Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Hotel Indigo Denver Is Boutique Boarding for the Urban Pioneer

Be the Daniel Boone of 2017, only with more whiskey and less wagons.

The newest in boutique boarding, Hotel Indigo Denver opens to guests of the Mile High city on January 20, in the heart of lower Denver (LoDO).

Recommended Videos

Only blocks away from the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Larimer Square, Coors Field, the Colorado Convention Center, and RiNo Arts District, the hotel of 180 guest rooms is primed for the urban pioneer who isn’t looking for the cookie-cutter experience. Why go boutique? The charm, mon cherie. And yet, while Hotel Indigo maintains a quaint intimacy for its guests, it skips the sometimes dusty and old fixtures that characterize other boutiques.

We went weak at the knees for its LEED-Certified design, devised by internationally recognized architectural and engineering firm John Portman & Associates. The hotel’s multi-faceted façade of stacked elements, including transparent glass on the ground floor, perforated metal screening and floor-to-ceiling glazing is uniquely modern, yet fossilized. It’s as if we are the new-age explorers taking the place of frontiersman Daniel Boone (he’s the folk legend that settled Kentucky).

Hotel Indigo Denver room
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Complimenting this aesthetic, the artwork evokes memories of the Colorado gold rush while murals depict the jagged Rocky Mountains and Front Range. In our opinion, Hotel Indigo goes just far enough into the nostalgia of heritage Colorado, while giving us our new-age vices like high-speed Wifi, classic rock and rhythm & blues lobby music, plus walking access to the best men’s shops and more than 100 microbreweries.

And in the style of our explorer forefathers who traveled through the ranges horseback, Hotel Indigo wants your dog to be a part of the adventure. The hotel is completely pet-friendly, offering treats and even a canine cocktail hour and walking service. As for wetting your own whistle, the rustic Hearth & Dram restaurant located in the hotel brings wood-fired cuisine and a whiskey-centric program.

Hearth & Dram at Hotel Indigo
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Hearth & Dram at Hotel Indigo
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In place of a stale concierge, the Indigo is littered with local experts, like a “RiNo Guru,” the “Theatre Smarty Pants,” the “Bowling Master.” And lastly for the fit-minded traveler, there’s a 24-hour fitness studio with free weights, TVs for the morning news, and locker room showers.

“The hotel was designed with a Millennial mindset to appeal to business and leisure travelers of all demographics who seek the charm of a boutique property combined with the branded excellence to be found in all InterContinental Hotels Group hotels,” says Design Director Gordon Beckman.

Hotel Indigo Denver lobby
Image used with permission by copyright holder

So leave behind civilization as you know it for an adventure in the Wild West, swapping weeks in a wagon with hardwood floors, polished concrete ceilings, interior sliding barn doors, oversized beds, and spa-inspired showers with complimentary Aveda products.

Photos courtesy Hotel Indigo, Hearth & Dram

Topics
Jahla Seppanen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Born and raised off-the-grid in New Mexico, Jahla Seppanen is currently a sports, fitness, spirits, and culture writer in…
Gin goes with everything! From strawberries to carrot
The Connaught

As an avowed gin lover, one of the things I enjoy about the spirit is its ability to mix with a wide range of ingredients. It can do some much more than a Gin & Tonic, as depending on the botanicals used in a particular gin it can be combined with everything from herbal lushness to bracing bitterness to fruity sweetness.

A balanced gin like Fords is a great choice for mixing as it isn't overly sharp or bitter, but still has enough interest to add depth to any drink you make with it. These recipes from bartenders around the world show just how diverse gin drinks can be, combining ingredients from strawberries and coconut to carrot and grapefruit.

Read more
The best gin drinks: Our 5 favorites
The best gin cocktails for you to make at home
Gin cocktail

When it comes to spirits, there are none as unique as gin. When distilled, gin doesn’t have much flavor, save for the ingredients it’s made with. It’s not all that different from vodka. It’s the addition of juniper berries and various herbs and botanicals either in the distillation process itself (or a second distillation), through vapor infusion (the herbs and botanicals are hung in a basket in the still), or through maceration (adding the flavors to an already distilled gin) that give the gin its distinct, memorable aromas and flavors.

If you’ve ever had gin (or even sniffed it), you know the most potent ingredient is juniper berries. They are what gives gin its patented pine tree aroma and flavor. Other common ingredients include orris root, angelica root, orange peel, and licorice.
Our 5 favorite gin drinks

Read more
Give your gimlet a herbal twist with this vodka cocktail
Ghost Hill Organic Vodka

The Gimlet is one of those cocktails that is so simple and such a classic that it's easily overlooked. Whilst I lean toward a Gin Gimlet (and I have strong feelings like it should be made with fresh lime juice and sugar syrup rather than a pre-made lime cordial), you can also experiment with different spirits such as the also popular Vodka Gimlet.

The simple recipe is ripe for experimentation though, and especially when you are working with vodka, you have a lot of leeway to incorporate other ingredients to add more interest and unique personality to your drink. This recipe from Ghost Hill Organic Vodka showcases the smooth and clean notes of the spirit while also allowing space for the other ingredients to shine -- not only lime juice and simple syrup, but also the addition of sage leaves for a more herbal note.

Read more