In February, the Sheraton Denver Downtown unveiled an $80 million renovation. They updated everything about the hotel, from its guest rooms to its lobby to its meeting and conference spaces.
On a recent trip to Denver for a trade show, I stayed two nights and experienced an immaculate take on what an urban hotel should be — convenient, modern, and equipped for the business class, remote worker, and leisure traveler alike.
Here’s the lowdown on what the hotel is like now, and why the Sheraton Denver Downtown is among the best Denver hotels for remote workers.
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The remodeled lobby showcases the future of work-related travel
Photo: Booking.com
The remodel of the Sheraton Denver Downtown represents the future vision for the Sheraton brand. Guests can expect to see similar designs unveiled at other Sheraton properties in the coming years, according to a press release from parent company Marriott. What the remodel demonstrates is that Sheraton, and the Bonvoy portfolio at large, grasps the remote-dominated future of work and vicariously, the future of work-related travel. Entering from Denver’s iconic 16th Street Mall, guests walk into an expansive lobby that immediately calls them in for a drink. Rather than a stale check-in counter and a nod towards the elevator, the guest’s first impression of the hotel is of a grand, multi-use cafe and lounge space designed to satisfy every need of the traveling guest — food and drink, a comfortable workspace and meeting space, and ease of access to everything in downtown Denver.
To any remote or traveling worker, this lobby and cafe — known as the public square — pass as a top-tier coworking space complete with call booths, private meeting rooms, and plenty of open seating. There are laptop charging stations abound, so you don’t have to get up and move, unless you need to stretch your legs.
Visitors can choose between table or lounge seating surrounding a massive LED television. Hotel guests can book work studios for small meetings or simply a bit of privacy from the communal tables. The entire setup is centered around the 16th St. Commons coffee bar and restaurant to provide fuel for the daytime sessions and a craft beer for when the workday ticks past completion. Sheraton fans, be aware that the Sheraton Club — the private lounge for members — has been moved to the ground level.
I spent ample time perched over a laptop in the lobby and coffee bar over three days at the hotel in July. Each time I found the space to be occupied by fellow remote workers and business travelers and, from what I gathered, downtown Denver’s suit and tie set engaged in inspiring, forward-thinking discussions. The bustling scene was a welcome departure from the staid drabness that has long defined hotels catering to the business crowd.
A room with a view and a purpose
Photo: Booking.com
In the age of Instagram, even the more private aspects of a guest’s stay are bound to define a hotel’s reputation. The Sheraton Denver Downtown’s guest rooms were remodeled with this in mind. Rooms aren’t just a place to sleep but a place to lounge. In that vein, the queen or king bed acts more like a quarterback guiding the experience than a star slugger hitting a walk-off. Expect a view of the downtown Denver skyline and to be able to pop open your laptop and work with that view as your backdrop, or watch a movie with views of the Rocky Mountains peaking above the screen.
The rooms are crisp and modern, with a bright and minimalist design that trusts the guest to seamlessly set up shop as if they were in their own bedroom. Private guest access to the elevators to the guest floors is available from Court Street for nighttime entries and whenever you don’t feel like walking through the plaza square to access the elevators. Within walking distance or a short Uber ride is Coors Field, the Denver Pavilions, LoDo and The Highlands, and enough breweries to keep you satiated until the end of time. Though if you book the hotel’s Presidential Suite, which comes with a pool table, full living room, and corner-office views of the entirety of downtown, you’re better off staying in and ordering room service from the Yard House restaurant located on the hotel’s ground level.
Guests arriving at Denver International Airport can avoid the $40 per day parking charge and save on car rental costs by taking the A Line commuter rail train from the airport to Union Station. Rail passengers arriving via Amtrak will arrive directly into Union Station, located right downtown at the north end of the 16th Street Mall. From the station, the hotel is a ten-minute walk or a quick hop on the free Mall Ride bus that picks up outside the station to the Court Street stop.
Price: From $169