Ah sweet romance! It never quite hits the same at home. But one need not venture far for sparks to fly. Below are some of the best, most transporting places the city’s got on deck to spice up good old Valentine’s Day.
Limelight Hotel x Ajax
Where: 1600 Wewatta St., Denver
Cost: Starting rate for Love in the Limelight is $425. Book here. Or Upgrade to the Sweetheart Suite here.
The Lowdown: Warm wood tones and an opulent leather headboard give the Limelight’s rooms the intimate feel of a mountain getaway. Downstairs, Ajax has quietly been serving some of the city’s best New American fare. Chef Jared Becker updates classics like the hickory-smoked duck breast, adding warm koginut squash, sweet potato cream, compressed persimmon and duck jus, while lacing the menu with completely original dishes like the charred celery root with stracciatella, hazelnut brown butter, pears, chervil and pickled capers.
Valentine’s Special: The Love in the Limelight package includes a welcome basket of champagne and desserts, along with a decorated room carefully curated for romance. A $200 Ajax credit can be used either towards the evening’s unique three-course prix fixe menu or in-room dining for those who would rather not leave the comfort of the place’s exceptional robes. For those really looking to celebrate, there’s an option to upgrade to the Sweetheart Suite, which not only sends guests to more spacious quarters, but adds an in-room couple’s massage.
The Kimpton Claret x Saverina x Halo Rooftop Bar
Where: 6985 Chenango Ave., Denver
Cost: Starting rate for the Love is in the Air Package is $189. Book here.
Lowdown: Having just opened in July, 2024, the Kimpton Claret brings a chic vivacity to the DTC’s Belleview Station. The Halo Rooftop Bar might have the best view in all the city, with drinks like the banana hammock — with Bar Hill gin, Tempus Fugit Banane, pineapple gomme, lemon, cream and egg white — and the Halo Hot Cocoa — with Codigo tequila, Licor 43, cacao, milk, cinnamon and chipotle — plainly displaying the spots penchant for blending the and raucous the refined. Downstairs Saverina is a bit more traditional, serving Italian classics like brisket ragu and pesto Genovese. Though it doesn’t shy away from more playful dishes. Don’t miss the vegetarian ricotta dumpling with golden beets, cauliflower, black walnuts and a shallot-red wine reduction.
Valentine’s Special: The love in the air package includes complimentary champagne and a sweet treat, turndown service and an extremely generous late checkout of 2 p.m. the following day.
The Ritz-Carlton Denver x Elway’s
Location: 1881 Curtis St., Denver
Cost: Rooms start at $400. Book here.
The Lowdown: Since 2008, the Ritz-Carlton has been providing the brand’s signature luxury to downtown. Boasting 205 rooms, 47 of which are suites, the hulking property is within walking distance from Coors Field, Larimer Square and The Colorado Convention Center. Downstairs, the iconic Elway’s has been flipping the script since hiring executive chef David Schaumburger eight months ago. A German native and veteran of Frankfurt’s Michelin scene, Schaumnburger relocated to Naples, Florida six years ago to start his career with The Ritz-Carlton. He’s since hired Restaurant Chef Kaycee Jones. Together the two have been updating the menus, focusing more on high-end comfort food than classic steakhouse fare.
Valentine’s Special: The Hearts and Vines: A Wine Affair will be the first wine-paired dinner Shaumburger and Jones will do as part of an ongoing series. “Wine dinners will happen periodically as wineries reach out to us and we reach out to them,” said Jones. The series will also feature more entertainment-oriented events, including a chef battle, a Somme battle and a competition that pits an expert versus a home chef. The Hearts and Vines dinner will feature five courses, each paired with a single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon expression from Chateau St. Michelle. “The big, bold cabernet goes really well with the Valentine’s theme,” added Jones. Tickets for the dinner start at $175 and can be purchased here.
The Rally Hotel at McGregor Square
Location: 1600 20th St., Denver
Cost: Rooms start at $269. Book here.
The Lowdown: Sitting a stone’s throw from Coors Field, The Rally Hotel is the spot for anyone looking to be in the center of activity. Named the best city hotel in the Continental US by Travel + Leisure in 2022, the 182-room spot features a mile-high floor. On floor eight, guests can enjoy iconic views from exactly 5280 feet above sea level while drinking the Pour Me Some Tonic On It, a canned cocktail designed specifically for the hotel by neighboring Mile High Spirits. The rooms feature clean and cinematic design elements.
Valentine’s Special: The Lovebirds Getaway package includes a room with a view on the Mile High Floor, a bottle of bubbles, a curated flower arrangement, chocolates and a late checkout of 11:30 a.m.
The ART Hotel Denver x Fire Restaurant and Lounge
Location: 1201 Broadway, Denver
Cost: Rooms start at $200. Book here.
The Lowdown: Sitting adjacent to The Denver Art Museum since 2015, The ART Hotel is an art-lover’s dream. It’s also positioned just outside the bustle of downtown while still being central enough to enjoy the many bars on both South Broadway and Capitol Hill. Art from Kiki Smith, John Baldessarie, Phil Bender and Mary Ehrin line the walls and the rooms are all uniquely outfitted with novel pieces. The FIRE Restaurant boasts a truly fine terrace and serves solid renditions of comfort food classics like grilled cheese, a wedge salad and steak frites.
Valentine’s Special: The Valentine’s Day Romance Package includes a room, decadent macarons, two mini Moet Rose bottles and a dinner at FIRE Restaurant and Lounge. There will also be a Don Fulano Tequila tasting from 4 – 6 p.m. for anyone who books a meal at the restaurant.
Clayton Hotel and Members Club
Location: 233 Clayton St., Denver
Cost: Rooms start at $259. Book here.
The Lowdown: Opened in 2021, the Clayton Hotel and Members Club has been key in facilitating the revamping of Cherry Creek for a younger audience. Clocking a mere 63 rooms, the spot defines boutique. Paintings by Laura Goodson adorn the walls and every inch of the spot is meticulously set for those who believe that aesthetics matter. Adding to the fun, Chef Max Mackissock of The Culinary Creative group just opened Bar Amorina, an elegant ode to coastal Italy that specializes in Mozzarella burrata, crudo, pasta and other small bites.
Valentine’s Special: Set atop the Rooftop Restaurant, the Lovers and Friends Valentine’s Dinner will feature three chef specials, including crispy roasted brussel sprouts with salsa macha, lobster thermidor and petit filet for two and a strawberry dark chocolate gateau with toasted meringue. Live jazz will set the mood.
The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block
Location: 1850 Wazee St., Denver
Cost: Pizza is Our Love Language starts at $200 and can be booked here. Love Like the Movies starts at $250 and can also be booked here.
The Lowdown: The 172-room Maven Hotel has been the anchor of the Dairy Block since opening in 2017. Guests can expect spacious units with tremendous bathtubs. Directly downstairs, Milk Market provides a variety of nosh ranging from pizza and pasta from Fuso to the robust lobster rolls served at Albina by the Sea. Drinks from the Poka Lola Social Club are fun and boozy, with new menu favorites like the Cabin Fever — with pecan-washed Union Mezcal, Averna Amaro, cherry and barrel-aged bitters — acting as a good example of the spot’s vibrant and delightfully unhinged panache. For a more substantial meal, Kachina Cantina serves robust plates of Southwestern fare alongside bright cocktails.
Valentine’s Special: The Maven is hosting two different date night specials for folks looking to get cozy and hunker. Pizza is Our Love Language includes standard accommodations and a bottle of bubbles and a heart-shaped pie delivered directly to the room. For the even more devoted members of the pajama set, there’s the Love Like the Movies package that features in-room winter cocktails, movie snacks and a preloaded set of rom-com classics like Sleepless in Seattle, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Proposal, The Notebook and of course Titanic.
The Oxford Hotel x The Cruise Room x Urban Farmer
Location: 1600 17th St., Denver
Cost: A Romantic Retreat starts at $304. Book here.
Lowdown: Founded in 1891, The Oxford is an oasis of downtown’s enduring elegance. Rooms are outfitted with clawfoot tubs and stocked with vintage and out-of-print books. Downstairs, The Cruise Room serves classic cocktails with a side of exquisite sex appeal. Urban Farmer is Sage Hospitality’s answer to the modern steakhouse. Expect exceptional and attentive service alongside colossal steaks and a sturdy selection of seafood.
Valentine’s Special: The Romantic Retreat getaway includes an overnight stay, a bouquet of fresh roses from floral darling Beet and Yarrow, a curated selection of wine and chocolates delivered to the room and perhaps most important of all, late check-out the following morning.
The Crawford Hotel x Union Station
Location: 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
Cost: Love and Luxury starts at $449. Book here.
Lowdown: With rooms that line Union Stations Great Hall, The Crawford was developed during the transportation hub’s massive 2014 renovation. Art Deco furnishings and scalloped headboards give the rooms a true sense of splendor. The Cooper Lounge’s speakeasy atmosphere adds to the existing sense of luxury. The dining options represent some of Denver’s finest purveyors and guests could easily cover every meal without leaving the property. There’s a Snooze outpost for breakfast and brunch, and Alex Seidel’s Mercantile and Jen Jasinski’s Ultreia secure the place as one of the city’s more culinarily inclined accommodations.
Valentine’s Special: The Love and Luxury package includes a dinner of Spanish Tapas and Portuguese petiscos downstairs at Ultreia along with a bouquet from Beet and Yarrow. Like the neighboring Oxford, The Crawford is wisely permitting late checkout for all its amorous guests. The offer is valid now through the end of February.