CALMSP

i would strongly recommend staying downtown at the Brown. The historic feel alone makes the visit worth it. Plenty of shopping and eating to do around it as well.

JW Cherry Creek is also nice, with the same shopping/eating across the street.

Frequent Freak

If you mean the downtown one, I agree. Great property, only a couple years old and still, for now, a Cat 5.

Downtown CY is decent for a CY. Downtown Marriott is OK, nothing special. Haven't had the best service at the RI, although the hard product is OK.

Regarding airport properties, I like the Stapleton Ren a little more than the Marriott at Gateway Park, although the latter gives you a week of park-n-fly (must ask). I think the Marriott just went to Cat 6 while the Ren is still a 5.

The FS in Golden is a bit old but well maintained and usually dead on weekends. The FS in Park Meadows (just south of 25/470) is newer and nice. I've heard bad things about the FS at the Tech Center, but have never stayed there. Probably Cat 3 for a reason.

pinniped

For a Denver weekend stay, I'd definitely want one of the properties truly within the downtown city center area. (Possible exception being Boulder...I hadn't really thought of that.) For a Gold/Plat on your own nickel, I'd probably go Brown Palace. Although I do notice the regular Marriott often has really cheap rates on weekends: I suppose that would be an acceptable choice as well.

I stay at the Courtyard when I'm out there on business. Our weekday rates there are fantastic and it's a very good property. Frankly, it's the kind of property that really makes me wish Golds and Plats were more welcome at Courtyards: then I'd be singing its praises to you. It's directly on the 16th Street Mall - perfect location.

The only way I wouldn't recommend downtown is if you know you plan to do a lot of driving anyway (Boulder, Colorado Springs, the mountains, etc.). The main benefit of being downtown is that you can do so much without a car. Performing arts, bars, restaurants, a couple museums, pro sports, etc.: it's all right there. Either a walk or short (and free!) bus ride away, no matter which end of downtown you're on. Closely look at Marriott's map though: I seem to recall that there are some hotels they describe as "downtown" that appear to be a mile or two away. Perhaps not a huge deal if you don't mind longer walks, but could be important to some.

The JW Cherry Creek is probably a fine hotel but I'm not sure what you'd do there, other than drive somewhere else.

Frequent Freak

The SHS is just outside of the "core" downtown but is still an easy walk there. However... there are two RIs. The "City Center" one is in the core central business district but the "Downtown" one is a ways away, on the other side of I-25, and not really walkably convenient to true downtown or LoDo.

There's also a Towneplace Suites "Denver Downtown" which always seems to come up at the top of searches, but is in fact a couple miles south on Speer and not convenient at all to what I'd consider "downtown".

One other thing, parking. You can park on the street for free on weekends starting a block or two east of Broadway. An easy walk to the true downtown properties, unless there's a blizzard going on (has happened to me).

jr1202sr

Do any of the DT properties have balconies (or the JW?). Anyone stay at the new Renaissance?

bigshooter

ive stayed at the brown, Marriott cc, and courtyard and after moving here I can actually see the Ritz from my deck.

the Ritz is nice and luxurious but across the street from the bus stop. lots of bums hanging around.

Marriott CC is nice but the rooms aren't anything special.

brown is cool looking, but older rooms (and apparently haunted )

I'd actually choose the Courtyard off 16th st mall out of all the choices.

I would take others advice and stay outside of Denver if you're looking for a better overall atmosphere. there's a new Marriott in Westminster that looks nice and is in between Denver/Boulder

only stay downtown if you want to walk to the ballpark or REALLY enjoy the smell of weed

bigshooter

lol. just noticed the opening post was from March. Hope she said yes.

jr1202sr

on biz and going to be a tourist for 4 days what do you suggest? I assumed DT was a good area. Where would you recommend?

SkiAdcock

Here's what we have in the exec lounge sticky for the new Ren:

* Denver / Renaissance Downtown City Center / Website doesn't say if open or closed; no reports by FTers as of 06/26/14

jr1202sr, if you do end up staying there please do a trip report/update the exec lounge sticky. Thx!

Cheers.

C17PSGR

Depends what you want to do.

I rank DT choices as

1. Brown Palace - I like the character
2. City Center - decent concierge lounge. A little blah. Occasionally an upgrade to a corner king in dozens of stays as a PP. Never an apparent recognition that I have stayed there dozens of times. Then again, I don't think they have any suites. Still ... all my other regular hotels have GM's that reach out to me and express their appreciation.
3. Ritz -- no food for elites. Kind of a blah place although furnishing are a little more upscale (but not more modern) than the Marriott. Great gym.
4. Courtyard -- on the mall. Usually significantly more expensive than the Marriott!

If you're looking outside of DT and have a car, I like the JW Marriott in Cherry Creek and the Renaissance in Flatiron.


I like

billycwhatup

Another vote for the R-C downtown (with the JW Cherry Creek if the location is not a turnoff). The gym associated with the Ritz is beyond outstanding (connected to the hotel with access for guests but a stand alone athletic club).

joetro

How would Residence Inn City Center versus SpringHill Suites Downtown compare as a gold? RI seems closer and more convenient but SH gets a bit better reviews on flyertalk.

clarence5ybr

Unfortunately, the correct statement as of last month is that the JW Cherry Creek had an amazing lounge. The further bad news is that the lounge closure is supposedly part of a 'test' program that may thus roll out to more and more properties...

Link to thread on closing of JW Cherry Creek lounge

bigshooter

I live across the street from the downtown Ritz, so don't spend too many nights in Denver hotels anymore. But the SHS is the nicest SHS I have ever stayed in (used it while moving). The residence inn is just as far of a walk from most bars/restaurants as the SHs, but you don't have to cross Speer to get there (some long lights).

I'd personally go for the SHS unless the RI is cheaper. Also make sure it's not the ri off zuni, that's up in highlands and not really walkable to anything, although highlands and highlo or whatever they call it is a nice neighborhood with lots of stuff to do.

joetro

Thanks. I think I've settled on Grand Hyatt versus Hyatt Regency for the other night, so the RI is definitely much closer walking than SHS. SHS also seems a bit farther from the airport bus.