The fanfare surrounding completion of the Sheraton Denver Downtown’s $80 million, full-scale renovation may have been delayed due to COVID-19, but the VIP/media ribbon cutting and community unveiling event on Sept. 16 was done in true style. The porte-cochere and lobby were taken over for the event that featured live music, a sampling of local food and drink, and the chance to savor a cocktail in Bezel Denver, a swank new bar that hasn’t opened to the public quite yet.
Sheraton Denver Downtown, designed by I.M. Pei, has long been an anchor on the 16th Street Mall and served as the largest meetings/events hotel in the city. The hotel was updated and refreshed from top to bottom, including a new arrival experience, 133,000 square feet of meeting and event space, 1,236 guest rooms and 138 suites, all public spaces, and culinary and beverage experiences. The property is among the first in the country to undergo the larger brand revitalization that will ultimately transform all Sheraton hotels.
“We are honored to be one of the first hotels to bring the new Sheraton brand to life in the heart of Denver,” says General Manager Tony Dunn. “The renovation will serve to highlight what is already incredible about the local Denver community and bring the best of the Sheraton brand to downtown.”
The interior design incorporates various design elements and materials inspired by the beatnik movement of the early 1960s, a time of exuberant growth and cultural change in the United States. One of the most dynamic changes is the lobby, which has been re-imagined as the hotel’s “public square.” The concept is working as people were actively socializing and utilizing the private spaces as well. The central pillar is 16th Street Commons Coffee Bar Bar that serves as a combination bar, coffee bar and market that transitions from day to night with food and beverage options.
A community table also anchors the hotel’s lobby and allows guests to work, eat and drink while soaking up the energy of the space, whereas The Studios are flexible gathering spaces available to book for collaborative working and connecting with others, built on elevated platforms, and enclosed with glass. Soundproof booths also are placed around the lobby to provide privacy for phone calls with friends, family or colleagues.
