My husband and I have stayed at the Red Lion several times on mini-vacations. We've always loved the staff there, they have always been helpful and friendly to us. I admit that the rooms could use a bit of freshening, and I do wish that there were refridgerators, as well. We usually go to a hockey or baseball game while in Denver, and the free shuttle has always been great to get around the downtown area and avoid parking craziness at games. Juan has been the driver there for the last couple of years, and we always look forward to seeing him.

We've priced other hotels that are in the actual downtown area, specifically right near 16th Street Mall, and the prices seem outrageous: $150-$200 plus! I don't think you can beat the price at the Red Lion for what they offer.

This round, '60s looking, 14-story tower hotel is just west of downtown and next to I-25. The noise from the freeway is incessant and grinding. Don't believe the four stars in guides -- maybe when it was new, but that was a LONG time ago! It is now very worn and dumpy. They do their best, but grubby is a word I would apply to the rooms. I wore my socks or shoes the whole time rather than let my bare feet touch the carpet.
You do get a table and a desk chair, and a chair and ottoman for sitting and reading.
Internet: Their website boasts high-speed internet. No way! In the rooms, it's dial-up only with a charge for all calls. They may have high-speed internet in the business room, but that's only one terminal.
But the aluminum-framed windows are surely original, and their weatherstripping is shrunken, so they admit a steady stream of noise from outside. The light-blocking curtains really don't help.
Lobby is glass and marble. Staff friendly. The restaurant on the top floor had a great view, food price average, quality like Denny's.
The round design means all hall noise carries to all the rooms. BIG crack under door needed pillows to block the light and a little noise.
Don't stay on the 12th floor: It's right below the restaurant and the kitchen noise is a real problem until it closes at 10 p.m.
Main thing going for it: Next door to the stadium.
Wouldn't stay there again unless I had no other choice.

What a crappy rip-off. My 79 year old mother and I were taking an Amtrak trip and I chose this hotel because I have stayed in Red Lions before and they are usually nice. Not this time!!!!!!

I booked a non-smoking room through Orbitz and pre-paid for the room as required. The hotel is far from downtown but there was a shuttle. It definitely is not three stars. I would give it one. It is just a notch above a motel 6, and only because the lobby is nice and there is a fairly good sports bar and grill upstairs with a good view. The rooms are about a half a star.

When we arrived they gave us a smoking room which was dirty and dingy even though I had pre-paid for a non-smoking room. When I called the desk she told me they had NO MORE non-smoking rooms, but I could tour the available smoking rooms to find the one that was the least stinky. When I explained that my mother has a heart condition and trouble breathing she said there was nothing they could do since all of the non-smoking rooms were full. When I told her that we had not just reserved a non-smoking room, but had also pre-paid for it which meant that even though we were not yet physically occupying the room, it was as if we were, and by giving our room to someone else it was as if they had thrown us out of the room to give it to someone else. She did not care and offered me nothing to rectify the situation. We stayed in the least sticky room because we had no car and could not go searching for another hotel at 9:00 p.m. when we had to be up at 4:30 a.m. to catch the next train we were taking. Even though we were on the 9th floor the window was bolted so that it could only be opened about 2 inches and it faced the stadium and freeway so we really could not get any fresh air through the window. The air conditioner only spewed more stinky air into the room. The linens, draperies and carpeting were stained and reeked.

To make matters worse at 2:30 a.m. a group of about 5 drunks decided to have a party in the hallway outside of our room. They were sitting on the floor and yelling, screaming, laughing and running around the hallway. We called the front desk and they did send someone up to tell them to go to their rooms and be quiet but the damage was already done.

What a disaster. Heed my warning and DO NOT stay at this hotel unless you like loud, dirty, smelly rooms and rude desk clerks.