The planned arrival of a W Hotel completes a trifecta of high-end hotels landing in downtown Denver.
The announcement that a W is planned for the 16th Street Mall comes on the heels of the development of a Ritz-Carlton and a Four Seasons hotel in the area. All three are being built with condominium residences.
The diversification of downtown and the millions of dollars spent in public improvements over the past 10 to 15 years deserve the credit for attracting the three hotels, said Bob Benton, a hotel analyst.
Restaurants, the ballfield and the convention center have turned downtown Denver into a thriving residential and retail haven, he said.
“All of these public investments have made Denver into a very nice destination, and finally they are seeing the fruits of their labor,” Benton said about the city.
One of the biggest evolutions in downtown Denver has been the growth of residential development, which has created a full-time vibe compared with downtowns that close up on Friday afternoon when office workers go home and do not return until Monday, said Mike Cahill, president and founder of HREC – Hospitality Real Estate Counselors.
“Denver is no longer considered a cow town. It’s now considered a major urban market in the country and can hold some cool and hip hotels,” Cahill said.
Audrey Strong, spokeswoman for the Ritz-Carlton, agreed.
“Denver has always been an amazing place, and it’s coming into its own now,” she said. “The infrastructure improvements, the marketing of the city and the Democrats making a decision to come here show we are definitely a city on the rise.”
The hotels will be within blocks of one another, with the Four Seasons on 14th Street between Arapahoe and Lawrence streets; the W Hotel at 16th and Market streets; and the Ritz- Carlton at 18th and Curtis streets. The Ritz is slated to open this fall and the two others within three years.
These types of hotels are opportunities to attract a different level of visitor to the city, said Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. And the residential component of each puts Denver on par with other metropolitan cities, she said.
“Having any one of these higher-end hotels would be significant,” Door said. “But when we talk about bringing three new hotels of this caliber around the same time, it sends a significant message to our region and other key cities that this is a major destination point.”
The newest arrival is “hip, cool and trendy,” though it is a notch below the Ritz and the Four Seasons in terms of room rates, Cahill said about the W.
What the W lacks in terms of classic tradition and expense it makes up for in exclusivity and hipness, he said.
“It appeals more to the (30- to 50-year-olds) who have money and want to be recognized at a happening place in town,” he said.
The hotel, with its “Whatever/Whenever” motto, is set to bring its own language to Denver. At W, the lobby is a “living room,” treats in guest rooms are part of a “Munchie Box,” and using the pool is dubbed “wet.”
The W Hotel will go up at the current Office Depot site on the 16th Street Mall. The 12-story, 180-room development is set to begin as soon as a new location for the office-supply store is negotiated.
The W will have 56 residences and is being developed by Sage Hospitality Resources.
Staff writer Elizabeth Aguilera can be reached at 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com.
