Thompson Denver hotel review – The Points Gu...

What’s the Thompson Denver?

Opened in 2022, the Thompson Denver was designed by New York Metropolis agency Components and Labor Design with a purpose of incorporating the Thompson model’s signature midcentury trendy fashion with delicate (not kitschy) nods to the close by Rocky Mountains. Having lived in Colorado for greater than a decade (and seen my fair proportion of kitschy mountain-themed lodging), I would say it succeeded.

The rooms and customary areas draw from a palette of earth tones, with components like wooden, marble and leather-based including to the pure really feel. Modern artwork items and industrial lighting fixtures hold the decor from feeling outdated or fusty, and enjoyable touches like a puzzle within the foyer and snacks at check-in add to the approachable vibe.

With a number of methods to ebook with factors and miles, that is an inexpensive place to remain in fashion whereas exploring the Mile Excessive Metropolis. It is also a haven for foodies (and nonfoodies like me), with an on-site French restaurant helmed by award-winning French chef Ludo Lefebvre and an unbeatable location within the coronary heart of Denver’s eating scene.

The way to ebook the Thompson Denver

Money charges on the Thompson Denver typically hover round $300 per evening, although they will climb previous $800 on peak dates. Fortunately, there are a number of methods to save lots of utilizing lodge factors and bank card perks.

It is a Class 5 Hyatt property, that means you may’t use Hyatt’s precious Class 1-4 free evening certificates right here. Per Hyatt’s award chart, an award keep right here will value you 17,000, 20,000 or 23,000 factors per evening, relying on whether or not the dates fall into Hyatt’s definition of “off-peak,” “customary” or “peak” intervals.

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The placement cannot be beat

The Thompson Denver is within the coronary heart of LoDo (Decrease Downtown), town’s most historic and central neighborhood, and across the nook from Denver’s ever-popular sixteenth Road Mall. You possibly can simply discover the mall’s purchasing and eating on foot or by hopping on one of many free MallRide buses that run from Union Station to Civic Middle Station. You will be inside straightforward strolling distance of the Denver Mint, Downtown Aquarium, Elitch Gardens theme park, Comedy Works Downtown, Holey Moley minigolf and extra.

Throughout my go to in December, the realm was decked out in festive lights and garlands, with an outside skating rink only a couple blocks from the lodge.

Foodies could by no means need to go away the Thompson’s flagship restaurant, Chez Maggy. However if you happen to do, you may discover loads of eating choices inside straightforward strolling distance, from the Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant Bruto to the hip Milk Market meals corridor.

Whether or not you are a first-time customer hoping to hit Denver’s primary points of interest or a longtime Coloradan searching for a enjoyable weekend downtown, the Thompson Denver is ideally located.

Getting there

In fact, with this prime location comes the battle of parking downtown. If you happen to’re coming from Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN), your greatest wager is to take the RTD A Line from the airport to Union Station and stroll or catch a trip the previous couple of blocks to the lodge.

If you happen to’re driving, the one lodge parking possibility is valet, which prices $64 per evening with in-out privileges. That is definitely probably the most handy and nice possibility — the valets had been extremely pleasant (to each me and my canine), and the QR code they supplied made it straightforward to request my automobile.

Rooms are small however luxurious

My customary king visitor room felt appropriately elegant for the vibe of the lodge — however there have been additionally a number of considerate, homey touches that made the room extra comfy.

I arrived to discover a piece of chocolate on the mattress and a handwritten be aware with the climate forecast for the following day. One other be aware listed the lodge’s eating venues and their hours, the health heart hours, and a map exhibiting the placement of water and ice stations on every flooring.

There have been two bathrobes ready for me, together with a pair of velvety slippers.

A barn door revealed a well-equipped rest room, with further towels, a hair dryer, a double-sided vainness mirror and a brown washcloth for make-up wearers. The spacious bathe had each a rain-style overhead fixture and an extendable wand. There have been Bowmakers tub merchandise and some different toiletry gadgets supplied free of charge, in addition to for-purchase kits (just like the Mile Excessive Miracle pores and skin equipment by Pores and skin Authority for $75) in case I wished to have a spa evening.

Dried eucalyptus hanging over the bathroom added a spa-like contact and a light-weight perfume.

As an alternative of an iron, there was a steamer supplied within the closet. There have been additionally baggage and directions for how you can get your sneakers shined and fitness center garments laundered free of charge, among the facilities included with the $25 nightly vacation spot price (extra on that later).

Moreover the standard espresso/tea station, the room was loaded with snacks, drinks and different useful gadgets obtainable for buy. Costs weren’t low-cost; just a few examples embrace a $10 bag of kettle chips, a $16 chocolate bar, $20 canned cocktails and a $25 smartphone charging equipment. I appreciated the notes included within the snack tray explaining how a lot every merchandise value, which some lodges miss.

The nightstands held a cellphone and an old-school Victrola radio, which you’ll connect with your cellphone through Bluetooth to play music. The thermostat was straightforward to make use of, and I discovered each the warmth and air con extraordinarily quiet when working. There have been additionally each customary and USB shops across the room.

The closet had a few slick touches that I discovered very helpful. Its glass doorways routinely lit up once I opened them (and beeped if I forgot to shut them), and motion-activated lights beneath illuminated the ground once I walked by (useful once I wanted to search out my technique to the toilet through the evening).

Storage is proscribed

Like many metropolis lodges, the Thompson Denver has a small footprint, so every flooring has solely round 18 rooms. This implies each room is conveniently near the elevator and ice/water station, however the rooms are additionally on the smaller aspect.

The tall glass-fronted cupboard was the one place to retailer my belongings — however with solely two small drawers and a curtain rod, it did not appear very thoughtfully designed for this goal.

Though the bathe was roomy, there wasn’t a lot area to retailer toiletries. Equally, there was no logical place to hold a hand towel close to the sink.

Since I would introduced my mischievous canine alongside, all of the snacks mendacity round had been extra an inconvenience than an amenity. I needed to lock the snack tray within the closet, shrinking my space for storing much more. As well as, all the fragile glassware in every single place appeared at odds with the lodge’s extraordinarily dog-friendly coverage (extra on that later) and will pose a problem for anybody touring with boisterous pets or younger youngsters.

Between the small, cozy rooms, upscale decor and opulent touches, the Thompson Denver appears best for a romantic getaway. It might be much less suited to a big household group, until you are ready to splurge for a collection.

The pet coverage is beneficiant

Facilities vary from customary to surprising

The lodge foyer is a lovely place to work or learn, chat together with your touring companions, or strive your hand at a puzzle. It by no means appeared very crowded (although to be truthful, I stayed from Monday to Wednesday). There’s additionally assembly area downstairs; if it is not in use, you may take pleasure in some peace and quiet within the seating areas between assembly rooms.

There is a health heart on the underside flooring with a wide range of cardio machines, free weights, kettlebells and train balls.

There are additionally a number of facilities that include the nightly $25 vacation spot price. A be aware in my room outlined the “citywide perks” included with this price:

• Bubbles and cookies at check-in
• In-house shoe shining and fitness center garments laundering
• Printing and enterprise companies (15-page restrict)
• Refillable bottled water in room
• Free tickets to the Denver Zoo and a ten% low cost on meals and present store purchases (as much as 4 per day obtainable to all the lodge on a first-come, first-served foundation)
• Reductions at varied native retailers and eating places (as an example, a free beverage at Milk Tea Folks or 20% off all companies at Luxe Salon). To make use of these, I used to be instructed to easily convey the cardboard with me.

The eating is divine

The Thompson Denver is residence to a restaurant, bar and occasional store. The lodge used to have a lounge known as Reynar Social, however that not too long ago closed and is slated to reopen in early 2025 as occasion area.

Chez Maggy

The star of the present is Chez Maggy, a conventional French brasserie helmed by Ludo Lefebvre, an award-winning chef and restaurateur who’s appeared on cooking reveals comparable to “Iron Chef.”

Though Chez Maggy sounds (and tastes) upscale, the environment felt as down-to-earth as any Denver brewery. You possibly can dress up and make a date evening out of it, or you might cease by in yoga pants to eat breakfast whereas working in your laptop computer.

Since I am vegan — and French delicacies is not recognized for being significantly veg-friendly — I used to be stunned to search out myself changing into a Chez Maggy convert through the course of my keep. The restaurant employees members had been extraordinarily useful once I knowledgeable them of my dietary wants, and each (veganized) dish I sampled was scrumptious, together with the chopped salad ($14), crispy chickpea wrap, oatmeal ($12) and avocado toast ($13).

There is a useful QR code in every room to order room service. The restaurant expenses a $5 price for supply, or you may pop downstairs and seize takeout free of charge.

Along with Chez Maggy, there’s the swanky Bar M subsequent door, the place you will get blended drinks and all the identical meals as Chez Maggy.

Accessibility

The Thompson Denver is provided for a wide range of friends’ wants. It presents wheelchair-accessible visitor rooms with wider doorways, roll-in showers and toilet seize bars. In keeping with the lodge’s website, the concierge desk, registration desk, eating places, public restrooms and health heart are all wheelchair-accessible as properly.

For visually impaired friends, Braille indicators might be discovered all through the constructing. Listening to-impaired visitor rooms can be found, with textual content telephones and closed-caption decoders — however I did not see these as an possibility when reserving, so you may in all probability should contact the lodge to make sure one is prepared for you.

Causes the Thompson Denver won’t be for you

I used to be impressed by the lodge’s good location, beautiful widespread areas and delectable eating. Nonetheless, relying in your journey fashion, you might desire to look elsewhere.

• If you happen to’re touring with youngsters or pets, this lodge may really feel a bit cramped, with too many edible and breakable gadgets inside straightforward attain.
• If you happen to’re extraordinarily delicate to smells, the Thompson model’s signature eucalyptus scent could possibly be uncomfortable.
• If you happen to’re searching for a calming retreat, you might desire a lodge with a pool, sizzling tub or spa.

Testing

Total, the Thompson Denver felt luxurious but accessible — in additional methods than one. Its (normally) cheap money charges and some ways to ebook with factors and miles make this upscale lodge straightforward to ebook for a wide range of vacationers and budgets. The restaurant was elegant, with wonderful meals and repair, with out feeling pretentious. And the employees members had been at all times pleasant and attentive, by no means making me really feel misplaced — even in my fitness center garments.

Plus, the Thompson’s location within the heart of downtown makes it an ideal residence base for first-time and repeat guests alike to discover the Mile Excessive Metropolis.

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