There’s no place like home for the holidays—or so the Christmas song goes. Consider that your cue to take a staycation and immerse yourself in all the festive fun the Mile High City has to offer this time of year.
From a Grinch-themed immersive ice experience to maximalist holiday suites, here are five hotels in and around Denver that go all out for the season.
The Curtis: Best Pet-Friendly Getaway
The Curtis’ Hyper Holiday pop-up suite will always have a special place in my heart. Just before Christmas last year, my husband and I booked a holiday staycation there with our 17-year-old dog, Tyson. The Curtis is dog-friendly, and we had a quiet sense that this season might be our last with him, so we wanted to make it count.
We wheeled Tyson around downtown in his stroller—our holiday tradition—to take in the lights (he truly loved them), then headed back to the room to cuddle up and watch a holiday movie together. It was simple, cozy, and exactly what we needed for some sweet holiday memories with our last Christmas with Tyson.
Located in the heart of the theater district, The Curtis makes an ideal holiday headquarters. We stepped outside to catch the nightly holiday drone show put on by Visit Denver, using the lawn in front of the theater complex as our viewing spot. The hotel is also just a 10-minute walk from the Christkindl Market, which has relocated to the Auraria campus this year.
The Curtis feels like a selfie studio meets a hotel, with playful, photo-worthy moments throughout the lobby and its themed rooms. Our suite was decked out in so much festive decor it looked as though Buddy the Elf had been in charge of holiday interior design. You can check out their hyper-holiday suite here.
The Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center: Best for Families
Holiday revelers can step into what feels like a live-action scene from Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. Just one thing … the scene is extra chilly because Whoville’s characters are carved out of ice. The Gaylord though has ticketed guests covered with extra-warm puffy coats that are handed out before you step inside the Grinch’s whimsical world.
Ahead of the holidays, ice artisans from Harbin, China—which is known as “the Ice City” because it hosts the world’s biggest ice and snow festival—come to Aurora to chisel and chip 2 million pounds of ice, turning it into colorful ice sculptures for the display. The Grinch’s chilly lair is more than 14 feet high. In total, there’s 10 iconic scenes plus a giant ice slide to check out.
In addition to the Ice! exhibit, holiday fun at The Gaylord includes character breakfasts with the Grinch, gingerbread decorating, photos with Santa, snowtubing and more.
Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek: A Cozy Holiday Christmas
Dreaming of a cozy getaway amid the busy holiday season? Check into the Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek where you can borrow vinyl from the lobby-level Gear Garage and listen to records in your room.
The hotel also features a seasonal rooftop ice skating rink that’s open until New Year’s Day, so you can glide around taking in the mountain views. The rooftop is decked out for a European alpine view. Skating is free for hotel guests and the public.
For a festive brunch, pop into Local Jones, which has a winter-themed spritz menu including a pisco plum spritz and a winter spiced cocktail with apple and pear liqueurs. My other favorite treats on the menu include the giant cinnamon roll and
The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club: Best for a Holiday-Themed Date
Santa and Mrs. Claus. Rudolph and Hermey. The Grinch and Max. We love a good holiday duo! And there’s one ultra-festive pairing that’s the perfect fit for a fun holiday-themed date night getaway.
The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club collaborated with local artist Lonnie Hanzon, the artistic force behind Camp Christmas, for its holiday-themed suites this season. As part of the package, guests will get an overnight stay in one of Hanzon Studios-designed suite, either Fairyland or Camp Christmas. They’ll also get a pair of tickets to the Camp Christmas Experience at The Stanley Marketplace, and a $50 dining credit to the Common Good, the hotel’s onsite restaurant.
Camp Christmas, which is taking over Stanley Marketplace until Dec. 28. Unlike past years when the maximalist (to the max!) display has been contained to one area, the very merry festive backdrops will be throughout the marketplace, all meant to enhance the shop small experience. However, there is a $10, 15-minute “tune up your holiday spirit” experience that takes guests through a half dozen whimsical stations taking you from bah-humbug to sparkling with holiday joy just like tinsel.
There’s also three (!) holiday pop-up bars at The Stanley Marketplace this season so you could do a little bar crawl. The pop-up bars are The Local Drive Hangar, which is the Base Camp Bar; Denver Biscuit Company, which transforms into Santa Bar, and Traveling Mercies which is moonlighting this December as Winter Pearl Bar.
The 700-square-foot rooms on the hotel’s top floor come with Rocky Mountain views, in-room gas fireplaces, fully stocked kitchenettes and dazzling holiday decor you’ll definitely want to get photos with.
The rooms are intended to spark nostalgia. (Think: Tinsel! Red bows! Colorful ornaments!)
“Camp Christmas is about wrapping yourself up in the ooey-gooey, eclectic rituals that have brought light to the darkness of winter for thousands of years,” said Lonnie Hanzon, founder of Hanzon Studios in a news release. “By bringing this experience into The Benson’s suites, we’re creating a special holiday escape; a place where guests can experience the magic and whimsy of the dreamscape.”
Hotel Clio: Best for Holiday Shoppers
Have you seen the TikTok videos of holiday shoppers booking hotel rooms, bringing their holiday hauls along, and spending the evening wrapping presents with friends while watching Christmas movies and sipping wine? It’s something I’ve long thought would be both festive and fun!
Whether you’re having a wrapping party or just want to finish your holiday shopping, Hotel Clio is a wonderful option for a holiday staycation. Not only are you within steps of boutiques, the Cherry Creek Mall, but the Cherry Creek Holiday Market is practically right out your door and you can shop gifts from local artisans and even catch a holiday concert.
Sync up your visit with the holiday carolers who will be singing in Hotel Clio’s festive lobby 6 to 7 p.m. on December 20.
Enjoy a holiday dinner at Toro, which is Richard Sandoval’s Latin restaurant located within the hotel. Definitely save room for the Instagram-favorite La Bomba, a chocolate sphere that reveals cookie crumbles when it smashes open and is served with seasonal berries and assorted sorbets.
