Hampton Inn & Suites Denver-Speer Boulevard

I wouldn’t have stayed here if I’d known about the $75 per night pet fee. It’s the highest around, and I only booked because the other hotels had pet fees too. The online booking page says pets are allowed, but the fee flashes up only briefly before the site moves on to the card entry. You can blink and miss it, and there isn’t enough time to answer the pet question. I went through the booking steps again and saw how easy it was to miss. Nobody at the front desk asked whether I had a pet, and they didn’t offer a refund. I was just told it was my problem for not noticing the website. The reservation was already $10 higher at check-in, then they added the dog fee without giving me a chance to acknowledge it. My bank account is in the negative, and I don’t have gas money until tomorrow. I’m not sure we’ll have enough to get to our next place. Seventy-five dollars. Horrible.

The beds were very nice, though I wish the pillows were a little firmer. It’s a clean hotel with a new feel, in a nice area for walking and just down the block from several good restaurants. There’s a small convenience store in the lobby, and the store across the street stays open late. They also have a brew tap in the lobby, which I’d never seen before.

Breakfast was awesome, with chicken and waffles, sausage, eggs, cereal, and more. The front desk staff were helpful and present. Our room was clean and smelled fine, though we could hear traffic and water backed up in the tub, which wasn’t great. We got the last parking spot, so be prepared to look for other parking nearby, which could be difficult. Still, I was very satisfied and would stay again.

The staff were in a great mood no matter what time of day we saw them. We usually NEVER stay in hotels when we travel, but Denver Airbnbs around Ball Arena had crazy rules, a $300 security deposit for a mediocre place, and a longer walk to the Arena. This hotel beat all our expectations. Our suite was big enough for two, the beds were comfortable, and there was a salt water pool and hot tub. We got a complementary beer at check-in, and chicken and waffles at breakfast was a surprise. Ball Arena was a 35 minute walk for us, and we’re in our mid-fourties. A couple things could’ve been better: the hot tub was lukewarm at best, and the hot water ran out before my wife finished showering twice, once mid-day and once after 10pm. The parking lot isn’t for large vehicles. If you have a long bed, super cab, box truck, or any kind of trailer, I’d look into other parking.