It’s no secret that one of my favorite hotel brands is the Kimpton Hotel. From my multiple stays in cities such as Washington, Alexandria, and Philadelphia, one can always expect a great lodging experience. Recently, we headed to Denver to visit family and do a little sightseeing. We picked Denver as our base and chose to stay at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver. This modern hotel in the center of the city reaffirmed why I always seek Kimpton properties in my travels. You immediately feel the warmth of the property as you enter the lobby. It is decorated in warm colors and cowboy inspired art. This scene feels particularly cozy during the famous Kimpton Wine Hour (complimentary wine from 5-6pm).
The Hotel: The Hotel Monaco Denver is located in the city center, which is great if you are doing business in the city or just want to walk to shops and restaurants. It also makes a good base if going on day trips as it has an easy access to the highway. The downside of having a car: the hotel only offers valet parking at $38, however, we found a self-park lot on the same block for $16 a day. If you want to explore the city, the hotel has bikes you can borrow for the day. The bikes are available first come, first serve. We took one for the day and explored museums, craft breweries, and rode along the Cherry Creek.
The Room: When we first arrived to our deluxe room, we noticed a strong smell of cigarettes. The hotel is a non-smoking hotel and we were surprised about the smell. We called the front desk and were immediately moved to another room, this one being a suite. Aside from the cigarette smell, the deluxe room was a comfortable size and beautifully decorated. It even came with a goldfish! Our suite was just as beautiful, it was quite roomy with a separate living room area and large bathroom. What impressed me the most was the service. It was already late (around 10:30pm) and the front desk had us in a new room in less than 10 minutes.
The Service: The service was friendly and professional. From the bellhop going out of his way to help size and air our bikes to the quick room change, the service was on point. The lobby area was always stocked with infused water and coffee flowed freely in the morning.
The Food: We had dinner at Panzano, the Italian restaurant at the hotel. Panzano is quite popular with locals, constantly voted one of the top restaurants in Denver. We had dinner there our last evening and enjoyed the lively atmosphere, the knowledgeable waiter, and the open kitchen of executive chef Elise Wiggins. The cuisine is inspired by Northern Italy and you can see that in the hearty pastas such as the lamb ragu with homemade malfadine pasta and pastiche, a decadent dish with layers of cheese tortellini and spicy meatballs. The waiter insisted we order the ceasar salad. When we bit into the grilled hearts of romaine with a rich ceasar dressing topped with salty anchovies, I almost shed a tear of happiness. A simple salad was turned into an experience. I also loved the iPad wine list. You can tap on each wine to get detailed information about the wine and suggested pairings.
The Verdict: Great hotel in a moderate price range (avg nightly rate $160), superb amenities (free wine and bicycles), and comfortable rooms. Although the Hotel Monaco Denver is part of the larger Kimpton brand, you can see the local touches throughout the property. Another stay to reaffirm why Kimpton is one of my favorite hotel brands.
* Disclaimer: Part of my stay was sponsored by Hotel Monaco Denver. As always, opinions are my own.
Kimpton is a great brand, Looking forward to my upcoming stay at a D.C. property in a few days.
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