I recently completed a stay at the Embassy Suites Denver International Airport during a busy 6-day business trip to Denver and Cheyenne, Wyoming. This was my first stay at this particular property, and I wanted to share the details with you. In the interest of full disclosure, I actually had 2 separate 2-night stays at the hotel last week, which were separated by one night in Cheyenne. Two stays, but only one review. 🙂
Getting There
Simple, take a cab, catch the hotel’s shuttle, or rent a car. The hotel is just a mile or two from the terminal and hard to miss as you’re driving down Pena Blvd. Take the Tower Road exit. Parking was free and plentiful at this hotel.
Checking In
Lucky me for arriving just as 2 busloads of teenagers pulled in for the evening. “Great” I thought. But the hotel was dealing with things pretty well by having someone process the large group separately. Within a minute or two, I was welcomed to the front desk, and from there on, things went smoothly. Soon enough, I was on my way to my 3rd floor room.
The Room
Somehow, I wound up with a room directly across from the elevator, but things turned out fine. The only issue was those 2 busloads of teenagers making the area in front of the elevator their personal cell phone zone, but that didn’t seem to last terribly long for whatever reason. The room itself was basic Embassy Suites with a couch, chair, TV, desk, fridge and microwave in the living area and separate bedroom. I’m somewhat fond of the Embassy Suites concept, especially for trips of at least a week. Sometimes it’s nice to just hole up in your room and veg in front of the TV. Waiting on the desk was a welcome letter from the property manager, which included the internet access code, and a coupon good for a free appetizer in the restaurant or 2 bottles of water. The coupon appeared specific to Hilton HHonors Gold members. I’d speculate that Diamonds get a different deal.
The work area was equipped with a large desk and comfortable chair. I found the living/work area to be poorly lit, but that’s a frequent complaint of mine at a whole host of hotels. Wireless internet is provided throughout the hotel for a pricey $14.95 per day. Thankfully, I get free internet by virtue of my HHonors VIP benefits. In contrast to the work area, the bathroom was very well lit and otherwise typical for a hotel like this.
Around the Hotel
The hotel has a reasonably well-equipped fitness center that was never crowded during my stay. The fitness center is located next to the indoor pool on the ground level. A business center is also on the same level with a couple of computers, a printer and a copier. The area outside the hotel has experienced a bit of development since my last visit several years ago. There are a couple of restaurants and a plethora of other chain hotels. Just a few miles down Tower Road, you’ll find a Wal Mart, Chili’s, Walgreens, and mercifully, a Starbucks. This is much improved from a few years ago when there was literally nothing out by the airport.
Other dining options included Ted’s Montana Grill down the road in the Gateway Park section of Aurora. The project team and I gave Ted’s a try one evening in search of bison steaks, something I’d never tried. The bison ribeye was very nicely done, and tasted great…but certainly different than more traditional beef. Good stuff though!
I should also tell you about a real gem of a restaurant in the old Stapleton Airport redevelopment. Phenomenal just doesn’t do The Berkshire justice. You’ll have to visit to believe it. An uncomplicated but inspired menu, great service, great atmosphere, and just all around superb dining experience. I had the pork chop followed by the best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted. If you are in Denver, and looking for a great place to eat, please visit The Berkshire.
No post about an Embassy Suites can be complete without mentioning the evening Manager’s Reception. This hotel’s reception is held in the lobby bar, and features fairly decent wines, house liquors, and domestic beers. Each evening also featured a different hot appetizer as well as traditional snack mix to munch on. The food was actually pretty good considering it was free!
The Bottom Line
I liked the hotel and will certainly return again if I have a business need to be in the area. While the area surrounding the hotel has come up a bit in recent years, I’d still recommend staying a little closer to town unless you’re working at or near the airport as I was.
