From the hotel that brought us 'puttin' on the Ritz'

$3,000 per-night suite offers taste of the good life

By Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

On a clear day, there are great mountain views from the signature suite of the new Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Denver. The bathtub even has a view of Coors Field. "This is not your grandmother's Ritz-Carlton," said hotel spokeswoman Audrey Strong. "The style is warm contemporary with a Colorado sense of place."

Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

UP The main living room in the Ritz-Carlton Suite in downtown Denver. The Ritz Carlton Hotel offers suites and rooms for up to $3,000 a single night.

Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

A bedroom in the Luxury Suite is part of a nearly 2,500-square-foot space that goes for $900 a night on weekends. It has many of the same accouterments as the more expensive Ritz Carlton Suite.

At about $1 a square foot, this rarefied piece of downtown real estate might seem like a bargain.

Until checkout time.

A mere $3,000 buys just one night in the sprawling signature suite at Denver's new Ritz-Carlton Hotel. With 3,000 square feet of living space, there's room for everything from a formal dining room to a large bathtub looking out over Coors Field.

But with its earth tones and abstract aspen leaf motifs, the decor differs from the opulent furnishings of the hotel chain's earlier days. Brass-accented telescopes allow for spying on the neighbors, mainly the tall office buildings that dominate the skyline.

"This is not your grandmother's Ritz-Carlton," said hotel spokeswoman Audrey Strong. "The style is warm contemporary with a Colorado sense of place."

The coffee table in the media room features the oversized John Fielder book Mountain Ranges of Colorado, only to be outdone by the 60-inch flat-panel, high-definition television.

Since the hotel opened at 1881 Curtis St. in January, a pro athlete and a musical performer have been among the Ritz-Carlton suite's first guests to fork over the never-discounted $3,000 nightly rate.

If the five-star price tag seems too dear - say more akin to the cost of a monthly mortgage payment or two on a comparably sized house - the luxe hotel has relatively more affordable options for those in the market for a weekend splurge.

A 2,473-square-foot luxury suite goes for $900 a night on weekends - more during the week - and includes everything its swankier counterpart offers on the other side of the hotel's 12th floor.

One-bedroom suites that measure a mere 1,000 square feet can be had for $299 a night on weekends. But there's no skimping on the 400-thread count sheets, plush robes or flat panel TVs. There's no sit-down dining room. But room service from the in-house Elway's steakhouse is available around the clock.

kelleyj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5068

Sweet suites

RITZ-CARLTON SUITE

The hotel's swankiest offering features 3,000 square feet of living space, including a full dining room, media center and panoramic mountain views.

The bathtub overlooks Coors Field and has a flat-panel TV.

* Price tag: $3,000 a night

LUXURY SUITE

Almost as big as the signature offering, two of these suites also offer room for entertaining. The measuring tape sizes them up at 2,473 square feet apiece.

* Price tag: $900 a night on weekends, more during the week

ONE-BEDROOM SUITE

At 1,000 square feet, there are 37 of these available for those who might deem the alternatives too extravagant. (Five slightly larger Deluxe Suite options are also available for an extra $100 a night)

* Price tag: $299 a night on weekends, more during the week