The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection

"First impressions?Understated opulence greets you the moment you walk through the doors of the 241-room Brown Palace, where you'll find an eight-story atrium surrounded by ornate cast-iron railings. The welcome manages to be both formal and inviting, a blend of elegance and casual atmosphere mimicked in the architecture of the Italian Renaissance building famous for its Colorado red granite exterior. Located in the heart of the Financial District, the Brown Palace is the city’s original luxury hotel, host to everyone from pop stars to presidents. Who else is there?You’ll find sophisticated world travelers and a multigenerational blend of people who appreciate the hotel’s historic architecture and refined luxury. There’s also a hefty number of suited business travelers with large expense accounts in the mix due to its prime location downtown. What you won’t see are new college graduates or hostel types traveling on their own. How's the service on arrival?When you’ve been operating for this long, you’ve got the small things down. The Brown Palace has a fleet of staff prepped to make check-in seamless, and the hotel is easy to navigate despite its size. And the rooms?A top-to-bottom makeover in 2015 invested $10.5 million to ensure that although the Brown Palace may be the city’s most storied hotel, its rooms are modern and comfortable. Guest rooms are done up in soothing shades of cream and sandstone, with hints of sapphire and airy window coverings. Beds are fluffy and comfortable—just like hotel beds should be—and bathrooms feature ornate vanities and white and gray tiling. If you really want to splurge, book one of the hotel’s suites. Everyone from the Beatles to Teddy Roosevelt have stayed at the Brown Palace, and the suites offer extras like oversized marble bathrooms, soaking tubs, and rain showers. Any details stand out?You can expect to find the standard flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and device charging stations in each room, but nothing that you’ll rave about later. How about food?Ask any longtime local of Denver what they remember about the Brown Palace, and it’s probably the afternoon tea. From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily, guests sip tea and munch on cucumber finger sandwiches beneath the hotel’s soaring atrium. Devonshire cream is shipped directly from England, a harpist plays music softly in the background, and you’re transported to a more civilized, less hurried world. If you happen to visit during the holidays, sparkling decorations everywhere you look elevate the tea from great to gorgeous. Start your day with an Allegro latte and a pastry at the hotel’s in-house coffee shop, located near the main entrance, and Ellyngton's is the place for Sunday brunch or a power lunch. Multi-course fine dining and a well-curated wine list is offered at the Palace Arms, a bastion of cultured dining where you can expect a seasonal menu of Colorado game. Anything else we should be sure to check out?There aren’t many hotels in Denver with a great spa, so the Brown Palace stands out thanks to its six intimate treatment rooms, a nail and hair salon, and a VIP couples suite. Opt for the Colorado River Stone treatment, a blissful 80-minute massage that incorporates warm and cool river rocks to relieve tension. Bottom line.Luxurious guest rooms and cloud-like beds ensure a good night’s sleep, while an onsite spa and the hotel’s storied history are unique to the Denver lodging scene." - Megan Barber