Populus — Hotel in Denver

Populus boasts a 1st of its kind concept and unique design, but I can only wonder if the architects at Studio Gang have any prior experience designing hotels, as this property is filled with numerous flaws that don't seem to justify the premium rates charged to stay here. The theme here is functionality over practicality and profit at the expense of comfort.

The guest room size and the layout are puzzling. There is no bathroom, and the toilet and shower share a tiny closet, while the wash basin is awkwardly located elsewhere, near the bed. This setup offers no privacy, especially if 2 guests are staying and either person needs to use the toilet or shower at the same time. It seems there’s also an issue with hot water, as we experienced multiple outages during our stay.

It’s baffling for a newly built hotel to lack accessible power ports for personal devices, have no ice machines, or have inadequate window treatments as our window had no shade, compromising privacy. It appears that the investors either ran out of funding or the designers overlooked incorporating several essential features.

It came as a complete shock to discover daily housekeeping wasn’t offered, despite being listed as an amenity on the website, and we were never informed about this essential missing element at check-in. I don’t understand how a hotel can charge such outrageous rates without offering basic services like towel replenishment, refreshing the bed, or cleaning the room during one’s stay. I've never stayed at a hotel where guests are required to reuse dirty towels.

The 2nd floor social space is supposedly reserved for private usage; however, no one was using it during our stay except one single guy on his computer that looked like he owned the joint. There is literally no business center, and the public restrooms are unisex. I can’t imagine women enjoy having to share the bathrooms with men. I know that’s a thing in Europe, but the last time I checked, I thought this was the U.S.

Populus has no parking lot or garage and doesn’t provide on-site parking, but they do offer an overpriced valet service. For $64 per day (excluding tips), they’ll valet your car at the Sonesta Hotel, which results in long wait times to retrieve your vehicle. I stopped by the Sonesta to inquire about parking and was informed their rate is a flat $30 per day (24 hours). The discrepancy between the two rates left me feeling short-changed, so my recommendation is to park at the Sonesta yourself for $30 and take the short 2-3-minute walk to Populus. This will save you $34 per night, allowing you to retrieve your car much faster, and you won’t need to tip anyone.

As for the food, we tried the two restaurants in the hotel, and they were both equally disappointing. Pasque was situated in the hotel lobby, offered a pricey menu with limited options and the food wasn’t good. The uncomfortable seating lacked privacy and despite efforts to obscure the view, you're still faced with the sight of the homeless seeking charity wandering around and staring you down through the window beside your table.

Having invested significant resources to provide a family member with a culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America, I'm no stranger to fine dining. However, the rooftop restaurant, Stellar Jay, was anything but that. They should enlist the help of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to create a proper menu and set the staff straight because the lads we experienced, wouldn’t cut it where I come from.

The rates charged to stay here are insane, yet there is no pool, bellhops, spa, room service, daily housekeeping, towel replacements, evening turn-down, ice machines, in-room coffee makers, ice buckets, business center, onsite parking or complimentary breakfast.

Unfortunately, Populus fails at every level and doesn't even come close to mid-tier level hotel standards. It lacks both functionality and comfort and doesn't come close to the level of service or attention to detail one would expect at this...

We stayed at the Populus over Memorial Weekend to celebrate our 30th anniversary, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a poor choice for such a special occasion. At first glance, Populus appears to give off a nice presence but after you settle in, it’s super obvious that the hotel is not quite as wonderful as depicted on-line.||We were under the impression that we had booked a mountain view room. However, we were disappointed to find that true mountain views are extremely limited. In fact, two thirds of the building face in the opposite direction to the Rockies, and even the rooms that somewhat face towards the mountains like ours did, have views that are completely obstructed due to the odd design of the windows. It’s difficult to understand how such a significant discrepancy exists between what's advertised and what's offered. Charging premium rates for what is marketed as a “mountain view” experience, when in reality the views are minimal or mostly nonexistent, is very misleading.||The itty-bitty, teeny weenie room we were in was as minimal as it gets, lacking any features that might make it feel inviting. There were so many design flaws, it’s overwhelming. Both my wife and I prefer sleeping in a cool environment, but the room was too hot because the AC constantly turns off by itself and wouldn’t maintain our preferred temperature.||The accommodations overall felt impersonal and uninspiring. From inside our room, we could hear other guests coming and going in the hallway and voices late into the night. The elevators were consistently unreliable, often behaving unpredictably, as if they weren’t properly programmed. If you want a cup of Joe to start your day, you’re provided with an incredibly cheap, horribly tasting “coffee in a tea bag” that is not an acceptable form of coffee. In-room coffee makers are advertised but it would be nice if they actually put some in the rooms and not some cheap sustainable substitute.||We had rain during our stay and water was leaking in multiple areas throughout the hotel. They’ve been open for over six months, so you’d think they’d have ironed out all the issues by now, yet if you didn’t know any better, you’d swear it was still opening weekend. I’ve never seen anything like this.||This hotel whiffed when it comes to delivering an upscale experience and any expectations of luxury are quickly dispelled upon arrival. The absence of self-parking forces guests to rely on an overpriced valet service and when you factor in the customary tip for each in-and-out, it adds up quickly, bringing the daily cost closer to $100 which is excessive by any standards. Additionally, despite claims on the hotel's website, there were no EV charging stations available during our stay, making it just another non-existent perk.||Populus is overrated, overhyped and overpriced. The proprietors of this hotel appear to see themselves on par with the Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton, a claim that's difficult to justify based on the actual experience. The quality of the hotel simply doesn’t align with the rates they’re charging. Celebrating our anniversary at home for the weekend would have given us much more comfort and satisfaction and we could have saved enough money to take a real vacation at a resort elsewhere.||When I attempted to raise my concerns, I was told the General Manager had just been given the pink slip and his replacement doesn’t work weekends. Clearly, there are numerous issues here no one is talking about, and Populus fails to live up to the flawless image and reviews posted about the hotel. They’ve clearly invested a great deal in their marketing campaign, but when it comes to the actual experience, the buck...

I recently visited Populus Hotel in Denver for dinner, as I was considering it for a potential reception for 30 to 40 guests in honor of my business partner, along with a few nights' stay. Initially, I was quite taken by the hotel’s stunning architecture, captivating art, and commitment to sustainability. However, my experience left me hesitant to pursue this venue further.

On Saturday, April 5, 2025, I arrived around 6:40 PM, eager to explore the dining options. Upon arrival, I approached the hostess, who later identified herself as Camilla—a woman with dark hair and standing about 5'3". My initial encounter with her was disappointing; despite the lobby being fairly empty, she appeared dismissive and preoccupied with her device, failing to acknowledge me for over a minute as I stood about a foot away in front of the host stand.

This lack of attention became more pronounced when a group of about five elder non-African American women arrived. Camilla immediately diverted her focus to them, completely overlooking my presence. It wasn’t a big deal at first, but then a group of about five elderly women walked in. The hostess immediately put down her device, lifted her head, and acknowledged them. One of the women said, “Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am; he was here first.” The hostess continued to look at her. The woman then turned to me and insisted that I go ahead. I replied, “No, ma’am, it’s fine; you go.” She replied, “No, I insist you go; you were here first.” At that moment, the hostess chimed in, saying, “I don’t know who was here first.”

What?!?!?!? Are you kidding. She side eyed me about four times before those ladies came in. At that point, I decided to step back, thanking the elderly lady for her awareness and consideration, but I ultimately chose to leave rather than escalate the situation.

After stepping outside, I felt a wave of frustration, with a sense of discrimination. However, I reminded myself that one person’s behavior shouldn’t mar my overall experience at the venue. Taking a deep breath, I resolved to return and give the restaurant a fair chance. I approached the host stand again, I asked her for seating for one and I don’t mind if it’s a seat at the bar.

Camilla asked if I had a reservation; when I answered no, she noted me down for a 7:15 PM seating. With the time being around 6:43 PM, Unfortunately, I was left unattended and unacknowledged for nearly an hour. At around 7:45 PM, I finally inquired about my seating, to which Camilla provided a bland response, expressing uncertainty about the situation.

As our eyes met, I confirmed her name once again, and despite the ongoing issues, I sought to maintain my composure. Five minutes later, I found myself upstairs at 7:50 PM. While the atmosphere of the restaurant was enjoyable and the bartenders were friendly, the series of events leading up to my visit had dampened my appetite. I ended up ordering just one beer before deciding to leave, as I could not afford to wait any longer.

Given that I was considering Populus for a diverse group of guests, it felt important that everyone felt welcomed and comfortable. Unfortunately, my experience did not inspire confidence in that regard. Perhaps in the future, I might return for a more intimate occasion, but for now, I believe it’s best to pass...