?The Westin Denver International Airport (DIA)
Whether your kids describe the new Westin DIA as the “whale tale” or “bow-tie” hotel—or a bird in flight, as its designers intended—parents are sure to agree on one adjective: convenient.
That was top-of-mind for Longmont real estate agent Susan Massey and her husband, Rick Larson, when they stayed there with daughter Sam, 7, in December 2015. Facing an early-morning flight to Mexico, they opted to book a room the afternoon before and “make a day of it,” she says.
If they”d left from home the morning of the flight, she says, they”d have all been miserable once they arrived at their destination. Instead, they took their time and ate dinner at the hotel and watched planes take off before retiring to bed the night before in their “awesome” room.
“It’s a nice hotel with very nice food,” Massey says. “So we felt like it just added an extra day to our vacation.”
Open since November 2015, the hotel comprising more than 500 soundproofed rooms is located just 150 feet from Denver International Airport. Visitors can dine at the hotel’s upscale bar & grill, Grill & Vine, or relax at the Jetsons-style lobby bar, Sky Lounge Bar. Or rejuvenate with a workout at the fitness studio, offering state-of-the-art equipment and what is undoubtedly one of the best views of the airport’s Jeppesen Terminal “peaked” roof. Then head to the 11-floor heated pool and hot tub to swim and enjoy panoramic views of the airfield and Rocky Mountains.
The summer brings “Events at DEN,” a series of free family-friendly entertainment and activities on the 82,000-square-foot, open-air plaza that connects the airport and hotel. Events include themed celebrations, live music and movies.
Denver’s 16th Street Mall added a little more family fun with the June 2016 launch of Westin Denver Downtown’s Westin Family Weekend Escapes Program.
“We are dedicated to having our guests leave feeling better than when they arrived, and that is not just for adults,” says John Everett, the hotel’s general manager. “We want all of the Westin kids to experience our pillars just as our adult guests do: sleep well, play well, move well, eat well and be well.”
Whether out-of-town kids or locals enjoying a ‘staycation,” the Westin Family Package includes a 25-percent discount on a second room (connecting rooms based on availability), and kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée in the on-site Palm Restaurant.
In their rooms, families will find kids” Travel Journals containing activities and hints for exploring the area, as well as a local activity guide suggesting nearby destinations including the Children’s Museum and Elitch Gardens. And during their stay, kids can entertain themselves in the room with games like Cornhole or diversions like mini-tipis.
During our weekend there, this native Coloradan family enjoyed activities like a tourist, riding RTD’s free MallRide and the Platte Valley Trolley, heading to the Denver Art Museum and watching a Colorado Rockies Game. I even walked with my boys to the Colorado State Capitol Building so they could pose on the steps for the ultimate touristy photo op at the 5,280 (mile-high) marker.
