A pet goldifsh in your room?
A shih tzu in the lobby to greet you?
Free overnight shoe shine?
Choice of four bubble baths (for a paltry $40)?
Both nightwear (yes, several sizes) and robes available for you to purchase right from the closet?
Vegetable soap bars?
Did I just overshoot Denver and end up in San Francisco?
It's a really ritzy little boutique hotel called the Hotel Monaco in Downtown Denver. One block from the 16th Street Mall, the Monaco surprised me with both opulence and gimmickry. The rooms are nice... tall ceilings and appointed well, despite their compact size. The hotel is an older one, meaning that most of the rooms have a great view of a wall or a parking garage. Just leave the blinds drawn and enjoy the comfort. There is a great bed... lots of pillows for your selection... some really expensive stuff in the frig and on the snack tray. (Walgreens is two blocks away and has all that stuff at a fraction of the cost.) And the people are kind and accommodating.
What really blew me away was when I dined in their Italian restaurant downstairs. The place is called Panzano and features the creations of Chef Elise Wiggins. I had the most wonderful veal of my life. I proposed to the chef, but I didn't have a ring on me at the time, and she wanted one really badly. Thanks for great food in a very attentive atmosphere, Elise.
Pricey? What isn't in the downtown of a major city? But yes, it was a little more than I would have liked to have afforded, but there were few choices because of some convention in town that week.
I did not find a problem with noise in the hotel, though they do have a funny way of putting ice machines on only the odd-numbered floors.










