In Native American culture, seeing a white buffalo is a good omen – a sign of hope, renewal and good things to come.

The sacred symbol is one that resonated with the owners of the Chipeta Lodge Resort + Spa in Ridgway, as they were reimagining the property they purchased in 2022 and deciding how they could improve it.

For Todd and Shari Mezrah, elevating the Chipeta and its restaurant – which they renamed the White Buffalo Restaurant + Bar – is about bringing good things to come for all who enter.

They’ve spent the past three years renovating the property, creating an oasis for guests, and though those renovations have been numerous (enough to write a book, according to Todd), the hotel, restaurant and spa have reached stability, a point where the owners are proud to showcase all their hard work and welcome both travelers and locals.

The Mezrahs have traveled back and forth seasonally between their homes in Tampa and Telluride for the past seven years, and plan on spending more time at the Chipeta after initiating a change in management companies last year. Since then, they’ve completed renovations on the new Chipeta Lodge Spa by iSun – which just celebrated its grand opening – and hired a new spa manager, Lucas Foote. The lodge’s general manager, Bryon Parsons, has worked there for about a year and brought his experience in renovations and boutique hotel management to the Chipeta, helping with projects including improvements to the open-air rooftop bar and restaurant and a complete makeover of the lodge’s reception area.

Visitors will notice a more open, light-filled area at the atrium of the hotel, with a main entrance shifted to welcome visitors from the parking area instead of at the corner of the building. Inside, the giant ficus trees remain, but they reach toward brighter light from new windows.

For the Mezrahs, who have been married for 31 years, bringing the Chipeta into its new era of operations was kind of like building their fourth house together.

“It had great bones,” Shari said. “There was a uniqueness there, that I thought with my creativeness I could put my stamp on it. We had this vision of four-star thinking.”

There’s hardly a corner the Mezrahs have left untouched in their renovations of the property. They’re detail-oriented, self-described perfectionists, and they wanted even the smallest things to be right for guests.

They even played Goldilocks themselves, going from store to store to lay on dozens of mattresses to select new beds for the 33 guest rooms. It’s not surprising, considering Shari’s previous career was as a sleep schedule expert for babies, known as “The Sleep Mom.” Having comfortable beds and new luxury Kassatex linens was an obvious must-have on her list for the boutique hotel.

Owning the Chipeta is Shari’s “second chapter” and another venture for Todd, who is a CEO, success coach and author of “The Business Athlete.”

Their goal is to create a getaway destination in the San Juans, not just a spot to stop over on the way to somewhere else. A place for rejuvenation and relaxation, with top-notch food and service. The kind of place the Mezrahs like to stay, themselves.

The experience they’ve woven together includes everything from signature spa products in the rooms to robes, which they encourage guests to enjoy and wear to the complimentary breakfast that comes with their stay.

Guests might even find the Mezrahs, themselves, sitting downstairs in robes.

While they love the property and visiting with guests and staff, the couple clearly also spends time at the Chipeta to ensure quality control.

Todd gets a kick out of visiting with guests incognito, asking them how their stay is going.

One time, a guest told him the stay was good, but they wished there was oat milk for the coffee.

Todd went into the kitchen, found some oat milk and brought it back for the guest, who was a little surprised and wondered what was going on.

“They’re like, do you own the hotel?” he said, to which he replied, “No, my wife does.”

It’s the little details that matter to them, which they’ve curated painstakingly. The intentional decisions they’ve made are evident throughout the property – most recently in the debut of the flagship iSun spa, featuring organic, handcrafted serums and potions made locally with high-quality essential oils and plant-based ingredients. The spa grand opening comes after roughly a year of work, and partnership with iSun CEO Tracey Drablos.

“When we spoke to her, it seemed like a perfect marriage,” Shari said. “We believe in community and you know, iSun products are made right here in Ridgway, so it seemed perfect.”

The spa menu includes a variety of treatments, facials and massages as well as packages and two-day “spa journey” experiences.

Spa guests, hotel guests and locals can also enjoy dining during their visit.

The White Buffalo Restaurant features “Colorado cuisine” including menu options like the breakfast green chile stew with Hatch chiles, asadero cheese and eggs with a choice of crispy smashed potatoes or fresh fruit, bacon or sausage served with warm tortillas. Dinner options run the gamut – from Navajo tacos and bison short ribs to Wagyu burgers topped with burrata cheese, jalapeno puree and bacon.

The restaurant is currently open seven days a week for breakfast, served from 7–11 a.m., and from Wednesday through Sunday for dinner, served from 4–9 p.m. The rooftop patio is also open on Saturdays and Sundays, from noon until sunset if the weather is nice, where visitors can enjoy a craft cocktail – including drinks named for Todd and Shari – and a panoramic vista featuring the craggy Cimarron mountains.

Locals receive a discount on both restaurant and spa services, and more information is available at chipetalodge.com or by calling 970-626-6853.