Thompson Denver

The Thompson Hotel in Denver, Colorado, is a stylish boutique hotel that blends modern luxury with a nod to the city's historic charm.

A few things have changed since my previous wonderful visit to the Thompson Hotel in Denver. First, I will say that the bed is incredible and I greatly enjoyed the visual appeal of my room. I also enjoyed the afternoon desserts at the check in / lobby. Plus, once rehabilitation of the lobby bar was finished, it was once again beautiful.

From the comfort my room, it was wonderful to watch the Denver rain storms every afternoon. And, I enjoyed the little design touches, like the unique mirrors in the room.

However – For one, parking has increased to $65 per night. For another, work was being done on 16th Street – yet again, which disrupted traffic flow. Adding onto that, when I checked in – I had a hell of a time simply finding where I could eat a burger and fries – at 3pm – in the hotel.

First, I asked my check in representative (who was awesome) confirmed that I could order food in Chez Maggy. However, once it was confirmed and I walked to the restaurant, I had to ask two other people in the restaurant – who apparently  didn’t know if they were serving food – before finally being able to order and eat. Wild.

Yes, they were fixing the lobby bar due to a plumbing flood in the hotel. But, I just wanted to know if I needed to order room service or could eat in the restaurant.

It was also annoying to me that I had to notify the front desk that my television did not work (apparently mine was the only one in the hotel that had this issue) and that items were left behind / removed during housekeeping.

Yes, the issues were fixed once they were brought to the hotel’s attention. However, for the price point, details matter.

All of this made the compulsory additional destination service charge feel excessive – even though I paid directly through the Hyatt website.

In conclusion – for the 16th Street construction, the lapses in service and the downright annoying increase in price for valet (in order to “stay competitive”, I was told) – the contrast between my first stay and my most recent stay are too wide for me to consider a stay again for my next visit. 

There are other options and Airbnbs in Denver, Cherry Creek and other areas.

-+-

Previously …..

The Thompson Hotel in Denver is a Hyatt brand hotel that makes me wish I was still a Globalist. But, as I’m currently an Explorist, I still received a lovely printed welcome note and a complimentary upgrade into a corner room.

The room itself was deliciously spacious. The bathroom was clean and modern. The shower was larger and the water was piping hot with medium water pressure – just the way I prefer.

The bed was delightfully comfortable. If I hadn’t been so woefully unprepared for my altitude sickness and inability to sleep because of it, I would have enjoyed it more.

Each day, I received a delightful turndown service, full of chocolate and a note that stated the weather forecast. During turn down service, my person turned on the television to a Calm sleep aid program. I used it the first night and greatly appreciated it.

Plus – talk about details – when my cleaning person saw my camera equipment on the desk, she later brought me a Thompson Denver lens cleaning cloth! Details, details, details.

The food and drinks venues, Reynard Social and Chez Maggy offered some of the best cocktails and breakfasts I’ve had this year.

And – most importantly – the valet understand that when you say you have to leave at 4am to get to Denver International Airport, your car is ready at that time. On the other hand, valet parking is $60. So – there’s also that.

Overall, I truly enjoyed my time at the Thompson Denver. It was close to everything I wanted to experience in Lower Downtown, close to everything I desired in the greater Denver area and offered the service and quality I expect from a Hyatt brand hotel.

- -