Ritz Carlton- Denver, CO

Full disclosure- this was a points redemption stay. Chain hotels aren’t usually my thing, and this stay reminded me why. The Denver Ritz is fine- it will get the job done, but in a very bland way. Life is too short for bland. 

Opened as an Embassy Suites in 1983, the hotel was located on the lower floors of the then new mixed use Denver Place, a 38 floor skyscraper. In 2005, the hotel space was renovated, and reopened as the Ritz Carlton. It doesn’t appear much has been done to the property since then. The rooms feel dated, and definitely not luxurious. 

For those not in town on business, the hotel is in a bit of a no man’s land, with only a handful of restaurants close by. While the in-house option, Elway’s, does have excellent chili (no beans!), the décor was generic, and somewhat sad for a fairly pricey restaurant. Further, the surrounding area is less than scenic, with half the rooms overlooking a dirt lot that was once the Greyhound Station.

Denver has a lot of hotels, and I can’t say I would be tempted to revisit this one. That said, it is an easy walk from the train station, and would work well for those with business in the immediate area. Just expect more of a mid-level Marriott experience, versus what the name might suggest.