We live 3 hours from Denver and travel there often. We're in a hotel rut, though, and I'd love to hear some favorite hotels of other travelers. We've stayed at the downtown Westin (great pool) and Loews (fabulous) and, of course (since we have kids), Embassy Suites and Holiday Inns. Any other 'finds' out there that we should know about? We like the downtown and on south locations.

Denver, Portland, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Salt Lake City (proper) frustrate me for their lack of a true high end hotel. Sure, they each have hotels that rate in the 21-22 range (out of 30) on the Zagat scale, but no US Top 50 type properties. With the hotel boom of the 90's this continues to puzzle me.
Last time in Denver I tried the Inverness (former Scanticon, I believe)off I-25 S. Grounds are beautiful, setting peacefully removed from the metro frenzy. Rooms are Scandinavian style, which I find a bit sterile. A suite would probably have a better 'feel' to it. Close to the large mall out that way, Cherry-something.
Otherwise, Loews is my pref in Denver.
What about the St. Regis or Little Nell in Aspen, or is the metro part of the goal?

Have you checked out the new La Quites Suites at Hampden and Wadsworth on the Denver/Lakewood border?

Brown Palace - elegant, centrally located, but not the place for kids.

Hotel Monaco is the hot new hotel with a hot new restaurant downtown. It's supposed to have really cool decor and services, but I don't know what it would be like for kids.

I just stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Denver, $79. per night for the weekend. Nice pool, outside jacuzzi, jogging track and tennis court. Indoor fitness room small but lots of equipment, clean, TV's and newspapers, towels and water.
My room was huge with a walk-in closet, desk set up for computer and real office chair that was very comfortable, amoire with honor bar, iron and ironing board, coffee machine, hair dryer, bowl of hard candy on desk, easy chair and ottoman and two night tables. The lobby has a fireplace and bar with couches, the restaurant serves buffet and regular breakfast at reasonable rate and dinner was very good, the creme brulee was outstanding and more than enough for two to share. It was close to the 16th street pedestrian zone and within walking distance of capital, art museum, shops, theater, etc. The parking garage is next door and there is valet service but I choose to leave it there for the weekend and arriving after 6pm on Friday the rate until Sunday afternoon was only $15!
I highly recommend this hotel.

Stayed at the Brown Palace a few years ago, and it was delightful.

The downtown Hyatt sounds like it may be worth checking into--thanks for the suggestion, Dennis. A friend and I just got back last night from a Christmas shopping spree in Denver. Had a marvelous (as usual) stay at Loews, but the hotel isn't in the most convenient location--it's midway between downtown and the new Park Meadows Mall area out south. The restaurant situation around Loews isn't the greatest either (with the exception of the in-house restaurant, Tuscany). I did check out Hotel Monaco but they were booked...after investigating their website, though, I'm intrigued and will try again sometime.

There is a new Omni in the Denver area, although I'm not sure exactly where it's located. I saw an ad for it while visiting another Omni last week. I always like the Omni chain so it may be worth checking out!

Gee, no one mentioned the Oxford, right across from Union Station. I've stayed there many times, and love it. I'm not sure about kids, but it is right in the heart of Lodo, has a great resturant (very upscale) and The Market, on Larimer is right around the corner... I like the Oxford more than the Brown.

I just got back from Denver. After trying all the moderately priced hotels from my mom's AAA book in the west side of Denver, (La Quinta, etc), that were in what looked like not so great areas (a little on the seedy side) my dad spotted a Marriot across the highway. I don't know the exact location but it's called the Denver West Marriot and it's across from a mall. We stayed there, and I recommend it. The staff were all very courteous, and the pool facilities were very nice. The gym was an added bonus, very clean with good locker rooms.

I stayed at the Monaco last year and loved it. Very cool and contemporary and my room was huge! Fabulous decor, great staff. Makes a change from the cookie cutter chains.

I just got back from Denver and had a great stay at the Hotel Teatro. I definitely recommend this boutique hotel. They have a complimentary Range Rover to take you around town and have Aveda bath products and a great bathroom (comfy tub, glass walk in overhead shower). I felt like it was my own personal spa. Nice linens on bed and high end furniture make you feel pampered. Also had a great Breakfast at their bar Jou Jou. This space has a New York, swank feel about it. Do yourself a favor and stay here for a couple of nights. It was reasonably priced too.

Check out the Marriott Courtyard downtown (16th & Champa). It doesn't look anything like a typical Courtyard. It is in a restored 4 or 5 floor former office building. The location is great - right on the 16th street mall, just a couple of blocks from the Buell theatre and the Denver Pavilion. Last time I checked you could get top floor presidential suites (with rooftop terraces) on the weekends for under $150.

Sorry for this dumb quesiton, but what are the tourist hi-lights of Denver.

The architecture of the downtown neighborhoods (capitol hill, 7th, congress park). The aquarium.

Thats it. For the rest, go to the mountains. And yes, I left Lodo out on purpose.

I never would have guessed this thread would still be plugging along a year later when I originally asked this question. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I've always been curious about Hotel Teatro and am now anxious to try it. Since my original post, we've discovered a great hotel midway between Denver and Boulder--the Omni Interlocken. We stayed there this summer and zipped downtown to see "Fosse" in no time flat. The Omni is a beautiful resort right next to a 27 hole golf course and close to the new Flatiron Mall.