After last week’s post involving a rant and a rave, I think I should follow up with 4 places I would definitely recommend if you’re planning a trip to Denver.
HOTEL — Denver’s Grand Hyatt was great. It is located only 2 blocks from 16th Street Mall, making shopping and restaurants within easy reach. The rooms are quiet and comfortable, and the Green Tea and Cucumber toiletries were delightful. Buffalo art inside the room let me know I wasn’t in Alabama anymore.
I did not have a room high enough to provide a view of the Colorado Rockies, but you might wish to request one. I enjoyed the fact that Denver is actually a city that DOES sleep. Things get very quiet, even downtown, at night, and then they wake back up in the morning. Just as it should be.
My very favorite part though? The wake-up calls. There was “an actual voice” when I requested one at night and another friendly voice telling me “Good Morning” the next day. Nothing automated. Ahhhh.
RESTAURANTS
- Rock Bottom Brewery. Just walk 2 blocks and take the free trolley right to it. As I’ve told you before, I don’t drink alcohol, but I went with some new friends from my conference to this place. Besides all of the craft beers offered, they are also famous for their burgers. I chose a grilled chicken dish with roasted broccoli — trying to be good. This has a sports bar atmosphere. The Broncos were playing on several of the TVs and rowdy fans cheered when they could. It was a Thursday night, and there was an SEC game on within my sight, but no one else seemed to notice. No surprise there.
- Rialto Cafe. I enjoyed a weekend brunch by myself, and it was delicious. The wait staff was attentive, and no one made me feel weird about eating alone. It, too, is within the mile-long 16th Street Mall and can be reached by walking or taking the trolley.
There are many chain restaurants in the area, but whenever possible, I always like to try a local place and “eat like the natives.”
SIGHTSEEING
During the conference, we were given a 3 1/2 hour time period and told to “explore Denver and come back with a story.” I decided to take a taxi to the Molly Brown House Museum. I figured that anyone who had survived the sinking of the Titanic AND who had a hit musical written about them — The Unsinkable Molly Brown — would be worth a few hours of my time. I learned that she was so much more than just a shipwreck survivor. She was a champion for the rights of the underdog and a generous philanthropist. She got bonus points from me for being able to play the piano and for choosing green as her favorite color. A fun morning.
Although Colorado is synonymous with legalized marijuana these days, it remains a very health-conscious place. It times I almost felt like I “couldn’t even BUY a calorie.” Ha! There was lots of jogging and running, plus many stores catering to skiers, bikers and climbers. The higher altitude didn’t bother me very much (I drank a lot of water). I did enjoy my visit to the city, and I believe you would, too.