While my two girlfriends and I spent a quiet autumn weekend in the ski resort mountain town of Keystone, Colorado, staying at a SummitCove vacation rental, we took one afternoon to pamper ourselves with body treatments at the Keystone Lodge & Spa.

The spa was recently totally renovated in 2007. The vibe is decidedly soothing, with a number of thoughtful amenities, like eucalyptus in the steam room, and trail mix and cucumber-infused ice water in the relaxation lounge. But it’s environmentally friendly too, with staffers sporting uniforms made of hemp, recycled tires in the floor of the fitness center, and 100 percent wind power running the entire spa.

Guest Room at Keystone Lodge & Spa

Guest Room at Keystone Lodge & Spa

The outside of the Keystone Lodge & Spa is nothing to write home about — it’s a nondescript, multi-level building just off of Highway 6. The resort is not a ski-in/ski-out property; shuttles every eight minutes take skiers to the lifts. But it is considered a AAA Four-Diamond resort, and rooms feature “elegant alpine decor” with all the amenities you’d expect from a luxury property: complimentary Wi-Fi, cofeemaker, turndown service, deluxe bedding, complimentary use of robes (nice for the trek to the year-round outdoor pool), and a humidifier (also ideal for flatlanders visiting the high-altitude, dry air in the Rockies).

Keystone ski area opened last weekend with plenty of snow and top-to-bottom skiing. By Christmastime, ski conditions should be stellar. And surprisingly, even though Christmas week is one of the busiest times for Colorado ski resorts, the Keystone Lodge & Spa has a holiday promotion where guests can book three nights and get the fourth free. This package applies not only to the dates surrounding Christmas and New Year’s, but also Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day and Easter Sunday.

You really don’t even have to be a skier and snowboarder to enjoy wintertime at the Keystone Lodge & Spa — more leisurely pursuits include ice skating on a five-acre, outdoor rink, snowshoeing and tubing. Of course, it’s always nice to curl up with a good book around the community fireplace.

Photo courtesy RockResorts’ Keystone Lodge & Spa.