Hotel Review: Le Méridien Denver Downtown
Le Méridien’s European root goes back to its first establishment by Air France in 1972. Since its launch, Le Méridien hotels have emphasized its chic and classic Parisian atmosphere, and Le Méridien Denver Downtown was no exception. I was initially hesitant to book a Le Méridien hotel because my perception of the brand was comparable to the Sheraton brand: outdated and dismal. Though my stay was not perfect, it was a great introduction to the Le Méridien brand and proved that the hotel embraced its brand identity. Located in the heart of downtown Denver, Le Méridien Denver Downtown was a great choice for those looking for minimalistic and upper-scale travel experiences.
While my first experience with the Le Méridien brand was pleasant, there was also room for improvement. Photo by Marriott.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. On top of the elevated offer, a new cardmember can earn up to $200 back at U.S. restaurants. AMEX is not stopping there; Until 12/31/2021, cardmembers will get a monthly statement credit of $20 when they spend more than $20 at restaurants each month. It earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities. If you are interested in getting the AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant Card, act fast because the elevated offer ends on 5/12/2021.
The Bonvoy Brilliant comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Brilliant Card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite Night Credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
I have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card: the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. On top of the elevated offer, a new cardmember can earn up to $150 back on eligible business purchases made within the first three months of card membership. AMEX is not stopping there; Until 12/31/2021, cardmembers will get a monthly statement credit of $15 when they spend $15 or more on monthly wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. services providers. The eligible purchases include shipping, restaurant, wireless telephone, and gas station purchases made in the U.S. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Business Card’s annual fee is $125 and offers decent benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
As you can see the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor. If you are interested in getting the AMEX Bonvoy Business Card, act fast because the elevated offer ends on 5/12/2021.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Lobby & Check-In Review
The lobby was curated with warm wooden tables and chairs. They didn’t fit Le Medirien’s French identity but rather felt nordic, but it was charming nonetheless. A fireplace warmed up the lobby, and I loved the visual aesthetics of the fireplace; it was certainly worth being a centerpiece.
I loved how everyone could enjoy the fireplace, and its glass walls made it even cooler.
Because I was in Denver during the week of Spring break, the lobby was booming every day during my stay. Thus, even though the lobby had various seating options, it didn’t appear spacious due to the sheer number of guests in the lobby at any time.
Luckily, I was able to snap a photo of the lobby right after a large crowd of people left.
The lobby featured a check-in desk for 54thirty—the rooftop bar on the 20th floor. I assume the reception desk was on the first floor to minimize people going up and down the hotel floors since we’re still fighting the noble Coronavirus.
After 5 pm, people were lining up to visit the rooftop bar.
Close to the elevators, there were additional seats, perfect for a small group.
This was my favorite area in the lobby, as it resembled a cozy living room.
The couch was comfortable and cozy, and next to this area was a beautiful spiral staircase, which was inaccessible at the moment. The two faux fur chairs created a popular photo spot, as I saw many guests taking “Instagram-worthy” photos.
People were lining up to take “Instagram-worth” photos here.
When I first checked in, I received a room right next to the elevators. Since I am a light sleeper, I usually prefer a room away from elevators, and when I requested a new room, the front desk kindly assigned me a new room away from the elevators. Marriott used to have “Away from Elevators” as a room preference option, but for some reason, they removed it. I hope it returns for the comfort of Marriott loyalists. Fortunately, the front desk representative was able to reassign me to a room at the end of a hallway, making my stay undisturbed and peaceful.
Bedroom Review
My room was located on the 19th floor of the hotel. The bedroom was minimal and reminded me of the stay at the AC Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, which makes sense since this Le Méridien property was adjacent to the Denver AC Hotel. A king bed with a white, faux leather headboard was situated at the center of the room. The mattress was plush but lacked firmness, in my opinion.
The aesthetics of the room reminded me of my previous stay at the AC Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.
On one side of the bed, a nightstand doubled as a safe.
The safe blended so well with other furniture; I didn’t suspect it until I took a closer look!
The northern European look of the furniture went well with the room’s overall aesthetics, and I liked the light fixture above the safe. It was odd that the other side of the bed didn’t have the same light fixture. Also, the nightstand on that side was a simple table without any ports or outlets. Nowadays, the lack of readily available electrical outlets and USB ports is hugely inconvenient. Luckily, the headboard featured reading lights that came in handy at night.
I mainly used the reading lights to guide myself back from using the bathroom at night.
Directly across from the bed, an illy coffee machine was on the work desk, which had mood lighting on the back.
The illy coffee machine was underwhelming, and the coffee was too acidic for my taste.
It was my first time using an illy coffee machine, and without any directions, it was somewhat confusing to figure out what each button meant. The coffee was not my favorite, as it was more on the acidic side of my pallet. Next to the desk, a decently sized TV was wall-mounted, and a small bench was available, which was used as a luggage hanger.
The mood lighting gently illuminated the work desk area at night.
The ceiling to the floor window let in ample sunlight while the room overlooked downtown Denver. The view wasn’t spectacular, but I was happy that my room wasn’t directly facing another building.
The view from my room was a typical city view. You can see how close the AC Hotel was located.
By the window wall, a narrow lounge chaise and a side table took the corner of the room. The chaise was actually comfortable enough to lounge, but it wasn’t secure and easily moved around whenever I adjusted my seating position.
The lounge chaise was actually comfortable, but it moved around every time I used it.
One element I wish my room had was a mini-fridge. I am positive I could’ve requested one from the hotel, but it was unusual not having a fridge since it is a standard amenity.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom was integrated with the bedroom, and the single vanity was quite close to the bed. At the back of the vanity was a tinted mirror that stretched all the way up to the ceiling. I thought it was a clever design idea that effectively separated a rather cramped room.
There was no true barrier between the bedroom and the bathroom.
Otherwise, while I liked how bright the mirror got, the single vanity lacked counter space to store personal toiletries. The hotel toiletries were by MALIN+GOETZ. I enjoyed the scents of the products, but they all harshly dried my skin.
MALIN+GOETZ products were better than other common toiletry brands.
The walk-in shower featured a rainfall-style shower head, but it may be a standard showerhead, depending on how tall you are.
The walk-in shower boasted a rainfall-style shower head and white subway tiles for a clean look.
The shower booth was opaque and made the shower experience private. Because the bathroom space was limited, it felt extremely confined if one was getting out of the shower while the other was using the sink.
The vanity lacked counterspace to place my personal toiletries.
Lastly, the toilet was in its own water closet and used a sliding door.
The water closet door was a huge letdown and made every toilet use very stressful.
Even though I usually prefer a water closet, the door kept sliding as I used the toilet. This happened every time, and I had to hold on to the door whenever I used the toilet. Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable experience.
Breakfast Review—The Lobbyist
The breakfast was served in the lobby on behalf of the on-site cafe and restaurant, The Lobbyist. The hotel’s full-scale restaurant, Corinne, was closed at the moment.
The Lobbyist offered simple, cooked-to-order breakfast options.
There were two types of breakfast for hotel guests. The first type was a grab-and-go option, where essential morning dishes such as breakfast burritos, yogurt, muffin, and coffee, were served. The second type was a cooked-to-order option. With my Titanium Elite status, I was granted one complimentary entree and a drink per person for the entire duration of my stay.
The breakfast menu was available online, and some items were quite expensive.
On one morning, I tried the avocado Toast and a cup of orange juice. The cold-pressed orange juice was delicious. However, the Avocado Toast was substandard. While the egg was cooked perfectly, the bread was soggy, and the toast had way too many pumpkin seeds.
There were too many pumpkin seeds on my toast.
I also had a chance to try the bacon, egg, and cheddar sandwich, which was far below my expectation.
The sandwich had too much bread and was soggy.
I was happy that I could have a complimentary, cooked-to-order breakfast. I actually enjoyed it since many hotels are still not serving breakfast due to COVID-19. However, I would’ve been largely disappointed had I paid for the dishes.
Gym Review
The gym was located on the 20th floor of the hotel, right next to the onsite rooftop bar, 54thirty. As soon as I got off the elevator, I was greeted with delightful Colorado wall art and a witty slope mural with ski lifts as chairs.
I appreciate it when hotels infuse their properties with local charm and character.
The fitness center felt small for the size of the hotel, but it offered slightly more than basic gym equipment. On one end of the wall, cardio machines were lined up, overlooking downtown Denver.
All cardio machines were tightly positioned next to each other.
Unfortunately, all cardio stations were tightly packed, and there were no safety measures against COVID-19 other than alcohol spray bottles.
The disinfectant spray bottles made it easy to clean the equipment after each use.
For any sweat seekers, plenty of towels were available. Next to the towels, a Peloton bike and a curved treadmill were present for those looking for intense cardio workouts.
While I opted for the Peloton bike, it was cool seeing a curved treadmill.
In the middle were an all-in-one machine and a standard dumbbell set. The dumbbells were matte black, but their weight labels were also black, making them difficult to read.
The dumbbells were little difficult to read, but thankfully, they were neatly organized when I used the gym.
There were two adjustable benches, and a row of weight lifting equipment occupied the other side of the gym.
The gym featured a straightforward and minimalistic design, perfectly aligning with the hotel's overarching theme.
The gym was simple and minimalistic, following the hotel’s overall theme. It was my first time seeing a curved treadmill, and I always appreciate it when hotels try new equipment. One odd part about the gym was that it didn’t have a mirror. Though it wasn’t a problem for my workout session, it could be an issue for those who want to check their forms or do HIT workouts.
Summary
Le Méridien Denver Downtown is located in the heart of downtown Denver, and it is a good lodging option with minimalistic aesthetics and amenities. I would not recommend the hotel for families, as rooms can be pretty compact, but it’s an excellent property for solo travelers and couples. While I enjoyed the cozy European appearance of the room and the hotel in general, my room didn’t have standard amenities like a mini-fridge, and the water toilet door kept sliding every time I used the toilet, which made the experience very uncomfortable. I hope these issues are resolved when I visit next time.
