Capitol Hill Mansion :

Growing up on the east coast amongst the tall cities and flat landscape, I always romanticized Denver and the Rocky Mountains, seeing them as one of those urban/nature combinations that you don’t get very often – a place where the peaks meet the pavement.  

The Rockies are the portal to the west and the subject of much conversation – word associations, if you will – from the activities of skiing and rock climbing to the icons of John Denver and John Elway. It was a place I had to see for myself, especially considering my preference for destinations with more than one dimension.

Downtown Denver is loaded with all the perks you would expect from a major city, but its small stature and location at the foot of the Rocky Mountains gives it an accessible personality that attracts a well-rounded, athletic, and active population.  

Surrounded by mountains on one side and plains on the other, it’s one of those cities where it makes sense to rent a car, especially if you want to get the full scope of what the area offers, what drives its personality. The word that comes to mind to describe Denver as a metropolitan is manageable – the downtown area happening and enticing yet unintimidating (you can see the Rockies from almost every part of the city).

I called two places home on my first visit, a bed and breakfast in Capitol Hill and a traditional hotel located in the heart of downtown.  Here’s the story on The Capitol Hill Mansion and the Hotel Teatro, both offering different versions of Denver.  

Capitol Hill Mansion: Suburban Lodging at Denver's Doorstep 
Named after the neighborhood in which it sits, the Capitol Hill Mansion stands out due to its “castle-like” appearance. It’s beautiful, with a tall chimney, triangular roof, coned-shaped columns and an iron fence surrounding the property. Denver is one of the sunniest places in America, and in early April tulips graced the garden as spring set in (although it did snow one day I was there, only to be melted the next. As the locals say, that’s Denver for you).

I was extremely impressed with the way the Capitol Hill area maintains a suburban, neighborhood feel while still packing in restaurants, bars, and businesses. I bounced around to a few coffee shops with the pen and the pad during my stay, and not once did I truly feel like I was in a major metropolitan area.

For me, it is this that sparks the romance at the Mansion. I like the idea of waking up and looking out the windows to green grass, stepping out the front door and walking the streets side-by-side on wide sidewalks, hearing the birds and seeing the flowers. Couples can sit out on the patio in the morning and have coffee and feel a sense of peace and privacy, yet once the desire to wander kicks in they are only minutes from the attractions of a major city (either via taxi or foot). The shower’s proximity to the bed does not hurt the romantic aura, either (see photo).

Innkeeper Carl Schmidt and his daughter, Blaire, do a wonderful job with the morning breakfast and accommodating your schedule (you have a two-hour window in which you can attend breakfast). During the spring it is served outside on the patio amongst the aforementioned flowers and quiet neighborhood, and Carl won't start cooking your plate until you show up downstairs. This obviously means you get fresh food, but more importantly it fosters conversation over coffee as the meal is prepared. 

Just throwing it out there: It's not often you find a bed and breakfast where the main host is a male. Don't be fooled - Carl can cook! 

Hotel Teatro: For Those With Nightlife Needs
I don’t usually pay much attention to individual lists – and I try to avoid creating them myself – however when common trends emerge over a period of time across a variety of outlets, one would have to be a bit stubborn to ignore them completely. Hotel Teatro has been well discussed over the past two years, earning themselves recognition in the following annual rankings:  

2011: Top Ten Hotels in the World via Expedia.com

2011: World’s Best Large ....