Review: Urban Cowboy Denver: First In

Why book? Irreverent hotel group Urban Cowboy ’s fourth location finally brings the brand’s nostalgic Western aesthetic to the actual West by respectfully preserving a landmark 1880s mansion on the outskirts of downtown Denver and infusing it with eccentric design and laidback hospitality.

Set the scene Young couples from Brooklyn and Nashville—Urban Cowboy loyalists—relax on Swedish ‘60s settees in the antique-filled parlor rooms playing old-school board games and sipping craft beers. The soundtrack shifts from A Tribe Called Quest to John Denver. A staff member in a subdued Hawaiian shirt and jeans schools a 40-something couple from LA on the building’s history, pointing out the crooked floors and framed newspaper clippings about the building’s original owner the “Happy Hatter,” and a portrait of his wife, Rachel Schleier. Around 5:00 p.m. guests wander next door for drinks in the old carriage house-turned-restaurant. The 1800s hand-carved wooden saloon bar from Wooden Nickel Antiques in Cincinnati is already overflowing with hip Denverites dressed in Filson flannels and feather-studded Kemo Sabe cowgirl hats. Three bartenders field orders and servers run bubbling, thin-crust pizzas to tightly packed tables which force strangers to quickly become friends. By 10:00 p.m., a mix of guests and locals linger over hot toddies.

The backstory Hat maker turned real estate mogul turned politician, George Schleier tapped prominent Denver architect Frank E. Edbrooke to design this Queen Ann-style mansion in the 1880s. His edict: Eschew the architectural style of the era. The result is a mishmash of influences that Lyon Porter and Jersey Banks, the duo behind Urban Cowboy, worked tirelessly for nearly three years to preserve. The couple collaborated with GBX Group, an Ohio-based real estate firm that revitalizes historical properties, and Historic Denver, to salvage much of the original detail, including the gargoyles carved into the staircase balusters, the intricate floral plaster print walls, engraved Bavarian swans (a nod to Schleier’s German heritage), and eight ornate art tile fireplaces. The fourth location from the New York-based hotel and design group is a homecoming of sorts for Banks, who hails from Denver.

The rooms The property's 16 rooms—the most spacious in the brand’s hotel portfolio—are spread over two floors, each with its own unique layout and design. The wild patchwork of contrasting prints and patterns is reminiscent of maximalist designers like Kit Kemp and MacKenzie-Childs, but with a rustic twist. Rooms are wrapped in gorgeous block print wall coverings crafted by Clinton Van Gemert, the artist behind Printsburgh studio in Pennsylvania. His nearly dozen different prints, range from whimsical jade green vines of trumpet flowers to cheery red poppies, set against bold Pendleton bedding and colorful kilim rugs. Of the five categories of rooms, the pony suites are the smallest, but perfect for a solo traveler. The Gambler, named for its black spade wallpaper, has a skylight directly above its bathtub. Tucked into the mansion’s "onion" tower cupola, the Honeymoon Suite is a real showstopper with two side-by-side clawfoot tubs set beneath jewel-toned stained-glass windows and surrounded by a shimmery black wall print reminiscent of lacy hosiery. Some rooms, like Roses, have showers in the middle of the room rather than in a separate bathroom so ask in advance if you’re modest.

Food and drink Public House & Restaurant, a collaboration with Brooklyn’s cult pizza joint, Roberta’s, was such a hit in Nashville that Urban Cowboy has brought the concept to Denver. Located within the mansion’s former carriage house, the low-lit, intimate space channels the historic vibe of the hotel, yet everything from the tin ceiling to the antique wood bar were sourced rather than preserved. A woodfired oven churns out thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pies, including Roberta’s classic like the Bee Sting (tomato, mozzarella, sopressata, basil, chili, honey) and Denver exclusives such as Ursula’s Paradise (a delicious riff on a clam pie). The menu is succinct, yet still more robust than Nashville and goes beyond pizza to include handmade pastas (the maltagliati oxtail en forno featured the night I visited was exactly what you want on a snowy night), simple, yet perfectly executed salads, and snacks, like pizza rolls and housemade stracciatella. Make sure to take note of the retro ski ballet photos used to flag food deliveries.

Alex Jay, the brand’s veteran head of beverage, created a cocktail menu of signatures like the in-demand Public House old fashioned and fresh recipes only found at this location, such as the Time will Tell (bourbon, grappa, banana liqueur, smoke). The bar crowds quickly and the soundtrack of disco and 90s hip hip is loud. If you’re looking to hold a conversation, score seats by the firepits on the small outdoor patio. Inside the hotel, a guests-only wine bar will open in the Parlor before year’s end and guests can find fresh brewed coffee there beginning at 7 a.m.

Rooms are stocked with pricey gourmet snack, like truffle potato chips, Chimango chili peach wrings, and Compartés chocolate bars in Colorado-inspired flavors like Cowboy Crunch and Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow.

The spa There isn’t a spa, but each room has an enormous, hand-hammered, copper clawfoot tub, plus artisanal soaking accoutrements for a fee including bath salts, oils, and a custom bath soak from Catskills-based aromatherapy experts, Species by the Thousands.

The neighborhood The hotel is just a few blocks from the Colorado State Capitol at the crossroads of three neighborhoods: Uptown, Capitol Hill, and Downtown. The area has experienced a boom in recent years. Great restaurants, like southern Italian spot Coperta, and live music venues like the Fillmore Auditorium and Ogden Theatre are less than a 15-minute walk from the hotel.

The service Low-key and casual. Don’t expect room service or a concierge. The hotel is staffed 7a.m. until 11 p.m. If you’re curious about the building’s history, the team is happy to provide nerdy tours pointing out different architectural features and fun facts (I learned that Colorado's name has its origin in the Spanish language, as the word for "colored red" hence the hotel’s Burgundy-hued walls.).

For families Leave the kids at home. Kinky amenities like lube and mushroom chocolates, plus those deep soaking tubs, make this the perfect escape for couples craving a weekend away.

Eco effort Urban Cowboy is known for its adaptive reuse ethos. The entire property was saved from being demolished and turned into a high rise. They also put in extremely efficient and eco-friendly mechanical systems that greatly reduce the energy consumption in such a historic building.

Accessibility There is one ADA-compliant room that is located on the first floor right off the ADA ramp.

Anything left to mention? The Cabin Room, with its exposed brick walls and vintage ski décor, feels like a mountain escape in the city, but its location above the bar in the carriage house can be a bit noisy. Old pipes mean you occasionally hear the neighbor’s plumbing.