It's like staying at the Hotel Dorian Grey; lovely on the outside, crazy on the inside. On the plus side we were able to check in early; on the minus, it was a tiny room at twice what we had been paying across the street at the Comfort Inn (recommended). The TV remote was missing and we finally had to go to the front desk to get one. The lights by the bed were broken and the room clock was set to six hours behind the time. Those were little enough things, but the topper is that I'm now sitting across the street (back in the Comfort Inn) to write this because there was an extra charge for Internet in the room--even though the ad on the website implies it is included.

If one pays a lot for the thrill of staying in a first-class hotel, then one expects first class service and accomdations. Maybe the two hotels (owned by the same company) should just switch managers?

If you do stay at the Brown Palace, do make reservations through the hotel's website. They do have the best price; I wish we had.

Plus: lovely lobby, nice restaurant, bar, quiet room, seems clean (but small). Denver is a great place to visit in the summer.

Brown Palace reviews seem to fluctuate between lavish praise and angry criticism, so it was with some trepidation that we booked two nights here on Hotwire, at the beginning and end of our Colorado vacation. Overall, we found more to commend than to gripe about.

Night One: We arrived rather late and were given Room 603. Though plush, it was very tiny, with the queen-size bed taking up most of the room. In the Ship Tavern there was just enough time to order a delicious Starboard Salad before a night of tossing and turning in the springy bed, where the fancy linens couldn't quite make up for the room's smallness. (And yes, we could hear/feel other doors slamming on the floor.) Upon checkout we asked for a room with two beds when we returned, if possible, and the affable desk clerk said he would try.

Night Two: We received a much bigger room this time, 312 -- compared to 603 it was positively palatial. This grand room made it much easier to enjoy the hotel's elegant traditional style and the upscale amenities, including a flat-screen TV and aromatic Spa toiletries.

All was fine -- until we returned from a great Rockies game to find an extremely LOUD wedding reception vibrating right beneath the room. Since we had to get up early we were both miserable at the prospect of another sleepless night at the Brown Palace. Luckily, again, the Front Desk came to the rescue and moved us to Room 714, which was (unbelievably) even bigger than Room 312 -- if it were a Manhattan studio apartment it could probably sell for more than a half-million dollars. (The room's "rack rate" on the door was listed at $600.) We slept quite well in this posh, quiet room and felt that, all things considered, our experience here was mostly positive, especially since we were paying a reduced rate.

In short, the Brown Palace is a fabulous historic landmark, but as a century-old building it can compete only so far with today's sleek, contemporary hotels. Nonetheless, we had absolutely NO issues with water pressure/hot water, like in some previous trip reports. And everyone we dealt with -- Front Desk, Bellmen, Housekeeping, Ship Tavern bartender -- was as warm and friendly as could be.

The hotel has a historic charm. I stayed at this hotel while attending a conference there. The size of the hotel made it a very convenient conference venue. It was so easy to go back and forth between my room and the conference rooms on the second floor and the lobby. The front desk, bell and concierge staff were very helpful and friendly. I ordered room service, which I was extremely pleased with. I also ate in the tavern restaurant, which I also very much liked. The location was prime, a one block walk to the 16th Street Mall shops, restaurants, free shuttle, and also a short walk to attractions such as Lodo, the Capitol building and Mint. There was no gift shop, which I usually visit. Although there are nearby stores. I did not try the afternoon tea in the center of the lobby, but it looked very scrumptious and inviting.

The Brown Palace is one of the most beautiful historic (1890s) hotels that I've seen--and I've seen quite a few, because I particularly enjoy staying in historic hotels. The atrium lobby is spectacular. And, despite its age, the hotel is in great shape. My room was lovely, very comfortable and well-appointed. (Not everyone may appreciate the reproduction Victorian-style furniture, but it goes with the hotel.) Unlike so many upscale hotels, the room had a coffee-maker, which I appreciated. The bathroom, obviously recently re-done, was particularly nice. (The shower had two shower heads, one in the wall and a second in the ceiling, which was a new experience for me.) The only small drawback to the room was limited closet space.
I was at the hotel for a meeting so didn't take advantage of some of the amenities, such as the spa or having tea in the lobby, but the meeting rooms were nice, and the service provided for the meetings was good.
I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to stay at the Brown Palace, which I've admired during previous visits to Denver.