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Ronda was not initially on my listof must-do's in Spain because, well,I didn't know it existed. I found itamong the Pueblos Blancos (White Towns, so called because just about every buildingis painted… white) in myguidebook, which I wasreading on the plane on the way over to Spain. Nothinglike a little advance prepa-ration, but that's about how I readguidebooks.We were going to some of thebest-known places in Spain, suchas Granada, to see the Alhambra,Sevilla, to see the Alcazar, windy Tarifa to see what all the windsurf-ing fuss was about. There was thebeach town of Marbella at the endof the trip, and there were plenty of tapas and Rioja in the plans, butthere was no Ronda.Hands down, the little moun-tain town of Ronda was my favoriteplace on the trip.Ronda is not very much off thebeaten path for Spanish tourists,and there are more than a fewvisitors from other European coun-tries, but precious few Americans, which, I have to admit, is just howI like it.Ronda's most stunning featureis undoubtedly the 18th-centurybridge that spans the dramatic TajoGorge, which drops a precipitous130 meters (nearly 400 feet) downto the Guadalévin River below.Ronda has a storied history thatstretches back several centuries.First on the scene were the earlyCelts, followed by the Phoenicians,Greeks, Romans, theMoors, and eventuallythe Spaniards in 1485. The 300-year-old PuenteNuevo, or New Bridge, issuch a feat of engineer-ing and beauty that it isnot unheard of to spendhours looking over theedge of the gorge into theabyss. It is that fantas-tic. The bridge's information centeris housed in a former prison locat-ed above the structure's centralarch. In "For Whom the Bell Tolls,"Ernest Hemingway recorded howprisoners were thrown from thebridge to their deaths.With all this history, the townis a fascinating mixture of Spanishand Moorish, with a maze-likeMoorish section and the Spanishplaza, which, as in the case of most Spanish towns and cities, isthe heart of the town's life, with itsmain market, best restaurants andmost prominent churches.By the time we got to Ronda, Ihave to admit I was pretty muse-umed- and forted-out. And whilethe nightlife is quite provincial andextremely low-key, that quaintness was just perfect after an intenseseveral days through better-knownplaces in Spain's southernmostprovince, Andalucía.If you ever find your way toSpain, do go to Ronda. Get there by your own car, or if you are like meand prefer not to drive in labyrin-thine Spanish cities, take the trainor bus from any number of loca-tions throughout Spain.***

Ronda- offthe beatenpath

Eliza GrahamNorth Denver Notions

Puente Nuevo, Ronda, Spain. Photo by Eliza Graham.

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Opened in 1973, Inverness isan old school golf course with theclassic look of traditional Americanparkland layouts. The fairways aretree-lined and the grass, roughincluded, is manicured. However, just because there’s no wildernessareas covered with knee-high pra-rie grass waiting for errant shotsis no reason for players to take thecourse lightly.“Every hole can jump up andbite you,” Inverness’s director of golf Dave Steinmetz said. After 36 years, the course can still causemodern players consternation withtheir modern equipment. “It hasstood up really well,” Steinmetzsaid.From the blue tees, Invernessmeasures 7,026 yards and playsto a par of 70. From the front tees,the distance covered is 5,077, andthere are few forced carries, makingit possible even for new players toenjoy a trip around a challengingtrack.“It sets up well for any type of golfer,” Steinmetz said. “I thinkanyone can play the golf course.” Though inexperienced golfershave fun playing Inverness, the golf club attracts its fair share of skilledamateurs, too. A quick perusal of the club’s handicap roster turnedup a bunch of players carryingsingle-digit handicaps.Inverness is a private golf course with two routes for gaining access.You can buy a membership, or youcan stay at the hotel. Stay and playpackages are available.Individual memberships areavailable for $4,370 a year. Membersget unlimited use of the range,chipping green, putting green andthe golf course. There is no initia-tion fee.Each hole at Inverness is inter-esting. Some drop from tee to green.Others have significant elevationgains, and then others have sidehills. The greens run fast and havelots of subtle breaks, which, thanksto the hilly terrain, can be tricky toread. The third and thirteenth areInverness’s signature holes.At 219 yards from the blue tees,the third presents players with sev-eral undesirable options. With thepin on the front of the green, thedownhill par three is fraught withpsychological torment. A pond bor-ders the green’s front and rightsides. On the left are bunkers from which players face sand shotstowards the pond to a green thatslopes away. Going long with thetee shot can leave long, frighteningdownhill putts. If a player is goingto have just one pure, perfect shotall day, the third is the place to hitit. Thirteen is a 418-yard par 4 thatdoglegs to the left to a wide butshallow green. The tee shot is blind,and it fools golfers into playing toofar to the right where well-hit balls will be jailed behind a stand of trees. The tee shot requires somefaith and some courage. Aim justright of the cottonwoods on the leftand let it fly with a little left handcurl. Just try to forget the disasterthat looms if you snap-hook it. Likethe third, if you have a perfect shotin you, this is a good place to cashit in.Inverness plays through an officepark where the buildings appear tohave been designed by architects who kept their egos in check. Thebuildings are set into the landbehind trees, and they have earthyfacades. One even has grass grow-ing on its roof. The buildings are unobtrusiveand tasteful, and unlike the man-sions that line so many modern golf courses, the office buildings addto Inverness’s attractiveness. Plus,if you’re playing poorly, just lookthrough the windows and knowthat there’s a person in there work-ing who is looking at you andfeeling envious. It’ll help you keepthings in perspective.Led by Superintendent JoelChristensen, the grounds crew cutsperfect diamond patterns into thetightly clipped fairways, keeps thesand in the bunkers raked smoothand mows the greens so they runquick and true. If you want asense for what it’s like to play acourse maintained like the one yousee the pros playing on television,Inverness is the place to be.***

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It is amazing to discover thatthe best vacation spot can be rightsmack dab in your own back yard.Case in point, the world classInverness Hotel and ConferenceCenter. Located , just 20 minutesfrom Downtown Denver and 30minutes from Denver InternationalAirport, this is one of the area's pre-mier conference resorts, owned andoperated by Destinations Hotels &Resorts, the fourth-largest inde-pendent hospitality managementcompany in the nation. However,the AAA Four-Diamond hotel isnot just for the business traveler;it is a virtual Mecca of luxury andindulgence for locals that is oftenoverlooked. The Inverness sits upon 13 acresof plush cottonwood tree-lined riverbottom land in the South PlatteRiver Basin. With breathtakingviews of the Rocky Mountains tothe west, and abutting the PrestonMaxwell 18-hole PGA championshipgolf course to the east, the newlyrenovated, 302-room, 361,000square ft. resort has lured the likesof Presidents Bush and Clinton,Bishop Desmond Tutu, and theDalai Lama. While the star studdedlist of guests goes on and on, thebest news is The Inverness really wants to build its Front Range clien-tele. As an incentive it is offering theSimple Pleasures program (www.SimplePleasuresAtInverness.com)through which Colorado residentscan book an overnight escape pack-age for as little as $99. It includesa complimentary $25 resort creditgood at all resort amenities. Asone recent guest stated, “For thesame price we pay at a chain prop-erty, my husband and I are stay-ing in a resort that Cher stayedat. Imagine that, and it is only 15minutes from our home. Fantastic.” The hotel is also offering Romance,Bed/Breakfast and Golf packagesfor as little as $109. Room typesvary from standard deluxe, suitesand club level on the 5th floor fea-turing a private concierge services-along with access to the MountainView Lounge where complimentarybreakfast and cocktails are serveddaily. All rooms featured plush bed-ding and linens, eco-friendly bathproducts, and calming color pal-ettes incorporated into the beautifulScandinavian designed interior. The Inverness is truly an all-inclusive resort in aspects. Whendesigned 20 years ago by inno-vative CEO and Founder JørgenRoed, the hotel was conceived tomeet the needs of generationsto come. This translates into theonly hotel in Denver with out-door gardens, 60,000 square feetof indoor and outdoor gather-ing areas, pristinely manicuredgrounds, a pond and elegant inte-rior design. The concept of 'workhard play hard' is evidenced byrecreational amenities that includethree lighted tennis courts, a state-of-the-art fitness center, indoorpool/ outdoor pools and Jacuzzis,golf pro shop and an 18-hole PGAgolf course. The Spa at Inverness is a 4,500-foot oasis of luxury and indulgence.Built three years ago, the spa inte-rior features ambient light, richearth-tone colors, natural tumbledstone flooring, a rejuvenating waterfountain, a relaxation suite and pri-vate hot tub for spa guests. Thereare five massage rooms, two facialrooms, a couples room with a soak-ing tub, Swiss Shower and full-ser-vice pedicure and manicure stations.Signature treatments include theDevote and Detox, which is a thera-peutic and healing treatment thatincreases circulation and detoxifiesthe body. A Mango Enzyme BodyMasque treatment will leave yourentire being feeling euphoric andtropical. Swedish and deep tissuemassages are also available. A wordof wisdom: spa etiquette dictatesthat guests arrive at least 20 min-utes before treatments to ensureadequate pampering time. The eats at Inverness are atreat to delight in. The SpottedDog offers English pub-style food, with plenty of bangers and mashto write home about, not to men-tion some pretty hefty selectionsof ales. Try your hand at billiardsand darts while you are there. TheGolf Grille will serve up some greatsandwiches and soups for thoseneeding energy to make it to thegreens. The Fireside Lounge is agreat place to unwind with sig-nature cocktails and continentalcuisine as you listen to jazz. TheGarden Terrace is a local favor-ite, voted as Denver’s Best BrunchBuffet (Westword), this is the placeto go for a la carte lunch and din-ner. The award- winning SaturdayNight Seafood Buffet includes over50 fresh seafood items.Baca is fine dining at its abso-lute finest. The restaurant isauthentic Colorado cuisine with aSpanish Flair. Open 6pm-10pm,chef Rodney Herworth uses almostall organic and locally grown pro-duce and natural meat to serve upsome of the city’s most tantaliz-ing and creative dishes. Try theLamb Pequillo Rellenos and Rabbit

Inverness Hotel - Denver's best keptsecret offers ultimate getaway

by Renee Fajardosee INVERNESS on page 20