bed somehow! We've seen our share of strangely shaped cakes –the armadillo groom's cake or the unstable and sticky mountain of donut holes that they wanted rolled in the dining room at the last minute.

Of course my  favorite two Baldpate  weddings   were those of my own kids, Jen & Pete in 2000, and Mac & Holly in 2011. 

Written by Lois Smith

Day 73: Prom at Baldpate? At least twice!

My staff always rolls their eyes when I share “Life Lessons from Lois” ~ like unless you want glitter forever, don’t have Prom at your house. In 1995, for my son MacKenzie’s junior year, we agreed to host the Estes Park High School Prom at the Inn. Now put aside the fact that we don’t normally open until the end of May, an April prom is a challenge on several counts, the weather being a huge one!  That year, we had lots of late snow and so just getting into the building was a challenge. I remember hooking a hose to the hot water tanks to help melt the three foot stack of snow and ice blocking the drive thru under the porch!

Then of course since we needed an inside dance floor, we removed all the tables from the dining rooms (have no clue where we actually put them) and decorating commenced. It was quite the transformation!  Evidently it went well, according to this Mountaineer story. 

An extra special guest to the 1995 Prom was our Estes Park Mayor at the time, Bernie Dannel and his wife. What a fun discovery had been made, that 55 years prior, his 1940 Estes Park High School Prom (then called Junior Senior Banquet) had been held at Baldpate Inn!
 

I especially love this 1940 invite, with time for “shagging” after the dinner and program. The class roll lists read like an Estes Park who’s who from days gone by.

Don’t you wish I’d asked Mayor Dannel if he had a copy of his speech, “Reflections of The Deep?”

So actually I guess I don’t really know, was the glitter you occasionally notice on the Baldpate’s Dining Room floor from 1995 or 1940?

Written by Lois Smith

Day 67: Baldpate Inn Special Guest Interview

With 100 years of history, the number of guest memories surrounding The Baldpate Inn is astronomical! 

Today, we would like to honor a special guest, Marguerite, who first started visiting the Baldpate Inn in 1945. Marguerite sat down with one of our curators, Lauren, to share her memories of this magical place in 2012. 

Each summer, Marguerite would make a special point to visit The Baldpate Inn during her stay in Estes Park. “It was a highlight to come up here! A highlight.” she warmly remembers.  


In the early years, she remembers that the road to the Baldpate was gravel, and much narrower. In portions, it was only one way with pullouts, and it took much longer to get up to the Inn from town. 

With 67 seasons of visits, what keeps her coming back? There are many reasons for her, but especially because, “The uniqueness of the Baldpate is just so charming.” 

The Key Room always held a great fascination for Marguerite and her husband. They have also enjoyed many special memories dining and lodging at the Inn. Over the years, Marguerite and her family brought many of their own guests to experience The Baldpate Inn. 

The employees of the Baldpate made a strong impression on her, always kind and enthusiastic. She’s not the first to tell us, “Baldpate is like family!”

When we asked Marguerite whether there was anything she would have like to tell us and future generations, she stated that she, "Wishes places like these would stick around, regardless of advances in technology. People need to experience things like this and technology can’t do that in the same way."

Thank you, Marguerite, for sharing your story with us! It’s been a delight knowing how much The Baldpate Inn has impacted your life! 

What Baldpate memories do you have? Please share with us, by commenting on this blog, or emailing Keys@Baldpateinn.com.

 

Written by Liz Rodgers

Day 64: Steadfast Guardians: The German Shepherds of Baldpate

Our collection of memories would not be complete without including the canine contributions to Baldpate! The Smith family has been blessed to share life with a long line of German Shepherds. 

Perhaps the most famous, Duke, was a guest and employee favorite for many years. After a quick assessment, his friendly nature was soon evident in wagging tail. Unless, of course, you were up to no good, or you were the UPS delivery man. With a bark to deter any intruder or mischievous escapee, Duke was a formidable security officer, especially to errant chipmunks. However, even staff that were initially afraid, or came from a culture unaccustomed to having a dog around, found Duke to be endearing and sweet. 

Jen's German Shepherd Penny spent two summers at the Inn, usually found cleverly stealing unattended sandwiches from staff. 

Mackenzie’s German Shepherd, Leika, was often around the Inn, and despite photographic evidence, was very helpful! 
 

The Inn’s current resident German Shepherd is Moose.  At two and a half years, he still has some learning to do, but has undoubtedly captured our hearts. And some keys, as you can see! 

Other dogs that have spent time at The Baldpate Inn have been horseman Chuck Malone’s dog, Buster, and maintenance man Paul’s dogs, Brown Dog and Black Dog.  And of course, every rotational staff gets the chance to be dish dog! 

The Smith family is not the only one to connect Baldpate and German Shepherds as a key part of Baldpate! This photo of “Smo-key” the neighborhood pal was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Mace in 1937, and has secured a place in the Baldpate Key Collection since. 

Do you have a favorite memory of the furry friends that have made Baldpate such a special place?

Written by Liz Rodgers and Jen Macakanja

Day 60: Music in the Mountains

Music at Baldpate has had many rhythms and tempos!  We don’t know as much as we would like about the earliest days, other than our Dance Hall was renowned for wonderful times. 

As mentioned before, when we shared bands with other local lodges, our night was Thursday.  Pictures of the Tall Timber Boys from our photo collection and notes from family members make us wonder even more just who all performed during those early years.  Know any stories? Please share with us!

The keys to our piano in the Dining Room  (albeit sincerely old) have been graced by many a guest.  

 
Nothing new apparently, we still love it when staff are willing to contribute their musical talents as well.

Our Photo Collection and Memorabilia tells us that at one time we even had an organ for entertainment which was eventually donated to Denver University.

Over the past 30 years, we have been most honored by the friendship of our neighbors at Rocky Ridge Music Center.  They have often treated us with performances and dinner music by stars from their students and staff.   

Baldpate’s long tradition of entertaining music will continue. So if you are thinking Music & Mountains, think of us!

Written by Lois Smith

Day 57: Making Memories: Guest Photos

Each time I look at the piles of photos we have of guests at Baldpate, I am reminded how blessed we are when we take the time to make memories with friends and family.  Those trips far or near, when we laughed at old adventures, cried over losses and created new memories to cherish were worth every dime.  So make plans with your family, or sweetheart, or your sister, or silly friends to come for lunch or a stay at Baldpate. Make some memories in 2017!

Written by Lois Smith

Day 56: What it Means to Experience The Baldpate Inn (National Encourage a Young Writer Day)

Being a 100-year old inn, The Baldpate has many unique qualities! It may be unlike anything you’ve experienced before. While there are many modern conveniences at the Inn (such as wi-fi and cell phone service), a visit is reminiscent of a charming step back in time. 

There is simply too much to fit into one blog, and since it’s National Encourage a Young Writer Day, I challenge you youngsters and young-at-heart to write your own experiences of The Baldpate Inn, with all its unique attributes (and I’m sure I’ve missed a few!) and share them with us. Here’s a few prompts. Haven’t had a chance to visit us yet? Check out our video tour. 

World famous Key Collection and curiosities

Fresh and healthy Soup and Salad Buffet, enjoyed on beautiful handmade stoneware

Rustic lodging (My favorite description comes from an early brochure, “All rooms in the Inn are equipped with hot and cold water.  We believe in “roughing it” with a degree of comfort. The relative enjoyment of a bath is not necessarily a matter of geography.”)

Three-course breakfast! (Do the cinnamon rolls need their own composition? Probably!) And if you’re not a Bed & Breakfast guest, don’t despair! Just make reservations for a special celebration of Breakfast at Baldpate!

Evening snacks and Peachy-Keen (Are you noticing a food theme? It is a Love Language, right?)

Views from the front deck and the porch swing

Library and movie time

Sun deck parties

Aspen autumn glory

KeyThedral Theater Productions

Photo and art collections (Stay tuned for more on our photo collection!)

Gift shop

Hand hewn log furniture

Fireplaces: the warmth, sight, smell, and sounds of wood crackling ablaze

Hummingbirds, wildlife and bears

Your own memories! 

While The Baldpate Inn means something different to each guest who visits, at the heart of it all is a desire to serve all with excellent hospitality. Your experience is certain to be a memory you will cherish especially if you write it down.

Written by Liz Rodgers