The Oxford Hotel

Character and identity

Denver's oldest hotel, opened in 1891 in LoDo, trades on genuine heritage rather than themed nostalgia. The lobby still has downtown's only wood-burning fireplace, a bow-tied bellman, original tilework, ornate iron handrails, and the first elevators built west of the Mississippi. Across 80 recently renovated rooms, the look has lightened: whites, greys and emerald green, Art Deco accents, antique headboards and claw-foot tubs paired with pillow-top mattresses, Egyptian linens and Le Mistral amenities. Urban Farmer handles nose-to-tail steakhouse cooking, while the Cruise Room, a wine-bottle-shaped Art Deco cocktail lounge opened the day after Prohibition ended, anchors the social scene.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The reason to book is the building itself: a working piece of 1890s Denver layered with Art Deco and a properly atmospheric original cocktail bar. Couples and solo travellers chasing character over chain polish get the most from it. Spend up for a renovated room with a claw-foot tub, and time drinks at the Cruise Room or the daily complimentary Bourbon Bar pour from 5:30 to 7:00.