Brown Palace Hotel050

From its sweeping atrium lobby, rising nine floors to a vast stained-glass canopy, to the soothing strains of the harpist playing during afternoon tea, the hustle and bustle of the city outside seems miles away when you enter the grande dame of Denver's hotels, the Brown Palace.

If you like, you can opt to simply tour the hotel; the front desk offers walking tour pamphlets. Every January, the hotel hosts a champion steer, who drinks water from a silver bowl, during the Western Stock Show.

Guest rooms feature totally modern conveniences, including two-line telephones with fax/modem capability and private voice mail, cable/color TV with movies and video games on-demand and video check-out, individually controlled heating and air conditioning, irons and ironing boards. Pure artesian water from the hotel's own 720-foot well flows from every faucet.

You're also on the receiving end of twice-daily maid service, nightly turndown, 24-hour room service, daily newspaper, Taylor of London toiletries, hair dryers, and plush terry robes.

Afternoon tea at the Brown is an occasion for which moms and daughters traditionally dress in Sunday best. Tea is served daily from 12n-4pm, and reservations are strongly recommended.

The hotel typically offers open-to-the-public special holiday events during the Christmas and Easter seasons; check the website for more details.