Murder Mystery WeekendThe Lodge at Cloudcroft Serves up Mystery with LuxuryBy Mara Sobral
A few of the cast and their intriguing history:
Mystery Murder Weekends at The Lodge are appropriately placed since the spirit of Rebecca reportedly haunts this lodge. This legend dates back to the early 1900’s and involves a beautiful young chambermaid with striking blue eyes and shocking red hair. She disappeared from her chambers after her lumberjack boyfriend found her in the arms of another lover. Many say that Rebecca still wanders the halls of this historic hotel in search of a new lover or friend who might appreciate her flirtatious and mischievous, but friendly spirit. There is a journal, available at the front desk, with entries from adults and children alike, documenting their ghostly experiences of Rebecca. Some have danced with her, other have had objects in their room relocated or have seen mysterious flickering of lights. One such experience entered in this journal was from a woman who saw the face of Rebecca in the night. Rebecca told her to “love your husband and tell him so, let him know how much he means to you”. After that she vowed to always follow Rebecca’s advice to the best of her ability.
There are 47 rooms decorated with unique Victorian flair, each different and inviting. I have stayed in several different rooms over the years and always completely satisfied, I anticipate my next trip there. This stay was delightful in the two room Governor’s Suite, surrounded with the warmth of the fine antique wood furnishings. The luxurious four-poster queen bed was enchanting and delicious! And the good news is that rooms come complete with cable TV, telephone, and WiFi access.
In addition to the Murder Mystery Weekends, other year round packages are available, including special holiday festivities. The Lodge is enchanting at any time of year, and will make any occasion a truly extraordinary one. Nearest International Airports: El Paso, Texas or Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Lodge is located in Cloudcroft, New Mexico on Highway 82. Visit The Cloudcroft Light Opera Company for more information on theatre presentations, www.cloudcrofttheatre.com Cast photo courtesy of The Cloudcroft Light Opera Company |
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The game is afoot at The Lodge Resort & Spa in beautiful Cloudcroft, New Mexico. And I can honestly say that this is the most fun you’ll ever have at a hotel with your clothes on!
“Droppin’ Like Flies” was the theme for this murder mystery, featuring a serial killer thriller. Fourteen suspects, portrayed by a cast of 13 from The Cloudcroft Light Opera Company, provided an exceptional and fun performance. A creatively captivating four murders occurred, two of which transpired during dinner and dessert! Participating guests were all included in the questioning, investigation, interviews and clue finding. So intriguing were the murders, clues, cast and colorful personalities that we all felt like part of the production!
Murder Mystery Weekends start on Friday afternoon with a list of clues and of crime scenes. It concludes after a fine breakfast on Sunday after participants enter their “whodunit” sheet, which is their best guess on who committed the murders and why.
Evening dinners are filled with fine wine and food. The cast, in character, joined us at our tables for dinner and circulated afterwards. Our questions were answered with both serious and mysterious responses. Each retort could be a clue or just a practice of wit! All characters were required to tell the truth, except for the killer. Since we did not know who the killer was, each answer had to be carefully scrutinized and crosschecked with other suspects.
Saturday was spent circulating at the multiple shops in Cloudcroft searching for clues and shopping bargains! We all sought clues, others did more shopping than clues, and several very smart ones did clues, shopping AND enjoyed the relaxing and rejuvenating therapies of massage, facials or body wraps at The Lodge’s “Spirit of the Mountain Spa”.
I interviewed several of the cast members following Saturday‘s dinner and obtained valuable information on solving these calculated crimes of murder. My most interesting and quite surprising information came from the Scotsman, Roddy Bane. Dressed in full Scottish garb, tartan great kilt, belt, sporran (belt pouch), buckle, beret and Sgian dubh (dagger) he was an intriguing mystery man, and even possibly the killer.
After dinner, Roddy came wandering over to our table, sipping on a glass of single malt scotch, poured from a silver flask harbored in his sporran. I decided to finally put to rest the age-old question of what a Scotsman wears under his kilt! When I asked, he said “nothing, of course!” He invited me to find out for myself…so I did! And now I know. And of course, a lady never tells! I love you Roddy Bane!
The Murder Mystery Weekend came to its conclusion on Sunday morning after a scrumptious breakfast buffet. My companion and I received the “booby prize”, rightfully so since hours were spent in documenting our evidence to ascertain the innocence of these 13 suspects and proving without a doubt that all these murders were actually an unfortunate occurrence of accidental deaths! We were unfortunately the only ones holding this opinion. The real killer was identified by a team of novice stealth investigators who, on their first try at a Murder Mystery Weekend, won a free trip to The Homestead Resort in Utah. Congratulations!
If Murder Mysteries are not your forte, there are many more activities available. With a relaxing and richly historic environment, The Lodge is filled with intrigue, charm, friendliness, unique lodging and incredible food. It possesses a quality unlike any other mountain resort in the west. The Lobby is filled with old world charm and a fireplace that is mesmerizing.
The Lodge also has other modern facilities located in close proximity. These include the 10 cozy rustic rooms at The Pavilion Bed & Breakfast as well as The Retreat Suites’ four private luxury suites. Additionally there are meeting facilities for large groups, whether it is for conferences, weddings or family reunions.
To the joy of many golfers, The Lodge sports an incredible 9 or 18 hole course that is the highest in the country. It is a Scottish layout at 9,000 feet, surrounded by beautiful pines and fresh clean air! It is a winding course with an array of wildlife and a new challenge around every turn. Originally built in 1899, it had additional holes added in the 1950’s. That makes this course over 100 years old! Very popular and enjoying a seven-month season, it is imperative for your convenience that you call ahead for tee time reservations and just simply enjoy the challenge of this unique course!
The Lodge and surrounding area is a year round retreat and offers a wide variety of activities for all seasons. Enjoy biking, hiking, fishing, skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, tennis, swimming, saunas, massage, museums and more. Over the history of The Lodge, thousands of families have called The Lodge and Cloudcroft their second home.