Denver's lone member of the highly gay-friendly Kimpton brand hotel group, the Hotel Monaco (1717 Champa St., 303-296-1717) comprises a pair of adjoining early-20th-century downtown buildings in the center of downtown, close to the 16th Street Mall and near a slew of great restaurants and shops - it's an easy walk from here to LoDo, Larimer Square, and the city's Civic Center Mall. The hotel's warmly furnished 189 rooms have playfully elegant striped wallpaper, L'Occitane bath products, and flat-screen TVs, plus the usual Kimpton touches, such as free Wi-Fi, goldfish in bowls on request, pet amenities (it's a pet-friendly property, feather comforters and pillows, an in-room spa-wellness program featuring complimentary yoga accessories, and plenty of other personal perks. Rooms come in a variety of shapes and sizes - it's worth paying a little extra for a King Spa room with a jetted Fuji soak tub. Or go all out with the John Lennon Imagine Suite, which has a Yellow Submarine desk lamp and art that includes handwritten lyrics to various Beatles songs.
In keeping with Kimpton's emphasis not only on comfortable sleeping but also notable dining, the hotel has a terrific restaurant, Panzano. There's also a complimentary evening wine hour, and the hotel has an Aveda Spa and Salon on-site, plus a 24-hour fitness room.