5 Great Colorado Hotels for Meetings

Known for its al fresco activities, Denver traditionally has been an outdoorsy town. Thanks to creative communities like the one in its thriving River North (RiNo) arts district, however, the Mile High City is becoming just as well known for its makers as it is for its mountains.

The latest proof of its evolving reputation: The Source Hotel, which opened in RiNo on Sept. 1 with 100 guest rooms, three restaurants, a brewery and a market hall showcasing a collection of experiential, craft-focused vendors.

Located on a recently rehabbed stretch of Brighton Boulevard, just north of downtown Denver, The Source Hotel was designed by Stephen Dynia from Dynia Architects, who infused each of the property's guest rooms with polished concrete floors, modern furniture, custom Baltic birch casework and raise-able garage doors, the aesthetic of which was designed to complement the industrial features -- including galvanized metal and exposed brick -- of The Source, a food hall that the hotel's owners opened in 2013 inside an 1880s foundry building.

The hotel's exterior echoes the food hall's industrial aesthetic as well as its interior does: To reflect its low-rise architecture, which is typical of the surrounding neighborhood, Dynia created the high-rise hotel from eight distinct, one-story buildings angled and stacked on top of one another.

Separating the pre-existing food hall from the brand-new hotel is a green courtyard with a bridge and a series of patios. That's but one of many amenities, however. There's also the aforementioned restaurants -- Safta, which serves modern Israeli cuisine; Smōk, which serves barbecue; and The Woods, a rooftop bar and restaurant serving updated American classics -- and brewery: the first Denver outpost of New Belgium Brewing, the Fort Collins, Colo.-based maker of Fat Tire. The 10-barrel brewery is located in the lobby, where guests are greeted with a New Belgium beer upon check-in before retiring to their rooms, where minibars also are stocked with New Belgium beer.

Also onsite are a rooftop pool and hot tub, a fitness center, a 2,300-square-foot modern event space and the aforementioned market hall. A sibling to the original Source food hall, the latter includes the first U.S. location of Station 16 Gallery, a Montreal-based art gallery, among other boutiques and retailers.

In that artistic spirit, one final highlight is a 780-square-foot graffiti mural by noted urban artist Cleon Peterson, whose work spans three walls inside the hotel.

Four More Cool Colorado Hotels

The Source Hotel is evidence that Colorado doesn't just have beautiful scenery; it also has a really cool culture. Here are four more newly opened hotels where groups can experience that culture firsthand:

• Jacquard Hotel & Rooftop: Opening this month in Denver's chic Cherry Creek North neighborhood, the Jacquard Hotel & Rooftop is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection. Named for the famous French inventor Joseph Marie Jacquard, who revolutionized fashion by automating the patterned loom process, it's a fashion-forward hotel whose brand promise is "Haute Happiness." Along with 201 modern guest rooms and 180-degree views of the Rocky Mountains and downtown Denver, offerings include a rooftop pool and bar, a signature restaurant with a 750-bottle "wine library," a fitness center and 6,900 square feet of meeting space that features 15-foot floor-to-ceiling windows and access to a wrap-around balcony.

• Kimpton Hotel Born:Kimpton Hotel Born opened last summer in Denver's LoDo neighborhood. Located at the end of the train platform at Denver's historic Union Station, the hotel has an "elevated urban vibe," according to Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which describes the property's aesthetic -- part mountain, part industrial -- as "alpine modern." While the hotel's exterior reflects the brick masonry of LoDo's historic warehouses, its interior marries wood, concrete and metal. The property has 200 guest rooms and suites; an art collection of more than 700 original and limited-edition works by Denver-area artists; two restaurants, including a signature restaurant specializing in wood-fired cuisine; a fitness center; and nearly 14,000 square feet of meeting space.

• The Elizabeth Hotel: Denver isn't the only city in Colorado where hip culture is attracting new hotels. Fort Collins -- home of Colorado State University -- has seen the opening in December 2017 of The Elizabeth Hotel in Old Town Fort Collins. Part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, the property -- the city's only four-star hotel -- has 164 guest rooms, locally curated art, a lobby bar, a rooftop lounge and 3,500 square feet of meeting space. There's also a restaurant and wine shop, a live music venue and, in each room, a record player with a diverse selection of vinyl.

• The Hiltons on Canyon: Colorado's other big college town, Boulder, also has a new hotel. Well, two new hotels, actually: the Hiltons on Canyon, a dual-branded property encompassing the Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder and the Hilton Garden Inn Boulder. The latter features 172 guest rooms and The Garden Grille, a restaurant whose signature dish is chicken and waffles. The former, meanwhile, offers 204 guest rooms and the largest private ballroom in Boulder -- the 6,510-square-foot Pearl Street Ballroom, which can accommodate groups of up to 650 people. There's also a rooftop saline pool, shared courtyards and a fitness center. The hotels, which opened in fall 2017, together offer 376 guest rooms and 8,435 square feet of meeting space.