The 15 best hotels in Denver from design hotels to spa retreats

If it had nothing going for it but its location, this Sage Hospitality concept would rank high among Denver’s best hotels: It’s part of Dairy Block, a groundbreaking multi-use “micro-district” in LoDo that houses (among many other things) an exceptional local art collection, lively Southwestern eatery Kachina and splashy Art Deco cocktail bar Poka Lola, which opens onto a private alleyway that’s being transformed into a boutique retail arcade as we speak. But, of course, the Maven does have more going for it. Amenities in its 172 city-slick rooms range from pour-over coffee systems and balconies to standing desks, swing chairs, and wet bars and the assortment of baseball memorabilia that bedecks the Diamond Suite – which naturally overlooks Coors Field.

Time Out tip: Wondering where to hang in the Dairy Block? For drinks, we'd recommend Run for the Roses an unmissable underground craft cocktail bar - great for its intimate vibe. 

If you're looking for a balance between modern luxuries and classic styling, the Ramble is the hotel for you in Denver. From the Juliette rooms – complete with a Hollywood-esque lightbulb mirror, robes, and a super stylish bathroom – to the well-equipped fitness center, this Denver hotel has all you need for a relaxing and memorable stay. Don't fancy heading out for dinner? Great. Head to the on-site restaurant, Super Mega Bien, instead for authentic Latin American cuisine. Oh, and we've heard the bar, Death & Co, is mixing some pretty epic cocktails too – if that's your vibe. Cheers.

Time Out tip: Looking for a good spot to hang in Rino? Nicknamed the place for "Brews and views", you can sip a cold one on the rooftop while enjoying savory delights and seasonal dishes. 

The Crawford doesn’t have a lobby per se: instead, It has the dazzling Great Hall of Denver’s Union Station, the upper floors of which it occupies. The Crawford doesn’t have a dining room per se, either, but it’s just steps away from some of the most celebrated restaurants and bars in town, including Stoic & Genuine, Mercantile Dining & Provision, and the ultra-glam mezzanine-level Cooper Lounge. What the Crawford has, in other words, is location, location, location – not to mention 112 rooms with artsy, funky style to spare, as well as perks like personal concierge tablets and short-distance transportation via Tesla.

Time Out tip: If you're heading Stoic & Genuine, you have to try the Thai Green Curry Mussels – it's delightfully tender and aromatic. 

Since it opened in 1892, the 241-room Brown Palace (now part of the Marriott Autograph Collection) has welcomed almost every U.S. president, accommodated sundry purported ghosts, and hosted annual appearances by the National Western Stock Show’s champion steers. It’s as renowned for afternoon tea service in its gilded, soaring atrium lobby as it is for its Dom Pérignon Champagne Brunch on Sundays and tableside preparations at the majestic fine-dining institution Palace Arms. It houses a salon, a florist, and the city’s poshest cigar lounge bar none. Here, in short, is a 125-year-old icon in sandstone and red granite. Denver wouldn’t be Denver without it.

Time Out tip: Seeing as you're practically round the corner from Denver Art Museum, you might as well have a seat – literally – at the interactive Mexican Chair Design Exhibition. 

Halcyon has no local equal when it comes to sexy alfresco scenes – with one exception: the Four Seasons, set in a 45-story tower downtown. Its foliage-fringed rooftop pool is a favorite seasonal escape for high rollers, staffed by a private bartender and chef (and providing the backdrop for some epic cocktail soirées with DJs). But you can also follow the insiders indoors to contemporary steakhouse EDGE Restaurant & Bar, a longtime happy-hour hot spot. When you’re ready to recoup, you can hit the spa for a superfruit hydration wrap or the hyper-customized cold therapy facial – or head to lodgings that may feature a wet bar or a window-side soaking tub, a fireplace, or a sauna (or all four if you book the Presidential Suite). 

Time Out tip: If money’s no object, the staff can arrange private helicopter trips or after-hours tours of the Molly Brown House – they’ve even been known to engineer elaborate surprises for VIPs, like a recent speakeasy pop-up.

This 80-room LoDo anchor was Denver’s first hotel, built in 1891—and for the most part, it remains a stately representative of the Gilded Age, marked by marble expanses, carved woods, intricate ironwork, ornate antiques and period oil paintings. But a few exceptions are worth noting. Like the Cruise Room, Denver’s first post-Prohibition cocktail bar and an Art Deco gem. And a spa that does every au courant thing from pumpkin facials to Japanese hair straightening (as well as a “bath butler” to draw private soaks). And the modern farm-to-table steakhouse, Urban Farmer. And cool package partners like acclaimed local distillery Laws Whiskey House. The Oxford may be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it hardly rests on old-fashioned laurels.

Time Out tip: If live music, local art, and charcuteries is your kind of vibe, head to the Nighly Happenings down in the lobby. 

The moneyed but staid Cherry Creek neighborhood finally got the jolt of cool it needed with the 2016 opening of this 154-room tower managed by Makeready. While exuding minimalist chic from top to bottom – think sleek furnishings and silver gray-on-white tones – the Halcyon boasts amenities to the max for 21st-century movers and shakers. It’s home to two of Denver’s hottest restaurants: steakhouse Quality Italian and Local Jones, serving contemporary American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Its lobby-level “gear garage” stores longboards, mountain bikes, and other outdoor equipment for loan. The rooftop deck has it all: a pool, cabanas, panoramic views, and a bar, Rare Bird. 

Time Out tip: If you're in the mood for adventure, Halcyon have a nifty garage with all the outdoorsy gear you could need. From scooters to yoga mats to cruisers, you can have at them free of charge. 

The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Spa isn't in Denver's downtown (it's east of the city near the airport), but the behemoth resort has so many amenities, you won't even miss the trip into town. Beyond the sheer size of the place, rooms and shared spaces are tastefully outfitted with Western flair, including a panoramic view of the Rockies, an Insta-worthy vintage train caboose, and fireplaces with cushy seating. The fitness center has Peloton bikes, free weights, and cardio machines; plus there's a full-service spa with a steam room and a sauna.

Time Out tip: There's a reason it's the ideal weekend getaway for families: the indoor and outdoor pools feature waterslides, hot tubs, and a lazy river, plus outdoor games like minigolf, pickleball/tennis courts, basketball, and bikes to explore nearby recreational paths. 

At first (and even second) glance, it’s easy to mistake this striking 165-room luxury hotel in the Golden Triangle for one of the museums surrounding it. After all, its lobby and meeting rooms double as a showcase for a remarkable collection of works by Jim Dine, Sol LeWitt, and other modern masters. Even the standard guest rooms contain commissioned pieces (as do the elevators); they also offer skyline or mountain views – while the suites provide both. And the handsomely appointed fourth-floor terrace adjoining FIRE Restaurant, complete with multiple firepits, has become a happy-hour haunt for locals as well as visitors.  

Time Out tip: Need a car? No problem The Art Hotel offers guests a complimentary house car. Try not to go wild though, you're limited to a two-mile radius...

Brought to you by Marriott, the MOXY brand is hip, relaxed, and all about the small touches that can make a hotel stay memorable. The lobby lounge of this well-located Cherry Creek spot is impeccably designed, with comfy seating areas; when the weather is nice, the entire room opens up onto the fire-pit dotted patio. You'll receive a boozy welcome drink upon arrival, and it might be an hour or two before you even make it to your room – which will be modestly sized, but well-appointed with large windows, comfy beds, and modern amenities. The gym is one you'll actually want to work out in, and the front desk doubles as a bar, so socializing is basically built into your experience. And you won't just be chatting with other travelers – the Moxy is such a gem that even locals hang out.  

Time Out tip: The Cherry Creek trail goes on for about 42 miles, and as far as trails go, this one is super beginner-friendly. We recommend hopping on and off the path to grab a bite in between. If you want comfort food, Not your Mama's Meatloaf at the True Kitchen really hits the spot. 

Maybe it’s an effect of its location, adjacent to the Denver Performing Arts Complex (hence the name), but what makes this boutique hotel so special is the creativity with which its staff approaches the little things. Like the workshops that take place in the library-inspired lobby lounge called the Study, which range from calligraphy to bartending. And weekend brunch at signature New American restaurant the Nickel, which features a bottomless White Russian bar complete with cereal milk and, sometimes, a theme, such as Star Wars (costumes encouraged). And programs like the Craft Brew Concierge, which includes a cruiser-bike loan and a suggested itinerary for a brewery crawl. And the fact that you can book meetings in the stone-walled wine cellar. Never mind the genteel Renaissance Revival design of the 100-year-old former Tramway Building.

Time Out tip: We'd book a meeting room just for the heck of it if we were you...

This Kimpton property continues to earn its reputation for amenities. Take the nightly wine reception beneath the fabulously painted ceiling of the lobby. Or the director of pet relations who takes care of creature comforts, literally—right down to “loaning” goldfish to petless guests through concierge services. Or the yoga program, which includes a dedicated TV channel and a mat in each of the Monaco’s 189 colorfully decorated rooms. It should go without saying that the fitness center is unusually well equipped and the restaurant, Panzano, counts among the best in town for modern Italian fare. But we’re saying it anyway.

Time Out tip: With so many unique experiences on offer we can't necessarily tell you where to start, but we hope you make room for the hosted wine hour in the living room along the way...

Adjoining both the DIA and the railway station with trains to downtown Denver, this Westin hotel and conference center is the one plus ultra convenience for business travelers. But its singular practicality pales next to its unique aesthetic. The butterfly shape of the steel structure makes for myriad spaces with curved ceilings, angled walls, and/or triangular windows  – and speaking of windows, the glass façade offers magnificent views in all directions, whether you’re taking a dip in the pool on the 11th floor or sipping a cocktail in the Sky Lounge. Large-scale art installations rival the vistas, while the enormous public plaza linking the terminal to the hotel hosts a range of seasonal events – from rounds of putt-putt to film screenings and live performances – that could almost make you hope you get stranded at the airport.

Time Out tip: Booked a long-haul flight? You can swap the jetlag for comfort in the Executive suite. Failing that you could always take a cheeky dip in the hot tub. 

As they say, "it all happens at the source". And after you head up to the rooftop pool for yourself, you'll see why - it's all-round good vibes. Set in the very hip RiNo neighbourhood, where there's always something artsy and cool to check out, The Source Hotel is the perfect entre to all the urban charm this part of town has to offer - from Jazz bars to contemporary galleries. The rooms are certainly on par with the neighbourhood aesthetic. Featuring exposed concrete ceilings, skyline views and sleek panelled beds that will make you just as excited to start the day as you will be to end it. 

Time Out tip: Summers are made for enjoying the Rooftop Summer Spritz Garden, so head on up.

Housed in what a century ago was the Colorado National Bank, this Marriott contains the city’s most spectacular lobby by far: a three-story Greek Revival atrium rung around with enormous marble columns, graced with murals by Allen Tupper True and dotted with luxe furnishings that invite you to sit right down and soak it all up (or belly up to the Teller Bar situated along one wall to enjoy it over cocktails, sometimes enhanced by live music). Meanwhile, business travelers can book meetings in a former vault built into the other wall, and foodies can experience New American West cuisine as served at Range – including a bison, elk, and quail platter. Now that’s a taste of Colorado.

Time Out tip: Just a heads up that the hotel is currently;y under renovation so there might be a little less glam than usual. The mountain views from the rooms are still pretty spectacular though.