Radically Refreshing
June 2007
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“Good morning, The Curtis hotel. How can I make your day?”
Not the standard front-desk greeting—and The Curtis is definitely not your standard hotel. Located in downtown Denver, adjacent to the convention center, the newly opened property features pop-culture decor and a cool, playful vibe to match.
Take its guest rooms (336), for instance. Where else could you wake up to Elvis crooning “Three to get ready, now go, cat, go”? Or dock your iPod in a VW Beetle alarm clock? Each of the 13 guest-room floors has
a theme, supported by pop-art installations. How about Sci Fi (Star Trek, The Terminator, The Matrix) or Chick Flick (Thelma and Louise, Pretty Woman). Or, even, TV Mania (Friends, The Sopranos).
As you’d imagine, the fun doesn’t stop there. Notepads in the meeting rooms (19,000 sq. ft., with 12 rooms for 280–500 people) have tic-tac-toe puzzles for doodling. And the rooms themselves have names like Duck Duck Goose and Patty Cake. Which makes it hard to get lost, unless of course, you’re heading for the Hide & Seek room, where your colleagues are getting down to business.
The athletic club, opening this fall, features the largest indoor pool in downtown Denver, plus a Jacuzzi, cardio machines and a Universal Weight Machine—serious fitness opportunities, so go ahead and have dessert.
The Curtis is not for every group or every meeting, but if you’ve got the right mix of GenX-ers, or even nostalgic Boomers, it may be just the ticket to enliven a standard meeting. thecurtis.com
RUSTIC RETREAT
When noted restaurateur and designer Pat Kuleto (Boulevard, Farralon and Jardinière in San Francisco) has a dream, he is tenacious. Together, he and acclaimed chef Mark Franz spent eight years updating Nick’s Cove & Cottages, a funky Highway 1 landmark on the east shore of Tomales Bay, about 90 minutes north of SFO.
Opening this month, the new Nick’s Cove encompasses 14 luxury cottages located on or over the water, with bay views, distressed wood floors, fireplaces, private Jacuzzi spas, copper bath tubs, flat-panel TVs, and more.
Perfect for small executive retreats, it has all the amenities of a boutique hotel, including concierge and room service. The cottages have kitchens, but with the enticing aromas from Nick’s restaurant, you’ll want to amble over to dine. The indoor/outdoor restaurant, which seats 130, has spectacular views and a menu to match. Dubbed “coastal roadhouse cuisine,” it showcases local seafood, produce, cheeses and beef. (This is, after all, the area Prince Charles and Camilla explored last year due to its focus on organic and sustainable farming.)
Nick’s is available for buyout; its meeting space includes a 14-seat boardroom, the Boat Shack at the end of its 400-foot pier, a private dining room for 25 in the restaurant and a glass-enclosed deck just adjacent. Team-building activities can include kayak outings, cooking classes and hiking at the nearby Point Reyes National Seashore. nickscove.com
