How to Experience Denver's Brown Palace
From the outside, the Brown Palace looks like a tall wedge of devil's food cake. On the inside, it's a delicious step back in time where the architecture and traditions have been faithfully preserved and where some of the hotel's former occupants have felt so comfortable that they continue to linger in ghostly --- albeit perfectly harmless --- form. Whether you're only booked at the Brown Palace one night or are making a long weekend of it, you need never leave the premises to create a lasting experience.
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Instructions
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Start your day with a specialty coffee drink and a pastry at the Brown Palace Coffee and Tea Company on the first floor. There's a small section of the space set aside for hotel-themed gifts and plenty of seating out in the atrium to admire the 1892 ambiance, woodwork and stained glass ceiling. If you'd like something more filling than a scone, Ellyngton's can accommodate you between 7 and 11 a.m. It also serves a Sunday champagne brunch between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
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Sign up for a free historic tour replete with Brown Palace ghost stories. These take place at 2 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday and last about 45 minutes. Private tours can be arranged for groups of 10 to 25.
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Indulge yourself in high tea between noon and 4 p.m. daily in the hotel atrium. This is a traditional tea with finger sandwiches, scones and Devonshire cream and petite fours. A pianist or harpist is usually on hand to provide relaxing music.
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Schedule a spa treatment for the afternoon. Individual and package services include facials and skin care, manicures, pedicures, massages, hydrotherapy, waxing, wraps, soaks, scrubs and hairstyling.
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Make dinner reservations for the Palace Arms. This posh restaurant on the premises is open between 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Although coats and ties are not required, appropriate dress and behavior are both expected. Prior to dinner, you may want to enjoy cocktails and tapas in the atrium.
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Wrap up the evening at the Ship Tavern, which has live entertainment Wednesday through Saturday. If you'd prefer someplace quieter, pop into the sophisticated Churchill Bar which specializes in single malt scotches and over 60 different cigars.
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Tips & Warnings
The Brown Palace is conveniently located near the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Latimer Square, the Colorado Convention Center, the Colorado History Museum and the State Capitol.
It's not uncommon to have ghostly encounters or silly pranks played such as radios and televisions coming on for no apparent reason, especially if you're someone who is open to the power of suggestion. The concierge desk does keep a log of quirky happenings and may even be able to tell you who your unseen roomies are or, rather, were.
The Denver airport is about 24 miles from downtown. It is difficult to make quick time back and forth, especially during the week or when there's a football, baseball, basketball or hockey game in town. Always give yourself an extra hour if you have an early plane to catch.
