Want to take advantage of Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
After an awesome weekend in Aspen at the new W Hotel, it was time to head back home. We were flying into and out of Denver, and due to the flight schedules we decided to spend a night in Denver on the way back to avoid a redeye.
Neither of us had spent any real time in Denver, so we decided to stay in the city rather than at the airport. Go figure I ended up catching a cold in Aspen, so we weren’t able to do anything.
In this post:
Booking The Four Seasons Denver
We looked at all of the hotel options, and in this case decided to book the Four Seasons Denver. The rate was under $400 for the one night stay, and that was only about $100 more than many of the other Marriott and Hyatt options.
However, Ford could book us the Four Seasons Denver through the Preferred Partner program, which would get us extra benefits, including complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade subject to availability, and more.
So I figured we should give that a try, especially since this was my first-ever stay at a Four Seasons city hotel in the US, as far as I know. I was curious if they were actually substantially better than what you’ll find with other hotel groups.
Four Seasons Denver Review
We arrived at the Four Seasons Denver in the late afternoon. The hotel is in a massive 45 story building, and as it turns out the entire thing is the Four Seasons. Roughly the bottom half of the building is the hotel (which has about 240 rooms), while the top half of the hotel is residences.
Four Seasons Denver Lobby & Arrival
Service was already a step up from what you’d find with most hotel groups. The bellman asked for my last name, and then walked us to the front desk and introduced us to the front desk agent by name.
Four Seasons Denver exterior
We were checked in by Nick, who was super nice and explained all the features of the hotel, what our Preferred Partner booking included, etc. He also walked us to the elevator.
The hotel had a pretty nice lobby with plenty of seating, as well as a staircase. Further into the lobby was the bar and restaurant, while the elevators were just a few steps past reception on the left.
Four Seasons Denver lobby
Four Seasons Denver lobby
Four Seasons Denver lobby seating
Four Seasons Denver lobby seating
Four Seasons Denver elevators
Four Seasons Denver Room
We were assigned a room on the 11th floor, #1109. I’m not actually sure if we received a room upgrade — I don’t think we did. The hallways were pretty nice, and our room was just a short walk from the elevators.
Four Seasons Denver hallway
The room was a good size for a non-suite, and featured an entryway with the bathroom to the right, and then the rest of the room straight ahead.
Four Seasons Denver room entryway
The Four Seasons Denver opened in 2010, so the hotel feels neither outdated nor modern. I assume it hasn’t been renovated since opening, so it sorta feels like how you’d expect a place to be when it was cutting edge a decade ago, but isn’t anymore.
The room had a comfortable king size bed, a chair with ottoman to the side of the bed, and then a glass desk with two chairs.
Four Seasons Denver king room
I do have to mention the bed was exceedingly comfortable — as a brand standard Four Seasons probably has the most comfortable beds out there. I usually struggle to sleep in hotel beds, but I love the quality of Four Seasons bedding, how plush and big their pillows are, etc.
Four Seasons Denver king room
Next to the desk area was a luggage rack as well as a TV.
Four Seasons Denver king room
Then on the opposite wall, near the bathroom, was the minibar area. This had a kettle, Nespresso machine, and the minibar.
Four Seasons Denver in-room minibar
Four Seasons Denver in-room minibar
Waiting on the desk was a welcome amenity consisting of a bottle of water and a fruit plate, which was better than nothing, though hardly exciting.
Four Seasons Denver welcome gift
Then back towards the entrance was the bathroom, which was really nice for a standard room. It had double sinks, a tub, a shower, and a partitioned off toilet. It seems like Four Seasons really emphasizes having good bathroom setups in non-suites, which far too many hotels don’t.
Four Seasons Denver bathroom
Four Seasons Denver bathroom
Four Seasons Denver shower
Toiletries were from L’Occitane.
Four Seasons Denver toiletries
Four Seasons Denver toilet
The room’s direct view was of a high rise just a block away, though if you turned your head a bit you had a nice view of the beautiful mountains.
Four Seasons Denver room
Four Seasons Denver room
Wifi in the room was complimentary and fast.
Overall I thought the room was pretty nice. Was it vastly different than a standard mid-range hotel? Probably not, though I do appreciate the excellent bed and nice bathroom.
Four Seasons Denver Pool & Gym
The Four Seasons Denver has a pool deck with plenty of seating. The pool as such was pretty uninspiring, but then again, Denver isn’t exactly the first market that comes to mind when you think of cool pools.
Four Seasons Denver pool deck
Four Seasons Denver pool
The gym was right next to the pool, and was excellent, by comparison. It had a huge variety of equipment.
Four Seasons Denver gym
Four Seasons Denver gym
Four Seasons Denver gym
Four Seasons Denver In-Room Dining
Our hope was to explore Denver, but I had a bad cold by the time we got to Denver, so I just wanted to take a shower and clear out my sinuses and then eat in. Fortunately we had a $100 credit.
The in-room dining menu read as follows:
I ordered the ahi tuna, while Ford had the baby kale salad. We also had some vegetables on the side. The meal hit the spot.
Four Seasons Denver in-room dining
Four Seasons Denver EDGE Restaurant & Bar
EDGE Restaurant & Bar is located in the lobby of the Four Seasons. We didn’t have a chance to have drinks here, though this is also the restaurant where they serve breakfast. The bar area is huge, so I’m sure this area is quite nice in the evenings as well.
Four Seasons Denver bar
Four Seasons Denver bar
Four Seasons Denver bar
Four Seasons Denver bar
Four Seasons Denver restaurant
Four Seasons Denver Breakfast
Breakfast was included since we booked through Preferred Partner. We could have breakfast via room service or in the restaurant, and we opted to eat in the restaurant. The menu read as follows:
We both had coffee to drink…
Four Seasons Denver coffee
I decided to have the “light start” breakfast, which included avocado toast with a poached egg, a green juice, and a smoothie.
Four Seasons Denver breakfast
Four Seasons Denver breakfast drinks
Ford had “the power of three,” which included three pancakes, three eggs, three slices of bacon, and three sausages.
Four Seasons Denver breakfast
Four Seasons Denver breakfast
Four Seasons Denver Coffee
As someone who is an early riser and loves my first cup of coffee, I really appreciate hotels that make it easy to get coffee early in the morning.
The Four Seasons Denver has coffee, tea, and croissants in the lobby starting at 5AM.
Four Seasons Denver coffee
Not only that, but they also had coffee and tea in the gym starting at 5AM.
Four Seasons Denver coffee
Why can’t more hotels make it easy to get your first cup of coffee in the morning?
Four Seasons Denver Service
We were only at the hotel for about 14 hours, and we spent almost the entire time in our room, with the exception of breakfast.
That being said, service was excellent across the board. I feel like all too often when I stay at a Marriott family brand I find myself saying a dozen times throughout a stay “this shouldn’t be so complicated.” That’s often true whether requesting a reasonable late check-out or even just trying to get a basic amenity.
By comparison, service at the Four Seasons was seamless, efficient, and polished across the board. This was true at check-in, in the breakfast restaurant, through their texting service, etc.
It’s clear that Four Seasons trains their employees to a higher standard, and that really stands out and makes a difference, mostly in little ways.
Four Seasons Denver Bottom Line
We had a great quick stay at the Four Seasons Denver. Every hotel group has significant variability in terms of the quality of their properties, and the Four Seasons Denver probably isn’t a flagship Four Seasons property.
The decor is no longer cutting edge. That being said, we had an excellent stay. I like the focus they place on comfortable beds and big bathrooms, I love how easy it was to get coffee, and I love how the service was a bit elevated across the board.
If I returned to Denver I’d probably stay somewhere else just to review it, but if the price is right I would recommend the Four Seasons. I’d say we got a pretty good value for our one night stay, given the Preferred Partner amenities.
Do you have a favorite Denver hotel that I should check out next time?
Want to take advantage of Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits, including a space available room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
Read Four Seasons reviews: Athens, Boston, Cap-Ferrat, Costa Rica Peninsula Papagayo, Denver, Desroches Island, Florence, Fort Lauderdale, Geneva, Hualalai, Kyoto, Lanai, Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Los Cabos, Madrid, Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Maui, Megeve, Miami, Napa Valley, Naviva, Nevis, Oahu at Ko Olina, Paris, Punta Mita, San Francisco at Embarcadero, Scottsdale, Seychelles, and Surfside
Learn about Four Seasons deals & offers: Anguilla, Athens, Atlanta, Austin, Bahamas, Bora Bora, Boston, Cap-Ferrat, Costa Rica, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Hawaii, Jackson Hole, London, Los Cabos, Maldives, Minneapolis, Nashville, Naviva, New York, Napa Valley, New Orleans, Orlando, Palm Beach, Paris, Philadelphia, Punta Mita, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, Sicily, Tamarindo, and Vail
Learn about Four Seasons basics: Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Four Seasons Private Retreats, Four Seasons Yachts, Four Seasons Private Jet, Four Seasons travel agents, Four Seasons loyalty program, and maximizing value at Four Seasons
I did not get the service that I expected. I travel solo and I feel once they know that they don't have to treat me with a timely fashion there's more to the story but not enough space for my 70th I expected more
Not a regular … yet I can also report some great service. I asked (not knowing Denver) about how far away the art gallery was. The front desk gentleman told me it would be their pleasure to have the hotel car take me there after checking in and freshening up.
I have stayed in the Denver Four Seasons and the Westin (downtown) over 100 times each.
The Four Seasons is much better despite the Westin being almost as expensive some nights (as someone else mentioned about most downtown Denver hotels).
The Edge bar and the hotel pool bar can get very busy ("happening") and be a lot of fun. We had our company Christmas party at the Edge bar for 6 years in a...
I have stayed in the Denver Four Seasons and the Westin (downtown) over 100 times each.
The Four Seasons is much better despite the Westin being almost as expensive some nights (as someone else mentioned about most downtown Denver hotels).
The Edge bar and the hotel pool bar can get very busy ("happening") and be a lot of fun. We had our company Christmas party at the Edge bar for 6 years in a row.
But these days I'm fine with staying at the Marriott Springhill Suites over by the Pepsi Center (the arena)... the Springhill Suites have free all-you-can-eat chocolate chips at their breakfast buffet, lol.
I spy Peloton bikes in the gym - reason enough to pay a bit more to stay there.
It's where I stay in Denver and is about the best there. The Ritz Carlton is nowhere near as good.
That was the standard room you were in. They often claim that "a Mountain View is an upgrade." Whatever.
The suites are pretty nice though as I did luck out with an upgrade a few times.
The bar and restaurant are usually hopping at night. It's even popular with locals after work. Food is excellent.
You should have stayed at the airport Westin. Suites and views are amazing. Same price as FS but far more interesting. Stayed for first time last week and really impressed.
DUDE LUCKY CAME TO DENVER! I absolutely love this. I worked relatively near this building for years. Former Nuggets player Chris "Birdman" Andersen had a place here and they would have to valet park his gigantic monster truck. Meanwhile tumbleweed would roll down 18th Street. Denver is great, but it will always be partly a cow town.
Ben, I feel certain I've read a review of you staying years ago at the Four Seasons Seattle!
This might be the biggest (documented) breakfast that Ford has ever had!
Seems very meah............
We stayed there in 2013 for three nights on business and had a great experience. We scored an upgrade to a suite through Amex FHR and we had an amazing view of the mountains. The staff provided excellent service and anticipated needs. We went to a Nuggets game and the opposing team stayed at Four Seasons. We saw them in the lobby and that was kind of cool. I would highly recommend.
Grand Hyatt Denver is a cat 3 @ 12k a night. Never been to either but it looks nicer than the Four Seasons. Especially when you're not shelling out $400 a night.
I have to ask, what's Ford's commission on this type of booking? $50? $100? I feel that if you didn't "self refer" to your spouse there's no way you'd stay here. Or for that matter The Silo in Cape Town when the One&Only is much nicer and cheaper.
Just my 2c.
Gotta love $13 for a cup of juice
@Christy — Same here. I stayed here this past Spring. Bellman just pointed to the front desk. They also seemed to be understaffed with the valet, as I always had to wait when dropping off my rental and picking it up. Front desk and house keeping were great though.
This has been my least favorite Four Seasons, as I felt they offered nothing special and didn’t go above and beyond to justify the price. When I go back to Denver, I’ll just stay at the nearby Hyatt.
Ben did his job and reviewed a hotel in Denver. Now we can all relax and choose to either take the redeye home or save the 25 mile drive each way from/to the airport (plus $50? parking) and stay at or near the airport.
I have stayed at that four seasons numerous times in a suiteand the bellman has literally never done that.
Why don't you post the exact rate that you paid and what card was used to pay for it? You should also do this for flights. Was the flight paid with cash or points? How much was it? If paid with points, how were the points obtained? If cash, what card was used?
LoDo was just coming up when I lived in Denver. Other than being down close to sporting events there really wasn't much draw for us downtown. Better bets were just out of town. Plus better food outside of LoDo (not trendy)
I rarely spend money on luxury hotel brands in the US, particularly if it is in an urban setting. And this Four Seasons has explained it all. Guess I'm just not willing to pay that much extra simply for a more "polished" service.
For those complaining about the cost of this hotel, downtown Denver tends to have surprisingly high rates sometimes. I have a stay at the Hyatt Regency Convention center(live in the suburbs but attending a formal gala downtown so I got a room for the night) and they were wanting $500 a night for a base room.
One thing I learned attending an event at a nearby hotel is that from the meeting rooms of...
For those complaining about the cost of this hotel, downtown Denver tends to have surprisingly high rates sometimes. I have a stay at the Hyatt Regency Convention center(live in the suburbs but attending a formal gala downtown so I got a room for the night) and they were wanting $500 a night for a base room.
One thing I learned attending an event at a nearby hotel is that from the meeting rooms of the Curtis(Doubletree) you can see into the bathrooms of the Four Seasons.
Must have been an expensive weekend for some reason. I agree with others... don't see anything too special about this hotel. Service sounds like it was great though, which is a big factor.
I stayed at the Le Meridien on a trip two years ago. Fantastic service and well designed rooms. Much better than your standard LM, especially domestically.
Does Ford just eat those poached eggs straight up? Never seen that before.
Very generic looking hotel. If it was a Westin rather than a Four Seasons I would totally have believed that. The dining did seem a bit elevated beyond the Westin standard, but beyond that I'm not sure exactly what makes this a Four Seasons. This seems to be the case with many Four Seasons these days... they really need to up their game IMHO.
Sorry, folks, for whatever reason the updated version of the blog post didn't save, so a previous version ended up publishing. Should be updated now.
@ Ben -- $400? This hotel appears to be nothing special. What a ripoff.
Bottom Line: If regular Marriott/Hyatt etc options were ranging in the $300 a night range and the Four Seasons was $400, I can understand the idea to pay up a bit but the Four Season is fairly bland there and I feel like the old Lucky would have either spent points or did a Cash & Points booking to save money.
Bottom line missing.
That was a better choice than the Denver Ritz-Carlton. I was there over the summer and it is quite a disappointment from a service perspective. It was converted over from an Embassy Suites a few years ago, but it seems the staff never got the memo.
This article appears to be incomplete, but that may be a webpage glitch...
G
G