I have stayed at the Magnolia in Houston a couple of times, so when I found myself going to Denver for a weekend of some serious R and R I choose the Magnolia. First I got a great rate in December which is not easy, and the staff was really helpful. Check in was easy although it was a Friday and the hotel was busy. Christmas parties and weddings galore.

The room I got was a standard corner room with a gorgeous view of downtown Denver which was great with all the Christmas lights lit up. The beds are HEAVEN!!! We found it extremely hard to get out of them and always got a great nights sleep. Even better than the Westins heavenly beds in my opinion. Clean, big garden tub, gret movie selection, very close to the Denver convention center (which we walked to) and close to some great places to eat, and go out. The parking was a little expensive, and I never saw any cookies, but we were out of there by 8p.m. so..... The downtown bar Harry's was always lively and had some great wine, martini, and scotch selection.. As far as the gripes about the elevators, I thought the sign inside them was charming, but we never had to wait for one...

All in all an outstanding deal. I would definately stay there again on my next trip to denver!

My wife and I spent two nights at the Magnolia in a weekend visit to Denver Dec 8-9, 2006 and enjoyed it very much. All of the staff had a great attitude and was genuinely friendly and eager to help.

We found the whole expereince to be very comfortable. Our room was on the small side typical for older hotels but more than adequate. The furnishings were in good condition and the room was nicely decorated.

I liked the continental breakfast because it was a spacious area with comfortable chairs. Sometimes these areas are so small that you feel like other people are sitting right on top of you but this was very nice.

Harry's Bar was different with a very modern feel to it. A little small and noisy maybe and the service could have been a little better but the drinks were sizable and well made and not too expensive for a downtown watering hole.

There semed to be a mostly younger crowd at the hotel. But I enjoyed the general atmosphere and liked being around the younger crowd more than a bunch of crabby old folks. Of course, being in our late fifties makes most people younger than us.

The location is great being only a block off and near the middle of the 16th St. Mall. Before this trip I had no idea what a beautiful walkable downtown Denver has. Great shopping and restaurants abound. The LoDo (Lower Downtown) area is only a few blocks away. This area is one good restaurant after another. Try Sullivan's for good steaks and jazz. Reservations are necessary. The streets were well lit particularly along the mall and we felt safe walking anywhere. LoDo is not so well lit and taking a cab after dark is recommended.

The other end of the mall takes you to the State Capital, Civic Center and Museums. We visited the Colorado History Museum and the Art Museum. Both were interesting but the new Art Museum is a must-see. The museum with its unusual architecture is a work of art in itself . It just opened in October and is very worth the $13 admission.

So finally, the Magnolia was a sweet experience and a great location to enjoy downtown Denver.

The beginning of our Magnolia experience looked like trouble. Our flight from Boston had been delayed by several hours, and so our expected 9PM arrival had morphed to about 1:30AM. We had called the hotel from the airport before departing to explain that we would be very late, so we thought we were covered--yet when we arrived, we found that our room was no longer available. We sat in the lobby fuming, wondering if we would have to stay up all night and look for some other place in the morning. After a while the concierge called us over and explained that the only room available was a two-room suite with a kitchen, which we were welcome to take for the same price as the standard double we had booked. Well...OK!

The suite was absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful furniture, high ceilings, and a wonderfully comfortable bed, as well as a very nice pullout for our son. The only trace of a flaw in the room was a wireless internet connection that worked intermittently at best. But we weren't there for business, so that was a minor issue. All in all, it was one of the nicest hotel rooms I've ever experienced. Also, the staff was extraordinarily polite and helpful throughout our short stay.

The reservation snafu keeps us from giving the Magnolia a 5, but our experience there was 5-star in every other respect.

I just got back from a conference at the convention center. Many of my cohorts stayed at the Hyatt across the street from the convention center. I decided to go with the Magnolia. I stayed for 6 nights. It was rated a little lower than the Hyatt, but it was cheaper.

My initial impression was it was old, but the front staff seemed friendly. I found out later it was originally built in the early 1900's as an office building and was converted to a hotel in the mid 1990's. The lobby is small, but nice. The bar (Harry's) has a modern, somewhat classy look. I ordered food two nights I was there and it was fine.

The room was fairly small (but the Monaco is smaller), and my view was pretty bad. I looked outside my window on the 9th floor and could see directly across an apartment building. I could see my neighbor's room and TV. This was a little offputting at first, but I knew I wasn't going to be in my room that often, so it was no biggie. But some people may not like this. I did think about calling the front desk to see if I could have been given another room (December is not peak season, so I don't think it would have been a problem), but I decided to go with the flow.....no biggie really, and it had no adverse affect on my stay.

The room was very clean, with a modern, ecletric appeal. The workout area on the first floor is clean and well maintained. It's small, but has all the essential equipment you would expect in a hotel "gym".

They were upgrading the hotel during my stay (again, December is not peak season so this is when upgrades are going to be done), so I could smell the fresh paint as I would come and go from my room. Again, no biggie.............I understand it is an old building and upgrades are a part of the business.

The elevator is small, and of course old. But there is a statement framed stating that it was the elevator was considered a luxury when first built to the patrons of that time. I think that was pretty cool way of putting it..........knowing that I was riding in this elevator with alot of history just added to it's uniqueness.

Continental Breakfast is served every morning downstairs below the lobby. It's a nice, clean, well decored area. The breakfast was well laid out. One small complaint. They had one, old, SLOW toaster....I had to wait in line just to warm up the bagels. They might need to think about adding another toaster. But still, overall it's a nicely laid out area. Also, every morning a newspaper (Denver Post) is delivered outside you room. This was nice.

The Magnolia is only a short walking distance (5-10 minutes) from the convention center. The 16th street shopping area (a very popular spot in Denver) is literally next door. So it's in a very good area. Being downtown of course means there will be some homeless type people around. This is expected in ALL large cities. But there are police patroling the area during the night. It had no affect on me at all.

So overall it was worth the price (around 150 a night). The Hyatt is definitely more modern and has more of a "wow" factor, but you will probably pay 50-100 bucks more a night. The Magnolia is in a good area. The staff were always friendly. I asked them for a good breakfast place and a sports bar.........they mapped both out for me. So they were very helpful. So overall it was a
good experience.

ONE MORE COMMENT: I did go to Denver alone. If my wife would have came, she probably would have been upset at the view..she can be particular about this......so just know the next to the Magnolia there is an apartment building. So certain rooms ( I did NOT stay in the suite) will get this view. If the view is a big deal to you it's something to think about, and maybe bring up to the front desk PRIOR to your stay.