Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver — Hotel in Denver

My stay at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver was one of the most frustrating and disappointing hotel experiences I've ever had. No matter your income, no one enjoys being blindsided by unexpected fees—and that’s exactly what happened during my visit.

I was in Denver for a three-day work event and, to avoid the 170-mile drive back and forth plus it was calling for snow, I decided to book a nearby hotel. After a quick search on Super.com, I found the Kimpton Hotel Monaco, just 0.4 miles from my event. The price seemed reasonable—$59.99 per night plus tax and fees, totaling $140.09 for two nights in a King-sized room with a walk-in shower. The reviews were glowing, praising the stylish rooms, pet-friendly policies (no deposit required), and the convenience of the Panzano restaurant. As someone from Colorado Springs unfamiliar with downtown Denver, this seemed like the perfect choice for me and my two dogs.

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse. Upon checking in, I was asked to put a $200 "incidental" hold on my card. What I wasn’t told was that a $30 per night gratuity fee would automatically be added to my bill. I only discovered this when I checked my account on the TV in the room. When I contacted the front desk, they explained that the fee is standard for all guests, but somehow wasn’t mentioned during check-in.

To make matters worse, I learned that the hotel doesn’t offer its own parking. This left me with two unappealing choices: either search for street parking and lug my luggage and dogs into the hotel or pay $59 per night for valet. I reluctantly opted for valet. I was also told there was no designated dog potty area, but a dog park was three blocks away. This meant bundling up and taking my dogs outside in the snow late at night. During these late-night walks, I was even harassed by homeless individuals several times.

Adding to my frustration, while many hotels offer free Wi-Fi, Kimpton charges $12.99 per night for it—another fee I wasn’t informed about. The room itself lacked basic amenities, like a coffee maker and microwave. I had to request a microwave, and when the refrigerator didn’t work, they had to replace it. The “comforter” on the bed was so thin it provided no warmth, and the extra blanket I requested was equally flimsy. While they did offer a complimentary glass of cheap wine in the evening and coffee and hot cocoa in the morning, these weren’t truly free—they were included in the gratuity fees we were charged.

For meals, I had little choice but to dine at the hotel’s overpriced restaurant, Panzano, since my car was valet-parked. The hostess recommended a $65 chicken and rice dish, which was bland and tasteless. Worse, no condiments were offered, so I had to endure the flavorless meal until I couldn’t take it anymore and threw it away. On the second night, I ordered a $15 personal pizza, which, though still overpriced, was at least edible—offering a small relief in an otherwise miserable stay.

By the end of my trip, I had paid $140 for the room but was also charged an additional $148 for parking and gratuity fees, plus $80 in tips for two meals, bringing my total to $448 for two nights. Fortunately, I noticed the Wi-Fi charge before using it, which saved me an extra $26. I ended up using my phone’s hotspot to avoid that surprise fee.

Looking back, I would have been better off staying in an AirBnB, where I would’ve had free parking and could’ve used the $80 for groceries and cooked my own meals, avoiding all these hidden costs.

The lack of transparency was the most frustrating part. I understand some fees are necessary, but failing to disclose them upfront feels dishonest. My advice to anyone booking a hotel—whether through Expedia, Hotels.com, Priceline, or any other platform—is to carefully check the hotel’s website for hidden charges before booking.

My stay at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver was a nightmare, and I strongly urge others to be cautious about surprise costs and poor service, especially those traveling with pets. Think twice before...

I booked an essential king room and was fully prepared to have a room overlooking the parking garage and be okay with it. I was more than pleased we received an IHG loyalty program upgrade to the Monte Carlo Suite which was a great surprise! The front desk agent, Judithe, was super sweet, friendly and efficient. I wasn't in my suite 4 minutes before I had a text from her asking how everything was in my room. She is an asset to the hotel as a first encounter employee.

We arrived on a frigid January night and the roaring fire in the lobby was amazing! The lobby is beautifully decorated with several choices for comfy seating. The lobby crowd was a fun mix of wealthy folks, young families, business people, sports fans and young couples meeting their Door Dash deliveries.

The room was attractive, very clean and in good shape. The bed was comfy, the room was quiet, the heater/AC was effective and we slept well.

Complementary beverages: We had a glass of wine during the social hour. They offer a beer or wine selection from the adjacent Italian restaurant. We also had an unexpected night cap (choice of bourbon or sauterne) after our show which was a good excuse to park in front of the lobby fireplace a bit longer. There isn't a coffee maker in my room, but they do provide a complimentary coffee/tea/cocoa bar set up in the lobby each morning which is a serviceable alternative.

The rooms have an unstocked mini fridge which I appreciate. I was able to put my amazing dinner leftovers in there. The front desk has a variety of snacks and beverages, alcoholic & non-alcoholic, for purchase so you can stock it with whatever you'd like.

We dined at Panzano, the independent restaurant attached to the hotel. Judithe informed me the hotel provides a $10 credit per person toward the bill when you dine there if you charge it to your room; that was an unexpected nicety. I don't recall if that credit was breakfast or dinner specific. Panzano also has a solid happy hour including great drinks and bites in their bar. Our meals at Panzano were stellar and the service was everything service should be but rarely is. We live in the Denver metro area and will be returning to dine here again and again.

The sewer smell folks mention was very mild when we were there and only noticeable by the lobby elevators. Sadly, this is happening in many hotels and businesses downtown right now. Thankfully, there wasn't a hint of the smell in the lobby, restaurant, or our room. Hopefully, it will come to an end when they complete the 16th Street Mall infrastructure project.

This is sincere: To those complaining about the unexpected credit card hold placed during your stay, I'm befuddled. How is this surprising? I haven't stayed at a hotel anywhere in the world in the last 25 years that didn't do a daily hold or larger flat rate hold on my card upon check-in. Bank debit cards were getting a $300 to $500 hold on hotel stays 15 years ago when I was a bank teller. It's admittedly inconvenient, but it's also industry standard from major chains to boutique hotels; from International Cosmopolitan cities to remote Eastern European villages.

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel very much and appreciated the friendliness of the hotel and restaurant staff. It makes for a great...

EDIT: After our stay at the Kimpton I was charged for a stay extension of 2 add'l nights. Charging me ~$500. I was lucky enough to connect with Noelle from Accounting and she was so helpful as we both searched for answers. Turned out the night auditor made an error and extended our stay 2 nights with a time stamp of 2am the night before we were to check out. It was the strangest thing. Noelle took all the proper steps to confirm this was an error and I felt very validated and heard while working with her. She was extremely patient and listened to everything I had to share during my stay. I am adjusting my review to 3/5 stars instead of 2/5. 1 whole star for Noelle b/c she was so attentive, patient, and diligent in providing a solution. So, overall, I would not rebook here. However, if there is an accounting issue/charge issue I would give Noelle 10/10. Queen amongst women, folks!

The theme for this stay is “how embarrassing”, upon arrival the room was not ready b/c people “before us” decided to extend their checkout to 2 pm. We were told it would be an additional 30 min wait. After calling back at 45 min and again at 1.5 hours after our 3 p.m. check in the room was still not ready.

Patrick was empathetic however unable to actually do anything about it. For $220+ a night you’d expect literally anything else. Patrick then gave the phone to Stephen who had no words. Stephen was clearly uninterested in our issue and providing solutions. After I explained my frustration he said “the room is ready” and I said “well that’s confusing because 30 seconds ago it wasn’t ready…” and he said “it’s ready” and hung up immediately. It was extremely uncomfortable.

The room we received was next to the elevator and gym. The room captured all sounds from both. The curtain rod broke off after touching it. The toilet paper dispenser broke after touching it. The shower doors were not aligned so the shower leaks water the entire time. The room wasn’t serviced our entire stay. The wallpaper in the bathroom was lifting. The tub was dusty. The candles that came with the tub didn’t work. The batteries were dead. Bubbles aren’t included only bath salts. The shower has 3 heads but only 1 can run at a time. The door to the room has a gap at the bottom so all hallways noise and light can be let in.

I took photos to attach but looks like that’s not an option for this review.

We visit Denver often. We stay downtown always.

Jess at the front desk kept it real which I can respect. She was a straight shooter. Clear and direct. Only person worth speaking to.

It was just embarrassing that we paid for “lipstick on a pig”, nothing was luxurious about our experience. Nothing like their sister location in SF. Stay at the Hyatt Centric that’s across the street. Stay at The Slate that’s a few blocks away. Their experience...