Accommodations
Greater Denver is a community of travelers: those who made their way here to live, those who come for vacations, and, increasingly, those who are sent here on business or for conventions. It’s one of those places residents seldom have trouble convincing friends and relatives from other states to come and visit. More than 12 million overnight visitors came to Denver in 2012, spending more than $2.7 billion in the process. The city’s tourism bureau marked that as a record year and expects the upward trend to continue.
The appetites of travelers for good accommodations are well matched by more than 45,000 hotel and motel rooms in the Denver area. Whether your tastes tend toward the magnificent or the humble, you’ll find plenty of choices.
Overview
One good general source of hotel information is Visit Denver, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. Its website is the region’s best for one-stop shopping, with information about lodging options throughout Metro Denver as well as an online booking engine. It also compiles deals and seasonal specials.
Denver hotels tend to be less vacation-driven and more commerce-oriented, but there is still some price variation from month to month. They do tend to give much better rates on weekends than during the week—a boon for the working person who wants a weekend getaway. Some offer special package deals that might include such things as tickets and a limousine ride to a show, carriage rides, or dinner at a local fine restaurant. Ask about discounts and specials when making reservations.
In general, downtown is the preferred location to stay while seeing the sights of Denver. The near-east side of Denver is the most convenient place to stay for those visiting the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Lodgings on the west side of Denver provide the best access to Golden, home of the Coors Brewery. The west side also allows fast access to downtown and makes for a speedy mountain getaway via I-70. Sporting events are another big attraction, and downtown or the near-west side are prime lodging locations for ready access to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field or the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Business travelers tend to gravitate toward hotels near the airport, in downtown Denver, and around the Denver Tech Center to the southeast.
Many hotels offer free continental breakfasts, transportation, newspapers, attached parking, and free or discounted access to nearby athletic clubs. In most of our listings, we haven’t detailed all the freebies, so make a point of asking when you check in.
1. Best Inn & Suites at Stapleton
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 320-0260, (877) 813-9355
Address: 4950 Quebec St.
Description: Well located in east Denver near the Stapleton neighborhood and Denver International Airport, this former Days Inn is a good bet for air travelers on a budget, business travelers on extended stays, and anyone who is relocating and needs a weekly or monthly rental. All rooms come with full kitchens and access to an outdoor pool and exercise room. Parking is free.
2. Best Western Plus DIA Inn & Suites
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 373-1600
Address: 7020 Tower Rd.
Description: This completely renovated Best Western is popular for its proximity to the airport just 15 minutes away. All rooms include free hot breakfast, a free business center, and access to indoor pool and hot tub. A free airport shuttle runs every half hour 24/7. Pets are allowed for a daily $20 fee.
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
4. Comfort Inn & Suites
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 388-8100
Address: 4685 Quebec St.
Description: This Comfort Inn offers 138 rooms near the new Stapleton neighborhood, just 17 miles south of Denver International Airport. While full development of the former airport site will take years to complete, Stapleton already boasts a full complement of shopping and dining destinations. It also is close to Northfield Stapleton, an outdoor shopping center built on land that once was used as landing strips. Guests of this hotel have access to a fitness center, wireless high-speed Internet service, and a free continental breakfast.
5. Comfort Inn Downtown
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 296-0400
Description: Although it’s an economy accommodation, this 231-room downtown hotel is connected by a skywalk across Tremont Place to the Brown Palace Hotel, one of Denver’s luxury inns. That means guests have access to many of the same amenities, including 24-hour room service, valet parking ($25 a day), and close proximity to the Brown’s elegant restaurants, lounges, meeting spaces, and lobby. The Comfort Inn is pet-friendly and provides its guests with free high-speed Internet service and full American breakfasts. The State Capitol, Civic Center, Denver Art Museum, and 16th Street Mall are a short walk away.
6. Courtyard Denver Airport
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 371-0300, (800) 228-9290
Address: 6901 Tower Rd.
Description: Billing itself as one of the hotels closest to Denver International Airport, this Courtyard property has 196 rooms and six suites, 2,900 square feet of meeting space, an indoor pool and fitness center, a full-service restaurant and bar, and complimentary parking and airport shuttle service. It also offers long-term park and fly packages.
7. Courtyard Denver Downtown
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 571-1114, (888) 249-1810
Description: Located on Denver’s downtown 16th Street Mall, this elegant Courtyard gets extra points for its proximity to just about everything, including the Colorado Convention Center, federal buildings, and the University of Colorado Denver. It has 166 rooms and 11 suites on six floors that overlook the city’s lively pedestrian mall. Amenities include 3,200 square feet of meeting space, valet parking ($26 a day), a fitness center, and the popular Rialto Cafe.
8. Courtyard Denver Stapleton
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 333-3303, (888) 238-8240
Address: 7415 E. 41st Ave.
Description: Positioned off I-70 on Denver’s northeast side, this Courtyard is adjacent to the new Stapleton neighborhood and 17 miles from Denver International Airport. It offers 134 rooms, 12 suites, 1,274 square feet of meeting space, and free on-site parking. Pets are welcome. Guests have access to an indoor pool, a fitness center, free parking, and a cafe that is open only for breakfast.
9. Crowne Plaza—Denver International Airport
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 371-9494
Address: 15500 E. 40th Ave.
Description: Renovated in 2008, this airy hotel has 255 rooms and three suites on six floors. Meals are served in The Terrace, a full-service restaurant, and at the Mountain Terrace, the lobby lounge. Located north of the Chambers Avenue exit from I-70, it also has nearly 80,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, an indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, and fitness room. Free parking is provided, as is free shuttle service to DIA and Stapleton shops. Pets are allowed.
10. Crowne Plaza Hotel Denver
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 573-1450
Address: 1450 Glenarm Place
Description: This centrally located downtown hotel was fully renovated in 2007, leaving it with 364 guest rooms and 32 suites on 16 floors. It’s within easy walking distance to the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Lower Downtown, and the State Capitol. Amenities include an outdoor pool, fitness center, Off Sixteenth Restaurant, a lobby bar called The Place, and 7,387 square feet of meeting space. Self-parking is available for $10 a day.
11. The Curtis
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 571-0300, (800) 525-6651
Address: 1405 Curtis St.
Description: The underlying theme at the trendy Curtis is pop culture. This whimsical boutique hotel in the heart of downtown has 13 themed floors, each devoted to a specific time in American pop culture. The 336 contemporary guest rooms have flat-screen TVs and iPod docks. Dine at the hotel’s The Corner Office and enjoy a drink at the upscale, urban Martini Bar. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about nearby entertainment options.
12. Denver Marriott City Center
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 297-1300, (800) 228-9290
Address: 1701 California St.
Description: Marriott’s flagship hotel in the city, the Denver Marriott City Center lies in the heart of Denver’s financial district, but also is less than two blocks from the city’s pedestrian mall and less than four blocks from the Colorado Convention Center. It is among the city’s largest hotels, with 601 rooms and 14 suites on 20 floors and 27,000 square feet of meeting space, which often is booked with high-profile fund-raisers, galas, and national conferences. Allie’s American Grille is open for breakfast and lunch; the subterranean D-Spot Lounge serves lunch, dinner, and cocktails. The Marriott also offers its guests a fitness center, an indoor pool, and valet parking ($29 a day).
13. Denver Marriott Tech Center
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 779-1100, (800) 228-9290
Address: 4900 S. Syracuse St.
Description: Alongside I-25 and on the edge of the city of Denver’s farthest southeast corner, this hotel provides excellent access to businesses located in the Denver Tech Center. With 616 rooms and 12 suites spread across 11 floors, this hotel offers its guests breathtaking views of the mountains to the west, the plains to the east, and Denver’s skyline to the northwest. Guests can choose from traditional and regional cuisine at The Lift and deli foods at the Front Range Trading Post. Recreational facilities include a workout room, indoor pool, outdoor pool whirlpool and spa, steam room, and racquetball and handball courts. Valet parking is $15 a day.
14. Doubletree Hotel Denver
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 321-3333
Address: 3203 Quebec St.
Description: Located 20 minutes from DIA and one of the finer “airport hotels,” the Doubletree is just off I-70 near the developing Stapleton neighborhood and offers free shuttle service to Denver International Airport as well as the Northfield Stapleton shopping center. It has an outdoor hot tub, an indoor pool, and exercise equipment for the guests in its 561 rooms. Facilities include The Café, two lounges, an indoor pool, and a renovated fitness center.
15. Drury Inn Denver East
City: Denver, CO
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (303) 373-1983
Address: 4380 Peoria St.
Description: A well-situated inn for the price-conscious traveler, the Drury Inn is off I-70 near Denver International Airport. A free breakfast bar and evening cocktails and snacks are available in the lobby. The hotel also has a heated indoor-outdoor pool and meeting rooms.