Loading...

CO Denver Hotel Monaco Downtown


Travlin1
By Travlin1,
in

Recommended Posts

My two teenage sons and I just returned from a several-day (July 2009) stay at the Hotel Monaco Denver, which is one of a number of charming Kimpton boutique hotels. As Kimpton Hotel fans know, no two Kimptons are alike, except that they all focus on service and fun. We had previously stayed at Kimpton's Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, MA, and adored it. While Hotel Marlowe is new, glitzy, and elegant, this Kimpton is somewhat older and could stand some renovation. That having been said, it was still a delightful hotel. The lobby floor is wooden, with expensive rugs, the beds are very comfortable, the decor is colorful and whimsical, and the amenities are numerous.

Here are a few examples of the hotel's special touches: The lobby is large and inviting, with overstuffed chairs and couches, and cushy ottomans. The lobby ceiling is tall and impressively and colorfully painted. Guests often take their complimentary New York Times and gather in the mornings for complimentary coffee and tea, and again for complimentary wine in the late afternoon. Afternoons also feature complimentary Wii games on a large TV screen. Interestingly, there were as many adults playing as there were teens. When you return from a hot afternoon of playing tourist, you find a large tub of ice in which complimentary popsicles are buried upside down ... just pull a wooden stick and enjoy. Kimpton In-touch members enjoy free in-room WiFi; others have free WiFi in the lobby. Hotel computer use is free for 15 minutes each day.

The hotel is pet-friendly. I saw one man with three Scotties on a tripartite leash. While relaxing in the lobby, I enjoyed petting several well-behaved dogs and chatting with their owners. (Never saw an unruly dog....I suspect that people who travel with their dogs also train them well.) When you check in, you can request the complimentary loan of a pet fish in a cute fish bowl. The daily maid service takes care of the fish, so you don't have to.

The hotel is located at the intersection of Champa and 17th Street, just one block from the famous 16th Street pedestrian mall and its free, constantly-running buses. We took the bus to the end of the line and then walked about 6 blocks to Coors Stadium (marvelous facility, with nary a bad seat to be found) for a Colorado Rockies baseball game. Although we planned to reverse that process on the way back, we instead opted to take the open-air pedi-cab conveniently waiting outside the stadium. I had never ridden in a pedi-cab before but was impressed that it was operated by a friendly and clearly-fit bicycle rider. The pedi-cab swiftly took us to the hotel door (literally up on the sidewalk) for $12.

There are a number of sites (the Capitol, history museum, famous Tattered Cover bookstore, tea in the Brown Palace lobby) either on the pedestrian mall bus line or within a few blocks of it.

The best part of the Hotel Monaco Denver is the staff. They were all young people who were uniformly upbeat, personable, and helpful. They cheerfully printed computer directions to various attractions and answered all questions. When I once called from my room and apologized for being a "pest" by asking multiple questions, the desk clerk graciously replied, "I'm always happy to hear your voice, Ms. ___." (And there was no sarcasm!)

This is not a cookie-cutter hotel, but is one that I highly recommend if you love well-staffed, friendly, upscale smaller hotels.

Link to comment
Need help with your own trip?

Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account
Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
EXCLUSIVELY at BetterBidding:
10% OFF

PRICELINE COUPON


(click here) and use

promo code

: EASTEREGG

(Hotel and Car Express Deals max $60 discount... expires 03/31/2024)
QUICKQUOTE [X]
PRICELINE & HOTWIRE on one screen!
NOTE: Priceline searches for
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY
Room %roomN%:
Age of child:
FINDFAST[X]
×
×
  • Create New...